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You will be shocked at just how popular Cyprus has become for property investment considering just how small the island is. It is the English speaking sector of the property investment market that are turning Cyprus into the leading choice for a whole range of property investments from retirement homes to buy to let property.

The question obviously arises to why Cyprus is such a popular choice for property investment. The English language is spoken throughout the Island thanks to the influence of the British colonialists, who also set up the initial infrastructure of the island. You will also se straight away that this island has a mystical feel about it and a unique beauty that will make your heart beat faster. The critical reason for it being such a popular tourist destination is the mild climate it has throughout the year and the sunshine never seems to stop beating down.

Every country seems to have a different procedure when purchasing real estate and Cyprus in no different there either. You will learn about the exact steps that need to be taken in order to finalise a property purchase although this process only applies to properties that are purchased in Southern Cyprus.

1. Every foreign national has to obtain approval from the government before buying a house in Cyprus – specifically from the Council of Ministers. This can take 8-14 months so you would be well advised to begin the process before you even start choosing your property.

2. Get a lawyer. It is not a good idea to try to do without and there are good bilingual lawyers in Cyprus – if in doubt, ask for a recommendation from expatriates in the area.

3. On approval of the Council of Ministers and the property formally recognised, the purchase process may begin. A contract is drawn up with property, parties, price etc agreed upon and a 1%+ holding deposit is left with either your own lawyer or the notary.

4. A secondary reservation deposit agreement will then be executed and the property will be taken off the market. As long as you stick to the agreement, it won\’t be put back on the market again. 5. The lawyer will then investigate the title through the District and Registry Office.

6. Meanwhile you need to obtain your financing. Probably the easiest way is to finance through a bank in Cyprus. Most banks are quite westernized and will accommodate US and UK mortgage clients. Alternatively you may wish to refinance your existing home, or in the case of a new build the developers may offer their own mortgage facilities.

For anyone who is selling up everything they own and looking at Cyprus as a new era in their life, then you should be prepared for having quite a lot of money left over from the Cyprus property purchase. It won\’t take you long to see that things in Cyprus are so much cheaper and that you are really able to make a big difference to your lifestyle.

7. The final contact is drawn up and signed before the notary once your lawyer has completed the investigation work into the property and that the finance for it\’s purchase is in place. As soon as the signing is finalised the relative documentation is filed with the Land Registry Office.

8. Should one of the parties be a subject of Cyprus it will be necessary to get official approval from the Bank of Cyprus in order to conclude the transfer of funds and consequently the property purchase. This final step would not be necessary should both parties be foreign nationals.

9. If you have just purchased a resale property then you become the title holder with immediate effect but if you have just bought a new build property then it will take three years, but don\’t worry as you are registered as the owner at the District Land Registry.

10. Now you can just get on with life as usually and start to get into the Mediterranean lifestyle as you will certainly want to start relaxing after a stressful time at the notary. As you know you can get by only speaking English but if you want to enrich your experience on the island then try and learn a bit of Greek.