How To
Find The Right Real Estate Agent In Cyprus
by: Mark Vurnum
If you are looking to buy property overseas, the process
can be fraught with uncertainties and worries as you
look for that dream house in an area in which, to be
frank, you're not all that familiar. Here, Cyprus is no
different. So, how do you go about finding the right
real estate agent in Cyprus?
First off, authorized
real estate agents in Cyprus need to be both licensed
and registered. However, not speaking the same language
as you do, and having their fees paid for by the seller,
may give you serious cause to wonder whether they have
your best interests at heart or the seller's! If this is
the case, then your first port-of-call should be the
Cyprus Real Estate Agents Association ("Association").
While the Association may not be able to give you
conclusive evidence that your chosen real estate agent
is either the best or worst in the business, they should
speak English and should be able to give you some
reassurance towards calming your worries. Also, with the
European Confederation of Real Estate Agents trying to
harmonies the standards of real estate agents across
Europe (which these days includes Cyprus), the
Association should be able to give you the name of some
reputable real estate agents in the area where you are
looking.
Besides checking the
details of any real estate agent with the Association,
if you know anyone in Cyprus, you might also want to ask
them if they have any recommendations. In fairness,
there is rarely anything as good as a good
recommendation given by word-of-mouth.
Finally, if you are
still in the UK looking for property in Cyprus before
you go, then the Internet has a wide selection of Cyprus
real estate agents advertising their wares. In most
cases, the sites also have a good selection of pictures
of properties, which, if nothing else, will give you
some idea of the types of property that the agent
commonly deals with. But, keep in mind that although
many Brits do use the services of English-speaking real
estate agents they found on the Internet, the Internet
itself is no assurance that the real estate agent is
going to be good - so if you do find an agent this way,
try to get testimony from someone who has used them
before or ask for proof that they're a member of the
Association.
