Captain Fantastic wrote:
From what I've seen there doesn't appear to be too much rhyme or reason to the prices being asked - I've seen almost identical properties with as much as 40-50,000 difference in asking prices, which makes you wonder what criteria people are using to come to their valuations?
The point is they are ASKING prices. You can ask what you like for a house. It only translates into value if someone is prepared to pay what you ask for it, and how much of it is profit is determined by what you do with the money having sold it.
I would suspect that a house bought for (say) CY£200,000 in 2004 would realistically be worth about 25% more currently - around €430,000.
When you bought that house, you would have paid around GB£240,000. The €430,000 the house is worth today equates to a sterling price of £374,000 - so if you are repatriating, and can find a buyer, you would have made a profit of GB£134,000. The difference is primarily due to the collapse in value of sterling and is why sellers can currently afford to sell for less than the house is 'worth' and still be in profit.
If you are thinking of selling up and moving back to the UK, now would be the time to do so. If you are thinking of moving here and wishing to buy, then wait until the pound picks up or at least be aware of the arithmetic involved.