Considering a move to Cyprus

[pauldmaynard]

We are a couple of "young" semi retired people thinking about a move to Cyprus. What is the attraction for you? Any "for" or "against"? Suggestions? Any comments will be appreciated, on best areas and why, etc...

[Veronica]

Originally Posted by pauldmaynard

We are a couple of "young" semi retired people thinking about a move to Cyprus. What is the attraction for you? Any "for" or "against"? Suggestions? Any comments will be appreciated, on best areas and why, etc...

Hi Paul
Welcome to the forum.
For me the attractions were the more laid back way of life(and still is) and the great weather.
After 5 years I don't regret it for one moment although there are things which irritate me and even some that get me really mad. The silly thing is t hat some of those things are actually a result of one of the things I love it. Thats is the laid back way of life Trying to get things done when you actually want them done and not avrio (tomorrow). Avrio never seems to come
Everything is siga siga (slowly slowly). Then there is the other side of the Cypriots when they get into their cars. It is no longer siga siga, they are impatient, rude and downright dangerous when they get behind the wheel of a car.
In time you learn to accept these things most of the time but it still annoys me at times.
Having said that, as I said earlier I dont regret our decision to come here.
I love the country, the people and the way of life and have no intention of returning to the UK if I can help it.

Regards Veronica

[mollymore]

Originally Posted by pauldmaynard

We are a couple of "young" semi retired people thinking about a move to Cyprus. What is the attraction for you? Any "for" or "against"? Suggestions? Any comments will be appreciated, on best areas and why, etc...

hi Paul we are also on the verge of moving to cyprus .We have an apt in kapparis
and we enjoy it very much. All our comments are positive about Cyprus and we can't wait to move over there!

[kimonas]

As Veronica has pointed out, Cyprus has more than just a touch of schizophrenia about it- the biggest problem is the culture of the average - no one takes pride in their work and no one is in a hurry to get anything done - the ministries and public servants are all overpaid and underworked so there is no pressure or impetus to get anything done, or to adhere to internationally agreed regulations etc. So if you are used to a world where things get done efficiently and competently, life will be enormously frustrating - especially if you have to work for a living. I certainly would not have chosen to live here, but fate and family have brought me here. After four years of quite severe culture shock and several sessions of wailing and gnashing of teeth, pulling hair out and trying desperately to see the good in Cyprus, the good did eventually win out (but it was a difficult struggle). I couldn't see me living anywhere else now, and I have learned to accept that everything will take at least three times as long as stated, everything will cost at least three times as much as quoted and not to get too upset when things just don't happen at all. I now positively love the place, but do be prepared for the fever of culture shock - some get over it, but I know many people that have given up and gone home. Read through the threads to get a flavour of the trails and tribulations and the brighter side of living here. Like almost anywhere in the world there are advantages and disadvantages to living here, and it depends on your cicumstances as to whether the advantages will win out. If you are a young working aged non-greek speaking couple with school aged children to bring up with no Cypriot family network to support you then the disadvantages will almost always overpower the advantages. If you have independent means, do not have to work and have connections, then the advantages just might win out.

Good Luck!

[pauldmaynard]

Thank you for your replies. The positive sides do seem to outweigh the negatives, but I still don't get the whole picture. Any more comments? Also what is the resale value of properties? Is the trend up or down? What about the weather? Is it bearable or does it get too much? On the whole, what are the reasons for moving to Cyprus? What about the tax situation? I look forward to more info if you can, many thanks

[Veronica]

Originally Posted by pauldmaynard

Thank you for your replies. The positive sides do seem to outweigh the negatives, but I still don't get the whole picture. Any more comments? Also what is the resale value of properties? Is the trend up or down? What about the weather? Is it bearable or does it get too much? On the whole, what are the reasons for moving to Cyprus? What about the tax situation? I look forward to more info if you can, many thanks

The resale value of properties is certainly not going up at the moment. Like everywhere the property market has been hit by the current recession so please do not let developers or unscrupulous agents sell you a property on the guarantee of making a profit in a year or two.
If you are simply looking to buy for somnething to live in and not for profit then it dosnt really matter which way the trend is going but there are still far too many people buying thinking they can flip for a profit.
There are some bargains to be had in the resale market if you are lucky enough to find someone who is desparate to return to the UK for one reason or another.


The weather gets very hot in July and August but there are ways iof avoiding the heat of the day.

Taxes are much lower and you can earn up to 19.000 euros or thereabouts before paying any taxes.

[pauldmaynard]

Thank you Veronica, your comments are very helpful!! Another query: do you speak Greek? Can one get by in Cyprus without the slightest knowledge of Greek? How about working opportunities, or business opportunities? Is Greek necessary? What about day to day life? Does everyone speak English? Hope to hear from you...

[Veronica]

Originally Posted by pauldmaynard

Thank you Veronica, your comments are very helpful!! Another query: do you speak Greek? Can one get by in Cyprus without the slightest knowledge of Greek? How about working opportunities, or business opportunities? Is Greek necessary? What about day to day life? Does everyone speak English? Hope to hear from you...

Hi Paul, no I don't speak Greek apart from the basic greetings and niceties etc but I do want to learn it. However it is not an easy language. I speak several other languages but have found Greek particularly hard to learn.
You don't need to speak Greek but it does help in certain jobs situations and of course speaking it would enhance your ability to find a well paid job.
My husband and I have our own business and we did think that most of our clients would be English and have been surprised at the number of Cypriot clients we have.
Luckily most Cypriots speak English to a reasonable standard so in most cases we have managed to communicate ok but there have been a few time when we needed to get Cypriot friends to interpret for us.
In day to day life you can get by without any problem without speaking Greek.

Regards Veronica

[kimonas]

The weather is a strong point of living here, but some do underestimate the Cypriot summer climate. The heat is something that you have to get used to. Some find it unbearably uncomfortable. At the height of the summer, particularly inland, the sunny, dry, dusty and still atmosphere is extremely uncomfortable and very dangerous. It is certainly hot enough to make the unprepared very ill, and just as old people die in the UK each year of the cold, each year people die in the Mediterranean because of the heat waves.

The temperatures regularly tops 40 inland (the Government weather services often quote up to 39 to avoid closing down events etc on health and safety grounds), but I've recorded temperatures in the shade of 43 and above day after day - and it can get very tiring. In fact the culture has adapted - people tend to get up and start work early (say 7ish) - and then have a break when the sun is highest - everything closes down from 1-4 when it is too hot to do anything but sleep) - indeed to attempt to function at that time of the day could be dangerous, so people tend to sleep during that time - shops close, traffic lightens dramatically and some areas are turned into virtual ghost towns. The shops re-open and things get moving again from 4in the afternoon until 8in the evening. This means that the usual time for going out and socialising, having a meal etc is very late as people only have a few hours sleep at night as they supplement their sleep with the afternoon siesta. Research has shown that this diurnal sleep pattern is actually more natural and healthier than having a longer unbroken day. Of course the tourist oriented parts of the island are open 24/7, but if you find yourself living in a traditional area, it can be a little unusual getting used to the pattern and rhythm of life here. Lots of companies simply close down for most of August when most Cypriots leave for their cooler mountain and beachside homes, or leave the island altogether on extended holidays. This can be frustrating if you're relying on getting something done by one of these companies.

As Veronica has said, there are ways of escaping the heat, but if you find yourself (as has happened to us on occasion) trapped in the heat during a powercut when there are no fans, the fridge has defrosted and there seems to be no escape, it can be extremely uncomfortable. I remember once warning a visitor of ours not to venture out into Nicosia Old Town in the heat of the midday sun, everything would be closed for the siesta, the heat would be intolerable and the sun would be so bright they wouldn't be able to enjoy sight seeing - but they insisted and felt they didn't want to 'waste' their holiday. They got lost, returning a couple of hours later in tears and suffereing from the onset of heat exhaustion.

The weather then is fabulous, but potentially dangerous and has to be treated with respect - certainly I would never recommend anyone who does not particularly enjoy hot weather to plan to live here.

[Cleo Shahateet]

Hi Paul,
I agree with Veronica and Kimonas on all points. My experience in business is that generally I can get by without knowing Greek but I do get at least one phone call a week where I need my wife to speak and translate as it is easier for the customer to speak Greek. They could get by in English for the most part but I try to make it as easy as possible for a customer and important for them to be fully understood obvioulsy. Day to day though it is fine.
As for the heat, it is pretty unbearable in the summer for some (I like it). My wife doens't and she won't take the kids to the beach until at least 4:30 or later and then she also leaves the country for a few weeks for a break from it.
And for resales, like Veronica said you won't make a huge profit and double your money like some did in the past but if you intend it for a home not an investement it is fine. An average appreciation on a property in a normal market is about 5% and that is good. If you get a deal and you can now if you look then, you can still acheive the 5% in my opinion. However, no one really knows for sure - that is just my opinion and hope is just gives you some more insight to making an informed decision ;-)