Buying Land. All buyers are strongly advised to seek independent legal advice. Do not sign any papers or hand over any money until obtaining advice from an independent lawyer with effective communication skills. Under no circumstances should a lawyer be used who has been introduced or recommended by a vendor or an estate agent. These lawyers occasionally represent the interests of the vendor and the advice they provide to buyers may sometimes be incomplete or biased in favour of the vendor.
Finding land. Much of the available land is in private hands, usually owned by one or several members of the same family. Estate Agents (a profession that was virtually unheard of until 15 years ago in Cyprus), may be able to provide you with details of land for sale and the local newspapers sometimes contain advertisements for land. But in Cyprus, the majority of local people do not use estate agents or advertise in newspapers. Most land is sold through word-of-mouth and so the direct approach is by far the best way of finding out what's available in the area. Visit the area in which you are interested and ask the local residents if they know of any land for sale. You can ask at the Community Office, the coffee shop, the local supermarket and drive around the area keeping an eye out for roughly made "For Sale" (ΠΩΛΟΥΝΤΑΙ or Πωλούνται) signs and noting down telephone numbers.
Inspecting Land. When viewing land, be certain that the land you are shown is the land being sold. Ask the vendor for a copy of the Title Deed and the Lands' Office Site Plan and: Check that the sheet/plan/plot/references shown on the Title Deed agree with those on the Site Plan. Look at the Site Plan and from its boundaries, shape and location, look around you and identify roads, buildings, and other features shown on the Site Plan. If the vendor is unable or unwilling to provide you with a copy of the Title Deed or the Lands' Office Site Plan, find yourself another piece of land. Amongst other pieces of information, the Title Deed will show the area of the land and the planning zone in which it's located.
Searches. Having found a piece of land you wish to buy, instruct your lawyer to carry out a land and title search. The land search will identify the size and scope of any dwelling you are allowed to build, while the title search will uncover any 'encumbrances or prohibitions' (liens or charges) against the land. It is perfectly legal in Cyprus to sell land and other 'immovable property' that has charges, such as a mortgage, outstanding against it. However, you will not own the property until the present owner has cleared the debt. Should he not clear the debt, the creditor(s) may pursue their claim against the land, which may be enforced in a court of law. For obvious reasons, buying land or property in Cyprus that is 'encumbered' by a mortgage or any other claim is not recommended; you may end up with nothing.
Contract. Once you are satisfied that the land has a "clean" title (i.e. there are no outstanding claims against it) and you have negotiated an acceptable price and payment terms with the vendor(s), your lawyer draws up a contract of sale. As there is no "contract cooling off" period in Cyprus, once you and the vendor(s) have signed the contract, you are committed to buy. Within two months of signing the contract, your lawyer must deposit it at the local District Lands' Office for what is known as "specific performance". This protects your rights as a buyer by creating an encumbrance against the land that prevents its current owner selling the land to someone else, using it as collateral against a loan, etc.