Buying in TRNC - Definitive Guide?

teejaybee


Joined: 22/03/2009
Posts: 16

Message Posted:
02/08/2009 12:43

First of all apologies as I am sure somewhere on this site is a place with all the answers but I am a lazy so and so.



Can anyone point me to a defitive site/thread that gives up to date advice on buying a property in TRNC?



We are re-visiting in September on holiday and whilst we are there we would like to see what is available but what should we ask right at the start? You hear so many horror stories not just from the TRNC I hasten to add but we need to know that if we did want to but something it is a rock solid transaction. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. At this stage we just want advice so please do not send us details of property available as it would be a waste of your time and ours.



Thanks

Baspinar Bob


Joined: 15/02/2008
Posts: 618

Message Posted:
02/08/2009 13:05

teejaybee.



Go towards the top of the page, see Google Costem Search, type Buying property, and away you go.



Bob.

mmmmmm



Joined: 19/12/2008
Posts: 8398

Message Posted:
02/08/2009 13:07

Best bet is RENT first and learn without having to rush .. it's not as if prices are going up so fast you will miss the boat.

nurseawful



Joined: 06/02/2009
Posts: 5934

Message Posted:
02/08/2009 13:08

E-mail me on oliver7703@gmail.com with a list of questions and I will answer as best I can.

I am not involved with any estate agents or properties so don't worry about that.

smithy


Joined: 17/07/2008
Posts: 5301

Message Posted:
02/08/2009 13:09

My Advice would be to Rent first then look around there are plenty of choices, but at least when you are renting you dont jump in and make mistakes as we all have. Good luck

sheila

Pipie


Joined: 05/01/2008
Posts: 5499

Message Posted:
02/08/2009 13:15

Then if you do buy , def buy a resale , buy off plan at your peril !!!!

fire starter


Joined: 19/06/2008
Posts: 3401

Message Posted:
02/08/2009 13:15

rent first and don't rush in.

gain as much info on the net as you can, take nothing for granted and nobodys word as gospel.

northcove


Joined: 29/07/2009
Posts: 3

Message Posted:
02/08/2009 13:30

If you would like to come to our office whilst here in september, we can talk you through the whole process.

If you are worried about property purchasing in NC then stick to pre-74 title, finished properties where owners have title deeds in there name. this will take away any fears and horror stories.



http://www.northcoveestates.com site is still under construction, but should explain what we are about,



peter

fire starter


Joined: 19/06/2008
Posts: 3401

Message Posted:
02/08/2009 13:40

i will ad to that don't think a lawyer here has the same duty of care as one in the uk.

check and double check everything yourself.

if you are buying pre 74 you can also check it is what they say it is, with the lands office in the south.

winslow


Joined: 09/04/2009
Posts: 332

Message Posted:
02/08/2009 13:44

Yes rent first and see how you go research well

winslow


Joined: 09/04/2009
Posts: 332

Message Posted:
02/08/2009 13:44

Yes rent first there is great uncertainy at the moment although a wonderful relaxing get away from the hustle and busal of england.

Bradus


Joined: 25/02/2007
Posts: 2641

Message Posted:
02/08/2009 14:39

Yes there is a definitive guide. Go to the HBPG (Home Buyers Property Group) web site and read the DO'S AND DONT'S of buying in the TRNC.

Be aware that the legal system gives you no protection whatsoever. Advocates do not have a duty of care. Developers taking out mortgages on property you have fully paid for is common as is developers taking money and never completing or being refused your permission to purchase.

The above are suggesting that if you buy pre 74 Turkish Title Deeds you will be safe. Yes you will be buying on undisputed land and they are suppose to be 100% Internationally recognised BUT the TRNC Government is not issuing them. This means that you can have paid all your money and because of PTP refusal you will never own the property.

Sorry to post a bleak picture of buying in the TRNC but it is the reality. Even if all runs smoothly no one knows what will happen after November when the Orams verdict is reached and a test case for 8 GC's with the IPC is heard

fire starter


Joined: 19/06/2008
Posts: 3401

Message Posted:
02/08/2009 14:58

bradus,

the trnc goverment are issuing them. i have a kochan. along with many other people who are non tc's.

cronos


Joined: 26/10/2008
Posts: 2093

Message Posted:
02/08/2009 15:13

Firestarter...msg 13



Once again you trot out this statement as though it were evidence to negate our worries.



WHEN did you get your PTP and deeds.....the goalpost have been moved during the past year.



Do you know of ANY Brits who have had PTP granted for Pre-74 deeds IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS....and who do not have TC partners/relatives or business connections in the TRNC ?



You can keep saying it until you are blue in the face ,but you should NOT state it as a fact to people who may be considering buying here.



On more than one occasion I have asked for an advocate to come on here and categorically state the TRNC position on this matter.......none have responded!



And...if any are out there and thinking of responding,please don't qualify your answer with "to the best of my knowledge" or " I am not aware of"......make the necessary enquiries to the TRNC government and give me an honest,definitive answer........thankyou.

Bradus


Joined: 25/02/2007
Posts: 2641

Message Posted:
02/08/2009 15:15

Fire starter we have been here before!



Lots of people were getting their PTP and Kochans for Pre 74 Turkish Title deeds a few years ago. THIS HAS NOW STOPPED. If you need proof please go along to the Pia Bella on Tuesday and speak to the many that are getting no joy in this area. Even some of the more reputable Estate Agents and Advocates are warning purchasers.



There is now a wealth of evidence confirming that these deeds are not being issued. I do wish you would not promote this particular type of deed on the basis that you got yours some years ago. People are wasting thousands of pounds of money listening to this sort of untruth.



Like Cronus I would be the first to broad cast the news that my PTP has comes through. However from the conversations I have had with those in the know, this is hardly likely to happen.



Awaiting the news that leaseholds will be offered instead.



DO NOT BUY PRE 74 UNLESS YOU WANT TO SEE YOUR MONEY VANISH DOWN THE DRAIN!

fire starter


Joined: 19/06/2008
Posts: 3401

Message Posted:
02/08/2009 15:23

we got our deeds a year ago, so its not an untruth as you put it.



there is nothing wrong with pre 74 turkish title deeds. they are internationaly recognised unlike the exchange title deed, which belonged / belong (let the ecj decide that one!) to gc's pre 1974.



but as you rightly say we have been there before many, many times so we will have to agree to differ.



welcome to cyprus !

cronos


Joined: 26/10/2008
Posts: 2093

Message Posted:
02/08/2009 15:29

Firestarter......you got your deeds a year ago?

But WHEN did you get your PTP?



Your comments about Pre-74 Title Deeds being internationally recognised is true......that is why we made the decision to only buy this type of property,despite the temptations of the much cheaper and abundant exchange deeds.

However...the point is that the TRNC are NOT now issuing these deeds to us foreigners, despite people like ourselves having "done the right thing" and paid in full for our properties.

Bradus


Joined: 25/02/2007
Posts: 2641

Message Posted:
02/08/2009 15:41

For people unsure about buying pre 74 Title Deeds may I suggest that you use the Google search bar at the top of the page?



It gives you good insight into the scale of the problem and the length of time people are still waiting for their PTP who have this type of deed. Marian Stokes of the HBPG still wants to hear from those refused or still waiting after many years.

fire starter


Joined: 19/06/2008
Posts: 3401

Message Posted:
02/08/2009 15:50

and how many people are still also waiting for ptp for exchange deeds.?????

your taking it out of proportion.

people are waiting years for deeds of all kinds both here and in the south.



cronos,

we had our ptp about a month or two before our kochan.

how many times do i have to say that my hubby is not a tc, his biological father was one, who left when his mum was pregnant. he has a brit birth certificate, brit passport , he/ we do not get any favours here.

my safe is lock at the moment and hubby is out and has the key, but i will find it and give you an exact date.

girne 29


Joined: 06/12/2007
Posts: 1488

Message Posted:
02/08/2009 15:53

I would rent if I was you,even though Firestarter has stated that there is no problem with a purchaser obtaining PTP

for pre-1974 land,you should be aware of the things Bradus has said that apply to either type of title deed.



Call them lawyers ,advocats or whatever you want ,you have no legal representation.Their only use is in knowing where to take the forms.If anything goes wrong you are on your own.

Most of us have done all right not because of the system but in spite of it.The contract is useless as the advocat has no duty of care in ensuring it is enforced. The system here allows a builder to sell you something that he has already pawned to a bank. The Banks themselves know what is going on, but again no legal control on these abuses.



While conceding similar things ,like mortgaging happen in other countries, the main difference is that here the practises are deemed legal.

cronos


Joined: 26/10/2008
Posts: 2093

Message Posted:
02/08/2009 16:04

Firestarter......you are right to say that you have to wait years for PTP irrespective of the type of deeds.



However....PTP's on Exchange deeds ARE being issued to foreigners.....whereas they have stopped for Pre-74 deeds.



How can the TRNC justify that !

They will give you permission to buy something that still belongs to a Greek Cypriot , but won't give you permission to buy something that belongs to a TC !

They'll take your money for it off course....and let you live in it (how generous ! )...but never let you OWN it !

It's an absolute scandal.



Because we did our research into Cyprus and the property market,we chose Pre-74 Turkish Title Deeds as the safe option.

How wrong we were !

It may stop us being called scum by you and others , but it doesn't stop us being treated like scum by the TRNC government.

Bradus


Joined: 25/02/2007
Posts: 2641

Message Posted:
02/08/2009 16:14

99 out of a 100! Just too big a risk to contemplate?



http://www.hbpg-trnc.net/documents/Press/CT310508_PTPrefusal.html

fire starter


Joined: 19/06/2008
Posts: 3401

Message Posted:
02/08/2009 16:22

cronos,

i'm sorry you still haven't got your ptp, i recently asked you just that on another thread.



i never called you scum and and don't know what others do thats their choice, the scum thing for the record was a vindictive persons way of getting at me and trying to ruin my business, so there friends business could stay being the shabby monopoly it had always been, and could have more customers. if you earwig on other peoples conversations then you can often get the wrong end of the stick.

i actually have turkish family who live on exchange land. ( my sisters ex's family)

two of my best friends here also live on exchange land, that doesn't mean i don't feel sorry for my gc friends who lost land here.



i will add that they didn't get the effect they were looking for!



i agree its a scandal and at every opportunity to bring it up with tc's i often meet, who just may be able to do something about it, i do. i don't just take the 'i'm alright jack attitude' so cut me some slack

cronos


Joined: 26/10/2008
Posts: 2093

Message Posted:
02/08/2009 20:03

Firestarter....thanks for your open reply.



If you read my post,I was intimating that we had done the right thing and bought Pre-74 deeds,so WOULDN'T be labelled as scum for buying Exchange Deeds on the other forums that you frequent.

I never accused you of calling ME scum.....why would you ?.....I've done nothing wrong.



I'm glad you agree that it's a scandal.

We both know where we stand so let's leave it at that.......fair enough?

Aga Buyers A G


Joined: 04/10/2007
Posts: 488

Message Posted:
02/08/2009 20:14

PROTEST



TRNC Office, Bedford Square, London WC1

On

August 4th and August 5th





http://latchfords.spaces.live.com/default.aspx

judgejolly


Joined: 05/07/2008
Posts: 25

Message Posted:
02/08/2009 20:54

Hi.

My advice would be to rent long term (maybe 3 months at least if you can) take in everything you see & hear and make an informed decision, at your leisure. There are many properties for sale and I agree, if you are going to purchase, buy a resale. We have lived there,but for medical reasons we have now come back to the UK . It is still our favourite place to be on holiday, having made many friends in our time . We hope to return in september for a while and again in may next year. Good luck.

fire starter


Joined: 19/06/2008
Posts: 3401

Message Posted:
02/08/2009 22:05

cronos,

if i were you i would feel the same way, but i'm sure it will come for you.

i do know recently they have had a change of staff at that office, so may be better or worse, who knows.

just keep chasing it, take a tc friend to the office and see if they can get to the bottom of it. maybe its lost??



if you want to p.m. me, i may be able to get someone to look into it as a favor to me.

sharpeisara@hotmail.com

p.s. no promises but i can try.

Hector


Joined: 26/08/2008
Posts: 2352

Message Posted:
02/08/2009 23:40

Tom

You may now be thinking 'sorry i asked the question.' You have hopefully sussed that it's a very sensitive question.



Whilst no doubt incurring the wrath of the 'don't warn people off, I'll never sell my property' brigade, and despite having an apartment since 2006 (Turkish title- PTP refused), my simple advice is leave well alone.



Rent a villa when you want to visit. No huge financial grief, no tears,no endless frustration.



Just enjoy your visit & keep your hard earned money in the bank.

Bradus


Joined: 25/02/2007
Posts: 2641

Message Posted:
03/08/2009 02:02

Pikey we have the same debate yearly. You might discredit the news article but can I suggest you contact the HBPG to confirm the amount of pre 74's being granted? Tuesdays at the Pia Bella helps you realise the scale of the problem.



Are you a betting man? How about we set a time limit? If I and a few others on this forum, who have now been waiting for up to 5 years, get our PTP's in the next year, I will pay money into a charity of your choice?

If not you pay into one of my choice?



Where is your proof that they are being granted? Are you concerned that buyers will go for GC property if 74 is not being granted? Please state why you are dismissing this as a rumour? I do not wish to see people throw away their hard earned cash. Unless you have absolute proof you should not be promoting this particular deed.

teejaybee


Joined: 22/03/2009
Posts: 16

Message Posted:
03/08/2009 21:58

Wow! It's obviously a very contentious issue...still. Thanks to all for advice/views. I think the only certain thing is that IT'S NOT EASY!. I think we will have a look around in September and then wait for the Oram's outcome and the consequences. I hope they fair well.

clarets



Joined: 08/01/2009
Posts: 752

Message Posted:
04/08/2009 10:59

The lands office in the south is only 100000 applications behind now......and most of them are a joke.....so just be careful when you go to the lands office Firestarted !