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 Post subject: RESIDENCE WANTED TO BUY
PostPosted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 5:07 pm 
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My wife and I plan to move from the UK to Cyprus next year. We are looking for any 2 bedroom residence anywhere in Cyprus, up to €60,000. We will be paying in cash.

We have placed our UK house on the market and we shall move to Cyprus as soon as we find a buyer.

If anyone has a property to sell in our price range, please email us with details at:

tom.culpeper AT gmail.com

No agents, please


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PostPosted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 5:12 pm 
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You will be overwhelmed by the response!

Alan


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PostPosted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 5:50 pm 
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emgeeb wrote:
You will be overwhelmed by the response!

Alan


Or more probably "underwhelmed" :crylaughin

Tanny is not an agent - honest 8-)


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PostPosted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 6:17 pm 
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We live in hope, but my expectations have now been raised ;-)))

Let us hope that you are right ;-)


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PostPosted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 6:43 pm 
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I’ve placed this request under another heading in the forum and I hope that this is OK? :grin:


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PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 7:49 am 
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Good luck in your search

Having had a quick look, there are quite a few 1 bedroom options in your price range
Eg
1 bedroom fully furnished maisonette for sale, Coral Bay €60,000
1 bedroom apartment for sale, Coral Bay €58,000

I can’t see any 2 bedroom. These start from about €100,000
eg
2 bedroom apartment, Emba, €170,000
2 bedroom renovated property, Polis, €170,000
2 bedroom detached house, Tala, €215,000

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PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 10:29 am 
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Dave,

Many thanks for taking the trouble to help us.

I have already found a number of two bedroom properties in our price range and some of them are impressively good looking. At least online. ;-)

We just want to have the widest possible choice before we make our final decision and it is our hope that with the assistance of kind people such as yourself we might eventually make the right choice.

Thank you again for your help.

Tom


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PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 10:45 am 
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To buy a 2 bed property in your price range means it has to be either 20-ish years old, or from a company who did developments in Peyia, and numbered them instead of naming them. There are two, two bed apartments in my development which are around €100,000 and to be honest, I am asking more than your price for my beautiful one bed apartment . .. . . . :morning

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PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 11:04 am 
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Tom

It's highly possible that the properties you've found on the internet may be very old pages or just haven't been updated.

Estate agents are notorious here for not keeping their websites up to date as many don't actually have the properties on their books but get the property details from other agents as they will often agree to split the commission on the sale between them.

We have one such agent here in Limassol that if you contact them regarding a property you will not get a reply for at least a week and then when eventually you do get an answer, it's either already sold or rented. All because they aren't the sole agent for that particular property.

It's worth contacting them via the website you've seen the property on to see if they are still available and the information is up to date before you get too excited or build up your hopes.

Personally, I think €60,000 for a 2 bedroom property is pushing it a bit.

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PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 11:06 am 
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You will be hard pressed to find a good 2 bedroom on a nice development in a good area for your budget.My own beautiful 2 bed fully furnished,covered parking,sea and mountain views etc in a well supplied village I would not let go under a 100 for cash!

Your best bet is to come over and rent a property until you find a job and look around different areas.

We wish we had done that instead of buying,it would have given us so much more choice.


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PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 11:09 am 
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Good morning Jean,

Thank you for taking the trouble to comment.

No doubt your properties are well worth the price you place on them. Your position makes the property we have found online appear to be very attractive. One in particular is rather impressive:

Brand new,
2 bed,
66m2 covered area
60m2 veranda
Communal swimming pool
Famagusta – Larnaca area

What else do we want? Nothing. Just making sure of what our options are ;-)

Tom


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PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 11:24 am 
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CypruswithBabies and Beverley,

You may be right. I can only go by what I find on the Internet and the information there might very well be out of date, like the information provided by one of several companies we have found, like

http://www.buysellcyprus.com/nqcontent. ... S_ssid0908

I do not know if this is a serious company or not, but it is one of the many companies offering apartments in our price range. Does anyone know them, please?

Regards,
Tom


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PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 12:45 pm 
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BuySell have been around now for many years as a source for properties in Cyprus.

As a rule though property in the area you have indicated Famagusta and eastern areas has always generally been cheaper. Part of that used to be because Larnaca airport didn't offer any charter flight services over the winter months and of course, Ayia Napa, Protaras, Paralimini all but closed down in that period.

Things are changing slowly with the airline services - certainly Monarch operate an all year round schedule into Larnaca now.

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PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 12:48 pm 
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Sorry!

Didn't see the price you wanted to pay.

Nothing in beautiful Pegeia for that money.


Alan


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PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 1:04 pm 
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CypruswithBabies and Alan,

Thank you for taking the trouble to respond and for your very useful comments.

Thankfully we are not restricted by area preference and so we have the luxury of choice.

Our price limit was arrived at following the offer we came across on the Internet of a really beautiful, new, 2 bed apartment with a huge veranda and a huge communal pool, near Liopetri river. With your assistance, it seems to us now that we will not be able to find better than that property ;-)

Thank you again for your help ;-)


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PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 1:34 pm 
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Don't rush Culpeper. Why is it that cheap? There are so many ways that Cypriot Developers can find to part you from your hard earned cash. The stories on the various forums where people have lost their life savings AND more could make you cry.

Stand back, look at it and take a deep breath - something is not right. If a 2 bed place was that nice for €60K people (including me) would be trampling over you to buy it. :rain


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PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 2:29 pm 
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Polemi Dave,

If it was only just one property on offer that met our requirements, we would be even more careful than we currently are. But there are a number of properties out there that look to be quite suitable and, subject to a proper legal search, you would not have to trample over us or anyone else to obtain one ;-)))

My wife is a lawyer specializing in civil law, with emphasis on contract law. She has looked into the deed problem in Cyprus quite carefully and has formed her own opinion on the matter. In fact, following her studies, we would not be averse to buying accommodation without a deed, provided the land it is built on is not mortgaged. ;-)

If you are really interested in obtaining an apartment as I have described, then do a search for such offered at a higher price and then negotiate downwards. For example, a property advertised at €66,000, already has a 5% commission included in it. By definition, therefore, the client is willing to accept €62,700. Are there many sellers out there who would risk losing a sale for a measly €2,700 do you think?

I am sure that my presumption in offering advice is l probably like currying coal to Newcastle, so please forgive me if I am out of line.

On another note, what are the natives like in your neck of the woods? Friendly? Hostile? Any war paint on the horizon? :-)

Thank you for your input.

Regards,
Tom Culpeper


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PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 3:26 pm 
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culpeper wrote:

I am sure that my presumption in offering advice is l probably like currying coal to Newcastle, so please forgive me if I am out of line.

On another note, what are the natives like in your neck of the woods? Friendly? Hostile? Any war paint on the horizon? :-)


Well silly us :rain we thought you were asking advice. Surprisingly I do know more than a bit about buying property in Cyprus. We own 4 properties here the last one purchased was a one bedroom only 2 weeks ago. I paid more than the figure you are proposing for a one bedroom. So I can tell you that although my wife is not a contract lawyer, we work on the established principle if it seems too good to be true - it probably is.

The natives are very friendly here abouts and you can pop in any time and give us advice on apartment purchases. :crylaughin


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PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 4:08 pm 
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Beware of Cyps bearing cheap houses!


Alan


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PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 4:11 pm 
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Polemi Dave,

I would not normally presume to give unsolicited advice. However, because you expressed what appeared to be a strong desire to buy something similar to what I had described, I thought it pertinent to describe how we found the specific property. If I have given offense in any way, I apologise.

Reading your last comment it is obvious that I have, indeed, given offence and this was not my intention, so please allow me to clarify:

• I came here asking if anyone had a house for sale or knew of a house for sale, specifying what I am interested in.

• I have listened to the ideas expressed here with considerable interest and appreciation.

• You said to me that “if a 2 bed place was that nice for €60K people (including me) would be trampling over you to buy it” - so in order to be of help and to reciprocate the kindness show us here, I tried to pass on our thinking process.
• It is possible, as you say, that the price is “too good to be true”. But since there are many such offers currently available on the internet, it may be worth the effort of investigating them to verify their validity.

• As you must be aware, the distressed clients of just one bank (Alpha) number in the hundreds. 750 to be specific. So would it not be reasonable to consider the possibility that someone might want to cut his losses and sell at a price lower than he bought?

• From what you have said, you are obviously an investor in property. So, if you have bought a one bedroom apartment for more than the price of a brand new two bed apartment as I have described it, surely it might be in your own interest to investigate the possibility – potentially saving yourself a considerable amount of money – than taking offence at my attempt to reciprocate the help given us here. :-)

Again, my best regards,
Tom Culpeper


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PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 4:22 pm 
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Tom, the location is the difference here - as you had posted on Paphos People, the people on the forum were relating the price of property in this area, not Famagusta. Paphos has always been dearer than the East of the island, probably because, as has been said, that end of Cyprus traditionally used to close for the winter months, whereas Paphos was a year round resort.

As for the issue of title deeds, no matter how much research has been done, and no matter how much one knows of the law, you always have to remember that "this is Cyprus" - a much used phrase over here, especially when you try to tell people that something is against European law. I'm sure all of us living over here have heard this on more than one occasion - I know I have! Personally speaking, I would never buy a property here without title deeds again - I now have them to my property. Ensuring there is not a mortgage outstanding against the land when you buy is not enough, I'm afraid . . . . . . ask the people who bought from a developer who then went bust! Even having your contract lodged at the Land Registry sometimes is not enough - ask Conor! You can never be too sure when buying here, which is why anyone you speak to who has property will all say the same thing - - -- - - -make sure you have title deeds! In fact, the first question potential buyers ask is about the title deeds - nothing else holds the same importance for them.

Just the thoughts of someone who owns a property, has worked for a property agent, and is now trying to sell . . . .. .

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PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 4:35 pm 
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Jean,

I shall naturally bow to your superior experience. No one wants to take unnecessary risks in such times of international financial distress. :-)

We have been to Cyprus on holiday a few times and the friendliness and kindness of the local people impressed us. When compared to the surliness of the UK and the Jimmy Sevilles who appear to infest the country, we thought it best to try to improve our surroundings by moving to Cyprus. So we shall see you there anon.

Thank you for your input.

Are there any particular negatives we should be looking out for?


Tom


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PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 5:19 pm 
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Tom
You have not caused any offence here :grin:
Things get cheaper if there is a reason - location, services, potential problems and of course deeds. In this area alone serious problems keep occurring with poor construction, land slippage, electrical connections and of course deeds. Without boring you, please take it from us who live here, none of this is simple or cheap to rectify - if indeed it can be.

On the subject of deeds, if you buy without deeds, the developer/bank continues to own your house. If you want and can sell later they will take at least €1000+ for allowing you to do so. If you get into any dispute with the Developer usually the first think he says is "but it is still my apartment". When the deeds are ready, which usually means the Developer has the cash to complete the project and file all the volumes of certificates needed and the government gets off its fat b-side and completes the subdivision, it is usually some 10 years plus down the line. At that point the developer will want an unreasonable amount for Immovable Property Tax and local tax. Basically this is a fraud as if you were the actual owner of your €60K apartment you would not be liable for any of it. Probably they will ask you for between €2K and €2.5K in cash on the day you transfer the deeds. OK, your wife will know that is illegal !! However Cypriots are very stubborn when it comes to money and the Developer just refuses to come to the land registry and pass the deeds over. You could take the Developer to court to get your deeds, that will take you 3 years + and cost many thousands and even if the court finds in your favour the developer could continue to refuse to transfer.

Now maybe you might think I have over complicated the situation and your lawyer wife will sort it. The truth is for brevity, I have over simplified the situation. In a worse case situation Specific performance contracts and the pecking order of mortgages could mean a bank has a prior claim and you could lose the lot. :roll: It is not so simple with a complex to find out who owes what, when you enter into the contract. I would be very surprised you will find any complexes that are not partly mortgaged already. So Jean has given you the best advice, buy only if you can take the deeds on the day of purchase.

Before I came to Cyprus I asked similar questions on these forums and was very pleased to receive similar advice, I still fell into some property potholes but they were not as deep as if I had not listened to the advice given.


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PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 5:39 pm 
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Polemi Dave,

Thank you for your gracious response.

Yes, we are aware of the things you’ve mentioned. My sister bought a house in Cyprus without a deed, but my wife ensured first that the land was free of all liens and THE LAND was transferred to my sister’s name. If the developer has obtained a loan to build the house using other mortgaged property, that is not my sister’s problem as the developer has built a wonderful house on the land which now belongs to my sister. That was the point on which my comment was based.

Anyway, many thanks for taking the trouble to respond to my inquiry. We have been to Polemi on one of our visits and will certainly visit again, so we shall look out for you in order to buy you a beer :-)

Tom


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PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 6:09 pm 
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culpeper wrote:
My sister bought a house in Cyprus without a deed, but my wife ensured first that the land was free of all liens and THE LAND was transferred to my sister’s name.

Tom

That only works where the house is built on a single plot of land, usually agricultural. In the case of most houses under about €400,000 and complexes, multiple units are built on a single land registration. You can't just transfer, it has to be subdivided WITH the dwelling.

If you can find a house with its own individual plot of land for €60K you are indeed a lucky man.


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PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 6:19 pm 
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Polemi Dave

Valid point! :grin:


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 6:56 am 
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I might also point out that 66 sq m covered area for a 2 bed apartment is very small - our apartment is 92sq m covered area and is a reasonable size. Don't forget that the photographs taken are taken specifically to make the rooms look larger than they are!


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 10:42 am 
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Culpeper - You have been warned RENT, RENT - first!

John


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 1:01 pm 
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Bossy Boots, thank you for your advice. I truly appreciate it. Our place in the UK is a 4 bed 100m2 house and far too big for the two of us. It is possible that our needs are more modest than most.

In fact, the reason we are looking for a two bedroom house is because we want to use one of the bedrooms as a walk-in closet, a place where we can store my wife’s substantial wardrobe :-)


Last edited by culpeper on Mon Oct 22, 2012 1:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 1:04 pm 
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Bristolian, the corruption, the cruelty, the systematic cheating by both tradesman and conglomerates, the rapes, the murders and now the Jimmy Savilles of the UK have caused us to give up. NOTHING could be worse than this.


The decision has been made and we are leaving the UK FOR EVER!. If we find something suitable, we shall buy instead of renting, to save wasting money. If you read the UK dailies online, you will understand what I mean


Anyway, thank you for your obviously well-meant advice ;-)


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 1:05 pm 
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must be honest...we are renters
but the amounts of places that we have seen first in photograph and then gone to have a look at said properties that looked nothing like the photographs where MANY!!!! as said these photographs and writeups are done to the best possible take...we have sea views!! that one cracks me up...as it is ususally a glimpse of the sea past countless houses some of which are slap bang in front of you, complete with rubish dumps and all other things :shock:
we where going to buy...but the amount of owners here who have advised us NOT to buy is HUGE...even those with fabulous homes in fabulous areas...folks who have lived here for many years... have all said "DON'T BUY" followed by "wish we had rented and never bought" !!!
changed our perspectives completely
as we are now very happy renters.we know if we get bad tenants move in next door...neighbours from hell types...and they are here trust me...we can up and move to a better area
check out on the apartment blocks you are looking at..and then imagine having to live next door to people you would never dream of wanting to be near to you!!!! as it does happen.....and these apartments are not sound proofed...they are concrete blocks and every sound carries...friends we know had to listen embarrisngly to their neighbours loud sex life every morning....we have seen some dream apartments, whose owners had saved all of their lives to live the dream now face being ruined by families moving into the complex and ruining the entire area and apartment block..making their dream apartment and area now look like run down council estates....we have had people come in from work at gone 1.00 am who then decide to do the hoovering!!!! go to the gym and smash about the gym equipment for hours in the middle of the night..you hear every crash of every door....and every footstep up and down the stairs.....every sound carries...so folks having fights in the middle of the night f'ing and blinding...and screaming babies and fighting can go on all night..people sit out on their balconies chatting, smoking and having a great time till dawn...right next to your bedroom window.....these are the truths about apartment living..we have lived the aprtment "dream"...within 6 months it made us both ill..the apartment by the way was fabulous...the mountain views spectacular.....but we would never go into an apartment ever again in our lives after what we had to endure...as we came here for serious R&R
we where also advised never to come off the uk housing market......even if you downsize....keep a property there and rent it out for whilst you are here..so that you always have a property in the uk to fall back on if needs be
yes the uk is in a dreadful state....some of the things happening are absolutely shocking to the core...but be aware that their definite BADDIES here as well as all the goodies :grin:
just my thoughts by the way... and saying it as it is and as it can be... :sunny
maggie


Last edited by migmogs on Mon Oct 22, 2012 1:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 1:32 pm 
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Thanks, Maggie. Your input is very useful and I appreciate the examples :-)

Tom


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 1:51 pm 
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culpeper wrote:
Thanks, Maggie. Your input is very useful and I appreciate the examples :-)

Tom

glad you found it useful Tom
sadly we LIVED the examples in full, and in 6 months we truly where both made ill from our experiences
hence why I can speak without the rose tinted glasses on, as we had ours knocked flying
all the best with your search for the best property for you and your wife
as Cyprus is a wonderful place to live if you have the right property for your needs, surounded by the right neighbours
maggie


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 2:18 pm 
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Maggie,

Be sure that before we part with any money, we shall ensure that all possible aspects are looked into. We have already spent time in Cyprus looking into different areas. We are learning Greek so that we will not be restricted by a need to be around the expat community.

What surprised us considerably is the attitude taken by some of our countrymen towards the locals and the tolerance of the locals to such an attitude.

Prior to my retirement I worked in a number of countries around the world. In every country, without fail, I would come across some of our countrymen who appeared to leave their memories behind when they left Britain. They would tell the locals what a perfect country they came from, their perfect houses, their perfect crime and corruption free country and how horrible their adopted country was by comparison.

Their accents and their vocabulary when they were making these claims betrayed their council estate roots, their lack of education and culture, yet they were happily unaware of the discrepancy. When I would try to save them some embarrassment by trying to change the subject referring to the latest horror reported in British newspapers, they simply ignored the hint and curried on regardless.

No doubt Cyprus has some behavioural issues. But we live the behavioural issues of the UK on a daily basis and, with respect, we will happily change the issues we have here with the issues you have over there. :-)

Tom


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 3:06 pm 
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we also have embraced Cyprus...we have now probably more Cypriot friends than expats...
not that we don't like the expats....we do...but we wanted to become part of our local community..and we do not frequent the local drinking holes..so tend not to mix with the expats pub goers...my husband goes to the local coffee shop and has coffee with all the local Cypriot men...we have been invited to weddings and family meals by local Cypriot people, who in all honesty are the most generous people we have ever come across, their families are absolutely polite on every level, and a joy to be with and around.
and I have got to be honest ...you say it was the council house types who where spouting off in the pubs in embarresing ways....have to laugh...as bad spouters come from all walks of life and some of the biggest bad spouters here .....are in fact the Cololnel Blimp types..usually retired, bored, professionals....from Top Police Officers, High up Army Chiefs, Head Masters, Directors....who hail that all things British cannot be beaten..and would change this tiny island into Little Britain ASAP if they could....they are the biggest shouters of hating all things Cypriot we have come across, sadly they fall in the educated well to do lot..why live here then???..we have no idea..personally we give all folks from any walk of life tho who hate all things Cypriot and hail the uk as the Holy Grail of how Cyprus should be run...as wide a berth as possible as they all fall into the same ignorant category
but we came here wanting to become part of the local Cypriot comunity, a lot of ex pats come here NOT wanting to do that...and thats ok...as each to their own...there is no right or wrong way...just what you the person wants to do...we also are learning Greek....in fact we can get by well now even tho still limited in using the greek language....the term used by our Cypriot friends all of he time to us over the language is "Cigar Cigar" spelt wrong but wanted to get over how the word is actually said :o) which means "slowly slowly"
The apartment blocks that we lived in.....had mostly been bought by expats as their dream holiday homes...and then rented out to all nationalities, expat, russian, polish, local Cypriots, holiday makers etc etc.....very multi cutural...
It is well known here that Cypriots speak very loudly.....not because they are arguing or anything....but because they are loud.....we luv this side of their personalities...but living at the side of them in an apartment block is NOT ideal from noise issues...
the young man next door to us was in fact Cypriot he used to beat his Polish girl friend most weekends......not because he was Cypriot .....but because he was just an awful man.....they are in every nationality.....and so the same here....we have good and bad in all of the nationalities that are in Cyprus
BY not selling up lock, stock and barrel, and renting out our uk home...we have stayed home owners on the property ladder .....it is just that we own our uk home and not the home here.... which also makes the income to rent here... so for us a win win....as once a property is bought here....the biggest nightmare is when folks come to sell.....not a lot sells at all
on the positive...as their are loads of positives
the crime rate here is much lower than in the uk, we do have crime, just lower
you will tend to see the Cypriot youngsters go to the coffee shops to watch the footy not the pubs as the Cypriot culture is not a drink culture, so not loads of yobs falling down drunk on the streets
the weather here is fantastic.and yes you can plan your barbie weeks in advance...knowing that it will be fine for that day
the local food is tasty and not forced and tastes like real food
we have met some local Cypriot people who are lovely and if you try to get to know them, they will go out of their way to embrace you with open arms into their families
we have also met some salt of the earth expats, who are wonderful people
so yes lots here is good....but it is not perfect...no where is

all the best on your search and on your move

maggie


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 3:50 pm 
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Like Maggie, we also rent and we're in the same semi-detached 3 bedroom bungalow (approx 200 to 250m2) with large front patio and side yard with another veranda between 2 of the back bedrooms, guest wc, utility room, family bathroom and a separate kitchen.

We pay 450 EUR a month and have been in this same house since we very first arrived in March 2004 when we were paying 250 Cyp Pounds per month.

Unlike Maggie however, we did sell up lock, stock and barrel in the UK (a 2 bedroom terraced property in the North West).

We did think of buying in the future but have now cast those thoughts aside and did so most definitely after the first 4 years. Prices went quite crazy and some properties with prices in excess of 1m EUR have little land, look exactly like the next just a couple of 100m along.

We came to Cyprus for a better lifestyle and a more relaxed pace which we most definitely have.

Leaving the UK for some of the reasons stated in this thread I personally feel is setting off on the wrong foot and not the right frame of mind to base a new life on. You need to move for positive reasons rather than looking back on the negatives.

We are now considering where our next move will be as we're more or less convinced we will not stay in Cyprus forever. Definitely, leaving UK for us has been a great move and has given us the confidence to look to other pastures in a few years time. We don't feel we will go back to UK for the forseeable future but one must never say never, as you never know what's around the corner....

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Shell


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 4:25 pm 
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culpeper wrote:
Bristolian, the corruption, the cruelty, the systematic cheating by both tradesman and conglomerates, the rapes, the murders and now the Jimmy Savilles of the UK have caused us to give up. NOTHING could be worse than this.


The decision has been made and we are leaving the UK FOR EVER!. If we find something suitable, we shall buy instead of renting, to save wasting money. If you read the UK dailies online, you will understand what I mean


Anyway, thank you for your obviously well-meant advice ;-)


I appeicate what u say in your reply and we all know what is happening in the UK, but we are trying to give u advice. With respect to your lawyer wife, is she an expert on Cyprus Property Law? There are thousands of people, including Cypriots, who are still waiting for their Title Deeds (10-12 years). Has your wife checked up what the Alpha Bank is doing - chasing property owners, both here and in the UK, for part of the mortgage when a Developer goes bust. In the queue at the EC Court of Justice are property owners trying to seek justice regarding Title Deeds.

We just don't want u to get your fingers burnt!!

John


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 4:37 pm 
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culpeper wrote:
the corruption, the cruelty, the systematic cheating by both tradesman and conglomerates, the rapes, the murders and now the Jimmy Savilles of the UK have caused us to give up. NOTHING could be worse than this.

The decision has been made and we are leaving the UK FOR EVER!. If we find something suitable, we shall buy instead of renting, to save wasting money. If you read the UK dailies online, you will understand what I mean


I would say we have all those things here and generally the populous is far better at them than UK. Given the small population of 830,000 the occurrence rate is probably much higher. We have no media independent of political interference and certainly any J Saville type scandals and worse are brushed under the Cypriot mat or lost between complaint and court. Foreigners generally are not equal to Cyps in the eyes of the authorities or indeed many Cypriots.

Brits rarely stay in Cyprus for ever, the reasons for returning to UK are varies but most common are missing family, health or sadly running out of money. Getting older also plays a major factor as a friend of mine now says "I don't speak the language and as I need more medical care, it gets increasing difficult."

I have a better than your average Brit grasp of the language (far from fluent) and am contemplating applying for dual nationality. However I always intend to leave the back door open and keep my British passport is case I have a change of heart and want to return.

The fact is until a potential immigrant has lived here a few years they cannot know if all the imperfect aspects of Cypriot life will get them down, or just wash over them. There are many good aspects to Cypriot life, but a common thread every week is people you know going home. ;)

:agree with Bristolian as I so often do :bat


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 5:21 pm 
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Maggie, what a wonderfully comprehensive comment you’ve made. Thank you again.

One comment I would make about the ‘Colonel Blimp’ types:

Andrew Mitchell MP has slapped the face of every policeman in the UK with his comment about them being “Plebs”. In fact, he has slapped the face of 93% of the British people who were not privately educated, including soldiers past and present who have given their lives to protect his investments in BP. The PM, who is of the same persuasion and same financial interests, had the gall to try and justify this, but thankfully he has failed.

People are slowly waking up and they no longer appreciate being called ‘plebs’ or ‘the scum of the earth’.


The ‘Colonel Blimp’ types you refer to are either of the Mitchell persuasion or, worse still, like to pretend that they are. I assure you that when they speak in private amongst themselves they refer to 93% of Brits in the same terms they use for foreigners. I am in a position to know this first hand.

In consequence, ‘Colonel Blimp’ types do not really count, as their contempt for people is not restricted to foreigners. :-)

Best regards,
Tom


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 5:25 pm 
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Shell,

Thank you for your useful input.

All I can say is that, as the situation has become here, we have acquired enough experience to know that we would rather starve in Cyprus than be well fed in the UK. :-)

Tom


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 5:28 pm 
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culpeper.

Sorry for being so blunt , but even in these hard time you have no chance of finding any decent property at the price you ar quoting.


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 5:30 pm 
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John,

I truly understand and appreciate your advice.

My wife has spent a couple of sessions with a local lawyer discussing the problems you have referred to. We are confident that with some care we can protect ourselves from the pitfalls of Cyprus. :-)

Many thanks again,
Tom


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 5:44 pm 
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Polemi Dave,

Because I have come across the claims you’ve made about crime being higher in Cyprus before and because we really listen to what others are saying, I have actually looked up those claims to verify them.

It turns out that PRORATED there are 617% more rapes in the UK than in Cyprus. This is according to a UN study covering all UN member states (per 100,000 of population).

Another study shows the UK to have more violent crime than South Africa and the US, which come second and third,

As to the Jimmy Saville case, it appears that hundreds of people knew about him, including senior management at the BBC and they all brushed it under the UK mat. There will be an interesting documentary tonight on Panorama about this if you care to watch it. :-)

Tom


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 5:49 pm 
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Charnwood Forest,

Bluntness is a good thing in cases such as ours. :-)

However, to be equally blunt, we have already found a few very nice properties within our price range and we actually believe that a couple of months from now, there will be a much wider choice. I shall return to post the results here when the time comes :-)

Tom Culpeper


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 6:05 pm 
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Tom
I think we have all tried to help you take the rose coloured specs off, but you are not listening. I can't help thinking you are running away from UK rather than running to Cyprus.

A couple of years ago a chap from New Zealand was saying almost identical things to you and would not take the advice.
After only a year he moved back, a lot poorer and much disillusioned and bitter.

We all hope it works out for you and no one wants to rain on your parade. It would be very sad if we were right all along and you had refused the advice. Good luck as I think you have decided.


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 6:25 pm 
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Polemi Dave,

You are correct in that we have already decided on the move.

I very much appreciate the advice I received here, but it is not new to me and I have already considered it – and looked into it – very carefully. The reason I posted here was to increase our purchasing options, but the well-intended advice is not unappreciated.

As I said already, we have found some very nice properties within our price range and as a result we shall now increase our budget €70,000 in the hope of finding a three bedroom property. One bedroom is intended to be used as a walk-in closet. A three bedroom property will provide accommodation for potential visitors. :-)

Let’s see if my expectations of further future price drops will be justified. :-)

Thank you again for your kind efforts to help.

Regards,
Tom


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 6:29 pm 
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Charnwood Forest wrote:
culpeper.

Sorry for being so blunt , but even in these hard time you have no chance of finding any decent property at the price you ar quoting.

I would have to disagree , I am in very close contact with a good few people in the property for sale market , advertised prices are being thrown out the window , offers of 40k on property advertised at 65k are being accepeted on many occasions ..

from the horses mouth ... :shock:

was even told of a 300k property having an offer of 180k accepeted ..
its a buyers market ..

A property is only worth what someone is willing to pay ..

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PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 6:43 pm 
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Neil,

I was beginning to feel somewhat lonely there for a while, so thank you for your input :-)

I quite understand that property owners are unwilling to accept that prices have dropped so considerably and I really sympathise with their reluctance to accept the fact. Regrettably, it appears that prices will be dropping even lower within the next few months.

As a cash buyer I must be forgiven for wanting to benefit from such a drop, in a situation which is not of my own making.

Regards,
Tom


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 7:02 pm 
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tom
my final thoughts are
not about prices or anything like that
but
if you are going to purchase an apartment and not a house
then please go and live there for a few months first
what you will put up with for 2 weeks hols in reality is not what you may want for ever
as there are some terrible owners/tenants in those apartments.
that can make your life hell
and that would be a tragedy
all the best
maggie


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 7:29 pm 
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Maggie

This is something that we intend to do. Thank you again for your help.

Tom


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