Estate Agents in North Cyprus

There are around 150 - 160 registered estate agencies in Northern Cyprus meaning that those in search of an agent to represent their needs should have a wealth of choice.

But with choice can come confusion, after all, what is there to differentiate between the good estate agents in North Cyprus and the not so good?

Tricky question, even trickier to answer! After all, there’s no form of regulation to afford you peace of mind, and when you consider that all other links in the property chain are regulated to one extent or another - from the architect to the developer, the builder, electrician, surveyor and solicitor...even the bank manager who agrees your mortgage - it’s worrying that the key to the success of the entire venture, namely the estate agent, is unregulated!

So it would seem that the responsibility for finding good estate agents in North Cyprus falls squarely on the shoulders of the purchaser. Therefore I’ve compiled a list of points for a potential buyer to consider when agent hunting!

A good estate agent will take time to understand your requirements and then from the outset he will work in a proactive manner to locate and secure the ideal property for you.

A good estate agent will accompany you to those properties selected for viewing and will be knowledgeable about the property, the purchase process and be able to answer pertinent purchaser questions. Where he does not have the information requested he will endeavour to source the information and supply it in as timely a manner as realistically possible.

Promises made by a good agent should never be broken and if required by the purchaser they should be committed to paper! Whether this is a promise to meet you for a viewing, a promise to pay your expenses, a promise to act on your behalf during negotiations or something else besides, you should be able to trust that you will not be let down.

If you find an ideal property in Northern Cyprus and decide to buy it a decent estate agent will work with you and guide you through the entire purchase process, ensuring you’re comfortable with how ‘things’ work in North Cyprus, the build time scales, extra fees, legalities etc., and that you have independent legal representation.

If you buy off plan then make sure your agent will keep you regularly updated on the development of your property...if possible they should be able to email or post you visual updates and they should certainly be available to answer any on-going queries you have up to the completion of your home.

And finally, a good agent will offer a foreign buyer a certain degree of after sales support. It is not sufficient to drop a client once contracts have been signed...as a foreign buyer you should be offered some hand holding and support as you familiarise yourself with the basic infrastructure and workings of the island. From helping you to open a bank account, taking you to find furniture and appliance shops to getting your essential water and electricity services connected...these are all good practice but not practices that are common among many North Cyprus estate agents. So, do your homework and make sure you will not be dropped once the ink has dried on your contract to purchase, get a commitment from your estate agent and get it in writing before you agree to purchase!