enjayelle

Hi,

New to this site but I have been reading through the posts and gained some useful info already. Just after some specific advice - we are a family aged 27, 31 and 1 yr old. The big plan is to sell up next spring/summer, use the money from the house sale to tide us over, while we find somewhere to rent in Cyprus and jobs. If it all works out and depending on our income, we'd eventually like to buy a property there. We have been considering the Paralimni area - mainly because we've been on holiday a view times to Protaras and loved the surrounding district, outside of the main tourist areas. Would anyone recommend/not recommend this area? What would be our chances of finding half decent jobs? We've both worked in housing in the UK but would be willing to do anything if it paid the bills. We'd also need to find child care if we both worked - can anyone give some advice on nurseries/prices in this area? We've booked a 2 week holiday in September to Protaras and will be hiring a car to look at prospective areas to live etc. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!

littlelol99

Hi,
My husband and i have a little boy of 5. we went on holiday to Cyprus 2 years ago and came home with an apartment. It was completed in October last year. It is in Kapparis. When we went came home this time we was gutted so we have put our house on the market, selling our furniture as we speak and we are moving out in April 09. All i can say to you is that we love the area, i feel safe and the people are lovely.
We bought our apartment of Yamas Mamas and i would highly recommend them. When we told Makis that we was moving out he was genuinely made up a good genuine family business. When we bought off him 2 years ago he did ask us if he apartment is for holidays or living at the time it was just for holidays. He said to us Kapparis is better for holidays but Paralimni Is really for living.
I hope some of this info will help you we go out for a holiday in October then the final step in April. Hope to speak to you soon.

Lara, Ronnie & Ryan

Honest_H

Hi there and welcome to the forum.

One word of advice from me....

.....do plenty of research, ask plently of questions.

Living here is entirely different to being on holiday. Believe me, I know, I've done it, and I'm going back to the UK next year.

Don't get me wrong, it really works out for some people, espcially reitrees, the lifestyle is fantastic, but the daily grind is hard.

There is a few things I will regret, mainly schooling for my oldest daughter. She has been going to the American Academy in Larnca, and its fantastic (youngest only 2 - too young for school). I'll miss the beach and our pool, but there is more to life.

Choose your location wisely, choose schools wisely and have a pot of money behind you. Don't buy until you have rented for at least two years.

I think I've gone past the 1 word of advice....ah well.

Ask as many questions as you can, its the only way to make an educated decision about your move.

enjayelle

thanks for the advice both. We are doing as much research as we can at the moment and intend to have a very good look at various areas when we visit Cyprus in September. We have considered the Kapparis area but, like you said Lara, its quite a tourist area and I think we'd struggle to get a permanent job there. I have heard that Paralimni is developing at the moment and sounds like a suitable area for property/jobs/schools etc although our little girl isn't even 1 yet so we've got a while until worrying about that! Any advice from someone who had made the move would also be appreciated - paperwork involved/ shipping/ associated costs etc. Good and bad points welcomed - we dont expect it to be plain sailing! Lara - if all goes well, we could be moving out with you in April! PM me and let me know your experiences with the planned move - good luck and hope it goes well!

Honest_H

I again, good that your doing lots of research, being on the forum will help as well. I wish I'd have know about it before we moved. Might have made things a lot easier.

Your right that Paralimini is developing, but still, if your not planning on working in the tourist industry, then you'll struggle for jobs. What about Larnaca or Limassol. Both have better job opportunities, but both close enough to travel to Nicosia if need be (this is what I do).

Paperwork - where do I start. The Cypriots love paperwork! First thing that you'll need to do is to get an Alien Card. Where you go to get it will depend on where you live, in saying that, our neighbours got there's in Larnaca, but when we went we where told that we had to go to Paralimini! Planet Cyprus. There's a whole host of things you need to bring with you. Birth certificates, marriage certificates, bank account details, employers details, proof of medical insurance etc. Best bet is to go and get the forms and get them to write down everything you need, then go back with copies of all in tow. You'll get your Alien Card there and then. All your details will then be sent to Nicosia and your residency permit will be sent out, about 2 years later (this is how long we waited - my parents forms have still to be issued!). You can go to Nicosia and queue with everyone else, but really at the end of the day, what's the point, you don't actually need any of it now that Cyprus is in the EU, but as I say, they love paper work and it does make things a bit easier if you have the alien book or residents slip.

On leaving the UK, your supposed to let the department of work and pensions know your leaving, also the benefits office and the tax man. I do know people who are still claiming - but I wouldn't advise it - it will all catch up with you sooner or later.

There are loads of shipping companies on the net. I can't recommend any, our shipping was done from Northern Ireland, so maybe someone else can help on that front.

Your choosing a really good time to move out. April is perfect. Not too hot. You can get loads done. We moved in the middle of August, nightmare! We moved into a house with no electric, water or front door, 150 boxes plus furniture in 45degrees - not good, but hey, great for weight loss!!

Pity its all back on again!

Any more questions, just ask.

its a very exciting time though, the planning stage, I loved every minute of it, enjoy it and try not to get too stressed. Have the butterfly's started yet? I felt sick for about 6 month before moving. It didn't stop when I got here either, but then I discovered it was morning sickness!!LOL.

johnh009

I looked at Cyprus but am concerned about the current and potential water shortages. All of this over-development is bound to take its toll. Maybe someone who is already living there could clarify this situation.

Honest_H

Hey John,

Water - defintely a problem at the moment, for some. It really depends on where you live and what the water pressure is like. In Oriklini, I believe that they have water for 21hours a week, but the water pressure is very low, so when its turned back on again, it take the tanks a life time to fill up.

I live in Ormidhia 13kms further along the coast, we have water every other day and the pressure is good. We have four adults and two children living in our house, and we haven't ran out yet. Then again, we are sensible with the water. Showering everyother day, using the dishwater and bathwater for watering plants, only washing up once a day. Also, we have buckets in the showers to collect the cold water that comes out before it heats up. We boil this up then the wash the floors.

You could be Cypriot about it though, their idea of saving water is to install another water tank and wash their cars and patios with the hose at midnight.

Thankfully, so far, this summer hasn't been as hot as previous, so hopefully not as much will evaporate from the dams. We hoping for a really wet winter which will help. However, in my opinon, they should continue to ration the water for a number of years until the dams are full again.

johnh009

Thanks, perhaps a small price to pay for living there. And, of course, compared to other places, you have low crime (a major consideration these days), good education, and great food. Many of the Gulf nations are using desalination plants and perhaps this is what they need in Cyprus.