Estate Agents

trevor


Joined: 02/04/2008
Posts: 244

Message Posted:
03/04/2008 00:01

Please please please can someone give me a name of a good estate agent, solicitor etc. I am looking to buy in the next few months and i am now being scared off with a lot of these blogs. I am looking to buy a 3 bed resale penthouse, not too old, i want this as a holiday home for myself and for rental with hopes to be able to retire into in a few years. Which area would be good for this please, preferably near to beach, with shops, bars restaurants nearby,as my wife and i suffer a bit with arthritis. Also which is the best freehold to buy under.

beejay


Joined: 21/03/2008
Posts: 68

Message Posted:
03/04/2008 00:28

Don't make the same mistake as us.

All I would suggest is research, research, research.

The Cyprus44 and HBPG are good places to start.

We were to impetuous. Take your time. DO NOT RUSH

It's a buyers market.

P.S you can buy ours if you like we've had enough.

GOOD LUCK!!

Nunu1


Joined: 31/03/2008
Posts: 536

Message Posted:
03/04/2008 01:57

Trevor, the agent I used is Meridies the contact is Sophie Butcher. Check out their website http://www.meridieshomes.com excellent service all round.



Dont bother with any body else, They are very friendly, helpful and professional with no hard sell.



Good luck!



Nunu

glw215


Joined: 02/04/2008
Posts: 178

Message Posted:
03/04/2008 08:35

I have used Royal Estates in Kyrenia for a number of purchases and sales and I can thoroughly recommend them. They are registered estate agents and as a local company have comprehensive local knowledge. If you require any further iinformation you are welcome to contact me off board.

brian24001


Joined: 23/03/2008
Posts: 606

Message Posted:
03/04/2008 10:20

Does it matter which EA you use?? really??

Do your homework on 'the builder'

All the estate agent really does is drive you round a load of houses.

Yes they will advise on location for schools, shops etc, but most of that is obvious here, it's a strip of land 1 mile wide, you can't miss most of it.

I would say look at loads of pictures, decide which ones you like, check if they are in the right location, chose the one, do loads of research then on the builder (use this and owners boards), do the deal with the builder and agent present once the 'legal advisor' has looked at the contract, then you can pay the builder the deposit, and pay the estate agent his builders commosion, everyone happy there, from then on, it's all between you and the builder, the agent is then redundant.

Does this sound about right?

Good luck.

b

Speedypaul


Joined: 28/03/2008
Posts: 65

Message Posted:
03/04/2008 10:59

Brain 24001 is correct, In my experience, once you have selected from the agent, there not alot more he can do. Direct contact with the builder is the best way if possible. You will find, as I did that there is alot of lip service given by all the contacts you will make, "dont worry", it will be ok" another week" etc. Make sure you have a strong stomach and a clear idea of what you want. As always keep the solicitor independant of the builder and apply for your PTP asap (with police references). If you are buying an already built house you may well save yourself alot of problems, just make sure all the paperwork is in order. I wish you all the best.

mountbatten


Joined: 12/04/2008
Posts: 102

Message Posted:
18/04/2008 14:57

I read on this forum that all property for sale must go through the estate agent,is there any truth in this

Hazel


Joined: 18/04/2008
Posts: 65

Message Posted:
18/04/2008 15:40

Ian Smith Estate agents has about the best reputation on the island. I would never ever deal direct with a builder, they will promise the earth but deliver very little. An estate agent acts as a buffer between you as a customer and the builder and if my experience with Ian Smith's is relevant they helped all the way down the line until I took possession of the house. In any case your best option would be to buy a resale so that you don't have to deal with a builder.

andre 514


Joined: 31/03/2008
Posts: 1163

Message Posted:
18/04/2008 16:46

trevor,



this will probably be the killer blow but a lot of blog hereabouts

over land that is already mortgaged by the hard-up builder:

that means you cannot register any property in your names in due course

unless his mortgage is first aid off

santa fe explained earlier that technically land was used as collateral

against a loan and this was not a mortgage (eh?!)

something to check carefully...



to get your title deeds takes between six months and four years

and due to a local quirk, you buy under contract law and can theoretically

sell legally, before your kocan deeds arrive!

this is because permission to buy is needed from the council of ministers

and it is normally done after purchase!



also pay your stamp duty of half a percent but then register the contract yourself at the land office in ten minutes (girne 44ytl famagusta 35ytl)

or choose to have your solicitor do the same thing for three hundred quid



good luck in your quest



andre

Notsoboredhw


Joined: 15/03/2007
Posts: 1254

Message Posted:
18/04/2008 18:01

Donaghy & Beyler most definitely. Very reliable. Great service, great people and we know one of the ladies that works there - Verda is her name. Come highly recommend. They have a website which I think is http://www.donaghyandbeyler.com.

rtddci


Joined: 29/12/2007
Posts: 842

Message Posted:
18/04/2008 20:31

A new bombshell coming, under the law passed it appears that only an estate agent or the vendor can register property, not the buyer or solicıtor. Applies to both new and old contracts it seems.

Unhappy Buyer


Joined: 26/03/2008
Posts: 17

Message Posted:
19/04/2008 00:10

Andre514 - Title deeds between 6 months and 4 years is too optomistic - we have been waiting 5 years so far for permission never mind the title deeds, so I think between 6 months and never is a more accurate guide!

andre 514


Joined: 31/03/2008
Posts: 1163

Message Posted:
19/04/2008 17:06

hi unhappy buyer,



was this delay to do with the application not being put in?



or do you think someone misfiled the application?



also, in these forums there is advice about how to chase it up



or is there? clued-up please comment!



meanwhile the poor guy who started this thread



must be ready to jump in the lake



reading all this stuff however true



we should remember that



1 it isn't easy (quote from john lennon)



2 north cyprus is a wonderful place



3 the saying "only in north cyprus" isn't aways bad



we got the jeep stuck in soft sand up to the axles



and without much prompting, twelve locals working together



pulled us out and wouldn't accept anything



andre

Unhappy Buyer


Joined: 26/03/2008
Posts: 17

Message Posted:
19/04/2008 17:39

andre514

you asked 'was this delay to do with the application not being put in?' No, it was submitted in a timely fashion by the lawyer but that was in 2003 and we have it on good authority that the 'permissions office' stopped bothering to do the job during the year before the Annan plan was thrown out (2004) because they thought it wouldn't be necessary once they joined the EU as a reunified nation. Following a lot of kicking and screaming by us and our lawyer they finally gave us permission for 1 donum; not much use as the plot is almost 1.5 donums. The estate agent, the lawyer and the builder all told us that they would allow a 'tolerance' on the half donum extra; needless to say they didn't, 2 years after the original application was submitted they told us we could only have 1 donum, so we added a third name to the application which they then filed in the basement and did nothing with despite calls and visit from us, the lawyer and the Property Complaints office. Finally to give the PCO credit where it's due, they persuaded them (by shouting at them which was nice to hear!) to get the file out and look at it again, with the result that they have created a brand new application in the 3rd name a couple of months ago for the remaining half donum, so we're now expecting to wait until 2011 for permission to buy that last bit!

mint1955



Joined: 30/05/2007
Posts: 988

Message Posted:
19/04/2008 18:38

We went viewing with and bought at Sweetwater Bay through NCI - North Cyprus International. We had met them briefly in the UK and they are really a friendly and helpful team. We didnt have a definite idea of where we wanted or what we wanted but they answered all our questions with great patience and not once did we feel under pressure. Lots of viewings plus sightseeing for us to get our bearings made our time with them really enjoyable.

Sheila&Phil

Bradus


Joined: 25/02/2007
Posts: 2641

Message Posted:
19/04/2008 18:57

please do not mix hospatality with honesty.

mint1955



Joined: 30/05/2007
Posts: 988

Message Posted:
19/04/2008 21:47

Have I missed something is there something I should know about NCI?

Sheila&Phil

Bradus


Joined: 25/02/2007
Posts: 2641

Message Posted:
19/04/2008 23:13

Hi Sheila and Phil,

Sorry I did not mean to imply that there were things you should know about NCI. I was merely trying to make the point that people should not base their experience and recommendations on any estate agents, (or solicitors and builders for that matter) friendly approach. Obviously at purchasing stage they are going to be friendly and helpful as they need the sale. Being friendly and helpful at buying stage is however not a good marker of what could happen when you have paid over the majority of your money.You only need to read the forums to bear witness to this. Recommendation should come only when you have finalised your purchase. Only then do you know you are home and dry and have dealt with honest reputable estate agents and builders.

Kind regards

Sue

gottheyips


Joined: 28/12/2007
Posts: 444

Message Posted:
19/04/2008 23:34

Sue,

sound advice to Shelia and Phil,



it is interesting that so many on the forum have picked the Right builder,the Reliable estate agent, the Best solicitor, and have done their homework etc,, but actually are not complete !!.

mint1955



Joined: 30/05/2007
Posts: 988

Message Posted:
20/04/2008 01:32

Hi Sue and Gottheyips,

Absoloutely right to remind us all thank you. I am basing my reaction to NCI on gut feelings which are usually pretty good and the fact that I cant find bad reviews so far but I am aware of the pitfalls.

As we are in the very early stages we have a lot of hurdles to jump so lets hope they are smooth ones.

Sheila&Phil