Cyprus-Forum.com

[Tim Drayton]

[quote="EricSeans"]There is no official policy other than all title deeds are now considered "Turkish" and guranteed by the "state". The local land registry will not allow property searches for private buyers and no longer distinguishes between GC and TC/foreign title deeds. The only way an ordinary punter can establish the legal origin of a property is to do your own research from the seller and around the neighbourhood, and back this up with a search at the RoC land registry in Nicosia. If it comes up positive you are issued with a document of legal ownership which means (in theory) you can sell your property without using or even telling the Turkish authorities.

It is curious, though, that if you look at the property for sale section of Turkish Cypriot newspapers you repeatedly see the expression "Türk koçanlı" i.e. "having Turkish deeds" which is clearly seen to be a positive attribute, given that the seller is emphasising this point. I believe that property with pre-1974 Turkish Cypriot title deeds sells at a considerable premium to other property in the northern Cyprus real estate market. It seems to me that the locals know fine well which is which; they may be happy to keep foreign buyers in the dark about such subtle distinctions, though.

[Oracle]

... Could somebody please enlighten me on the situation of property in the south that was possessed by Turks pre 74?
Has any been leased on agreements that cannot immediately be terminated, sold, taken for industrial use, for airports etc?
This is a reasonable question not asked with any nasty intentions.

All are immediately returnable from what I understand. Some land has been expropriated as is usual (we had a fair bit recovered from our family for a dam, a road, a Co-Op and some beach - not complaining, perfectly normal!).

BTW .. from your other post ... there is no "exchanged land" I believe.

This thread will fill you in:

http://www.cyprus-forum.com/cyprus17775.html

[EricSeans]

I couldn't agree more.

EricSeans said:

"I doubt the majority of expat buyers gave a single thought to the ECHR or the rights of the legal owners before buying. Most probably don't know what the ECHR is without Googling. "

Ignorantia legis non excusat- the legal motto does not mean that the average Joe must read every statue and court decision. It means that one must take reasonable care to find out what the law says. And when you set out from the UK to buy land several thousand miles away it is assumed that you did some due dilligence and know what you were getting into. This is not like buying stuff off the back of a lorry, where you can claim you did not know it was stolen. Land is sitting still and titles can be searched. In short the cheapskated will take a loss. They are the most available victims and it is their own fault. The people who will get away with it and keep the money are the "developers".

[EricSeans]

Mr T,

I disagree. I'm sure many people bought pre-74 property precisely because it was the only proper thing to do. They are very much in a minority, though.

As for your comment:

"It is interesting that the TC government has not given permission to foreigners to purchase Pre 74 Turkish title for several years but has noticeably kept this quiet."

You are simply wrong and stating coffee shop gossip as fact. Go onto the north-based BBs and you will see threads dedicated to this subject including posts from people who HAVE received their kocans for pre-74 in recent weeks. This ugly little rumour has maybe come from estate agents desparate to flog Greek property or expats who realize they are possibly poised to lose everything.

Greed brings out the worst in people.

erecles,

Follow some of the north-based BBs and you'll see that there are some Brits there who are not afraid of speaking out against the immoral and ignorant who surround them.

I have read some and see you mean Eric Seans, Eric Seans, Eric Seans.

It is not beyond comprehension that buyers of pre 74 Turkish title property did not buy it on moral grounds but having done so are now pathetically taking the moral high ground.

It is interesting that the TC government has not given permission to foreigners to purchase Pre 74 Turkish title for several years but has noticeably kept this quiet, happy to see foreign cash coming into the country. This certainly could strengthen the argument that in any agreements that could be made with the GC government the TC government will have no second thoughts for the ex-pats, increasingly non-British, who they have desperately needed to bolster their economy.
Having said that the writers on this thread seem to be celebrating when there could well be nothing to celebrate.

I would not buy exchange land nor for the timebeing Turkish title either but to say that the majority of buyers of property which was in Greek hands prior to 74 are thieves is unwarranted. The information they get from estate agents and other interested parties is that GCs who previously possessed the property will not have lost out.

Could somebody please enlighten me on the situation of property in the south that was possessed by Turks pre 74?
Has any been leased on agreements that cannot immediately be terminated, sold, taken for industrial use, for airports etc?
This is a reasonable question not asked with any nasty intentions.