Information Cyprus

Arrived at Larnaca airport Monday 18th August at 20.30 well ahead of schedule as usual due to a prevailing tail wind. I resisted the urge to whoop with genuine delight at being back on this beautiful Island and was even able to restrain myself from laying prostrate on the tarmac to kiss the ground. The smell, yes that distinct warm odor that hits you when you stand at the top of the exit steps that’s when I just know that I am back in the place that’s right for me. If you haven’t guessed already I LOVE! Cyprus, it’s climate, people and just about everything the country has to offer.

Our best friends Lee and Kirsty collected us from the airport and endured an hour long interrogation from Julie who wanted to be updated with all the latest developments. After all we have been away for 5 months so there was bound to be plenty to catch up with. The roads in Cyprus are brilliant being devoid of all the traffic and road rage problems back in the U.K. so the journey home was as always a pleasant one as always. Once we were in the house it felt like we had never been away from Cyprus at all and the obligatory cup of tea soon had us feeling right at home.

This time around we are determined not to go back to the U.K. apart from visiting friends and family probably in December (for Xmas) and then again in May for our grandsons birthday.  As for earning a living here in Cyprus we are setting up a business selling inexpensive costume jewelry on the markets and through party planning. My Daughter Sharon has been quite successful with it back in the U.K. selling at craft fairs and flee markets so we reconed why not give it a go here in Cyprus. It sure as hell beats standing around in the cold and I will still have plenty of time to update my web site at information Cyprus.com 

That’s one of the great things about the Island of course, the weather. 320 plus days of glorious sunshine which should make market trading a real pleasure. We are really looking forwards to getting out there and going for it but the stock is still somewhere between Cyprus and China so I am having to exercise some patience until it arrives. There is plenty to do however like cleaning the pool, hanging some pictures and removing 5 months worth of brown dust from the shutters. Not to mention flying all over the place to pay the phone and electricity bills before they get cut off leaving us to baste in our own body fat without any air conditioning.

Talking of air con, we tried sleeping without it last night and opened all the upstairs windows which is no problem because we have fly screens. However we both woke about 2 am drenched in sweat, conceded defeat and switched the cooler back on (ahh the sheer relief). I can understand now why some of the local Cypriots take their beds outside in the summer it’s really pleasant out doors of an evening but the houses seem to store up the heat. Ha well, such are the delights of living in Cyprus. 

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Cyprus real estate agents are by far and away the best people to deal with if you are considering purchasing property on the Island. These guys will be fully experienced in all aspects of Cyprus property and they will also be able to hook you up to all the other resorces you may need too. Things such as English speaking solicitors are a must unless of course you are clever enough to speak Greek yourself. Then there are all the official bodies to deal with concerning taxes, title deeds and a marid number of other important details that will need to be addressed. A good Cyprus real estate agent will of course be used to dealing with such matters on a daily basis so finding one should be your first priority.

These guys will also be on first name terms with most if not all of the local Cyprus property developers too. This is hardly surprising once you begin to appreciate the laid back Cypriot attitude and the close community ties that exist among the locals. The pace of life in Cyprus is relaxed and rather laid back to say the least but don’t let that fool you into thinking that these guys are not very serious business people too. In fact you will have to go an awful long way to find a friendlier race of people who show such a sincere interest in visitors to their country. Whilst there is undoubtedly a large amount of money to be made from property their regard for their customers is in fact genuine.

Thanks to their relationships with the Cyprus property developers the real estate agents will be able to offer prospective buyers a huge range of villas and luxury apartments. Whilst the Cyprus property boom continues unabated there are still plenty of off plan opportunities available to any would be property speculators. That said there are some real bargain properties to be had in the way of resale villas and apartments too especially from investors looking to make a quick once a development is finished. These guys will have purchased their properties right at the outset before work even started with the express intention of selling them on at a profit.

The good news for anyone wishing to invest in Cyprus property is that there is still plenty to choose from and the market remains buoyant too. Despite the downturn in the U.K. economy and the so called “credit crunch” the financial mood on the Island continues to be optimistic. Prices for premium properties such as luxury villas and beach front apartments are still amongst the most competitive inn Europe so it is still a good time to buy. Many Cyprus real estate agents have built their businesses solely on the back of the recent property boom but many others have been around for a considerably longer period of time. So before you begin your Cyprus property search it is well worth taking the time to find a reputable real estate agent and there are plenty of them to choose from.

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Cyprus is one of the top destinations for holiday makers from all over Europe but it is especially popular with the British. Maybe it has something to do with the British influence that has remained since it was handed back to Cypriot rule in the 1960s. After all Cyprus has a similar legal system to the U.K. and they even drive on the left too. These are just some of the many things that attract visitors back there year after year even though it is a relatively small Island. With a rich cultural heritage and a fascinating history that dates back thousands of years it really does have so much to offer holiday makers of all kinds.

The Island boast miles of splendid sandy beaches and many of them are in secluded bays well off the beaten path so you will always be able to find a quite relaxing spot. Then again if you prefer all the amenities close at hand the resorts will have everything you need for a fun filled holiday of a lifetime. You can try everything from paracending to scuba diving if that’s what takes your fancy and there is a huge range of other water sports available on most of the public beaches in Cyprus. You can even hire a power boat by the hour or take a leisurely cruise on one of the many pleasure vessels and it won’t cost a fortune either.

Eating out in Cyprus is always a pleasure and there are more than enough restaurants to choose from where ever you decide to stay on the Island. Apart from the huge range of local fare you will find plenty of diverse cuisine in the many specialist restaurants on all the main resorts. There are even a few fast food outlets such as K.F.C and Pizza Hut and Macdonalds to name just a few of the major ones. There is no doubt that the British are more than well catered for with the odd fish and chip shop plus several oriental take away outlets too. So there is little or no danger of anyone starving to death whilst on holiday in Cyprus that’s for sure. 

The bottom line is that if Cyprus can’t offer you what you are looking for in a family holiday the chances are that nowhere else will either. If you aren’t interested in a beach holiday there is some breathtaking scenery up in the troodas mountains and the air is pure and cool up there too. With so much history around the Island you are never going to run out of stuff to see so a few excursions should be par for the course so to speak. Then if all else fails to stimulate you could always take a trip into the capital Nicosia for a spot of retail therapy in the new Cyprus mall and visit the last dived city in the world whilst you are about it. 

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