# villages between Paphos and Polis



## MrB (Jun 2, 2010)

Hello Folks

We're interested in retiring to Cyprus, and visited some villages between Paphos and Polis this year.

We heard plus and minus points. A taxi driver said (as if we were mad to even consider living up in the hills) : "It's dead here in the winter! Try somewhere else."

Others said that the road is bad in the winter, unlit and very wet and rainy and times.
How cold does it get in the winter up there? Being used to East Anglia, we're not very concerned, although we also hear the problem is that the Cyprus houses are not insulated, so they stay cold (and damp).

And what is shopping like in Polis?

By the way, this forum is very useful, and I may post a few more comments.

Yah mass!

MrB


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## potamiou (Jan 10, 2010)

Hi MrB. We live "in the hills" but further in, towards Troodos. Our house is traditional stone-built Cypriot house, which means it is automatically insulated by the thick walls. Roofs are rarely protected from rain, and it is advisable to lay boards and felt under the tiles yourself if it hasn't already been done. Temperature in our village got down to 0 once, or twice this last winter, and it snowed here about 3 years ago (almost an inch!!). We are 2,100ft above sea level if that helps! Summer is much more comfortable up here than on the coast, and if you want the heat and sea swimming, it's only a 20 minute drive.
ps: Welcome to the forum 
Dave & Sheilah


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## kimonas (Jul 19, 2008)

MrB said:


> Hello Folks
> 
> We're interested in retiring to Cyprus, and visited some villages between Paphos and Polis this year.
> 
> ...



Hello Mr B,

As an ex-East Anglian, used to the flat land gales and winters of the Norfolk Broads, one of the things that surprised me most about living in Cyprus was how cold it was in the winter. I've never felt as cold and uncomfortable as I have here. Of course it isn't physically as cold, but because the concrete house we were living in was completely uninsulated and had no central heating, it was dire. We've since moved into another concrete box that does at least have central heating which is very expensive to run. I would advise checking carefully the insulation and heating options on any property that you're interested in, especially if it is at altitude. We've also had the pleasure of cosy fireside comforts of traditional buildings in Troodos - traditional stonebuilt houses are wonderfully warm in winter if roof insulation is added and there is a contant supply of firewood.


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## potamiou (Jan 10, 2010)

...... And of course, the heating allowance here. If you live above a certain altitude (not sure what height), there is a heating allowance which, this year, was 331 euros in our village (it varies village, to village). If you are already claiming the UK heating allowance, then you will continue to get that here as well!


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Hi Mr. B.

Welcome to the forum.

If you are buying from one of the larger developers they rarely if ever use any sort of insulation and as a result their houses are cold in the winter and can also get very damp.
Some of the smaller developers have seen sense and know that in order to compete with Big Boys they need to offer a better product and will build well insulated houses.
We were with a developer today who builds in the villages and uses good insulation and also very unusually he gives a double damp course while many don't bother with a damp course at all.
If you look around there are good smaller builders out there.
As for shopping in Polis, a new Papantonio supermarket opened there about 18 months ago so it is no longer necessary to come to paphos for food shopping.
However Paphos does of course have a much wider choice of shops. 
The villages half way between Paphos and Polis such as Polemi, Stroumbi, Giolou etc are handy for both towns and don't get as cold as Kathikas, Drouschia and some of the other places while still being out of the baking heat of the summer with nice breezes to keep you cool.

Regards
Veronica


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## mike on tour (Aug 25, 2008)

I live in " The Hills " - Village of Kallepia and love it - cooler in the Summer and i just wrap up warmer Jan and Feb !
Suggest you rent for a Year and see how you like it ! a 3 Bed Traditional House in Kallepia is only 300 a month ( though they advertise it for 550 in Pafos ) ..Letymbou is a more lively Village .. Polemi is nice .. but being in a Dip i am told not good for Artheritis etc ?

Its only 20 mins from Pafos or Coast when you learn short cuts ( and with Road Works it can take you that long to drive into Town from Chlorakas !

IF ..i ever changed Village .. it would be to one bordering Akamas .. Like Andronas or Drousia .. as i tend to Quad Bike down to Lara 3 times a Week ...... also i am Told its cooler in August in those Villages !

Good luck-Mike


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

mike on tour said:


> I live in " The Hills " - Village of Kallepia and love it - cooler in the Summer and i just wrap up warmer Jan and Feb !
> Suggest you rent for a Year and see how you like it ! a 3 Bed Traditional House in Kallepia is only 300 a month ( though they advertise it for 550 in Pafos ) ..Letymbou is a more lively Village .. Polemi is nice .. but being in a Dip i am told not good for Artheritis etc ?
> 
> Its only 20 mins from Pafos or Coast when you learn short cuts ( and with Road Works it can take you that long to drive into Town from Chlorakas !
> ...


Drousia is certainly cooler in August but in the winter it is like the arctic up there.
The winds come off the Akamas and cut right through you and also it gets a lot of fog which makes it totally miserable


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## MrB (Jun 2, 2010)

Veronica said:


> Drousia is certainly cooler in August but in the winter it is like the arctic up there.
> The winds come off the Akamas and cut right through you and also it gets a lot of fog which makes it totally miserable


Some great comments so far: efharisto!

Yes, I have heard about Drousia; in fact, I may rent short term there this summer. It looks on the map as if it's 600m high (nearly 2000 feet). I also heard of the problems in Polemi because it is in a "bowl". We saw a lovely plot there. Someone else says it has a lot of fog, and that the conditions even created problems with their hearing aid.

Regarding rental prices, (long term), asking prices do seem very different from those achieved. Eg I heard of rentals for houses in Secret Valley for 600 a month. 

Overall, there does seem something strange and Cypriot about dealing with asking prices. A couple of times I asked an agent to view a house, and then the price had suddenly gone up about 10% "because there is a bigger plot than first suggested" etc etc. Is that the Cypriot or Greek way of dealing: ie if you show interest, the price goes up? I just refused to view one when the price went up!

The outlook for house prices in the UK is not good long term, and I'm sure prices in Cyprus are going to have to reduce to UK levels, however you measure it (home counties sq m price etc). Because there are so few sales (also few in the UK, according to Rightmove), how do you know the price achieved?

I also get the impression that many estate agents are just advertising agents for sellers, who decide their own asking price. But to be fair, one agent did say "he'll probably accept eg 15 to 20% less" on a couple of houses.

All of which is, of course, relevant to this topic. Actually, I'd like to go horse riding in Lysos: thay have some fantastic trecks on the Akamas, and into the Troodos on the old camel route to Nicosia.

Kalispehra, folks!

MrB


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

MrB said:


> Some great comments so far: efharisto!
> 
> Yes, I have heard about Drousia; in fact, I may rent short term there this summer. It looks on the map as if it's 600m high (nearly 2000 feet). I also heard of the problems in Polemi because it is in a "bowl". We saw a lovely plot there. Someone else says it has a lot of fog, and that the conditions even created problems with their hearing aid.
> 
> ...


Unfortunately some agents use very iffy tactics including the price suddenly going up.
If that happens walk very quickly in the opposite direction. Most vendors and landlords are willing to consider prices below the asking price these days and many prices have plumeted in the past year.
We have properties on our books which are in many case 30% less than a year ago.
Its a buyers market and even when times are good prices suddenly going up when someone shows interest is a very questionable practice indeed.


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## MrB (Jun 2, 2010)

Hi Folks

We are going to rent for 5 weeks in Drouseia from mid July: the rental is not too bad for a summer rental, but the owner wants an almost equivalent amount as a deposit (supposedly against damage to house and furnishings etc), which seems a bit steep to me for a summer rental price. Is this normal?, and I suppose the chance of getting it back depends on the individual!

The experience suggests to me that renting a long term house may be more hassle than I expected.

Are there any shops or restaurants in or near the village? Or other suggestions. What about car hire? I am getting quotes from Sixt and Thomson Travel.

Anyway, it will be a useful base to continue our search.:ranger:

cheers

MrB


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