Ronnie and Alison Barone take to the sun
Ronnie and Alison Barone swapped their life in South London for a more relaxed life in Paphos in April 2007 and have not looked back since.
Ronnie (53) and Alison (51) had thought about buying a holiday home in the sun for many years and had spent many weeks in Spain looking around various developments but found nothing that really hit the mark. ...
‘It wasn’t so much the properties in Spain’ commented Ronnie ‘it just did not feel right”.
At the end of June 2001 Ronnie and Alison decided to come to Cyprus for a week’s holiday and took the opportunity to have a look around. ‘We really liked Cyprus, it had a feel good factor, so we decided to come back in March to have a serious look around with the objection of buying our first home in the sun’
Although they stayed in Protaras, about 1 ½ hours from Paphos it was their intention to buy in Paphos as it is more than just a summer holiday destination. They called into the Leptos Estates Head Office in Kato Paphos and went to see a development at Regina Gardens with the view of buying a townhouse.
‘When we came to the area, it was just a baron piece of land’ Alison told me ‘ but our sales executive took us to an already established Leptos development at Paradise Gardens where we had a good idea on how the area would look and the finishes which would be available to us. We made no hesitation and put the deposit down immediately’
The wait for the build of their townhouse was approximately 18 months and during this time Ronnie and Alison returned to see the progress of their new home in the sun. For the next 3 years the home was used purely for a holiday home for the couple, the kids and the grandchildren. In the UK they were running a very successful business so trips were restricted to a week here and there until they were able to find some-one to manage the company for longer periods of time.
In April 2007 they decided to take the plunge and come out to Cyprus full time. ‘We sold the business but not the house, as our daughter is still living there and decided to come out for good. We felt we were both at the right age where we could slow down a little but still able to continue working without the stresses and strains of the UK. I am fortunate enough to be able to continue with my ‘other job’ as a professional singer and I now have a number of regular venues in Paphos. Alison looks after holiday homes in Regina Gardens and in the local vicinity. The work and the lifestyle here have enabled us to meet many people and make new friends very quickly’.
Ronnie and Alison keep themselves busy with work, socializing and keeping up with the constant stream of visits from friends and family from the UK. ‘ The communal pool, which is just beyond our back patio is where our family spend most of their holiday, so much so our grandson thinks it is his own private pool’
‘We love Cyprus, the people, the lifestyle, the weather and our new home at Regina Gardens is just perfect’
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Karen and Colin combine business and pleasure
Colin first came to Cyprus a few years before he met Karen with a colleague to attend a friends wedding. Such was their like for the place they both decided to buy properties in Paphos which they used occasionally for holidays when they had the opportunity to get away from the rat race of Birmingham.
Once Colin had the bug and felt settled with the...
Cypriot customs and ways of working he took the move one step further and bought a property off plan at Limnaria Gardens, the second phase of the already established Limnaria Villas development by Leptos Estates.
During this time Karen and Colin met and whilst Karen had a preference for Spain, mainly due to the ease of getting back to England for the family, her first visit to Cyprus changed her mind ‘everything is so easy, they drive on the same side of the road, most people speak English, the laws are the same, so making a move here was very easy’.
Having already set up the business in the UK in 2004, renting holiday homes in Paphos, Karen and Colin decided the best way to move the company forward was to take the plunge and move. In 2005 they made the move and continued building up the business which had already gained momentum with over 80 properties on their books – since the move they now have over 250.
‘We are very pleased with how things have progressed since our time in Cyprus and really happy that we bought a property at Limnaria Gardens with Leptos Estates, we were so impressed we have since bought a second property here and it has been very popular for letting. In fact over 60% of the apartments we have to let on our books are from Leptos Estates projects. We believe the location, communal facilities and general standard of finishes is definitely the reason why they are so popular’.
Karen and Colin’s have no regrets and still enjoy time with the family as they visit many times throughout the year.
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Lachie and Maureen Gilchrist
Lachie and Maureen Gilchrist from Fishcross near Alloa, who bought their first property in Cyprus at Leptos Ambrosia Gardens 25 years ago, and their love affair with this Mediterranean island is still going strong.
SCOTTISH SANDPIPER FLOURISHING IN CYPRUS
In Paphos, if you go down to the beach today you might just catch sight - and sound! - of Lachie Gilchrist giving the local seagulls and swimmers some musical accompaniment with the skirl of the bagpipes.
Although this Scottish sandpiper doesn’t usually sport the tartan unless he’s been asked to play at a wedding or other function, the sight of Lachie and his kilt has been a familiar sight in Paphos for over 25 years now.
“When Lachie first told me he’d booked us a holiday in Paphos, none of our friends and family had ever been to Cyprus and to be honest, I wasn’t that keen on coming” said Lachie’s wife, Maureen
“But by the second day of our holiday, Lachie had started looking for a property to buy here in Paphos, and by the end of the two weeks, he’d put down a £200 deposit on a Leptos development which at that stage was no more than a hole in the ground - I was horrified at the time, but 25 years later, I have to admit buying property here was the best thing we’ve ever done. We spend six or seven months here every year, and both love it.”
For the Gilchrists, who are from Fishcross near Alloa,it’s the climate in Cyprus that is one of the main attractions.
“I love the sun and have to admit the rain and bad weather at home really gets me down, so although it’s nice to get back to Scotland , after a few weeks I’m ready to escape again” says 66 year old Lachie..
“I’ve never regretted buying here at Leptos Ambrosia Gardens. Buying off-plan is quite common these days but back then it was practically unheard of, and friends and family - including the wife - thought I was mad parting with cash before anything was built.
“But even back then, Leptos Estates was the leading developer in Paphos - the company also owned the hotel where we were staying, and the location of our development, Ambrosia Gardens is ideal, just a few minutes walk from the beach and close to a great choice of bars and restaurants, with a lovely communal swimming pool and nice landscaped gardens. We started off with a one bedroom apartment, which back then cost us just Cy £16,000, but after our first long holiday in the apartment, we enjoyed the lifestyle so much we then upgraded to a two bedroom flat in the same development..
“As the years have gone by, and we’ve more and more time in Paphos, I decided it would be nice to have more space for friends and family, so we bought a detached villa, but there’s no way we’d ever part with the apartment at Ambrosia Gardens. Maureen would move back here tomorrow, and when our daughter Laura comes out on holiday, she generally chooses to stay at the apartment. It’s just so central for everything, so there’s no need to drive, but it’s also lovely and peaceful, sitting out on the balcony looking out at the sea.
“I don’t know if the neighbours at the flat or the villa would appreciate me playing the bagpipes so that’s why I head for the beach to practise. I only took the pipes up again two years ago, and back home I play with the Alloa Bowmar Pipe Band, but I also play a lot in Cyprus, at Burns Suppers, weddings and other parties. I really enjoy it and it’s a great way to meet people, not that there’s ever a lack of social life in Cyprus. I don’t know if it’s because of the weather, but everyone seems much happier and more sociable here, and it’s great being able to arrange a game of golf and know it’s highly unlikely to be rained off.
“Because sterling has dropped in value against the euro, the cost of living in Paphos has gone up a bit, but there are lots of things here that are so much cheaper than at home - for example the council tax on our apartment at Ambrosia Gardens is under £100 a year - that’s less than I pay per month back in Scotland.
“Putting down that £200 deposit on a hole in the ground in Paphos was definitely the best move I’ve ever made - even Maureen agrees now it was money well spent!”
For those who’d like to join the Gilchrists and own their own dream place in the sun, Leptos Estates has just introduced a unique financial package, which means purchasers in selected projects can secure their new property for a deposit of just 10% of the agreed purchase price. The owners can then take immediate occupancy of their new home, with nothing further to pay for a year, when a second payment of 10% is required, and the finance for the balance arranged either through a bank or with Leptos Estates for the balance.”
This is not the only financial attraction for property owners in Cyprus - this Mediterranean island also boasts the lowest levels of taxation in the EU, and residents here also benefit from no inheritance, gift or wealth taxes.
The fact that Cyprus has a double taxation treaty with many countries, including the UK and Ireland, means that retirees benefit from an attractively low level of taxation of just 5% payable on any income over £2000, while for taxpayers working in Cyprus the progressive rate is capped at 30%.
For those looking to home in on all the advantages of Cyprus, Leptos Estates is currently working on a range of new developments in the Paphos area of the island which offer excellent value for money and are already showing steady appreciation.
Also, while VAT is now payable on new properties in Cyprus, Leptos Estates has a selection of homes for sale where planning was granted before May 2004 and which are VAT-free.
These include Peyia Hills, an exclusive resort development located in the attractive village of Peyia, with breathtaking views over the open countryside to the Mediterranean. Just a short drive from the lovely sandy beaches of Coral Bay, with a good range of local shops, tavernas, bars and restaurants in the village and the new Marina will boost investments in the area. The Leptos Peyia Hills also less than 15 minutes from the bustling town of Paphos, a range of one and two bedroom apartments are being built at Peyia Hills.
Set in beautifully landscaped gardens, with a large communal pool, the properties at this exclusive development are finished to a high specification, with standard features including fitted wardrobes in all bedrooms, elevators, covered parking, and attractive outdoor living space provided by patios, terraces and roof gardens with stone and timber pergolas.
Prices at Peyia Hills start from €93,750 for a one bedroom apartment, and from €158,500 for a two bedroom property.
For further information on the full range of properties currently for sale from Leptos Estates visit the website at: www.LeptosEstates.com
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Martin and Jan Carey
PARADISE PARTLY -PISSOURI PERMANENTLY Its only a few years ago that Jan and Martin Carey came to Paphos, what they did not expect was on their first trip to fall in love with the place and buy themselves a holiday home. ‘When we returned from our holiday in Cyprus Martin started doing some research, mainly on the internet and then we went to a property...
exhibition organised by Leptos Estates in Bristol’. In April 2002, they came to Cyprus on an inspection trip and during that week they bought a 1 bedroom penthouse at Paradise Gardens which they intended to use as a holiday home. ‘When we bought the property there was nothing to see, just a piece of scrub land. The sales person showed us some of the previous developments which Leptos Estates had built and we could see from the standard of finishes and the way they had completed the communal areas around the pool and the gardens we had no cause to worry’. Jan and Martin paid their deposit and almost 2 years to the day they completed on their apartment. ‘We didn’t want to leave once we had seen our new home in the sun and within 2 months we had sold up and were out here. We knew for full time living the apartment would not be quite big enough but having bought through Leptos Estates this really was not a problem. Off we went again on the property trail and we are now in the process of part-exchanging our apartment for a 2 bedroom villa at Pissouri’. ‘We would completely recommend Leptos Estates they made everything so easy for us, we had no problem with our apartment and the process of the upgrade was just no problem at all’. Martin and Jan came to Cyprus for a better lifestyle but could not see themselves sitting around all day sipping gin and tonics by the pool. They took about a month off and are now working as After Sales personnel at the Paradise Gardens.
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Michelle Qunisee
MICHELLE HAS MADE IT TO THE TOP AT VIKLA VILLAGE, NR TSADA When Michelle Quinsee’s Mum and Dad decided to sell their home in England and come to Cyprus to retire Michelle could think of nothing more appropriate than to follow in their footsteps, although at the age of 26 retirement was a long way in the future. Having holidayed on the island over the past 5...
years Michelle new what to expect when she decided to start her new life in the village of Tsada at Vikla Village, a hilltop resort residence built by Leptos Estates. ‘Mum and Dad had already made their roots in Tsada village and loved the area. I wanted to be in a similar location and when I saw the apartment at Vikla Village I knew I did not have to look any further. Being single, it was ideal having an apartment with use of a communal swimming pool and club house which I could use anytime and not have the hassle of any maintenance myself’. Michelle moved to Cyprus in February 2006 and within one month had secured herself a position at the newly opened Debenhams department store in Paphos. ‘I have worked in retail for the past 10 years so it was a logical move to continue doing what I know best. Now Cyprus are within the EU it is much easier to get work and being employed it has certainly helped me with making friends with the local people. There is no problem at all with the language as everyone speaks English but I am trying to learn Greek as it will help me further my career here’. Whilst Michelle left many friends back in England she has no regrets what so ever. ‘I love it here, I have everything I could wish for and more.’
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Wendy and Billy Smith
IT WAS MEANT TO BE How many times in your life do you say ‘What’s meant to be is meant to be’? Well, that is exactly how Wendy and Billy Smith felt about their destiny of being in Cyprus. Whilst having holidayed in Cyprus for a number of years it wasn’t until 2001 they made the decision to buy. ‘We thought it was a good time, especially as prices...
were rising at quite a rate. Our intention was to move to Cyprus in 2006 but during a holiday, when Wendy was in Cyprus alone, she came across a property she wanted and we decided to make the move earlier.’ It was all systems go and Wendy and Billy put their house in Suffolk on the market and within one week it was sold, all was going well until the owner of their new home in Cyprus decided to pull out. ‘We were distraught at the time, having given up our home, handed in our notice at work and started to make the arrangements to come out to Cyprus to live we felt like our world had fallen apart. Fortunately we had a static caravan at Great Yarmouth which we were able to use as a base, but it was not ideal’. It was here they met and became friends with a couple who had a villa at Leptos Kamares Village and over the years they saw each other sometimes in Great Yarmouth and sometimes in Cyprus. ‘As we had already decided to come to Cyprus we found an apartment to buy which we had for 6 months. It did not suit us really so we decided to have a look around the Leptos development at Kamares Village. Having been recommended by our friends and knowing the area from previous visits we felt it was a suitable area for us’. commented Wendy ‘ we looked around for a short while and then one day out of the blue found a bungalow, which was absolutely perfect, it really felt like home from home. We spoke to Leptos and got the wheels in motion for buying our new home.’ ‘Its all history now, things were not easy from the start but it was obviously meant to be’. Billy told me ‘we are both working, Wendy with a Cypriot lawyer as her PA and myself with Europcars. It is ideal, we both work mornings and have the afternoon together to relax and tend to the garden, which I have spent 3 years re-designing. We have made lots of new friends, love the lifestyle and thanks to Leptos Estates we have our home from home’. Wendy and Billy own a two bedroom bungalow at Leptos Kamares Village, Nr. Tala.
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Malcolm and Lydia Rattue
NO REGRETS APART FROM WE SHOULD HAVE DONE IT SOONER Kathy and Mike McGuire having been visiting Cyprus for over 16 years and for the start of the new Millennium they decided to buy a holiday home from Leptos Estates at Paradise Gardens on the Phase II development. ‘We bought a 1 bedroom apartment off plan and having seen the standard and finishes Leptos...
Estates worked to on other developments we knew we would not be disappointed’ As soon as the apartment was ready they were out here on holiday and used the apartment at every opportunity. Mike told me ‘ it was always our intention to move to Cyprus when we retired but once the apartment was finished and we were coming to Cyprus more regularly, every trip it became harder and harder to leave’. During 2004 Kathy had some idea she may be made redundant in the near future and they took the opportunity to come to Cyprus to purchase another property off Leptos Estates at Tala Hills. ‘When we knew we may have the opportunity of moving out to Cyprus to live we decided we wanted to be a little way out from the tourist areas. We loved our apartment in Paradise Gardens but we wanted to be able to integrate with the local community. Tala was where we wanted to be and knowing how good the Leptos product was we had no reason to look elsewhere.’ In March 2005 Kathy was made redundant and in April they were in Cyprus lock, stock and barrel. Within 4 weeks Kathy was working as a Customer Relations Officer and although Mike was now taking the opportunity to start enjoying his retirement was keeping his hand in on the odd bit of painting and decorating being his profession whilst in the UK. Their apartment at Tala Hills was not ready until Christmas 2005 and once completed they were on the move again. ‘We are now completely settled, we have our new home in an area we love, Kathy has a new job with a leading holiday company as a Resort Representative and we have made lots of good friends both Cypriot and English’ ‘We definitely have no regrets and only wish we had done it sooner’ they confessed ‘we have not been back to England since we came out here so that really says it all’.
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Paul and Celia Higginson
WE WERE GIVEN A STRESS FREE MOVE WITH LEPTOS ESTATES Paul and Celia Higginson moved to Cyprus in July 2004 after making a quick decision to buy during a two week holiday in Cyprus in the summer of 2002. Celia had been to Cyprus once before when she stayed at the Coral Beach Hotel with her daughter but this was Paul’s first trip. Celia suffering from...
Rheumatoid Arthritis wanted to move abroad to a warmer climate and after some discussion with Paul she thought Cyprus was going to be the place ‘I don’t know why’ Celia told me ‘I just felt comfortable here and whilst when I came back with Paul we stayed at Limassol it was the Paphos area which really struck me’. A day trip took them to the Leptos Estates office in Kato Paphos and from here they were shown a number of developments in the area. ‘When we saw the property at Olympus Villas we just fell in love with it and within a couple of days we had put down the deposit’ Having both been given early retirement for health reasons they decided to sell up and move out as soon as the house was ready. Having only been in the house for a year Celia soon found the stairs too much for her and wanted to move to an area where the ground was more level. Paul and Celia both agreed ‘ Leptos Estates made it a really stress free move for us, we told them the reasons and what our requirements were and within one month of our initial discussion we were on the move to our new Leptos home at St Georges Hill in Chloroka. We are now on a small residential development, nearer town and the local amenities which given our circumstances suits us much better’. ‘We cannot fault the way the Leptos people have treated us with the move’ commented Celia ‘also I have to say my aches and pains have really reduced since my move to Cyprus – I know we made the right decision’.
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Lynne and Nigel Pitt
WILL ARGAKA BEACH VILLAS BE THE LAST STOP? Lynne and Nigel Pitt have certainly seen a few changes since they bought their first property through Leptos Estates. 1989 was their first visit to the sunshine island of Cyprus and during their visit they took a real shine to the place. On their return to England they visited a property Exhibition in their home...
town of Wolverhampton and booked a trip to return to buy. They decided to buy off plan and in 1991 they completed on a one bedroom apartment in Byzantium Gardens which they intended to use as a holiday home. They did and soon found themselves encouraging family and friends to join them on their many excursions to the island. Lynne told me ‘ In 1999 we decided to take the plunge and decided to buy a 3 bedroom apartment at another Leptos development, Kings Palace with my brother and sister in law, we kept our 1 bedroom apartment but we really needed the extra space as we found we were holidaying together more and more’. Finally, after many enjoyable years in Paphos both Lynne and Nigel and Glyn and Aileen have decided to go their separate ways – but only as far as Argaka. ‘Argaka to us is what Paphos was when we first came to Cyprus’ Nigel confirmed ‘we want to come to Cyprus to retire and having seen the new Leptos development at Argaka Beach Villas we decided that was where we want to be’. Both couples have bought a two bedroom bungalow on the development and hope to move to Cyprus permanently as soon as they can. ‘we were really impressed how easy everything is with Leptos Estates, we managed to Part-Exchange our property at Kings Palace which made things very easy. It’s all so simple even the legal system and with the security of buying from Leptos Estates you feel under no pressure at all’. The properties at Argaka Beach villas are in a very quiet location, just a stones throw from the beach, yet within easy driving distance of Polis and Latchi. ‘I think this will be our last move’ – a unanimous decision from all.
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Terry And Carol Anderson
Terry’s first experience of Cyprus came nearly 30 years ago when he was sent to the North of the Island on a UN Mission. Many years later in 1993 he came back to the island with his wife Carol and stayed in the region of Paphos. There idea of having a home abroad had been a consideration for a number of years and they had taken a look around Spain but found...
nothing. Cyprus had a great deal of appeal and whilst on holiday they called into one of the Leptos Estates Information Centres and decided to take a look around. ‘we had done a great deal of research on the internet’ Terry told me ‘ however we were recommended by a number of people to see what Leptos Estates had to offer. We could not fail to be impressed with the quality and standard of finishes and the fantastic locations on offer’ They both fell in love with Leptos Kamares Village and the footprint of the home they were shown was exactly to their specification. Terry and Carol have bought the property as a holiday home and used the Basilica Design Centre, part of the Leptos Group to help them kit it out. Carol confirmed ‘ there were a variety of packages on offer, it was so easy, we spent a day at the design centre and once the property was completed everything was delivered and fitted, from curtain poles to beds and bedding, down to pegs for the washing line. We were really impressed with this service and when you are so far away it definitely takes away the hassle.’ Three things on Terry’s wish list were 1. Sun. 2. Great location. 3. Golf – he has everything he could wish for. Carol required 1. To live in a community, in a relaxing environment. Who says women are difficult to please?
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Margaret and Stuart Maddison
Margaret and Stuart Maddison have been coming to Cyprus since the 1980’s and during their many holidays they decided that once they reached retirement age they would move out of England and head straight for Cyprus. They had done some investigating previously but took the opportunity to visit an Overseas Exhibition held locally. There wasn’t anything on Cyprus...
but at this time they found out the Leptos Estates had an office in London so they called them to make an appointment to view some properties during their next visit. ‘Leptos sent a taxi to the airport to pick us up and the next day we were taken out by one of the sales executives. We gave him a budget and we were shown a number of re-sale properties along with some new developments where we could buy off plan’. Stuart told me ‘the fact there was no hard sell with Leptos Estates helped a great deal, we were also able to work out a payment structure which was agreeable to both parties and we felt safe and secure sending our money here. Leptos Estates are an established company with a good reputation, we knew our house would be here when we arrived’. They decided they did not want a pool but have since had a hot tub fitted in the garden which they use regularly. Margaret added ‘we are really happy with the house, we made no changes at all to the interior layout. We have plenty of space in and out and Stuart has spent hours doing the garden, something he never had time for in England’. ‘We definitely have no regrets and thanks to Leptos Estates we feel Cyprus is now home’.
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Dee and Barry Lill
The start of Dee and Barry’s life in Cyprus really came as a complete accident. In 2001 they celebrated their 25th Wedding Anniversary and for this special occasion they decided to take a cruise. Unfortunately, at short notice, it was cancelled and they changed their plans and booked to go to Cyprus instead. Whilst on the island they took a trip to the Troodos...
Mountains and on their return to Paphos they decided to take a look around some of the developments. Whilst knowing in the back of their minds they would retire abroad, possibly to Florida, they shocked themselves on going back to England when they wrote out a pro’s and con’s list on moving to Cyprus. ‘The pro’s outweighed the con’s’ said Barry ‘so I spent some time surfing the internet for developers, and developments, within our budget. I booked a trip to Cyprus, two weeks for me and one week for Dee and made an appointment with Leptos Estates to view some of their developments’. Barry took some time looking around, having Dee’s wish list in mind he short listed some potential sites for her to visit. Dee’s last stop was Olympus Village ‘I just fell in love with the area and the plot as soon as I saw it. I think Barry was releaved as he had already secured the plot, but after 25 years of marriage he should know my tastes by now.’ ‘We met with the architect the next day as we wanted to make some fairly major changes to the layout of the house and within 2 days the plans had been re-drawn and we signed on the dotted line.’ Barry and Dee have been really impressed with the standard of finish with their Leptos home and the way natural rocks have been used to make the steps and patio areas look like they are part of the natural landscape. ‘We were particularly pleased with the choice of tiles we were offered from the Leptos standard range, we did not have to upgrade on the internal finishes at all’. ‘Also the people we dealt with were very helpful and friendly, we have no regrets about buying our home and cannot believe how Leptos Estates manage to build such unique properties and are able to offer such unique locations.’ They did experience some teething problems but like Barry said ‘you always do with a new home, but with the experienced site team available at Olympus Village we new everything would be sorted.’ Barry and Dee took possession of their house in November 2004, “it’s a long way from Florida, but our new Leptos home in Cyprus has fulfilled our dreams’.
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Debra and Paul Davis
Whilst having explored properties in several countries and several areas for several years it came as a shock to both Debra and Paul when they made their decision to by a 2 bedroom apartment at Kings Palace within 2 hours.
Driving along the Tomb of the Kings road they saw the development, liked the look of it and drove round to take a look. The time was 11...
o’clock when they went into the Leptos Information Office next to the development and by 11.30 they were being shown some re-sale apartments.
Debra told me ‘we were not put under any pressure to buy but we just knew it was right and had no hesitation when it came to making our purchase.’
By 1 o’clock the papers were signed and the next day they flew back to England.
‘the quality of build and finishes really impressed me, along with the standard of service’ Paul confirmed ‘there were three small items in the apartment which needed fixing and by the time we came back to take ownership in February everything had been completed’.
Debra and Paul bought the property as a holiday home which they intend to use at least 3 times a year. ‘we have no hesitation at all about recommending Leptos Estates, everything was so easy and the facilities of a communal pool, beautiful gardens, which are all maintained by Vesta Holidays,(part of the Leptos Group) makes it ideal when you are not living in the country. Plus the position of the apartment is fantastic – we love it’.
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David and Carol Hancock
Pissouri was always going to be the place to be for David and Carol Hancock. During their many holidays to Cyprus they always stayed in Paphos but seemed to travel out towards the coast at Pissouri.
David told me ‘we always wanted to live in Cyprus and whilst we knew the Leptos name we did not make any enquiries with them until we went to a local...
exhibition in Banbury in October 2002’.
‘we had previously stayed at a Leptos Estates development at Paradise Gardens so we were fully aware of the quality of the build and the variety of homes available.’
‘it was extremely reassuring when we found out Leptos Estates were building a villa development in Pissouri, it was obviously meant to be’. Carol confirmed. ‘ we were fortunate that everything fell into place at the right time, whilst we are not really retirement age we knew if we moved to Cyprus where the cost of living is cheaper we could survive quite comfortably’.
Whilst David and Carol had only moved in 3 weeks after I met with them they are extremely, happy and relaxed and not missing England at all. ‘we are both really pleased with the house and are looking forward to a long summer outside in the sunshine’.
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Paul Bainbridge and Craig Hulme
Paul Bainbridge 45 and his partner Craig Hulme 37 first came to Kamares Village on holiday five years ago; it was a holiday that started a love affair with the whole Mediterranean culture that Cyprus has to offer.
After selling a very successful business in the UK, their accountant and good tax planning offered a number of choices around the world and...
after spending a short while in Kamares Village, the list of advantages just grew and grew in it's favour.
Paul says, Having a large property portfolio back in the UK consisting of both commercial and domestic properties, it was important to us to have close proximity to our remaining businesses. We just loved the peace and tranquillity of Kamares Village, we enjoyed the fact that every corner you turned offered another breathtaking view. We spent the next two years giving our Leptos appointed Sales negotiator the run around, being specific about our requirements and constantly keeping in touch with him. Perseverance paid off and the property of our dreams became available and it took only four weeks to complete the sale from start to finish Paul also added, Since moving in to our luxury mountain top villa, Leptos have always been on had to iron out the teething problems which normally occur when moving in to a new home. They have ensured that we were given a point of contact for whatever job was being undertaken by them and any additional work has always immediately been offered to their own in-house team of personnel based on this very professional approach. Realising very early in the move over to Kamares that only the Kamares team of workers truly understand the beauty of the project and therefore they are the team best placed to carry out any improvements. Both Craig and I are delighted with our move to Cyprus and nowhere in the world have we experienced a community full of warmth, that is high on security and which covers all the residential needs that Kamares Village has to offer it's residents. WE STILL LOVE IT and never for one day ever take it for granted, OUR DREAM IS NOW A REALITY thanks to Leptos"
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Ron and Tis James
Ron and Tis James left England in 1975 determined to go somewhere hot and sunny and further their career in teaching. It wasn't to be. There first stop was Germany where the weather did not fair any better than they had left behind. After a few years they really upped roots and headed off to Hong Kong where they stayed for 22 years. Tis wanting to take early...
retirement decided they should still go for their lifelong dream, somewhere hot and sunny with a good, year round climate. They chose Cyprus.
Having never been to the island before they surprised themselves when on their first trip in 1997 they bought a plot of land at Leptos Kamares Village. "It was the club Ron commented that attracted me. I felt it was a good asset and an excellent place to meet new friends" . Tis was particularly impressed with the Sales Executive Andreas Makris. She said "Andreas was very honest with us, took us to a number of plots and gave us the opportunity to talk to some people who were already living at Kamares."
Whilst they had both set their mind on a bungalow, the plot of land they purchased was only suitable for a two storey home. Tis said "we were prepared to make the compromise, as we fell in love with the view and we were really impressed with the standard of finishes which Leptos offered".
Leptos Estates gave Ron and Tis the opportunity to change some of the details to their property and work commenced in 1999. The property was finished in 2001 and during the summer of 2003 they relocated to Cyprus to retire.
Everything has now changed, Ron is now working full-time at the American Academy chool in Paphos, whilst Tis is busy making handicrafts and joining in the Keep Fit classes at Kamares Club.
So impressed are the family with Cyprus, their daughter Emma decided Cyprus was the place to hold her wedding. They got married on the 25 th June 2004 with the wedding reception being held at Kamares Club..
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Jim and Janet Mills
Jim and Janet Mills first bought in Cyprus in 1997. Having visited Cyprus for a number of years they decided to buy an apartment at the Leptos development at Kings Palace, near Kato Pafos for a holiday home.
In 2002 they decided they would retire to Cyprus and wanted to purchase a larger villa in the hills. Jim said "we always new if we moved we would live...
at Kamares, the community spirit is great, the area is quiet, but you are really close to Paphos and Coral Bay" .
When Jim and Janet approached Leptos Estates with their idea it really posed no problem at all. There apartment was valued, they selected the plot they wanted to buy at Kamares Village, Leptos bought their apartment back and they paid the difference in price.
Janet confirmed "It was very simple really and saved us all the hassle of selling. Buying off plan was also a bonus as we were able to adapt the interior design to suit our requirements. We are really pleased with our villa and don' t think we will be moving again" .
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Beryl and Roy Mac
Beryl and Roy Mac decided to take the plunge 5 years ago. They were on holiday at the Coral Beach Hotel and decided to have a look around for a property in Cyprus. They had no intention of buying at this time but a trip to the Leptos Kamares Village saw them planning their retirement home quicker than expected. Beryl and Roy were from the outskirts of Manchester so...
moving to a small village in Cyprus was a big step. The villa was bought from plan and Beryl told me - we made some minor changes to the interior of the villa but I was really concerned about having an enclosed garden area for our two scottish terriers. When we got here the villa exceeded our expectations and the garden was completely secure which made us all very happy . Beryl and Roy added a swimming pool a few months after they moved into the property which was completed for them within 6 weeks. Extra's are not a problem with swimming pools, garden features, pergolas etc can be added at any time. Since Beryl and Roy have moved to Leptos Kamares Village, there son, daughter in law and grand daughter have joined them, living only 2km from their front door.
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Paul and Nilda Lowndes
Paul and Nilda Lowndes bought their plot of land at Leptos Kamares Village in 1997. Over the next two years they agreed the plans for their new home with the architect. They visited the site frequently during the seventeen months in which construction was completed. They moved to Cyprus in August 2000 and Leptos made a small nearby villa available to them until their...
villa was completed in October. ‘Buying a new home in another country is a big decision and living so far away in Hong Kong we could not afford to take any risks. We bought from Leptos Estates as we believed we should buy from the biggest and best developer in Cyprus. We have not been disappointed: the service we have received has been excellent and our 4 1/2 years here have been a joy’ Both Paul and Nilda are impressed with how quickly their garden, which was planned and executed with the assistance of Leptos’ experts, has matured and how Leptos Estates have made every house in Kamares unique and beautiful in its own way.
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Colin and Georgina Townsend
Colin and Georgina Townsend moved to Cyprus in February 2004 with the sole purpose of having a better lifestyle, in a better climate, with a healthier diet. They have found everything they were looking for.
Colin and Georgina's search for a home in the sun started when they saw an article in the Mail on Saturday via a local estate agent. They came to...
Cyprus in October 2003 and after looking in several areas decided they would like to live in the Paphos region.
"We were picked up from our hotel in Limassol, and shown several developments, we wanted a three bedroom apartment with a communal pool and found exactly what we were looking for at Tala Hills". Colin commented "at the time we saw the area, it was only a piece of scrub land, however having seen some of the other completed Leptos Estates developments we felt confident of the standard of finish and how the communal areas would be beautifully landscaped"
"We had some teething problems to begin with but we have been able to sort these out relatively easily. The site forman and architect have been very helpful - which is always a bonus".
The move from start to finish took exactly 2 years, they are really looking forward to their time in here.
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Bill and Maureen Pollard
Bill and Maureen Pollard have been living at Leptos Kamares Village for 5 years now and really feel part of the Kamares community. Bill and Maureen are both retired but take an active part in enhancing the facilities on offer at the Kamares Club.
Maureen organises many activities including themed evenings and even a book swap and video club.
During our conversation Maureen told me "Leptos Estates offered us excellent service and did everything they could to take the stress and strain out of moving abroad."
Maureen and Bill are both very happy with their villa and confirmed to me "there is no where else in Cyprus quite like Kamares, we are very lucky to be here"
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