Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Secrets To Buying Cyprus Property

By William Marind

If you are contemplating the development of a complex/costly building, you are strongly advised to appoint a project manager who will manage the design team and the whole development. Also the appointment of a quantity surveyor on such large scale projects is strongly advisable.Central heating is not generally required in the seaside towns (although this is a matter of own judgment) but air conditioning (at least in the bedrooms and for the seaside areas) is recommended. The cheapest form of cooling is the normal wail mounted units. Split unit type with heat pumps is increasing in popularity and it is an alternative to be considered.

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.

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 best approach in buying your cottage is to visit the village of your choice yourself and seek information from the village muchtar (the chairman of the village parish). Estate agents may prove helpful but use them as a second choice. It is evident that the less popular the village is by foreigners, the lower the cottage's price.

In case you require air condition ing/central heating, we suggest that the advice of a qualified electrical and mechanical engineer be sought. Fees for this consultant are around 4% for the design and 2% for supervision (on the cost of the works).Insist on all drawings being ready before inviting tenders. It is recommended that a building permit be secured first before works commence, although works such as excavations etc may begin prior to the issue of the building permit. In this case, your architect must consult with the Appropriate Authority to see whether there are any major objections to the drawings.

About the Author:



0 Comments:

Post a Comment



<<==Back to Financial Maturity Blog Home==>