Bespoke Property in North Cyprus

Back in 2004 there was a hive of building and property investment activity in North Cyprus following the Turkish Cypriot residents’ acceptance of the terms of the Annan Plan for the peaceful reunification of Cyprus and the subsequent general acceptance that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus will be recognized and officially accepted meaning that the value of land and real estate on the island will rise to be at least on a par with the prices of land and real estate in the Republic of (south) Cyprus.

Since 2004 the initial property projects launched have sold extremely well, profits have been made, incomes derived and now the focus has begun to shift from selling affordable properties to the development of significant, unique, interesting and bespoke property in North Cyprus for the ever increasing numbers of discerning buyers looking for a place to live in, retire to or profit from substantially.

Bespoke property in North Cyprus has become a far more popular commodity as those who were initially planning to invest for the short term have decided to stay living in North Cyprus themselves.  Bespoke, architecturally designed properties can be built by any of the major constructors on the island, but generally speaking the better known the builder and the more completed projects he has under his belt the more likely he is to do a good job.

One company offering a bespoke service which has an excellent reputation is Koroglu and Torris Construction based in Karaoglanoglu.  We recently interviewed one of the company’s directors John Torris to find out about the general process behind sourcing land, getting a property designed, obtaining planning permission and ultimately having your dream home completed in Northern Cyprus.

John Torris obtained his BSc, MSc and civil engineering qualifications and extensive construction experience when he lived and worked in the UK.  When he and his wife Mally decided to relocate to Northern Cyprus many years ago he brought his high standards, wealth of experience and ideas with him and went into partnership with a Turkish Cypriot constructor and formed Koroglu and Torris Construction for the development of premier homes, bespoke properties and even exclusive hotels and holiday residences – ever since the company has been working flat out constructing some of the most innovative and well built properties on the island.

John always advises those considering having a custom home built in North Cyprus to take a calm and measured approach to the task.  Initially one should get a feel for which areas of the island match personal preferences when it comes to things like views of the mountains or the sea, which towns or villages are best in terms of accessibility to amenities from shops to the golf course, from night life to employment opportunities.  With this in mind it is then possible to begin a search for a suitable plot of land.

Land varies considerably in price depending on its elevation, its location, the ease of access to water and electricity and it is now easier to buy large multiple donum plots in North Cyprus than it is to find small individual parcels of land – but a company like Koroglu and Torris Construction have many contacts because they buy and sell land all the time which means such a company can help an individual find a suitable parcel of land.  John Torris reassures clients that if his company sources the land they do not add any commission on top of the sales price!

Anyone looking for land on which to build must ensure the land is directly accessible by a government marked road – if not, planning permission will not be granted.  Furthermore anyone wishing to spare themselves the expense of tens of thousands of pounds should ensure there is easy access to electric and water from a given plot.

Different constructors on the island give very different build costs, some go as low as GBP 100 a square meter but the more realistic advise that prices start from GBP 200 a square meter – of course this final price will depend on an individual customer’s choice of finish, whether they want marble throughout, central heating, solar glass etc.  The design of a bespoke property can be handled by an in-house architect through a company like John Torris’s or outsourced to a registered architect on the island. 

Plans for the bespoke property in North Cyprus then have to be submitted and approved and approval will be granted if the land meets the requirements stipulated above and the property to be constructed meets the standards defined for the zone in which the parcel of land is located.  In some areas it is possible to build up to 3 floors in height for example, but in the majority of areas only 2 floors are acceptable.  The build density rules are different in different areas of the island as well and a professional constructor with extensive experience will be able to handle all of these conditions for a customer.

Those considering having a house designed and built for them should seriously think about employing a specialist in custom built homes and using their project management services as well to ensure they receive a well built house, with guarantees that exactly match their initial criteria for their dream bespoke house in Cyprus.

To contact John Torris about having a bespoke home built in North Cyprus and we will pass on your request.

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