News from the last 3 weeks.

April 20, 2009

I took a few days off with the family last week to visit London. The run up to this seemed quite hectic. Now I am back at my desk and decided to take stock of the new additions that Jo and I have added to the website.

The following list is all the new properties that have gone on-line in the last 3 weeks.

Chalets (10)

Chalet Servoz, a 4 bedroom property in the Chamonix valley.

Apartment Centre Ville, a small apartment or business slap bang in the middle of Samoens.

Apartment Bertrand, a 4 bedroom apartment in St Jean d’Aulps.

Apartment Chamois d’Or, a 3 bedroom apartment in the centre of Morzine.

Moulin de Trebillon, a stables with land not far from Evian and Lac Leman.

Chalet la Griaz, 3 bedrooms in Les Houches in Chamonix valley.

Chalet Iris, 5 bedrooms, 100m from a ski lift in Chatel.

Chalet Laer, 7 bedrooms, on the ski bus route in Chatel.

Chalet Cravarin, 6 bedrooms and great views in the Samoens valley.

Chalet la Toile, 4 bedrooms and great views in St Gervais

Land (4)

Land les Bollus, walking distance from the ski lift at Vercland, Samoens.

Land at Flerier, in a quiet setting by a lake near Taninges, Samoens valley.

Land du Buissons, good views on the outskirts of Essert Romand nr Morzine.

Land at Passy, cheap! About 20 minutes from Chamonix.

Renovation (1)

Farm Grevat, a farm building and 1620 m² of land, Essert Romand near Morzine

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Posted by Gareth

200 Properties for Sale

April 9, 2009

Alpine Property is approaching its 10th anniversary, but before we reach this milestone we have recently achieved another. This week is the first time we have had 200 properties available for sale on our website. In fact by Friday we’ll be on 205.

I know 200 doesn’t sound like a lot of properties for a web based agent. It is when you consider we operate like a traditional agent. We know each individual property and for each one we visit, take the photos and arrange a contract with the owner. We do not just “re-advertise” the properties for other agents.

It sounds like a lot to me. The reason for this is that Jo and I prepare the information and pictures and put each one on line. We have worked out how long (on average) each property takes to upload. Assuming we have to create a plan for the property (a lengthy task) then the whole process takes about 5 hrs.

So it made me wonder. How many properties have we put online in total? This is fairly hard to work out before 2002. And very easy to work out since 2002 (the year we went from a “static” HTML website to a “dynamic” database driven website). Since 2002 we have advertised 716 properties.

Thanks to Alexa’s “way back machine“, we can track how many properties where online on any given month since we went online. Here is the history for Alpine Property.

http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.alpine-property.com

This is also an interesting place to browse if you want to see what a property might have been worth 10 years ago!

So here is the data for number of properties visible on the website (so it includes properties “under offer”).  I’ve also added initials by the year each team member joined.

Spring 2000 – www.alpine-property.com goes online with 15 properties SN/CB which overed St Jean d’Aulps, Morzine, Les Gets and the Chatel Valley – AKA The Portes du Soleil

Spring 2001 – 24 properties GJ/JN

Spring 2002 – 28 properties – website mk 2

Spring 2003 – 32 properties

Spring 2004 – 37 properties  JD helping GJ

Spring 2005 – 109 properties – website mk 3 DB/JC, adding Samoens, Chamonix, Megeve

Spring 2006 – 110 properties VM, helping DB

Spring 2007 – 112 properties LM, helping CB

Spring 2008 – 160 properties – website mk 3.5 EC/RO, adding Les Carroz, La Clusaz and Le Grand-Bornand

Spring 2009 – 220 properties

The initials stand for

  1. SN = Steve Norris
  2. CB = Claudia Buttet
  3. GJ = Gareth Jefferies
  4. JN = James Norris
  5. JD = Jo Davison
  6. DB = Denis Barbier
  7. JC = JC Skiera
  8. VL = Valérie Maes
  9. LM = Lee Massey
  10. EC = Emma Casanova
  11. RO = Richard Owens

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Posted by Gareth

Apartment For Sale Sign

April 8, 2009

Another of the “non web” marketing strategies we have been employing.

We have just taken on an apartment in the centre of Samoens and the owner has given us permission to display our “for sale” sign.

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Posted by Gareth

Recent Ads featuring Alpine Property in the National Press.

March 30, 2009

Historically Alpine Property’s portal to the outside world has been via the World Web Web. We have been happy advertising our chalets, apartments, renovations and land for sale on “the web”. Generally people find us via a Google search using terms such as “buy”, “for sale”, “chalet“, “Apartment“, “land” and linking them  with one of the towns we have properties in, these include – Chamonix, Argentiere, Vallorcine, Les Houches, Megeve, St Gervais, Combloux, Sallanches, Le Grand-Bornand, La Clusaz, Samoens, Sixt-fer-a-Cheval, Taninges, Les Carroz, Araches, Les Gets, Morzine, Montriond, St Jean d’Aulps, Chatel and Abondance to name a few!

Recently we have been working with, Winkworth, a UK based Estate Agent who has been doing PR and Marketing of our properties. I have listed here some of our successes.

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Posted by Gareth

Moving to the Alps

March 30, 2009
autumn-walk1

Autumn walk '08

We often get asked about how to go about setting up a chalet business in the Alps. Often the underlying question is “I’d like to come and live in the Alps, how can I make a living?”. Obviously the subject is pretty vast and there would probably be a market for a book on the subject. There is certainly a market for loads of magazines and websites. Here follows my “quick” reply.

  1. There are many ways to earn a living whilst living in the mountains. One of them is to run a catered chalet business. It may be the least profitable though, especially when you take into account the hours involved.
  2. If you happen to have a million Euros in cash handy then it is a fairly reasonable way to spend your time. You invest the money in a chalet, you make a living from the income the business provides and if you invest wisely (and if the market plays ball) your capital investment can grow.
  3. If you are very handy and speak reasonable French you could buy a renovation project (200,000 to 400,000 Euros then 100,000 to 200,000 Euros on materials), you can then renovate yourself and turn your investment of time and money into something worthwhile. Don’t imagine you can get away without speaking French though; you’ll have to deal with planning applications, French tax, French regulations (health and safety etc), French electricians and your neighbours! Employing builders to do the work and taking out a large mortgage can really mess up the finances.

If dead set on the “Chalet Business” route then consider:

  1. Getting a job working for someone else. You’ll get to know the business, make the mistakes for someone else! You’ll get to know the area too and might find yourself a property when “on the ground”.
  2. Taking 3 months off to tour around the Alps, start with getting to know the areas you might be interested in, then home in on one and concentrate your search on that. Start after the February holidays so that’ll leave you with March/April/May, you’ll be getting serious towards the end of the season – just when people have a bit more time to spend with you. Come to think of it – May can be a bad month – too many bank holidays – difficult to get the local population to concentrate!

autumn-alpine-walk

Autumn walk '08

Within Alpine Property we have a lot of expertise in your area of interest. All the businesses mentioned are “legit” French business – none of them are “British” businesses operating in France!

  • Steve Norris – MD, fluent French speaker, actually seems to enjoy French bureaucracy. Loves France more than the French – oddly that is quite an unusual trait amongst the British Ex-Pats In France. Second business www.alptitude.com
  • Gareth Jefferies – Ops Director, second businesses www.endlessride.com and www.endlesstrails.co.uk
  • Lee Massey, second business, project managing new build and renovation projects.
  • Claudia Buttet, Dutch/French/English speaker, project manager, chalet builder, long time estate agent.
  • Denis Barbier, fist of all a chalet builder (it’s in the blood), http://www.alpes-chalets74.com/knows everything there is to know on the subject.

So as far as tradesmen are concerned we can certainly point you in the right direction. It would depend on which area you settled. For the Portes du Soleil it would be Claudia, Lee or Gareth that can advise. For Samoëns it would be Denis. If you settle on Chamonix or Megève it would be Jean-Christophe Skiera or for the Aravis, Emma Casanova (her second business is chalet and apartment management). If it was Les Carroz then Richard Owens (another with a good relevant second business – http://www.lacortiena.com/.

The pictures of the “Autumn Walk” were taken on a walk above Morzine in November ’08, Steve and Gareth “bunk off” work for the day. We were back at our desks by lunchtime! All the pictures can be found here.

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Posted by Gareth

Samoens, land for sale

March 28, 2009
a view of the land in Samoens

A view of the land in Samoens

Now online, Land les Vaisys, situated above the Samoëns valley in Le Grand Massif, a lovely position just 350m from the ski lift in Vercland. Planning permission has already been granted for a 6 bedroom and 6 bathroom chalet with a living area of 231m². This would be an ideal spot for either a holiday home or a business. Building costs are coming down, in 2008 we would quote 2,500 euros per m² to build a new chalet, now we think it is closer to 2,100 – 2,300 euros. This would mean that the building costs for this chalet may be closer to 500,000 euros.

Water and electricity are available near the site and the mains drains are accessible too.

Click here for further details

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Posted by Gareth

Alpine Property News in Samoens.

March 27, 2009

News from Alpine Property in Samoens.

Until the end of March

So the crises certainly exists but the effect is to reduce the prices – which thankfully means they start to match peoples budget = some sales are made. Phew!

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Posted by Gareth

Villa Bethanie, bourgeoisie quality

March 27, 2009

Villa Bethanie is a magnificent stone built chalet in the centre of Samoëns, recently refurbished by craftsmen to a very high standard its 5 bedrooms are currently used as holiday accommodation. Very few chalets exist in the Alps that have this level of character.
Because of its central position in Samoens the nearest shops, restaurants and ski bus are just a minutes’ walk away. This chalet south facing and the terrace will catch the warmth beautifully. The level of finishing is exceptional; the chalet is very spacious too. In fact some of the ensuite bathrooms are bigger than some bedrooms in other properties we have for sale! The stone floors and stone staircase give a real sense of the provenance of this villa.

Internally the layout consists of:

Basement: Twin bedroom (1) with ensuite shower and toilet, utility room with heated ski and boot room.

Ground floor: Long entrance hall, large living area, wooden conservatory “sun room”, double bedroom (2) the “red room”, ensuite bathroom with double basin.

First floor: Double bedroom (3) the “green room”, with walk in “dressing” big enough for a cot if required, ensuite bathroom with walk in shower and toilet and double basins, dining area, seating for 8 people and kitchen with access onto a sunny terrace with views of the mountains, there is space here for a table and BBQ.

Second floor: Twin bedroom (4) the “Chinese room” with ensuite bathroom, twin bedroom (5) the “ski room” with ensuite bathroom.

More pictures and 360 tours are available by clicking here.

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Posted by Gareth

Alpine Property Team Ski

January 31, 2009

The Alpine Property Team, from left to right.

Claudia, Lee, Jo, JC, Emma, Richard, Steve, Valerie, Alex, Gareth, Denis

This photo was taken on January 29th 2009 at the top lift at La Clusaz (Col de Barme 2477m). We try and get together every winter/summer as a team for a social ski or walk. This is the first time we have managed to get all 11 in one photo!

Further details of who we are and what we do:

Claudia Buttet, joint founder of Alpine Property, sales agent, Vallée d’Aulps including Les Gets and Chatel

Lee Massey, sales agent, Morzine

Jo Davison, first contact, it’s Jo you will probably “meet” first when you email Alpine Property.

JC Skiera, sales agent, Chamonix, Megeve and oversees the Aravis and La Clusaz.

Emma Casanova, sales agent in the Aravis, Emma also runs her own chalet management business.

Richard Owens, sales agent, Les Carroz/Flaine, Richard also runs his own chalet business.

Steve Norris, Managing Director and joint founder.

Valerié Maes, sales agent working with Denis in Samoens.

Alex Lewis, marketing man.

Gareth Jefferies, first contact, database admin, PR liaison.

Denis Barbier, sales agent and developer working from Samoens. A proper “local boy” and mountain professional.

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Posted by Gareth

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