Tell me about Paphos
Paphos is situated on the west coast of Cyprus it boasts a picturesque little
harbour with charming open-air fish restaurants lined up along the quayside.
Paphos had 3 main tourist areas – Kato Paphos, Tomb of the Kings and Coral
Bay. Paphos it self is spread over a large area which contains many beautiful
Cypriot villages.
The whole area is connected with the goddess Aphrodite, Paphos is known as
the “Playground of Aphrodite” and the “Aphrodite’s Rock”, birthplace of the
Goddess, juts out of the sea 16 miles east of the Paphos. The Legend says that if
you swim around the rock three times, at midnight, with a full moon, you will be
blessed with youth and eternally beautiful! Baths of Aphrodite are located the
north of Paphos.
Paphos is steeped in history, the whole area is rich in historical and archaeological
treasures. The most fascinating are the famous mosaics found in the house of
Dionysus, beautifully preserved after 16 centuries under the soil. Paphos has a
forgotten elegance that combines well with the holiday atmosphere. The main tourist area is known as Kato Paphos, (“lower” Paphos), has a fantastic holiday
feel. Kato Paphos has a public beach, the harbour, fish taverns, souvenir shops
and modern hotels with important archaeological sites around them.
A large real-style burial ground of catacombs and mysterious vaults dating back
to the third century BC are to be found in another popular tourist area know as
the Tomb of the Kings.
Another popular site is the St. Paul’s Pillar which dates back to 13th century AD and was destroyed by the
Ottoman Turks in 1570. It has been rebuilt, knocked down and then rearranged to
form a Roman Fort, a castle, a Turkish tower and even a British warehouse for
salt. legend says that the saint was tied and whipped for preaching the Christian
religion.
Coral Bay is lovely up market resort with a beautiful blue flag golden sandy beach
and sheltered bay which is now overlooked by the brand new 6 star “Thalassa
Hotel”. Coral main stretch boast lovely tavern and shops.
What’s Peyia like
14km northwest of Paphos and 3km north of Coral Bay lays the hillside village of Peyia. One of the most popular residential villages, it has an attractive fountain square, a number of good cafes and tavernas, and all the amenities and facilities you need. Peyia village overlooks the sea and the views down across the valley and along the coast are simply stunning. Peyia has branches of many of the popular banks including Alpha bank, Bank of Cyprus, Hellenic bank and the co-op bank.
There are quite a number of supermarkets also including Philipos supermarket which now has two shops the original shop located next to the Church in upper Peyia and the newer shop in lower Peyia opposite Coral Bay. Recently a number of UK frozen food outlets have opened in Peyia offering good value. Peyia now has its own petrol station also.
Peyia also has its own post office that opened in 2010 saving that journey into Paphos town. There is even a tyre depo offering all tyre services at a very reasonable cost.
Peyia is a very good location for renting as there are quite a number of lovely villas available at good rental prices. Many of the villas offer good sea or mountain views due to the hillside layout of Peyia. Peyia can offer a good selection of rental properties from executive villas to one bedroom apartments.
Peyia is a very fashionable wedding location with many weddings being held in the town hall gardens
The village also has a number of good eateries these range from taverns, meza houses and traditional cafes, to themed restaurants hosting, for example, Chinese nights.
There are also a number of international schools opened in Peyia making Peyia even more popular with families. Aspire Academy in Peyia was opened in 2010 and is owned and run by a UK headmistress.
What is the difference between a real estate agent and a real estate broker?
Most states require real estate sales professionals to be licensed by the state, so that they can control education and experience requirements and have a central authority to resolve consumer problems.
The terminology used to identify real estate professionals varies a little from state to state. Brokers are generally required to have more education and experience than real estate salespersons or agents.
The person you normally deal with is a real estate agent or salesperson. The salesperson is licensed by the state, but must work for a broker. All listings are placed in the broker’s name, not the salesperson’s.
A broker can deal directly with home buyers and sellers, or can have a staff of salespersons or agents working for him or her.
Why should I use a real estate salesperson?
A real estate salesperson is more than just a “sales person.” They act on your behalf as your agent, providing you with advice and guidance and doing a job – helping you buy or sell a home. While it is true they get paid for what they do, so do other professions that provide advice, guidance, and have a service to sell –such as Certified Public Accountants and Attorneys
The Internet has opened up a world of information that wasn’t previously available to homebuyers and seller. The data on listings available for sale is almost current – but not quite. There are times when you need the most current information about what has sold or is for sale, and the only way to get that is with an agent.
If you’re selling a home, you gain access to the most buyers by being listed in the Multiple Listing Service. Only a licensed real estate agent who is a member of your local MLS can get you listed there – which then gets you automatically listed on some of the major real estate web sites. If you’re buying or selling a home, the MLS is your agent’s best tool.
However, the role of an agent has changed in the last couple of years. In the past, agents were the only way home buyers and sellers could access information. Now agents are evolving. Because today’s home buyers and sellers are so much better informed than in the past, expertise and ability are becoming more important.
The real estate agent is becoming more of a “guide” than a “salesperson” — your personal representative in buying or selling a home.
I have a family friend who is a Realtor. I like her and she is a help but she gives me one price to sell my home for and I think it is too low. So I called another agent who suggested a price more in line with my expectations. Who do I choose?
You might want to consult a couple more Realtors on the market value of your home. Most of the estimates should be in the same ballpark.
It could be that your friend is being more honest with you about the value of your home and the other Realtor gave you a higher number because he already knew you expected it. This is called “Buying a Listing” and is the subject of an article on our web site.
Or it could simply be that your friend is a good friend, but not that great of a real estate agent.
Mixing business and friendships is always risky to the friendship. On the other hand, if your friend is truly competent and was providing wise advice, she may be offended if you ignore the advice and choose another agent.
I have to make a choice between an updated home in an older neighborhood or a newer home in a more modern neighborhood. The home in the older neighborhood has almost everything I want and is much larger, but which makes the most sense as an investment?
If your goal is to buy a home for it’s resale value and the one you are thinking of buying in the older neighborhood is at the upper end of values for that neighborhood, then it may not be the wisest choice. If it is similar or lower in price to the others, then there should be no problem, because pricing should be considered in relation to the local neighborhood and not compared to homes in other neighborhoods (for the most part)
Plus, is it a neighborhood on the decline, or are others going to be fixing things up, too, so that it is a neighborhood that is improving? It could turn out to be a very good deal as long as you don’t “overpay” because of the recent improvements.
Remember that you also buy a home for it’s value to you as a “home,” and that is something else you should consider. Which neighborhood would you AND your family feel most comfortable in?
When buying a new home, what upgrades should we go for? What holds the most value? Do we upgrade the lot? Pick more square footage in the house? Add an extra bedroom?, etc.
A lot depends on why you are buying the house. Are you buying it mostly as a home or mostly as an investment? There is a difference.
For the most part, upgrades are high-profit items for builders. They aren’t designed to enhance the value of the house, but make you happier with the house you do buy.
If you are looking at your home as an investment, then you buy from the smaller to medium size in the tract and spend only a minimal amount on upgrades. If you are looking at your purchase as a home, then you select upgrades that will enhance your quality of living.
One rule of thumb is to always upgrade the carpet and padding.