Several members have approached us about deals in the north of Cyprus, asking how safe such buys are. Let me refer you back to an article written by Peter Esder last year on my www.internationalpropertyalerts.com newsletter.

'If you are buying land in the north of Cyprus and the seller owned the property before 1974 there shouldn't be any dispute over the title.

If the current 'owner' of the property acquired it after 1974 then this is a different and more worrying issue. The fact is that there is the possibility that somebody could come along and claim that they are the rightful owner of the property as they were forced from the property in 1974.'

I may sound like a broken record but make sure that you get an independent lawyer to advise you when buying and be wary of land which has been subject to political and military disputes. This, of course, applies equally to any property purchase anywhere.

Iain Maitland

www.internationalpropertyalerts.com