House in the mountains, rising prices and appeal
Higher summer temperatures and foreign tourist flows put pressure on demand
Key points
In winter, people go to the summit to ski. But in summer - thanks to climate change and the decidedly more prolonged sultriness than in the past - the mountain is increasingly becoming an alternative to the sea. Not only that, observing the tourist flows, also international, that look to the Italian Alps and Dolomites as a new destination, it is not surprising that the house in the mountains is increasingly perceived not only as an asset to enjoy, but also an asset to be put to income for investment purposes.
The numbers
According to a study by Patrigest (Gabetti) on tourist flows in 2024 (compared to five years earlier), in addition to the big cities of art, Lake Garda and the Romagna Riviera, Val Pusteria (+19 per cent), Val Gardena (+26 per cent), Val di Fassa (+12 per cent) and Merano (+8 per cent) are also among the most popular destinations.
It is no coincidence that the already very expensive Cortina d'Ampezzo (2025 price range over 2024 between 9,219 and 13,750 euro) has posted increases of 14 per cent in a single year. Courmayeur (with prices between 7,300 and 10,500 euro per square metre) is up by 4 per cent, while Valtournenche (3,850 to 6,750 euro per square metre) has put up increases of 10 per cent in one year, not unlike Bormio (between 4,000 and 7,000 euro per square metre) with increases of around 15 per cent.
The appeal of the mountain house
"In the first half of 2025 - underlined Fabiana Megliola, head of the research office of Tecnocasa - 44.3% of the sales realised by the Group's agencies active in mountain tourist resorts, had as object the holiday home. In almost 9 out of 10 cases, they are families and for the vast majority, they are buyers between 35 and 54 years of age. Above all, in almost 9 out of 10 cases, purchases of holiday homes in the mountains are concluded without a mortgage".
'Italy is warming up faster than the global average,' added Luca Dondi, CEO of Patrigest, 'and snowfall is also gradually decreasing. In the medium to long term, a seasonal shift of tourism is expected in spring and autumn and a drop in summer. However, if it is able to offer not only refreshment but also services related to nature, wellness, culture and sport, putting a house into income (even a partial one, for a few weeks a year) could open up interesting opportunities for owners".
