Kleanthis Savva Developers

BOWLED OVER BY OFF-PLAN PROPERTY EXPERIENCE

(archive article - Sunday, September 2, 2007)

Close to Paphos but far enough away to enjoy a Cypriot existence, one retired British couple are happy with their move to Cyprus. TRICIA WILLIS meets them

Having swapped the holiday delights of Spain for Cyprus, Liz and Ray Bowley became so enraptured by the island’s weather, people and property opportunities that they felt certain that one day they would retire to island life. Yet they had no idea that a chance introduction to a small but dedicated developer would lead to such a seamless property experience.

It was only when Liz’s brother moaned that the couple were getting very boring always taking breaks in Spain and that they should try out Cyprus instead, that Liz and Ray changed their holiday destination. From 1997 the couple were frequent visitors to the Paphos area, falling in love with the people, pace of life and exploration possibilities and they became set on retiring here when the time was right. “I don’t tolerate British winters very well and we couldn’t wait to relocate, but we knew that the best way forward would be to take things slowly and rent in Cyprus as a tester, before making the decision to sell up completely in the UK,” Liz explains.

In September 2001 Liz and Ray stayed at a friend’s apartment in Chlorakas. Ray says, “The development had been built by Kleanthis Savva, and as he lived next door we got to know him and his family very well indeed. His apartments were built to an exceptional standard, and though we knew that he was in the process of building further villas in the area, we hadn’t sold our UK property at this point, meaning that we didn’t feel comfortable proceeding with a purchase without funds available.”

After three months the couple flew back to the UK to sell their four-bedroom house and arrange shipping of their furniture. After just six weeks these tasks were complete and they were ready to move back to Cyprus, renting an unfurnished flat in Paphos while they went about the property search.

“We’ve seen many ex pats moving over, only to surround themselves with a British enclave, and in doing so we feel that they’re really missing out. We were adamant that we wanted to live in a Cypriot area, and loved Chlorakas for this reason, as well as the fact that it’s far enough away from Paphos centre for peace and quiet, but is only five minutes away from the town and beach,” Ray says. “However as the re-sale market offered little to choose from at that time, we returned to our trusted friend Kleanthis. When we were shown planning for a small off-plan development of bungalows and villas in the Chlorakas/Emba area, we jumped at the chance.”

Having decided on a three-bedroom villa with pool, the couple made a concerted effort to ensure that the design and specifications suited their requirements precisely. “We had quite a large say when it came to the layout. We liaised directly with the electrician to decide upon placement for electrical, TV and telephone sockets, and with the engineer regarding location of radiators and A/C, and also for the central heating boiler and pool pump house,” Liz says. “Where the side veranda would have been, we stipulated extra indoor space for a dining area. We added extra cupboards in the kitchen and even had some tailor-made to fit items such as our large fridge. From living on the island for so many months we also knew that having white exterior walls and white tiles would create far too much glare, so we opted for neutral tones instead. In fact, we feel that it’s imperative to live here in all the seasons before you buy, and especially before you design your property.”

Yet in hindsight Liz and Ray do have some valuable advice, stating that their heating system was set up to heat the pool, but after using this facility just a couple of times, found that the cost was just too great. They also budgeted a mere £2,000 for extra items, though the window shutters, central heating, A/C, upgraded kitchen, water pressure pump and Georgian windows etc., added up to £25,000! They are keen to point out that it’s imperative that your developer keeps you in the loop as the costs build up so there are no nasty financial surprises later down the line. Ray elaborates, “For retirees living on a pension, keeping an eye on your finances throughout the move is crucial. The sale of our four-bedroom UK home certainly afforded us a stunning villa here, but with virtually nothing left over once costs such as solicitors’ fees, shipment of furniture and bank transfers had been paid.”

In terms of the overall purchasing procedure, the couple found the route extremely straightforward. Liz adds, “We’d certainly advise others to use an independent solicitor, and definitely not one that works with your developer, as a conflict of interests may arise. Our solicitor was dismayed to find that we’d paid a small holding fee without checks being made on whether the land was owned by the developer or if there was a mortgage attached – if either had been the case there could have created problems further down the line.”

Taking up residence in their finished property in January 2004, Ray and Liz conclude, “We settled in very quickly, firstly because it was Kleanthis Savva pestering us for our snagging list rather than the other way round, and secondly because Cyprus offers everything we need for a happy and fulfilling retirement. We’ve been inundated by visits from family and friends, but when we do have the place to ourselves, lazy lunches by the pool and excursions to the Troodos, Latchi marina and rural villages rank high on our agenda. In fact there’s so much to explore for such a small island, we’re always surprised when people ask what we do with ourselves now that we’re retired!”

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