Jun 22, 2020 / BUYING PROCESS

How to make the most of your viewing trip

There’s plenty you can do now to ensure that you get the most out of your viewing trip.

After the last few months of lockdown, Europe is starting to slowly open again. There’s even talk of potential ‘air bridges’ with the UK, which means that making viewing trips to ski resorts may soon be a possibility.

However, there’s plenty you can do now to ensure that, when you can finally take that trip, you make the most of it. Preparing beforehand could even put you in a position to make an offer as soon as you view a property you love!

Find the perfect location

Finding the perfect ski home is all about location. Whether it’s France, Spain, Italy or anywhere else, you should ensure that nothing stops you from making the most of your new property. It’s helpful to ask yourself questions such as, how long does it take to get there? Is it expensive to travel there? Do I want to use the property for short weekends away or for longer periods of time? You must not only love the location but ensure that nothing stops you from spending time there.

3 Bed and 3 Bathroom Apartment in Bolzano

Find the perfect resort

As well as location, you should also figure out what you want from a ski resort. Maybe you’d like it to be a dual-season resort, so you can visit throughout the year. You may want a quieter resort or somewhere that has a buzzing après ski scene. It’s also good to look at factors such as snowfall, altitude and visitor demographics to ensure that you’re picking somewhere that suits you.

What kind of property?

Once you’ve decided on potential locations and resorts, it’s time to start looking at properties. The Snow Only property portal is ideal for finding properties before making a viewing trip. So, make sure you have a budget in mind and start your search! If you are unsure about the kind of ski home you’re after, spend some time browsing to get a feel for what you’d like. It’s also worth considering what you’ll use the property for and any features that could help with this, such as a ski-in-ski-out facility, a balcony with a view or private outdoor space.

Terraced house with terrace and views in Baqueira.

Organise and protect your funds

The currency market can be unpredictable at best, especially considering the current climate of uncertainty. Sending your money overseas without any consideration for fluctuating exchange rates could result in you losing a significant amount of money.

Sudden drops can significantly reduce your purchasing power, so leaving your savings unprotected is a dangerous game of chance. Buyers can lock in a forward contract to ensure that the money that they pay doesn’t change, regardless of a volatile exchange rate. Find out more in the Property Buyer’s Guide to Currency.

Should you make an offer on your viewing trip?

Once you’ve done all of your research, you should be able to make the most of your viewing trip by visiting properties that tick most, if not all of your boxes. So, if you turn up and instantly fall in love, should you take the plunge and make an offer there and then?

The short answer is - absolutely! If you’ve done all of your prep beforehand, then why let the opportunity slip away? By putting an offer in straight away and signing the reservation contract, you could also avoid gazumping (when a seller accepts a verbal offer on the property from one potential buyer but then accepts a higher offer from someone else.) Gazumping is not allowed in some countries, such as France and Italy, so once you’ve made the offer, the process should be fairly smooth.

2 Bed Apartment in Villars.

To find out more about viewing trips and buying your own ski home, make sure to get your free copy of our France, Spain and Italy Buying Guides. They explain everything you need to know about the buying process, give you useful advice on safely transferring your money over and about what to expect with taxes and fees.