Cyprus-Forum.com

[davidp]

Hi Judge 'Chris'
1. We bank with Alpha and hav'nt had any problems other than they got excited when we used a currency trading company to exchange sterling and transfer it to Cyprus but we got it sorted easily. Can't comment on pension transfer subtleties yet as i'm working and won't be drawing a pension for some years yet.

2. Did you buy or rent?
We bought, thought about renting but to get a decent deal you need to commit for at least 6 months and we figured that 6 months of looking at places would cloud more issues that it resolved.
We don't particularly like new estates and these seem to be blossoming on any spare patch of land, one word of warning, make sure the vendor of the property posesses the title deeds; we know of several ex-pats who still don't posess these up to five years after buying the property.


3. where do you live?
Best areas are entirely subjective.
We live in a village halfway between Limassol and Troodos;
Advantages - Cooler, fresher, quiet, traditional, stunning views
Disadvantages - Fair drive to Limassol for main shops and entertainment (tho you get used to it), very cold in winter.

Can't comment on the areas you mentioned as we hav'nt been there, though we have some relatives here at the mo looking to buy; they've been from Limassol through Paphos and up to Latchi but seem swayed to buy in a village near us.

if you fancy mountain/foothill living i can recommend a very goog agent and some of the resale properties are good value

Hope this helps

David

[davidp]

Chris,
Can i suggest you look at the topic 'More ex-pats coming' inder 'general chat' in the Forum; it contains some useful comments.

David

[Judge Mental]

Thanks david - we did experience real cold last November when we visited - BL**DY FREEZING - we didn't realise it could get that cold and can now understand why people have central heating

When you say you had a problem using a money exchange agent what happened? we were planning on using WorldWide Currencies to transfer money to Cyprus as they pay the cost and give a good exchange rate - am I missing a trick here?

Ref. Agents etc. we have met and been in contact with the people at ForSaleCyprus down in Kolossi - we have been quite impressed by them so far - have you heard of them? any views if you have? also, they are sort of associated with a developer called Rhino Constructors - again we have met the main man and seen some of his work and also had independent (unknown to him) views expressed by one of his customers - quite impressed by him and his work too - if you know anything about them it would be very useful to know.

We are planning on taking a long-term rent as we suspect we will have to have something built; trying to find a property to buy that we can afford, where we want it, and with the facilities we want, is proving very difficult, and we are very wary of estate agents as they seem to rip buyers and sellers off very badly - any suggestions on a good one again gratefully received.

We are hoping to get a property around the height of Prastio which is 400m asl, and between Paphos and Limassol, so if you know of an agent who covers that sort of area it would be very useful to know.

I will now go have a look at the post you suggested where I will no doubt find many answers to the questions I have posed

many thanks again

Chris

[davidp]

Hi Chris,

400m ASL you will be passing ice cubes bet nov-march, we're 800m asl and afraid to go to the loo.

Money transfer problem was due to the cyprus central bank querying large sum money transfers, they think everyone is a money launderer. we just had to prove that the money came originally from an english bank account.

we have no direct experience with developers, it seems recomendation is the best route.

You could try our agent, he was very helpful and full of sensible advice- Akis on 00357 253 21001.

Another way of doing what you want is to rent in your chosen area and get in with the ex-pat community of your choice, they often know of very good builders and small developers also they will know of properties for sale where both you and the seller can avoid agents commissions

Good Luck

David

[annecollings]

We love living in Cyprus! I have two dogs 7 and 8 yrs old. Originally rescue dogs from Cyprus, taken to UK and then back again to Cyprus. Never been poisioned. Have 2 English friends who have moved out here in retirement and bought their respective GS's with them, no problems there either. We very unfortunately lost our 10 yr Jack Russell last year due to an accidental poisioning. She always had her nose into everything unortunately and must have gone into next doors orchard and found something interesting i.e. a lizard and .... well we don't really know what happened but are still devastated. We have no actual house neighbours and live in the middle of fields so no one to annoy! Live far away from vets and keep injections at home but did not realise it was poison.

Depends where you like to live. We like peace and quiet in the countryside.

Have to dash to work now (I have my own dog grooming business, so I hear a lot of doggie stories). My sister has two old GS's here and they have never been poisoned. You just have to be careful. I was also involved with an animal shelter - still have some contact but business is booming and so little time...

Good Luck

[Spartan King]

.

1. We have a large dog (German Shepherd) which we adore, but reading some posts suggest he will be the target of poisonings etc.

As long as it is not a stray, no one will do anything to your dog. Dogs are quite common, as hunting is quite big in Cyprus.

2. If we see any animal cruelty we will have to keep our mouths shut because if we say anything someone will attack us sooner or later

There is a more liberal approach to animal cruelty in Cyprus than in the UK, which is a terrible thing, but believe me, not all Cypriots are cruel to animals, nor will you get lynched for speaking out against some cruel bastard who is picking on a stray cat. In fact there are a societies in Cyprus who aim to help protect animals on the island whether cat, donkey or bats. So if you are an animal lover- like me, I suggest you get in touch with one of these organisations once you are in Cyprus to see how you can help.

3. Greek Cypriots (and presumably Turkish Cypriots) can't wait to see the back of all foreign troops, and hate those that are based on the island (I am British by the way)

4. Cypriots hate all foreigners who go to live in Cyprus

Everyone wants foreign troops to leave Cyprus, but the same is not true for foreigners. I take it you have enjoyed Cypriot hospitality in the past, nothing will change once you become a permanent resident, in fact you may make a lot more friends.

5. The Banking System is archaic

Not necessarily true, you will enjoy much better interest rates in Cyprus, and a far more personal experience, as you get to talk to someone who knows you when you have a problem, rather than an overworked Indian in a call centre in Bombay. With Banks like Alpha, Laiki etc... you will enjoy all the same services you currently enjoy in the UK.

6. The availability of Broadband is almost non-existent, and use of the Internet is a joke as no-one uses it (I know for a fact that if I email anyone in Cyprus it won't get an answer)

Actually Cyprus will soon become one of the most connected nations on the planet, as one of the most up to date networks has already been laid. You will find Broadband connection almost everywhere on the island. Its just that most Cypriots still have not been tempted to go to broadband. The prices are also very competative, and probably better than UK prices.

http://www.i-choice.cyta.com.cy/english/map.php

7. The cost of vehicles is ludicrously expensive

Used to be true, not anymore (bar certain cars that still qualify for luxuary tax- which will be phased out by 2007 due to the EU. You can now buy lots of cars for a pretty similar price to the UK.

8. If I have serious medical problem I would be better off going off-island for treatment

They have good facilities on the island to cover most medical problems, although it really depends, if you need a double lung transplant you may be better off in the UK. But remember, waiting times in hospitals and doctors clinics will become a thing of the distant past if you move to Cyprus.

Someone PLEASE tell me I have got this all wrong?????

Judge

Not wrong, mor elike last minute nerves [/url]

[ex_pat]

Have to say that some of your concerns are genuine.

From what I have seen, Cypriots are losing their friendly feelings towards us Brits, used to be that they couldn't be nicer (whether you spoke Greek or not). Nowadays, they don't have much time for us. Some people say "learn Greek and you'll fit in better". Don't believe it - many Cypriots judge you before you even open your mouth, if they don't like the look of you then forget it - you will be treated differently from a fellow Cypriot.

Animal cruelty is rife here. I actaully had a fight with a man for striking my puppy when I first arrived. My pup had done nothing wrong whatsoever except sniff this old man's shoes, and he saw fit to hit my dog!?!? That is not the only sign of animal cruelty I have witnessed here, in fact that is nothing compared to what goes on here towards animals. Don't worry about anybody attacking you though, Cypriots are not a violent race toward other peopel, not in the slightest!

Banks here are pretty crap, car prices are high and wages are low. Property going up all the time too, as well as the general cost of living. However, keep in mind that nothing here is more expensive than in the UK.

Not painting a very pretty picture, but when you consider the actual beauty of the island, it beats life in the UK, hands down!

[sk]

i have to agree about the cost of living....i suppose everything will have to have the same price everywhere in europe at some point,and that is definately will not be done by bringing the prices down(unfortunately)

[Judge Mental]

OMG just as I am getting a more positive feeling along comes another negative mail - I really am beginning to think that moving to Cyprus is a really dumb idea

.....and now is a good time to sort it out once and for all as we have just been given a very acceptable offer for our house, so its make our minds up time!!

[metecyp]

Judge Mental, I think you shouldn't listen to what everyone says. Everyone has different experiences about living in Cyprus (or anywhere for that matter) and no matter where you live, there will be positives and negatives.

The only way to figure out if you really like living in Cyprus is actually live in Cyprus. I don't know if you can do this but it's definetely a good idea to temporarily move to Cyprus for 6 months or so. Maybe you can rent a house rather than buy one and see how you like living in Cyprus. Then, you can make a much informed decision.

Good luck!