Buying in Cyprus

Read me... The next best thing to going out to look

There are countries that offer particular financial benefits to people wanting to buy abroad. Once you move to a country where the tax laws are so lenient that the taxable rate on income, capital gains or inheritance tax is lower than the UK, you would class that country as a ‘tax haven’. Cyprus is one of them.

Aphrodite seafront apartments

Enjoy the summer all year round. What a glorious escape! Drag yourself out of the turquoise water after that early morning swim and pick up your towel you left on one the island’s countless pebble bays or sandy beaches and watch the sun rise ever higher above the Troodos Mountains. Iced with snow in the brief winter, by spring, their emerald green slopes are lush with pungent herbs and colourful wild flowers. Is that where you'll go today? Walk in the footsteps of the ancients through amphitheatres, tombs, castles and monasteries. See the island through the eyes of those staring from the many colourful mosaics; take in the air they breathed; taste the food they ate; the wine they drank. Live Cyprus.

3 bedroom villa at Kamares Village, near Tala

Let’s Live Abroad! exercise due diligance to work with top agents in Cyprus to show you the best homes and deliver you the best advice before you buy in Cyprus. Not just new developments, but resales too!

Your own home on Cyprus

Buying in Cyprus is relatively straightforward. You usually need 20% deposit within 30 days of signing the contract of sale when you will have the opportunity to discuss flexible payments until the completion of your property. For your peace of mind, you won't pay the final payment until your property is finished. It is recommended you take independent legal advice from an English-speaking lawyer who has experience of Cypriot property conveyancing when you buy a property. (We can recommend any number of reputable lawyers in Cyprus). Lawyers’ fees are around 1.5% of your property purchase price. The Cypriot legal system is based on the British one. Your contract will be in English and is a private agreement between the vendor and the purchaser. Once you’ve signed your contract of sale, your lawyer will file it with the Land Registry within 60 days. (This ensures that your beneficial rights to property ownership are legally protected by specific performance, whereby you contract of sale cannot be withdrawn by anyone other than you, and therefore your property cannot be leased, sold, transferred or mortgaged without your consent). In Cyprus, at this stage, you are even able to apply for a mortgage or loan! If this is what you think you might do, we recommend you bring along with you the following documents: -

• Passport
• Drivers license (for identification)
• P60 or wage slips from the past 6 months
• Bank statements from the past 6 months
• Recent household bills (for proof of address)

Some other things you might like to know... The Cypriot government has abolished inheritance tax on property. We recommend our clients to draw up a Will if they would like their property to be passed on in a particular way.

Public and private healthcare is of very high standard in Cyprus and available to everyone. EU citizens who live permanently in Cyprus can apply to the Ministry of Health for a medical card entitling you to free or subsidised healthcare depending on your earnings.

You can bring your pets with you. If you are moving permanently to Cyprus your pet will need a European Pet Passport which your vet can organise and a license from the Department of Veterinary Services in Cyprus. Your pet will need a rabies vaccination within a year of your move, a blood test 30 days after the vaccination, anti-parasitical treatment 24-48 hours before your move, documents that verify your animal is from an EU country, your pet’s vaccination card and finally, don’t forget to inform the District Veterinary Officer in Cyprus 48 hours before your arrival.

Plots for sale in Limassol

Our inspection tours, from £120, arranged through Let’s Live Abroad! are second-to-none! You are collected from the airport and taken to your hotel accommodation. Your consultant will take you round a number of areas to see which would suit you best. You will get to see a number of completed properties that are of interest to you as well as ones in various stages of completion. Let's Live Abroad! are also updated on a number of resales too, all of which are brand new and ready to move in to. If you are unlucky and don’t find a suitable property, you will be taken back to the airport to connect with your return flight at the end of your tour. However, if you do find something you like, you can be introduced to independent lawyers to draw up a sales agreement. If you require a loan, you can even be taken to a bank to arrange one.

Shops for sale in Cyprus

We have much to show you. From apartments from approximately £72,000, to townhouses from £100,000, villas and bungalows from £286,000 in Pafos, the centre, its suburbs or its villages; in Polis and Latsi and the city of Limassol. When land is developed and groups of houses are in close proximity, lush greenery and beautiful flowers adorn the area to create an overwhelming feel of warmth and friendliness. As many trees as possible are left in their original position. Where that is not possible, they are transplanted. They're safe, because; face it. There is not a fraction of the crime in Cyprus that plague so many European cities today!

Akakia villas in Kamares

Time to take advantage of the country where there is a lower cost of living than in the UK, where most people speak English and you drive on the left? Call us on 0845 22 55 777 for some literature.

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Buying in Cyprus