Hi, Came to cyprus for our summer holiday and decided to live there. We are thinking of buying in Peyia. At the moment we know nothing about fees for this and fees for that. We are going online to learn everything. It would be great to hear from anyone who can give us a few pointers. My husband and I are in our fifties and my son is 19.

Thanks

Bridget

Bridget,

Welcome, hope you find us all helpful.

Why have you decided on Cyprus? As I'm sure lots of people will say, living here isn't like being on holiday. Do you know about the water problem? Its very off putting for many.

Are you going to be working? Is your son coming with you?

Not sure what you mean by fees, can you explain?

Hi

My son is coming with us, as he has just finished training as a chef I hope he wont have trouble finding a job. We are hoping to buy a apartment outright and retire early. By fees I meant: there is stamp duty, estate agent and solicitor fees here when you buy somewhere, I wondered what fees would be involved in Cyprus. When you say it is not the same as being on holiday is sounds as if you are not happy there. We will have a few trial runs before we commit ourselves.I have read somewhere that you are only intitled to 60 hours a week. Is that true.

I don't think your son will have too much trouble getting a job.

You will pay stamp duty, there won't be estate agents fees (but if you sell, then yes), and yes lawyers fees will also apply. The amount really depends on how much buy your property for. Be very careful when choosing a lawyer. NEVER go to one recommended by the person who your buying from. Always do a little research before you decide. Try and get an "English" lawyer (usually an expat with Cypriot parents who have been brought up in the uk - in other words a "Charlie"), it will be easier for you to understand the ins and outs of buying property.

However, please, please take my advice and others, don't buy anything until you've been here for at least 2-3 years.

I should have found a site like this before we moved. It might have been a lot different. Instead I'm stuck with an illegally built house which I can't sell. My lawyer did nothing except charge me excessive amounts of money for a job that he didn't do properly. Hence, I'm moving my family back to the UK next year to start all over again, stint, cos it will be years before we get any money back on the house.

Lessons have been learnt. Mainly, do not trust anyone in Cyprus. In my experience, people are only out for one thing - your money and they will stop at nothing to get it.

Apart from that, its not bad living here. My husband and I both have to work full time to fund private schools for my 2 daughters and for the ever increasing bills, but evening and weekends are great. However, the cons far outweigh the pros, so, c'est la vie, we're going home.

Blimey that is awful. Why does everyone keep saying dont buy for 2/3 years. Do you recommend that we rent for a year or two first before buying? We are hoping to sell our house then buy a small flat over here and rent it out, Then buy a apartment over there with the balance, my husband will work together with my son so hopefully we should be OK. Oh I forget to say I can't work because I am disabled. I am not wheelchair bound(yet) I have to walk with sticks. So we are limited to a ground floor apartment. We have heard that buying a resale might be better than a new build, you get your deeds a lot sooner. Where will you settle over here it might me close to me. I live in Maidenhead, Berkshire.

Bridget,

Everyone says rent, cos if things don't work out, its easier to up and leave a rented house. Selling is a very costly process here. On hindsight, that's what we should have done. Things could have been alot different if we have of, we probably would have made the decision to stay. To be honest our house problem is the main reason for not wanting to be here, after that its the discrimination and racisim.

Also, if your disabled, you'll need to be really careful where you buy. Disabled people aren't catered for here like in the UK. No ramps, toilets are mainly upstairs in restaurants etc. Things are improving, but it will take a while. Finding somewhere ideal, may take some time, so rent and look around carefully.

A resale could be better. If you have a good lawyer they will be able to search to see if deeds will be available and if everything has been done legally.

Just be careful, take your time and weigh everything up, its a big decision.

We'll be going back to Northern Ireland, so nowhere near Madienhead!!!

I agree with Honest_H. I have lived here for most of my life, and I do not intend to buy property here. The cost of property has risen considerably over the past 5 years. Five years ago you could buy a nice home for 50,000 CYP, now they triple in cost. Many houses on the market are defective and cheaply made. You will probably feel more cold in the winter as most homes are poorly insulated and tend to get colder. I would also advise that you rent for at least 2-3 years. I guess that would be the wise thing to do in any new country. We are moving to Canada and won't be buying until we are sure we've made the right choice. There are a number of issues that have made me want to leave Cyprus, but I am sure they exist in other countries too. Will you be bringing any pet's with you? Animal cruelty is pretty common here. I have known many people that have lost their pet's due to poisoning. There are many poison cases throughout the island, where locals lay down poisoned meat to get rid of unwanted strays. You must be very careful when walking your dog, and it can be a problem if your cat likes to wander outside.

The low wages are another major problem. The minimum wage is ridiculous, and many business owners relish in the fact that they can hire foreign people from poor countries to do the same job for peanuts. This puts many locals at a disadvantage. Another thing to consider is the extreme heat from June - September. I have a/c in every room, and find it impossible to sleep without it. These are just some thing's to consider. You mentioned that your son and husband will need to find work when they get here. I suppose you should be ok with two wages coming in. There is a lot of seasonal work - bars and restaurants etc. so I don't think they would have problems finding jobs.


Good luck.

We have now booked a flight to come out mid dec to mid jan, We thought this could see the island at its worse. We can't at the moment rent for any longe as it would mean my husband would have to have long periods of time off work ( business shuts down for 2 weeks over xmas) I do have a pet here but I wont be bringing it with me, my daughter will have her, although I don't like animal crulity. We will come out a few more times bfefore we make the move. We intend to come out perm in 2010. Then we are going to rent before we buy so hopefully before we spend our hard earned cash we will know for definate that it is the right decision. We have spoken to people that live in the north, but we think the south is the right side to live for us. Although you do get more value for money my husband is frightened that the Greeks will reclaim their land, then we will be in trouble. When I read letter on the forum it does make we think I must admit. I hope it is the place for us as UK it turning into a crime ridden country and believe it or not is getting racist and we do have discrimination against us brits. Anyway I really do appreciate everyones opinions and experiences helping us make the right decision.

Hey Bridget,

Glad your going to rent and not buy straightaway.

Good decision not to bring your pet. Not only is there cuelty, but its just too hot for them in the summer.

Good luck with your move, hope all goes well

Yes, it's not a smart idea to buy property in the North. It is morally wrong for a number of reasons.

Keep focused on the South side, and hopefully all will go well for you and your family.

Best Wishes

CAN I ASK WHY ITS DEMMED AS MORALLY WRONG TO BUY IN THE NORTH ???AND NOT SO IN THE SOUTH ????DIDNT TURKS LIVE IN SOME OF URE PROPERTIES????AND WERE NEVER AND WILL NVER BE OFFERED COMPENSATION !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pse turn off you capitals
I'm not sure about morally wrong, but purchasing in the North is certainly fraught with doubts as in theory the land belongs to persons absent.

Bridget- to see Cyprus at it`s worst you should be here now. Hot, humid and horrible. Businesses close down for their holidays, just makes life even more difficult than usual. I have been here 5 years and just managed to sell my house after 15 months. Because it`s holiday time here and my buyer needs a mortgage we all have to wait for the bank manager to return from his hols to sign the paperwork. Of course there was no one else who could possibly do it. Can`t wait to return to the UK and civilisation.

Can I ask why you went to live in Cyprus?. Do you live in Paphos?. There must be something you like about Cyprus. This forum has really helped us make certain decisions, Like doing loads of homework, visiting often and certainly renting first for at least for a year. Which is what we intend doing.

We made the same mistake you are about to do. We came here for holidays and really liked Cyprus, BUT, you don`t see the real aspect of living here. Things and attitudes have changed even since we arrived. We are supposed to be in the EU, but apart from a different currency you wouldn`t know. The Cypriots just don`t want us here. I was just about to say they are nice to your face, but their not. We live in a smallish mountain village, here at least the locals are friendly, I would never live in any of the major towns. As I have said in previous thread the Brits aren`t any better. It`s like Peyton Place here, any gossip and everyone knows. Anything to knock you down. Most of the time it all gets twisted anyway. It`s best to keep your mouth shut. Some do like it here and that`s fine, not for me though. I cannot stress it enough, DO NOT buy here until you are absolutely convinced this is where you want to be. It just didn`t work for us. I resent being insulted and taken for something from another planet. If you try and stand up for yourself you just get the usual shrug of the shoulders and the stupid grin. The only way for you to find out is to try and see. But I will never ever live in a foreign country again. Best of luck, you`ll need it.