Estate Agents in North Cyprus FAQ

Oh what an impasse!  Estate agents in North Cyprus are complaining that they get the blame for far too much on the one hand - and on the other hand you have clients of these realtors complaining that they don’t get the level of customer service that they expect and require when they buy property in Northern Cyprus.

But you know what?  It’s not a question of who’s right in this situation or who’s wrong - it’s a case of defining and understanding the role of the realtor.  This - the ShelterOffshore Estate Agents in North Cyprus FAQ - should help to alleviate the issue and make it clear for anyone thinking about buying a home in TRNC what they can and will get from their chosen agent.

When you buy a house in the UK and you use an estate agent’s services to find you a home you have certain expectations of that agent - such as that they have a legal obligation to pass on any offer you make to the vendor and that they will earn about 1 – 1.5% commission from the vendor if they sell the home. 

When you buy a house abroad all of these rules and expectations go out of the window….you need to understand this from the outset so that you are not let down, ripped off or - on a more positive angle - overwhelmed by the level of after sales care you receive!

The North Cyprus property market is no exception – estate agents in North Cyprus work in a different way to estate agents in England, Maklers in Germany or realtors in America for example.  So let’s define their role: -

A resale house in North Cyprus is ‘sold as seen’ – you have no guarantees about build quality for example, you cannot automatically assume the vendor has the right of sale or that the land upon which the home sits is free of encumbrances for example.  Your estate agent cannot help you with any of these points.

If you want to know whether a house is built properly so as to avoid subsidence or withstand an earth tremor you need to have a survey conducted – this is not the responsibility of the estate agent, they are sales persons not surveyors.

If you ask your estate agent about their opinion of a property they can only give their honest opinion as a salesperson rather than their expert opinion as a surveyor.

The same goes for checking the title deeds, planning permissions, right of sale etc., etc., except in this instance you need a solicitor rather than a surveyor.

You cannot blame the estate agent in North Cyprus who sells you a property in the TRNC if that property is not all you expect it to be…it’s a cold hard fact that you need to know.

If you ask your estate agent to recommend a lawyer to you they may recommend someone with whom they have a personal interest – this is not done maliciously this is done because they have an opinion about which lawyers they believe can assist you – you need to ask questions of the lawyer to ensure they have no vested interest in the sale of the property in question and to ensure that they are actually qualified to do their job!

If you buy a property in North Cyprus off plan the estate agent cannot guarantee the liquidity of the construction firm’s bank accounts nor can they say whether or not the land on which the property is to be constructed is free from mortgages for example – you need a lawyer’s help with this.

So – assuming you have been shown some homes and like what you see, you can ask your estate agent to negotiate with the vendor, developer or constructor on your behalf…but don’t forget, the estate agent is paid by that vendor, developer or constructor and so it is naturally (they are only human) in their best interests to get the highest price possible for a property….whereas it is up to you to ensure you bargain hard, get all the extras included that you want and that you only pay as much as you think fair.

Many people who make a living from property investment state that you actually make the money on a property at the point of purchase not at the point of sale - so keep this in mind when buying your next piece of real estate and get your negotiating hat on!

Your estate agent will collect you from your hotel/villa – some will even pick you up from the airport – and drive you round a range of properties that match your requirements.  The best of them will buy you a cup of tea or even lunch along the way but at the end of the day their primary role is to match your requirements with tangible property.

Once you have found what you are looking for it is the responsibility of the estate agent to arrange contracts…have them speak to your lawyer and arrange appointments with the vendor - and the agent should accompany you to the lawyer’s office and help answer any last minute questions that you have.

In terms of after sales care, an estate agent in North Cyprus has no legal obligation to you – they are sales agents, after you have bought you are on your own…having said that, many agents understand the importance of making sure their clients are happy and some offer additional services such as helping you get furniture and white goods, helping you let out an investment property etc.  What they will not do is get your utilities connected for example – largely because this usually involves you having to go to the electric office etc., and pay for meters and connection in person. 

If you’re buying a new build or off plan home you can ask your estate agent to have it put in the contract that the builder helps with such annoyances and you can even ask them to send you updates on the build progress.  They are not legally obliged to update you however, and if you want to be appraised of progress you’re better off speaking to the constructor or a trusted person in Northern Cyprus who can keep an eye on things for you.

Neither an estate agent nor a lawyer will help you get residency in Northern Cyprus – which is something you have to do if you intend being in the country for more than three months - and your estate agent cannot get your purchase permissions either, for that you need a lawyer.

If you keep in mind the fact that you are buying a home ‘sold as seen’, that your estate agent is a salesperson not a structural engineer, lawyer or surveyor and that there are other experts out there who can assist you with other aspects of the sales process, you will not be disappointed and you will understand how to get the very most out of estate agents in North Cyprus!