# Comments on Estate Agen's Response Please....



## Shotokan101 (Mar 29, 2019)

See below 


buysell theodora
Theodora Koutsofta from BuySell.
T
Theodora Koutsofta
to me
13 days agoDetails
Dear Mr Maxwell,

Thanks for your request below.
Doesn't has title deeds.
If we do not mention on the description of the listing it means that coming without deeds.



3 bedroom detached house for sale frenaros famagusta 695287
3 Bedroom Detached house for sale (Frenaros) [695287]
€239,000
More information and photos (35) 

Best Regards 

Koutsofta Theodora 
Office Executive 

BuySellCyprus Real Estate 
29 Makariou III 
Ayia Napa 5330 
Famagusta 
Cyprus 

Phone: + 35723725969
Fax : + 35723722220 
Email : [email protected] 
: [email protected] 
Web : www.buysellcyprus.com 

Selling your home?
We sold 27,000 homes so far.
Learn how to sell your home in 60 days.


shotokan101
to Theodora
13 days agoDetails
Wow! - No title deeds are available for this property/land then - how can anyone even consider this property to buy it safely?

Jim


-- 
The Longest Journey Begins With The First Step....

T
Theodora Koutsofta
to me
12 days agoDetails
Good morning Mr Jim,

Do not be surprised as the most of the properties around coming without the deeds.

Different the reason and the history of each property.Prospective buyers are searching before proceed to buy a property without deeds so to have the chance to get the deeds in the future.

Here in Cyprus, everything is privately owned.

When you buy a property a local solicitor will do everything for you and you will have nothing to worry. 
Property will be yours. 

What you might have read is concerning the title deed issuing which takes long long time to be issued. 
Majority of properties have not yet title deeds issued yet, under process. Still private owners owe properties by 100%
Solicitor does check everything now so as to confirm that it is clean from any obligations of the reseller and the developer. 


Best Regards 

Koutsofta Theodora 
Office Executive 

BuySellCyprus Real Estate 
29 Makariou III 
Ayia Napa 5330 
Famagusta 
Cyprus 

Phone: + 35723725969
Fax : + 35723722220 
Email : [email protected] 
: [email protected] 
Web : www.buysellcyprus.com 

Selling your home?
We sold 27,000 homes so far.
Learn how to sell your home in 60 days.


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## nhowarth (Dec 6, 2017)

"When you buy a property a local solicitor will do everything for you and you will have nothing to worry."

ILSMTTRDML

Most people are now aware of the problems associated with buying a property without a deed. And some 90% of the lawyers in Cyprus give the rest a bad name.

Cheers,


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

At best this is misinformation, at worst plain lies.

A disgraceful response which BuySell should be ashamed of.

I contacted them quite a while back regarding selling our home. The response was that the Listings Manager was too busy to come out. If I wanted them to list it, I should send them the pictures and description.

Guess which company didn't get the opportunity to sell our home.

Pete


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## JonandGaynor (Jun 8, 2009)

My own experiences of Buysell from a few years ago were that they were only interested in selling properties and would say anything to get that sale.
Personally I would not even look at a property that didn't have deeds to the land available for transfer.
As you appear to be looking for a property in Famagusta I would like to recommend you go to FSB Properties who are based in Avgorou and specialise in village properties in this area and speak to the proprietor Pan. He is a rarity in being an estate agent who tells the truth and will advise you of all the pitfalls and what is safe to buy and what is not. Pan was schooled in the UK and speaks perfect English and has a reputation in the locality for honesty so I would seriously advise you to speak to him as he was instrumental in helping us with our purchase. His web site, FSB Properties, has all the contact details but mobile number is 99093213.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Definitely don't touch Buy sell with a barge pole. They only care about making sales and not in making sure their clients are protected.


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## Shotokan101 (Mar 29, 2019)

Thanks to sl for the feedback - which pretty much matches exactly what I thought about the response 

I had also previously enquired about another property which looked great in the photos but the description said that it had been empty for several years and was in need of refurbishment - so I asked about more recent photos showing the current condition and they said the none were available! 

Jim


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## nhowarth (Dec 6, 2017)

Hi Jim

You may find the following articles 'interesting'

BuySell Cyprus sues Brit for selling his own house

and their reply - BuySell Cyprus replies to report

Cheers


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Yes this is one of the dirty tricks they use. They have in small writing a clause stating if the buyer sells through anyone else or even sells privately they still have to pay them their full commission. They make sure though that people don't know about this clause before signing with them.


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## Robandgem (Sep 12, 2018)

Whilst we are on the subject of buying properties, what does it mean when a listing describes a property as having an AX NUMBER


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## Shotokan101 (Mar 29, 2019)

nhowarth said:


> Hi Jim
> 
> You may find the following articles 'interesting'
> 
> ...


Nigel - was there ever any follow up to this giving the outcome?

Must admit that even I have my doubts about the sellers version and behaviour.....


Jim


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## nhowarth (Dec 6, 2017)

I've heard nothing since Jim.

But there should be a record of the court case on cylaw.org (assuming the case went to court.)

Update - nothing in the court records.

Cheers


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## Shotokan101 (Mar 29, 2019)

Thanks Nigel

Jim


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Robandgem said:


> Whilst we are on the subject of buying properties, what does it mean when a listing describes a property as having an AX NUMBER


An AX number means that it is in the hands of the land registry having had everything approved. Usually only a matter of time until the title deed is issued. Can take up to a year after the AX number is issued to get the full title.


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## Shotokan101 (Mar 29, 2019)

Veronica said:


> An AX number means that it is in the hands of the land registry having had everything approved. Usually only a matter of time until the title deed is issued. Can take up to a year after the AX number is issued to get the full title.


Hi Veronica - does this mean that listings which state "title deeds available" shoukd "at least" be in this status and those with "full title deeds available" should have had them issued for land and building or is it estate agent dependant? 

Thanks 

Jim


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

No. If it says title deeds available then it has already gone through the process and title deeds have been issued. 
Sometimes the owners don't get the title deeds as it costs them to do so but they will be available for potential new owners to acquire.


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

I wouldn't trust anything they say. Always ask to see a copy of the title deeds before making an offer. We were lied to and it took about 8 years and €1000 to get them despite our sales contract guaranteeing that the seller would deliver them.

Pete


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## nhowarth (Dec 6, 2017)

An AX number is the job number allocated to a piece of work to be undertaken by the Land Registry.

It isn't necessarily a job number for the issue of a Title Deed. E.g. It could be the number allocated to a job to split a plot of land, subdivide a block of flats into individual units, etc., etc.

As for the availability of Title Deeds, I've seen adverts saying:

'Title Deeds available soon' (in geological terms this may be true.)

'Title Deeds available' (this could refer to just the land on which the dwelling's built.)

'Full Title Deeds available' (this should be a Title Deed that includes the land and the dwelling.)

As Veronica has pointed out there are situations where a Title Deed (full variety) has been issued but the purchaser is unable/unwilling to pay the Property Transfer Fees. This is a problem as the property has to be transferred twice. (i) from the original vendor to the first buyer and (2) from the first buyer to the second buyer - and the Property Transfer Fees also have to be paid twice.

In situations where are property has been bought and it's Title Deed has not been issued, a second buyer needs a vesting/assignment contract. This type of contract puts the the second buyer in the same position as the first buyer when the latter bought the property. The fee for depositing a vesting/assignment contract at the Land Registry is higher than the fee for depositing a normal contract (€50). The fee is 0.5% of the value of the original contract or the vesting/assignment contract (whichever is higher); the minimum fee is €50 and maximum fee €3000.

It's essential that when you buy a property in Cyprus you instruct an independent lawyer to investigate precisely what you're buying and any planning issues, problems with the Title, etc. and advise you accordingly.

(The vendor may advise you that you can register your share in a property. This is sometimes the case if you buy 'off-plan'. So if a developer's building 8 identical properties, you may be offered a 12.5% share of the total. This doesn't provide you with any benefit if the land is mortgaged. But if the land isn't mortgaged and the developer goes bust, you will own a 12.5% share of the land that you may be able to sell to recover some of your money.)

Regards,


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Make sure that you do not allow the estate agent to talk you into using a solicitor of their choice.
Also if you are buying on the East coast I would strongly advise that you use a Limassol or Nicosia Law firm. We were told by the lawyer in Nicosia who has been taking other lawyers to court for shady practices that the East side has the most crooked lawyers on the island.
He is the one who took on the Connor O'Dwyer case. You can google that.


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## Shotokan101 (Mar 29, 2019)

Thanks for the additional information folks - all very useful 

Jim


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## nhowarth (Dec 6, 2017)

The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office publishes a list of lawyers in Cyprus that you may find useful. You can view it by clicking here.

There's a Nicosia-based lawyer who has helped many people with their property issues at the eastern end of the island who used to come and speak at regular meetings in Larnaca and offer advice. Stelios Stylianou.

Cheers,


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## Shotokan101 (Mar 29, 2019)

Thanks for that Nigel - when you say "their property issues at the eastern end" is there anything in particular that you are referring to or am I readung too much into in? 

Jim


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## nhowarth (Dec 6, 2017)

You're reading too much into it.

I was on the panel of 'Picas' (Property In Cyprus Action Support group), which was organised by one of the residents in the Larnaca, Protaras, Agia Napa area.

We held monthly meetings at the Dhekelia Leisure Resort and then the Larnaca UKCA to help and advise those living in the area with their property issues. We started in 2011 and eventually closed four years later.

Stelios was a regular panellist and also Zoe Woodward from the British High Commission. (Zoe moved back to the UK a few years ago.)

You can read a bit more on what we did at Property in Cyprus action support group


Regards,


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## Shotokan101 (Mar 29, 2019)

Thanks Nigel - good to know - I think that I am maybe a bit oversensitive to the proximity of the border to the famagusta area

Jim


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## JonandGaynor (Jun 8, 2009)

Tut tut, shame on you, its not a border its a cease fire line!


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## Shotokan101 (Mar 29, 2019)

JonandGaynor said:


> Tut tut, shame on you, its not a border its a cease fire line!


Correction duly noted..... eep: :yield:

......that's probably one of my concerns......... ainkiller::laser::fencing:


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## JonandGaynor (Jun 8, 2009)

We live within eye sight of the Turkish army sentry/observation posts on the Green Line and drive past the soldiers almost every day and have no concerns whatsoever. If Turkey wanted to invade again there would be no point in grabbing a few more kilometers or villages, it would have to be all or nothing and I can't see that ever happening, just imagine the consequences if they did and to gain what?


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## Mal197 (Sep 13, 2018)

FAX Number?


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## Shotokan101 (Mar 29, 2019)

Mal197 said:


> FAX Number?


Pardon? 

Jim


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## Mal197 (Sep 13, 2018)

Shotokan101 said:


> Pardon?
> 
> Jim


I was replying to post #9 asking what AX Number meant, for some reason the Reply with Quote didn't work!


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## Shotokan101 (Mar 29, 2019)

Mal197 said:


> I was replying to post #9 asking what AX Number meant, for some reason the Reply with Quote didn't work!


Thanks


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## nhowarth (Dec 6, 2017)

Mal197 said:


> what AX Number meant


 An AX number is the job number allocated to a piece of work to be undertaken by the Land Registry.

Cheers,


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## Shotokan101 (Mar 29, 2019)

PeteandSylv said:


> At best this is misinformation, at worst plain lies.
> 
> A disgraceful response which BuySell should be ashamed of.
> 
> ...


...that would explain the atrocious photos with a some of their listings.....


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