Moving to north cyprus

[ejohnsonim]

You mention you’ve just had a week of -3 degrees which is quite normal this time of year in the UK...the big difference in the UK compared to TRNC is you can usually flick a switch and heat up the entire house in a matter of minutes. Whereas even if it’s a decent winters day in Cyprus ( maybe 15 degrees) by 4pm its dark and cold with very limited ways of heating up your property.

The forms of heating are extremely primitive......mostly open fires,log burners or gas heaters.each of these can only warm up one room at a time.So if your like me who loves a nice warm home then it can be a struggle.
I know one person who assumed you could sun bath all year round!!! When they sampled Cyprus life during winter they were stunned!!

This is a really helpful heads up re sunset time in winter and certainly something to factor in also the impact of the valleys on sunlight hours not something I'd factored in. Im not looking to be year round in speedos but some sunlight in the winter (not every day and accepting lower temperatures is part of the appeal). A decent heating system is now also on the list! Do people use surveyors commonly before purchasing?

[wanderer]

Remember 50's Britain no central heating ice on the inside of the bedroom window bedding feeling damp when you get into bed
You don't have the ice but its not hot
Study a few building sites when you're over . Cavity walls
The buildings are designed for hot weather high ceilings marble floors your hot water tank is on the roof
Dearest electricity in Europe
I'd still like to be there now looking out even on a rainy day just need that change

[blueparrot]

Did folks look at other destinations before choosing north cyprus. Had though about canaries but i don't really see much upside other than the weather.

I considered the Canaries too, but they lacked the charm and leisurely pace of North Cyprus, plus there are many interesting travel destinations in this region. Also considered the south of Spain but it was much more expensive than north or south Cyprus at the time i was looking, with no real advantage I could see. Parts of Italy and Greece are similar to Cyprus for winter weather, but there is less established infrastructure catering to expat retirees so unless you speak the language it is more of a struggle (or a challenge, depending on your attitude!). Malta is basically a rock in the sea....each to his own.

In North Cyprus, try to find a property not too close to the mountains because they can block all sunlight during winter. You will want some windows facing south. Can be tricky to find because developers put windows facing the sea (north) and sell them to buyers in the summer or as summer residences only. Bear this in mind if you will be here in winter.

[ejohnsonim]

Did folks look at other destinations before choosing north cyprus. Had though about canaries but i don't really see much upside other than the weather.

I considered the Canaries too, but they lacked the charm and leisurely pace of North Cyprus, plus there are many interesting travel destinations in this region. Also considered the south of Spain but it was much more expensive than north or south Cyprus at the time i was looking, with no real advantage I could see. Parts of Italy and Greece are similar to Cyprus for winter weather, but there is less established infrastructure catering to expat retirees so unless you speak the language it is more of a struggle (or a challenge, depending on your attitude!). Malta is basically a rock in the sea....each to his own.

In North Cyprus, try to find a property not too close to the mountains because they can block all sunlight during winter. You will want some windows facing south. Can be tricky to find because developers put windows facing the sea (north) and sell them to buyers in the summer or as summer residences only. Bear this in mind if you will be here in winter.

Looks like you had a similar list to me and arrived at many of the same conclusions. Without having visited but based on what's becoming a decent body of research there seems a lot of pros to NC from my perspective and the cons so far I could live with.

I don't really fancy the South so much but did wonder if it's like Tenerife a bit where the South gets more sunshine/less rain than the North due to the mountains? It wouldn't break the deal but would be worthwhile insight when planning location in the North. Are there towns/areas to seek out/avoid if (like me) a little sunshines important.

[blueparrot]

In Kyrenia we speak of being 'sea side' or 'mountain side' of the coast road.

Advantage of sea side: In winter, less shadow from mountains, so warmer and brighter.
Disadvantage: This is where most hotels and restaurants are, so more noise.

You might want to find a place mountain side, but still in the lowlands. It is a compromise between winter sun and noise/congestion.

Be careful about access. The driveways of some beautifully situated houses become treacherous in heavy rains, which are more frequent than you probably anticipate.

Both sides of Kyrenia have their supporters. The mountains are more beautiful on west side, and west side has a more Cypriot ambiance. On east side, you find more supermarkets of international standard and are spoilt for choice. East side, esp around Bellapais, is where wealthier people used to live. Ambiance is more international. These are personal views. Some people will disagree.

There is an unspoilt area on east side between Ozankoy and Catalkoy. It is less built up and quiet, and you can find good views. Eventually the 2 villages will grow together but certain parts still feel semi-rural right now.

East or west is becoming an increasingly important choice for buyers, because traffic in Kyrenia makes the divide time-consuming to cross. If you can, live 6 months on each side before deciding. No matter how much advice you get, and how long you spend driving around, you cannot be sure until you try both.