Happy life at last... In Cyprus! The personal experience of a home buyer who visited Cyprus for first time three years ago. Since then, he travels to Cyprus 5 times a year, and he recommended the country to thousands of others. Dinesh Bhika along with his wife and two sons are just one of a growing number of British families who have decided to purchase a holiday villa in the resort of Protaras, Cyprus. Mr. Bhika owns a 3 bedroom villa with private pool, which is used for family holidays and is also rented out to other holidaymakers. What prompted you to purchase in Cyprus ? The 340 days of sunshine, fabulous beaches, low crime rate and low cost of living were our main reasons for choosing Cyprus. The ISO building standards that were met by my developers also helped in making my decision. How many times had you visited Cyprus before purchasing? We came to Cyprus with the intention of purchasing a property for holidays and possibly retirement use, and bought our villa during our first visit. We fell in love with the island straight away and were really made to feel at home by the friendly people. How did you find the buying process? The purchase with the developer went very smoothly and I was very happy with the service provided by the helpful staff. After completion of the property they we’re able to provide me with a full package of property rental and maintenance services which meant I didn’t need to shop elsewhere. This was a real plus as the services were designed to suit the individual customer. What problems did you encounter during the purchase? Apart from the usual teething problems that arise when buying a property, there were no major issues. A snagging list was compiled and any problems were then resolved effectively. This was part of the guarantee from the developer. Did you have any unexpected surprises? My only real surprise was how beautiful Cyprus is, it was actually better than I had expected. Before purchasing, I had researched main issues such as the structure of the economy, standard of living and legal issues, so I was aware of how the system worked in Cyprus. What advice would you give to potential buyers regarding purchasing in Cyprus? I would definitely advise anyone thinking of purchasing to research first. I personally found a site on MSN named Cyprus Eastern Owners Buyers very helpful, as it gave a wealth of advice for this area of Cyprus, from shopping and restaurant facilities to purchasing and renting property. Of course not everything can be researched, and it is a learning process with both positive and negative aspects, but I would say the only way is to just go for it. For those thinking of purchasing a property in Cyprus, get in now before it becomes too late to afford property. Cyprus is much cheaper than other competitors at the moment and the economy and infrastructure of the economy is very stable. For those of you considering having your own holiday home it is advisable that you start researching and getting advice as soon as possible, as there are many factors to consider before making your dream a reality. Location - If you require the property for personal family holidays only, and you are already familiar with the area, you may not require a property within a holiday resort and purchasing inland can be much cheaper. Being close to beaches, bars and restaurants is a must though, if you plan to rent the property out. Furnishings – Remember that more furniture equals more cleaning and that you need as little ‘clutter’ as possible’ for your holiday home. The last thing you want is to spend a day of your holiday dusting and polishing furniture that may be useful at home but not required on holiday. When renting your property, letting agents will provide you with a list of necessary furniture and appliances needed to ensure your home is well equipped for rental. Make sure you budget for these extra costs when purchasing and shop around to find the best prices. Size – bear in mind when purchasing a property that bigger isn’t always better. During hot weather, the majority of your time will be spent outside the property, in the pool, sunbathing and during mealtimes too. That 180m2 spacious villa you dream of may seem like the perfect holiday home but realistically the garden area will be used a lot more, making the size of the villa a little impractical for a family of four. Having a holiday home is definitely an ideal way to take holidays as well as being a wise investment for the future. How many of us visit the same destination over and over again on holiday because we feel at ease with the surroundings, the people and the local traditions. We feel completely ‘at home’ and that is what having a holiday home is all about. You never know, it could become a permanent home sometime in the future, so why waste time thinking about it. You know you should, you know you would and hopefully now you’re certain that sometime soon, you could have a holiday ‘home from home’.