Buying that place in the sun remains a very affordable option for investment or as your personal holiday home and Cyprus villas are the perfect choice. Buying property abroad has never been easier than it is now and thousands of people are finally making their holiday home dreams come true. Cyprus is ideal for this type of property investment for a host of reasons and top of the list is the glorious Mediterranean climate. The island boasts over 320 days of sunshine each year, the author wrote this article in October and it was still 31c on the east coast. Winters are also very short if you can call in low temperatures of 17°C for winter and the sea stays warm enough for swimming until the end of November.

More and more Brits are buying beautiful villas in Cyprus, either as holiday homes or even residential properties. Tired of the cold and darkness at home, many retirees are selling to move to a warmer climate. With reciprocal pension and tax agreements between Cyprus and the UK, sun-loving retirees can even receive their benefits directly into their Cyprus bank accounts. The cost of living is cheaper and the utility bills are also a bit more reasonable. All that plus petrol at about a third less than in the UK, it’s no wonder so many are selling their homes to buy Cyprus villas in the sun. Since the cost of property on the island is about half the price of comparable homes in other parts of Europe, they should have some money, too.

But it is about much more than money and cost of living when owning a villa in Cyprus. The Cypriot people must be among some of the friendliest you could wish to meet and they really are genuine, not just a patron reserved for the money-spending tourist. It never ceases to amaze me how accommodating they really are, especially when you consider that Britain once ruled the island by force. Indeed, over the centuries, Cyprus has been home to many unwelcome visitors looking for more than just a tan or a cold beer. However, he has seen them come and go as the Cypriots have managed to retain their own unique culture. For some Brits, this outgoing nature can be a bit overwhelming at first, but they soon drop their stiff upper lip and embrace the lifestyle.

Speaking of lifestyle, it is well documented that the Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest in the world with all that oily fish and olive oil for cooking as well. In fact, most of life takes place outdoors thanks to Cyprus’s beautiful climate, making barbecues a Cypriot way of life. Most villas in Cyprus will have a specially designed barbecue area and the Cypriots are undoubtedly the masters of the art. OK, so maybe it’s a close tie with the Aussies. The point is that the weather isn’t going to show up and spoil your alfresco dining like it always does in rainy old England. If you book the barbi for Wednesday, that’s when you’ll have it because in Cyprus at least you can trust the weather.

However, there is only one real problem with Cyprus villas. They continue to rise in price due to high demand that threatens to outstrip supply. Savvy investors who want to secure a home in the sun are now getting into the Cyprus real estate market early. Instead of waiting until they are ready to retire in the sun, they have chosen to secure their future early by buying at today’s prices. Paying for this additional investment has not been a problem for these astute people because they have discovered the potential in the Cyprus holiday rental market. Renting out their property to enthusiastic tourists has enabled them to buy now and invest in their future. They plan to self-finance the property with vacation rentals until they are ready to retire in the sun, at which point it may even be paid in full. If you thought a house in the sun was out of your league, perhaps you should take another look at the beautiful villas in Cyprus.