Discover Lower Austria: affordable lake and ski homes

Discover Lower Austria: affordable lake and ski homes

Think of Austria and no doubt the Baroque architecture of Salzburg or the chocolate-box chalets of the Tyrol spring to mind.
However for those seeking an affordable second home with year-round appeal, the area west of Vienna knows as Lower Austria, is definitely worth a look.
Not only it is a short hop from Vienna - a user-friendly modern airport with more flights to the UK than Salzburg - but property prices are around 50 per cent cheaper if you are seeking a little ski chalet or home close to a lake.

It's an area that is much popular with German tourists and other nationalities than the British but really shouldn't be - there's the beautiful old university town of Krems, the famous Baroque Abbey at Melk, the lovely villages set amongst vineyards lining the Danube or homes in the mountains handy for the lakes and ski hills of the Hochkar ski area.

You can buy a little house for under €50k, do it up for around €20k and then let it out in the healthy rentals market in the region.

Another option is to buy a characterful townhouse in a wine town - a langelois - for around €70k-80k, do it up or even extend it. 

Part of the reason why few British people are second-home owners in this area is that it's not been that easy for non-German speakers to get their hands on property.

In this area of Austria, banks are the first port of call when people want to sell their homes (they're not repossessions, either), and thus have many of the local properties listed on their books.

British buyers really need a friendly intermediary, and Amazing Austria have stepped in to offer this role to potential investors, seeing great opportunities in Lower Austria for the next decade.

"We can help buyers get access to properties and then get the best price," say Justin Field and Philip Smith who co-run Amazing Austria, based between Austria and Devon.

"Estate agent fees are three per cent to both the buyer and seller, but buyers should allow a total of 10 per cent buying costs in Austria."

Read more about Austria in the autumn issue of A Place in the Sun magazine, or search for further properties for sale here.

Get help buying a property in Austria

A Place in the Sun produces free guides to buying property abroad. Read the guide to buying a property in Austria here or search for properties for sale in Austria.

Amazing Austria will be exhibiting at A Place in the Sun Live at the NEC Birmingham on 27th-29th September, A Place in the Sun Live where you can meet the team and find out more about the properties that they have on offer.

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A Place In The Sun