As stated previously, non Cypriots must obtain permission from the council of Ministers before purchasing property. For individuals, this will be granted, as a rule, bone fide cases where individuals wish to acquire flat, a house or piece of land for the erection of a house intended for residency, or regular use as a holiday home. Individuals cannot obtain permission for more than one property. In the case of acquiring land with a view to building, the area allowed will usually be approximately two thirds of one acre.
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.
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.
Permission to purchase a property must be obtained from the Council of Ministers by written application. This must be submitted by the non-Cypriot purchaser after the agreement has been signed. However, the permission is granted more or less as a matter of course to all bona fide buyers. In the meantime purchasers may take possession of their property without restriction.
A survey on any resale property is strongly recommended, just as it would be in the UK or elsewhere. Our Cypriot team or your lawyer will be able to recommend a surveyor to you. He will inspect the property and prepare a report, eventually showing any defects, which would not be visible to everyone’s eyes. It will save you unpleasant surprises at a later stage, and depending on the type of defects stated (if any), you may get a reduction on the price or you maybe in a position to request the vendor to repair them, or insist additional guarantees be inserted in the contracts. One thing is for sure; you will know what you are buying. A surveyor will not allow his love for a property to cloud his judgement as you may have done.