Cyprus-Forum.com

[lionheart69uk]

It seems that its risky buying a property in the TRNC because some Greek Cypriot may reclaim the land if/when unification occurs. Excuse my ignorance but, when the island became divided, were there not many Turkish Cypriots living in the south who fled to the north for safety. Surely these guys would be able to reclaim land in the south if/when unification happens. So why is land so much cheaper in the north? Surely the ownership risk goes both ways or am I missing something?

[twinkle]

The land in the ROC (South) is not being sold without legal deeds. For land owned pre the invasion there are records held at the Land Registry for ownership. If you look at the TC property in the ROC ie the mosques etc, these have been carefully restored and looked after. Something that is not refelected unfortunately in the occupied areas. The land is cheap in this area as there is no official documentation to it. Like anything.... if you buy it off the back off a lorry it will be cheaper!!!!

[GAVCARoCOM]

The lands is not cheap anymore after the Annan plan and because of thet exchange deeds and pre1974 deeds are is expensive . I send before to you about the deeds full info but i think you didnt read it. Also labour is cheaper then south and this reflect to the prices

[carleen]

so can someone explain then if the house and land belonged to gc before 1974 in right its theres they own it still but a turkish family may live there now or have a peice of land as well. They do not have the right to sell something thats not theres?? surley its illigal to do so

[GAVCARoCOM]

so can someone explain then if the house and land belonged to gc before 1974 in right its theres they own it still but a turkish family may live there now or have a peice of land as well. They do not have the right to sell something thats not theres?? surley its illigal to do so

But some TCs have lands from the british, otoman and RoC time and they have right to sell. Same like me. Do you wanna see a picture what i m building?

[G.Man]

Actually, its perfectly legal for the TC's to reclaim their land in the south now... build on it, sell it, live on it, farm it etc etc... (this is according to EU law)

Ironically, if they came over, got all their land, with what the turks are millitarilly occupying in the north, they would hold over 50% of the land on the island (according to my calculations which may be slightly off)..

[sweetie pie]

Sorry that this is long winded but I thought it might be interesting because of the figures quoted

On August 14, Turkey demanded from Clerides acceptance of a proposal for a federal state, in which the Turkish Cypriot community (who, at that time, comprised about 18% of the population and owned about 10% of the land) would have got 34% of the island. Clerides asked for 36 to 48 hours to consult with the Cypriot and Greek governments, but Turkey refused to grant any consultation time, effectively ending the talks. Within hours, Turkey had resumed its offensive. By the time a new, and permanent, ceasefire was called 36 per cent of the island was under the control of the Turkish military. The partition was marked by the UN Buffer Zone on Cyprus or "green line" running east to west across the island.

The effect of the division was catastrophic for all concerned. Thousands of Greek and Turkish Cypriots had been killed, wounded or missing. A further two hundred thousand Greek and Turkish Cypriots had been displaced. In addition to the entire north coast (Kerynia, Morfou) and the Karpas peninsula, the Greek Cypriots were also forced to flee the eastern port city of Famagusta. The vast majority of the Turkish occupied area was predominantly owned by Greek Cypriots prior to 1974. In the process about 160,000[2] - 200,000[3] Greek Cypriots who made up 82% of the population in the north became refugees; many of them forced out of their homes (violations of Human Rights by the Turkish army have been acknowledged by the European Court of Human Rights), the rest fleeing at the word of the approaching Turkish army. Since 1974, the ceasefire line separates the two communities on the island, and is commonly referred to as the Green Line. The United Nations consented to the transfer of the remainder of the 51,000 Turkish Cypriots that had not left their homes in the south to settle in the north, if they wished to do so. Meanwhile, over the months that followed the Turkish Cypriots made their way to the area under Turkish control.

I do not want to go into the rights and wrongs of who did what to whom. Its the figures that interest me. Are they accurate?

[Piratis]

Surely the ownership risk goes both ways or am I missing something?

What you are missing is

1) That Greek Cypriots are the 82% and Turkish Cypriots the 18%. However the 18% of Turkish Cypriots are now illegally occupying the 36% of the island and while the 82% of Greek Cypriots are forced to live in the remaining 64% (and that 64% even includes the British bases). Do the maths.

2) That the Turkish Cypriot properties in the free areas are not sold to foreigners (or anybody else for that matter). Those properties will be given back to Turkish Cypriots once a solution is found. There is no risk for a foreigner buying in the free areas because a Turkish Cypriot property will not be sold to him under any circumstances.

"Buying" Greek Cypriot property in the occupied areas basically means that you are paying money to receive stolen goods. You have no legal ownership, since the "title deed" they will give to you worth absolutely nothing. You would be basically becoming a partner in the crime against 200.000+ people. Even before a solution the real owner of the property can sue you, the police in Cyprus can arrest you, while others might choose to pay you back for the crime against them in other ways.

[Kikapu]

Surely the ownership risk goes both ways or am I missing something?

What you are missing is

1) That Greek Cypriots are the 82% and Turkish Cypriots the 18%. However the 18% of Turkish Cypriots are now illegally occupying the 36% of the island and while the 82% of Greek Cypriots are forced to live in the remaining 64% (and that 64% even includes the British bases). Do the maths.

2) That the Turkish Cypriot properties in the free areas are not sold to foreigners (or anybody else for that matter). Those properties will be given back to Turkish Cypriots once a solution is found. There is no risk for a foreigner buying in the free areas because a Turkish Cypriot property will not be sold to him under any circumstances.

"Buying" Greek Cypriot property in the occupied areas basically means that you are paying money to receive stolen goods. You have no legal ownership, since the "title deed" they will give to you worth absolutely nothing. You would be basically becoming a partner in the crime against 200.000+ people. Even before a solution the real owner of the property can sue you, the police in Cyprus can arrest you, while others might choose to pay you back for the crime against them in other ways.

Piratis,

I was thinking, and granted, in a really weird way, but what if all the TC's who were given GC's land in the "North" in exchange for their land in the "South", and they sold all the GC's land in the "North" to the foreigners, and the foreigners build their mansions on the Greek Cypriot land, but do not legally own the land. The money the TC's received will ran out sooner or later, and they would like to have a settlement with the GC's, so that they can get to their land in the "South", because it's worth a lot of money now. Then a settlement is reached. Then all the foreigners will have to pay the GC's land owners in the "North" more than they paid to build their mansions, so the majority will just walk away from their mansions, and the GC's will get their land back, plus a mansion, as a bonus. Most foreigners will leave the island, to avoid being prosecuted for buying "stolen" property, and the TC's who sold the land, will throw themselves, at the mercy of the court, and will be given amnesty, as a gesture of good will, to have a happy island.

This may be a win win for all Cypriots.

[milagros]

The answer is that the north part of Cyprus is occupied by Turkey after an invasion in 1974. That part is not regognised by noone except Turkey. So, of course when a solution is found you will loose anything you buy there. You should not buy anything that belongs to someone else. It is like stealing it from the real owner.