Buying Property in Cyprus: Between Record Sales and Judicial Nightmares

Despite loud declarations of record growth in the real estate market in 2025—with Limassol and Paphos leading the way—old problems still hide behind the beautiful statistics: unissued title deeds, protracted legal proceedings, and conflicts between owners and tenants.

Title deeds after 33 years: the story of "trapped" buyers

Jane Richards' family fully paid for their house back in 1992. Her parents moved in immediately and have lived there for over three decades. However, a separate title deed for the house has never been issued to them.

The reason is the developer's mortgage obligations to the bank. Despite paying more than €46,000 in legal fees and taxes that the developer was actually supposed to pay, the issue remains unresolved.

In recent years, the developer's representatives even claimed that the sales contract had allegedly "turned into a lease" and demanded additional compensation—without a court ruling.

The situation is aggravated by the fact that the father of the family suffers from Alzheimer's disease, and the uncertainty surrounding the family home creates serious emotional and financial pressure.

Non-paying tenants: "tenants forever"

The problems affect not only buyers but also owners.

Andreas Georgiou, who lives abroad, planned to retire in his apartment in Cyprus. However, the tenant has not paid a single euro for four years. Court hearings are postponed time and again, and the eviction process drags on.

Although the law provides for the possibility of eviction for arrears of more than 21 days, in practice, cases often get "stuck" in the courts.

Since 2023, for buildings constructed before December 21, 1999, the status of "sitting tenant" applies. Such tenants can stay in the apartment indefinitely provided they pay rent, while the owner's rights to dispose of the property are restricted.

Land under the tenant's control

A similar situation faces Stelios Antoniou, who rents out a warehouse in an industrial zone. According to him, the tenant arbitrarily occupied an additional part of the plot and stores cars there.

The owner cannot clear the land independently—only through the court. But court procedures can last for years.

Laws exist, solutions do not

In recent years, legislative changes have been made to protect buyers and speed up evictions. However, many victims claim that in practice, the problems persist:

• delays in issuing title deeds;
• protracted court processes;
• limited rights for owners;
• weak oversight of developers' actions.

Against the backdrop of record real estate sales, experts remind: the market remains complex and requires caution.

For some, buying a home in Cyprus truly turns into an "extreme sport."