Category Archives: Real Estate

The most important pending legislation which affects the property market is the following: the Estate Agents’ Bill. This proposed legislation regulates the estate agents’ conduct and imposes penalties for misrepresentation etc. The agents must be registered with the Government and take out an indemnity insurance; the Developer’s Bill. This, most important piece of legislation, regulates development and it proposes to have the Lands’ Office to act as an overall controller on development projects which are for sale. Developers will have to take out an insurance in order to indemnify purchasers for wrong doings.

Cyprus enjoys a remarkably low crime rate 1/6 of the European average another reason for its popularity with foreign buyers for whom security has become a key element in the property world. Visitors are invariably surprised and reassured by this relaxed aspect of life on the island, where crime is virtually unheard of and theft not commonplace. Under the Aliens and Immigration Law, non-Cypriots wishing to take up employment in Cyprus are required to have a work permit.

With the increasing complexity of the property market and the constant introduction of new concepts and measures new for the island (although not so in the European countries) it is advisable that the potential purchaser seeks professional advice prior to concluding a deal in order for hardships and disappointments to be avoided. This advice is specially useful to the foreign purchaser who has to encounter the problem of different laws and local attitudes. For this reason this firm has prepared the following tips which may be useful to the local property purchaser.