Cyprus-Forum.com

[zoopigi man]

Aren't we selling our country to the Brits? After all the struggle for independance and all the lives lost. I feel ashamed.
BTW- I walked into a coffee shop in a village near Paphos and asked if there was any property for sale to purchase for myself as a holiday house. The answer was that there was absolutly nothing available. The next day an English couple went to the same coffee shop and were asking around for property, and guess what? Half the village wanted to sell their houses.

Umm - why don't you try the classifieds. So far as I can see there are hundreds of houses for sale in the Pafos area?

[kafenes]

Umm - why don't you try the classifieds. So far as I can see there are hundreds of houses for sale in the Pafos area?

I particularly liked that small peaceful village and I can't afford too much anyway, but the point I am trying to make is about greed.

Sotos said:

I don't agree. You would sell your country for money? I would not! Thats called treason! If it was like that then Americans would give $1000 to each Iranian and buy half of Iran!!

For the right price it seems we are ready to sell even our own mothers.
Unfortunately there are very few true patriotic "Cypriots" left.[/quote]

[zoopigi man]

Umm - why don't you try the classifieds. So far as I can see there are hundreds of houses for sale in the Pafos area?

I particularly liked that small peaceful village and I can't afford too much anyway, but the point I am trying to make is about greed.

Which village is it? I'll have a quick troll around a few web-sites and see what's available there.

[kafenes]

Which village is it? I'll have a quick troll around a few web-sites and see what's available there.

The village is Trakhipedoula, but you still don't seem to get my point. If I am willing to pay double of what's it worth, then eveyone seems to want to sell. I am trying to make the point of saying that everything has a price, and in Cyprus even for our mother.

[observer]

Kafenes

"If I am willing to pay double of what's it worth, then eveyone seems to want to sell. I am trying to make the point of saying that everything has a price, and in Cyprus even for our mother."

Yes, I have often cynically smiled at the thought of how different GCs who came from the North must be, all wanting to live on and farm their land, as opposed to their cousins in the South who have sold all they can to foreigners and hoteliers.

[zoopigi man]

Which village is it? I'll have a quick troll around a few web-sites and see what's available there.

The village is Trakhipedoula, but you still don't seem to get my point. If I am willing to pay double of what's it worth, then eveyone seems to want to sell. I am trying to make the point of saying that everything has a price, and in Cyprus even for our mother.

Umm - a property (or indeed) anything is worth whatever the seller is willing to sell for, provided there is a willing buyer. If no-one is willing to sell you a house for the amount you are willing to pay, then the amount you are offering is clearly not the what your target properties are worth, but something higher.

BTW: are only Brits the only nationality (other than Cypriot) that buy properties in Cyprus?

[kafenes]

BTW: are only Brits the only nationality (other than Cypriot) that buy properties in Cyprus?

I don't know exact statistics, but I would think Brits would probably make a good 80% of foreigners buying in Cyprus (in Paphos at least).

Umm - a property (or indeed) anything is worth whatever the seller is willing to sell for, provided there is a willing buyer. If no-one is willing to sell you a house for the amount you are willing to pay, then the amount you are offering is clearly not the what your target properties are worth, but something higher.

You are absolutely right, but that's not how things seem to work here. If a house was sold for let's say 100G then you would think the same house next door would be roughly the same price. If a foreigner approached the owner of this 'next door house' and asked for the price then they would be quoted 200G and hope for the best. As a local 'myself' they wouldn't even bother to quote or even sell for 120G hoping one day a foreigner will pay the double. 200G might sound cheap for a Brit as they compare with the prices in Britain but where does that leave the locals? specially young newly married couples wanting to buy there first home.
But still, my friend Zoopigi, it is not about real estate I am going on about, it's about how the mentality of the Cypriot has changed.

[zoopigi man]

You are absolutely right, but that's not how things seem to work here. If a house was sold for let's say 100G then you would think the same house next door would be roughly the same price. If a foreigner approached the owner of this 'next door house' and asked for the price then they would be quoted 200G and hope for the best.

Indeed - foreigners are routinely expected to pay more than locals for the same thing. I would have thought it, therefore, the foreigners that are being discriminated against not the locals!

As a local 'myself' they wouldn't even bother to quote or even sell for 120G hoping one day a foreigner will pay the double. 200G might sound cheap for a Brit as they compare with the prices in Britain

I'd say that 200K is a lot for most Brits. Contrary to what Cypriots think we aren't all made of money.

but where does that leave the locals? specially young newly married couples wanting to buy there first home.

This is a problem throughout all of Europe, not just Cyprus. It comes about for more complex reasons than simply "Brits buying up Cyprus". The following all contribute to increasing property demand:

- increasing prosperity in the area: you can't have it both ways, if the economy and (therefore) locals are prospering (as both are), then this will inevitably result in pressure on the property market. Etsi y zoi.
- returning nationals (of which there seems to be lots)
- foreign investors
- foreign retirees (including evil Brits )
- and (dare I say it) locals buying up second (holiday) homes

It's all the price of success I'm afraid. I have to say that if it is generally believed that to be a young married couple automatically entitles you to be able to afford your own house, then the young in Cyprus have it easy. We had to scrimp and save for years before we could afford to buy somewhere. I think people have it too easy these days and are too aspirational.

But still, my friend Zoopigi, it is not about real estate I am going on about, it's about how the mentality of the Cypriot has changed.

I'm pretty sure that people have always been (and will always be) pretty much that same in this respect anywhere. And be honest, if you were selling your house, would you do so for (a) what you think would be fair, or (b) what you think you could get for it.

Anyway, all the best in your searches.