Rafael L.C.V.G

ABOUT CYPRUS

Ideally located as a geographic link between Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa, the island has attracted the attention of both businesses and individuals. Its well qualified workforce, favourable tax environment, laid-back lifestyle – and over 300 days of sunshine a year – continue to appeal to all ages and nationalities.

At the north-eastern edge of the Mediterranean basin, 33o east and 35o  north of the Equator, 75 kilometres south of Turkey, 105km west of Syria, 380km north of Egypt and 380km east of the Greek island of Rhodes, Cyprus has an area of 9,251 square kilometres, and Government figures from 2005 put the population at 766,400 – 69% of whom were then living in urban areas.

Blessed with a varied coastline – sandy to rocky – it has spectacular scenery and a wealth of flora and fauna. Whether you like the sea, the mountains or flat plains, Cyprus has it all. There are two mountain ranges – the Pentadaktylos range (maximum height 1,042 metres) along the north coast and the Troodos massif in the central and south-western parts of the island (the highest point being Mount Olympus – dominating the island’s skyline at 1,953 metres.) Between the two ranges lies the plain of Mesaoria, fragrant with wild and cultivated herbs.
 

The climate is truly Mediterranean – hot, dry summers and changeable winters, the two being separated by a pleasant autumn and colourful spring. January and February are the ‘coldest’ months on the island, when temperatures on the coast and central plains generally reach a maximum of around 15 degrees Celsius with a minimum of about 6 degrees Celsius. The mountains are always cooler, and snowy conditions, ideal for skiers, can take the winter temperatures down to a maximum of around 7 and a low of zero! Hottest months are July and August when island temperatures can hit the high 30s.

English is widely spoken on the island; there is a sound financial system in place; there are favourable tax conditions – and driving is even on the left! Together with its strong historical links to Britain, that makes Cyprus a true ‘home for home’ for those who have lived in UK.

Sadly the island remains divided following the Turkish invasion of 1974; in the south is the internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus (Kybros in Greek) – a full member of the United Nations and the European Union, while the northern part of the island refers to itself as the ‘Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’ (‘TRNC’), but is not internationally recognised (except by Turkey).

Buying property in the Republic is easy, especially for European Union nationals – and the choice is enormous. Whether you’re looking for a little studio, a three-bedroom family apartment, a two-bedroom stone village house, or a luxury mansion with a swimming pool, Jacuzzi and enough garage space for four cars, you can find it on the island. The range of commercial properties is also considerable. And – despite a boom in the property market – still at attractive prices.

If you are trying to find an older property to purchase, and perhaps restore, then you might be doing that simply by walking the streets of your favoured areas. If so, you will inevitably come across some property that is vacant – perhaps boarded and padlocked. That’s usually an indication that it belongs to Turkish Cypriots no longer living in the Republic. The all-important title deeds remain with them, and although they cannot at present sell that property, the government protects their interests and ownership rights. In the ‘TRNC’, that has not been the case and many Greek Cypriots with property there have found to their dismay that the regime has issued ‘new’ deeds – arbitrarily naming someone else as the owner of the property and it has then been sold on illegally. BEWARE, a number of expatriate investors have been caught in that trap in the North. No such dangers in the south!

Many people from the colder climes of northern Europe choose Cyprus as a retirement home; others prefer to buy ‘a place in the sun’ to use as a holiday home for several months of the year – possibly renting it out in their absence. And hundreds of young families decide to sell up their homes and move – lock, stock and barrel – to the island, relishing the climate, the friendliness, and the lower crime rates.

Cyprus is welcoming, but buying property on the island needs just as much ‘homework’ as buying ‘at home’.

What and Where to Buy

Where you buy should reflect your personal lifestyle needs and preferences: city versus village life; perhaps a need to be near your work if you are moving to the island as a resident; the availability of schools if you have young children; the letting and resale potential if you are buying as an investment; the ease of transportation if you don’t drive [villages are not always serviced by buses, taxis or the shared ‘service taxis’]; the proximity of medical care, food store and supermarket…and so on.

Since so many people buy holiday homes on the island, you can find a development full of life in summer but empty apart from yourselves in winter. So just how much do you need company?

Lefkosia (Nicosia) is the capital; Lemesos (Limassol) is both the commercial hub of the island, the location of the main port, and a tourist destination. Larnaka is home to the island’s main airport (receiving over 30 scheduled airlines year-round) and also its second port. The town functions fully throughout the year, and the Larnaca Municipality covers a huge area, taking in a number of villages. Pafos, in the south west of the island, has its own airport – whish receives mostly seasonal charter flights – and has attracted a high percentage of expatriate retirees. Ayia Napa, in the south east, is very much a ‘holiday’ resort and in winter time the majority of shops and business closes down. [That’s the time the residents love- it’s quite and they ‘get their town back’. But it’s a very different place in summer and winter.]