The Town Planning Act. This law (expected to be fully enforced very soon) regulates development and it will supersede the liberal town planning zoning which exists at present. It requires the preparation of local plans for development and prior to any acquisition/development of property, the inspection of these plans is a must. Any development in the future will require a Planning Permission as well as a Building Permit.

The next step is to appoint an architect to carry out the design. There is an abundance of well qualified architects on the island and many capable technicians as well. We suggest that you appoint an architect for the purpose (not an engineer or technician). Architect fees range from 4%-6% (on the building cost) but you can agree also on a fixed fee. The prevailing fees are 3.8% on the building cost for a complete set of architectural plans and 1.6% for supervision (including the issuing of certificates).

The direct approach (find out who the owner is of the plot you are interested in and ask him if he wants to sell) may prove to be the best one. Bear in mind that it is the seller who pays for the commission of the agents and not the purchaser and for this reason agents have the owner's interest at heart and not yours.

Firstly, a preliminary contract is signed. This binds both the vendor and the purchase to buy and sell the property on terms and conditions that have been mutually agreed. This is subject to the purchaser being able to receive good title to the property and obtaining the necessary permits from the Cypriot government.At this stage, a deposit is lodged with a Lawyer or a Notary.The purchases lawyer will now carry out the searches at the District Land Registry to ensure that the vendor of the property is indeed, the owner and ensures that the purchaser obtains good title to the property.

Solar heating is an economic alternative and its adoption is relatively inexpensive, having a payback period of approximately 5 years.If you will have a garden, it is advisable to drill a borehole for watering as the water charges rise more than proportionately with consumption. This will cost around C1,200 for the borehole and the pump, although it will depend on the depth of the borehole. The drilling of a borehole requires a Government permit first.