Is anyone happy with their purchase in Northern Cyprus?

Sunchaser


Joined: 10/03/2008
Posts: 1

Message Posted:
11/03/2008 21:12

I appreciate there are a lot of people who have had horrendous problems with builders (as they do in the UK)/lawyers etc but surely there are people who have bought in NC who have not hit so many snags. If anyone is happy please let me know because we are starting to feel we have made a huge mistake! By the way we were reasonably fortunate in that our property was finished on time and have only hit relatively few problems.

Any happy people out there?

TimothyCadman


Joined: 13/12/2007
Posts: 1040

Message Posted:
11/03/2008 21:25

Yes we are very happy.



Villa finished ontime. Only one small damp patch appeared after the snagging, under a window, and that was sorted out by the builder the day we reported it.



Original snagging list had 4 items on it. All fixed inside a week.



We moved in in November 2004 and the builder promised that by 1st week of May the roads in and out of the site would have Tarmac. They did. He wouldn't do it any earlier as the wet weather at the time would cause problems in the future.



Permission to buy came through in January 2006. Shared deed was issued in February 2006. Just waiting for last 2 properties on the site to get Permissions and pay taxes, then the builder will issue Parcelised Deeds. We have no reason to doubt they will do it.

Turtle


Joined: 28/05/2007
Posts: 2669

Message Posted:
11/03/2008 21:43

Sunchaser, If you completed on time and all went reasonably well why do you feel you have made a huge mistake ?...I dont understand

p4aul


Joined: 12/10/2007
Posts: 71

Message Posted:
11/03/2008 21:45

Yes very happy.



Builder: Sydney Construction

ttoli


Joined: 24/03/2007
Posts: 1172

Message Posted:
11/03/2008 21:47

Yes indeed, Moved here in November 2005,English builder and Developer, Damp proof course and title deeds thru in 2 years.

There have been 'minor' niggles, 1 year for Kibtec to get their fingers out and connect me and Cyprus Pools making their usual hash.



But two years on and i dont regret it for 1 moment, the climate,the people in general and the absence of (and fear of) crime.



Without wishing to sound like 'an i'm alright jack', you do have to change your expectations and rationalise whats actually important when moving here, remember we are in their country but we do seem to have double standards with regards to the immigrants moving to the UK.

glencoe


Joined: 01/02/2008
Posts: 256

Message Posted:
11/03/2008 22:36

Sunchaser,

We are very happy with our purchase and although there were small niggles originally which were not put right (mainly because the BRIT who was responsible for organising snagging didn't have a clue - and had no people skills whatsoever - Huh!) we have a wonderful home with it's own pool, delightful views to both mountains and sea, lovely gardens, a safe environment, excellent all year round weather, lovely neighbours for the most part - need I say more, I would never be able to say all this about the UK now with it's wet dank weather, soaring crime rate, uncontrolled immigration, etc etc.

Think on it, just how lucky you are, and how many people in UK would envy your lifestyle.

Notsoboredhw


Joined: 15/03/2007
Posts: 1254

Message Posted:
11/03/2008 23:08

BRIT? UK - wet dank weather, soaring crime rate, uncontrolled immigration etc etc - some of us still live there!!!!!!!!

Notsoboredhw


Joined: 15/03/2007
Posts: 1254

Message Posted:
11/03/2008 23:53

p.s. so far yes very happy with our purchase - just need to spend more time there!

newlad



Joined: 02/03/2008
Posts: 7819

Message Posted:
12/03/2008 00:08

Sunchaser,

Hello and welcome our apartment isnt finished yet but we have no complaints so far,why are you having regrets,

Regards,

Paul.

simbas



Joined: 16/07/2007
Posts: 5943

Message Posted:
12/03/2008 04:53

hi sunchaser , welcome to the forum , we bought off plan ,no problems , we have been using our villa for 4yrs we love it love it love it, very happy with purchase , you should read the topic i tihnk its under how many people buying in nc, or something like that , if i find it i will bring it forward , but i would go as far as to say the majority are very happy with their homes in nc , sorry you don't feel the same way

good luck simbas

simbas



Joined: 16/07/2007
Posts: 5943

Message Posted:
12/03/2008 05:08

sunchaser , the topic has been brought forward as promised , mcsteviet started it under topic , how many people are there in the property buying process , hope it helps

regards , simbas

hammer


Joined: 09/12/2007
Posts: 115

Message Posted:
12/03/2008 11:37

bought of plan dec05 problems many but life is full of things to deal with which can create much negativity. So mistake no way cant wait to spend as much time as possible out in trnc. Be positive when rquired.

Milou


Joined: 15/10/2007
Posts: 425

Message Posted:
12/03/2008 11:58

Bought off plan Feb 2007 and we're very happy with our developer and our solicitor and think we made a wise decision.

regards

lesleyb


Joined: 27/02/2008
Posts: 126

Message Posted:
12/03/2008 12:55

Bought an apartment off plan in Girne in December 2004, finished as promised Feb. 2006 ,, very happy with everything, moved here permanently last November. on the whole very happy with our new life in T.R.N.C.

coffer


Joined: 13/02/2007
Posts: 292

Message Posted:
12/03/2008 12:59

This is a great lifestyle, know what your getting into, if expectations are set too high you may be disappointed. We live a simple, fun filled lifestyle, fishing, playing golf, gardening and socialising, its bliss and we would not change it for anything in UK.

poochops


Joined: 09/03/2008
Posts: 64

Message Posted:
12/03/2008 17:47

Chuffed. The builder has been as straight as a dye. The Villa is as near perfect as I would expect (I'm in the construction business as well) Neighbours are a dream. We do realise though that we are very very fortunate. Thank our lucky stars every time we visit, only wish we could move permanently sooner.

orangekazzie



Joined: 31/07/2007
Posts: 1091

Message Posted:
12/03/2008 17:53

Bought a plot of land can't remember now how many years ago but waited 9 months for our permission to buy came through before starting to build. Drew up plans ourselves, found a builder with the help of locals within the village. Builder excellent (he lives about 100 yds away from us). Only very minor snagging ie. drips from pump on roof, toilet leaking. Had him back to do various other additional bits of work since and very happy with everything.

Why are you regretting your purchase Sunchaser?

hattikins


Joined: 17/02/2008
Posts: 2793

Message Posted:
12/03/2008 18:49

Contacted the builder who had been recommended by friends,he helped us find the plot of land and designed our home for us, villa built on time, beautiful, deeds through within 7 months, looking to move there permanently very soon, couldn,t be happier. Please don,t just listen to the moaners, there are plenty of folks who have had very positive experiences when buying property in TRNC.

We met a guy one night in the Celebrity, if we had only been thinking of buying we would have run a mile after listening to his tale of woe,why these people feel compelled to pull the reputation down is beyond me but if they haven,t done their homework and have been ripped off then it,s their own fault, in the UK nobody would dream of buying a property or handing over vast amounts of money without making all the necessary checks so why do they do it abroad, crazy !!!!!

Hattikins

Bradus


Joined: 25/02/2007
Posts: 2641

Message Posted:
12/03/2008 19:38

Hattikins,



Your above post says alot about you. So if people don't do their home work they deserve to be ripped off? They trust someone with their hard earned cash and its their fault? NOT of course the con-man exploiting them or a system which does not give any protection to purchasers? Whats more as you state, "serves them right"

I would have thought that people left in such distressing and vulnerable positions need support not kicking when their down. Most of us have done our home work, researched the subject of buying in the TRNC extensively and if you were so well researched on this topic you would know that it can happen to anyone. Look at Santa Fe biggest builder on the island, recommended by many happy purchasers. Until many of them have found out that their land has been remotgaged!!!!

Just as a matter of interest most people get conned around the transfer of title stage, when all money has been paid in stage payments and you have moved into the property. I have had a fantastic builder and solicitor, I love the island but it is a case of "There by the Grace of God Go I" when buying in the TRNC.

Pretending otherwise is what stops people from doing their homework and ending up in the position they are in. Try supporting fellow purchasers rather than blaming them for their misfortunes which are rarely of their own making.

Terry


Joined: 31/12/2006
Posts: 12

Message Posted:
12/03/2008 19:38

bought off plan Dec 2007 in Ozankoy builder Sidney Construction, extremely pleased it is better than we thought it would be when we took over in Jan.



out again in April, can't wait

hattikins


Joined: 17/02/2008
Posts: 2793

Message Posted:
12/03/2008 20:10

You know absolutely nothing about me so how you can say my posting says a lot about me is rubbish. I feel desperately sorry for people who have been caught up in situations like AGA etc, but I am talking about people who have paid large amounts of money to people they do not know, for instance we know of one couple who were due to fly home on the Saturday , met up with someone from an building contractor on the Friday and handed over £8000 and signed giving the power of attorney, my point, before you jumped down my throat, was that you would not do that in the UK, at least I know that I wouldn,t.

Hattikins

Bradus


Joined: 25/02/2007
Posts: 2641

Message Posted:
12/03/2008 20:23

if they haven,t done their homework and have been ripped off then it,s their own fault,



don,t just listen to the moaners



why these people feel compelled to pull the reputation down is beyond me



Your words Hattikins, certainly didn't sound like someone who feels desperately sorry for people who have been ripped off. The point I am trying to make is that even if people have been niave and perhaps foolishly parted with their money, they don't deserve to be fleeced by a corrupt builder, estate agent or solicitor. It is they who are the victims.They don't deserve the blame...the con-man does.

hattikins


Joined: 17/02/2008
Posts: 2793

Message Posted:
12/03/2008 21:44

How you interpret my words is up to you, I still say that people would use more caution in the UK so why not in TRNC, it s a fact that at times it is down to the individual concerned if things do go wrong.And I can see that this board is like all of the others, if someone disagrees with someone elses opinion then they get all het up and make personal remarks, that really pisses me off, we are all entitled to an opinion are we not. And back to the original question, yes we are happy with OUR purchase.

Hattikins

rtddci


Joined: 29/12/2007
Posts: 842

Message Posted:
12/03/2008 21:56

I could understand hattikins uncompromising position if one could at least trust the lawyers and that the TRNC legal system and rules were not based on a sea of quicksand.

Martin

Bradus


Joined: 25/02/2007
Posts: 2641

Message Posted:
12/03/2008 22:25

spot on rtddci.

the butler


Joined: 22/06/2007
Posts: 1958

Message Posted:
12/03/2008 22:46

Hi All,



Sometimes you can do as much homework as you can and still end up in a nightmare through no fault of your own. We didn't buy off plan, we bougt from what is supposed to be one of the best developers on the Island Medview

Homes, there properties are not cheap and we paid for and were promised a cafe on site, satellite television for the complex a shop and beautifull landscaped gardens. What have we got no Tv, no cafe, no shop. no landscaping and goats that roam the site every day drinking from the pools and eating everything we plant. The site looks like a gravel pit and what do Medview management do, put up our service charges to in excess of £1250.00 per year. Some owners are refusing to pay and we have tried to form a committee to oust Medview and get in a new management company and we have in excess of a 51% majority but Medview will not accept the owners who have not paid the service charges as part of the 51% Can somebody advise how we can get out of this nightmare. We cannot sell our properties because of the high service charges and the site is just a mess.

Would I buy in the TRNC again? Yes I would, I love the people, the country, but I would never buy on a complex again, if I can ever sell this property I would rent until I found the ideal property and leave no stone unturned before I signed on the dotted line.



AAA

Tiggy


Joined: 25/07/2007
Posts: 1994

Message Posted:
12/03/2008 22:53

I see Sunchaser has disappeared after starting this thread....... left Bradus V Hattikins having a ding dong!



As for Hattikins saying no one in the UK would hand over any money without doing all the checks seems a little strange to me. The vast majority leave it in the hands of solicitors to do land registry and all other conveyencing checks etc and take their word it has been carried out.

In N.C. people seem to hope all is ok and hand over cash, they can be promised the earth by solicitors/builders and still fall in to a trap. Calling people moaners is a little unfair, as they are telling us what has happened to them and forewarning others. (That is what this forum is all about) Hattikins has the right to express her feelings but should realise others have feelings as well.



A good evening to one and all.

newlad



Joined: 02/03/2008
Posts: 7819

Message Posted:
12/03/2008 23:48

Hi all,

Only one post so far from the person who started this thread,and their first post on the forum as well.I agree with you patrick in your above post re-handing over money in the uk to solicitors ,as it happens all the time.



the butler,

My heart goes out to you,you did your homework you went with what you thought was a respected company and you still end up as you have.



Sue,

Good on you for speaking your mind,some people come out to the trnc and dive in head first,some are lucky and some are not so lucky,but theres no need for people to come on here and rub their noses in it and call them moaners if they end up in a dire situation.



hattikins,

This is a forum and everyone is entitled to their opinion as i am having mine now,perhaps though you could be a little bit more sensitive in the future.good luck with your property,

Regards,

Paul.

maggie


Joined: 25/03/2008
Posts: 192

Message Posted:
25/03/2008 16:21

Hi, I have bought a villa off Fikri Terkan by the Sempati Hotel. Very good workmanship, any problems they sort them out right away. Highly recommended.

tansycat


Joined: 09/02/2007
Posts: 50

Message Posted:
25/03/2008 17:49

very happy with the purchase bought brand new constructed villa had land and villa signed over on signing paid stamp duty same time no problem with lawyer very efficient

Tatlisu4me


Joined: 26/01/2008
Posts: 436

Message Posted:
25/03/2008 18:40

Don,t know Hattikins but I think what she was implying was people pay for services first in TRNC, in uk we pay everything on completion.

RTgirl



Joined: 13/03/2007
Posts: 73

Message Posted:
25/03/2008 19:38

Vey happy wih my lot! Bought May 2006, builders Kormans, completed on time, all changes I wanted agreed to and done without any problem. Snagging (of which there was very little) done within a couple of days of being reported to them, very professional attitude at all times. Looking forward to moving to TRNC in the not too distant future.

newlad



Joined: 02/03/2008
Posts: 7819

Message Posted:
25/03/2008 20:19

Maggie,

Where is the sempati hotel situated,

Paul.