Buying Direct from a Developer in Cyprus or Through an Agent: What Changes

You can buy a new home in Cyprus directly from the developer or through an estate agent. Either way you sign the same contract with the developer, pay the same taxes and have the same legal protections. What changes is how much choice you see, who answers your questions and who pays the agent. This guide compares the two routes and sets out the steps of buying direct.

The two routes compared

Buying direct means dealing with the developer's own sales team. They know the building, the specification, the payment schedule and which units are left, and they can take you to the site and to completed projects. The limit is obvious: they will only show you their own developments.

Buying through an agent means a registered estate agent introduces you to one or more developers. A good agent can put projects from several companies side by side, along with resale homes, and can be useful if you are buying from abroad and want someone to shortlist for you. The sale contract is still signed with the developer.

Who pays the agent?

In Cyprus the seller normally engages the agent and pays the fee, so buyers generally pay nothing to the agent directly. Commission is typically 3% to 5% of the sale price (INDEX.cy, August 2026). A lawyer writing in the Cyprus Mail in June 2023 notes that the commission is 3% unless a higher rate has been agreed, and that it becomes payable when the sale is concluded.

On a new build, ask two questions in writing before you reserve: who pays the agent, and is the price list the same whichever route you use? A clear answer to both removes the main worry buyers have about this choice.

How estate agents are regulated

An estate agent in Cyprus must be registered with the Estate Agents Registration Council and hold a current annual licence. An agreement with an agent who is not registered, or whose licence has lapsed, is void (DevelopersCyprus buying guide, November 2026). Ask for the registration and licence numbers before you rely on anyone's advice.

Developers are different. They are registered companies, but there is no developer licence. Our guide to choosing a property developer in Limassol explains how to check one.

What does not change

Whichever route you take, four things stay the same.

• Your lawyer. Appoint an independent lawyer, not one recommended only by the seller. Fees are around 1% of the price plus VAT, or roughly €1,500 to €3,000 on a straightforward purchase, according to INDEX.cy.
• The tax. A new home from a developer carries VAT at 19%, or 5% on a qualifying main residence, and no transfer fees. Stamp duty no longer applies to contracts signed from 1 January 2026. See our VAT guide and our guide to transfer fees for resales.
• The contract deposit. The sale contract must be deposited at the District Lands Office within six months of signing, for a €50 fee. That brings it under the Specific Performance Law.
• The land search. The seller must attach a search certificate dated no more than five working days before signing, showing any mortgage on the land.

The six steps of buying direct

1. Choose the unit. Compare floor plans, prices and the payment schedule, and ask for them in writing.
2. Appoint a lawyer. Do this before you pay anything.
3. Reserve. A reservation fee takes the unit off the market while your lawyer makes checks.
4. Sign the sale contract. Your lawyer reviews the permits, the land search and the contract terms first.
5. Deposit the contract at the District Lands Office.
6. Pay in stages. Instalments follow construction milestones until handover.

Our guide to buying property in Cyprus as a foreigner covers the extra steps for non-EU buyers, and off-plan versus ready property explains the protections in more detail.

When an agent is the better route

An agent earns their place when you have not yet chosen an area or a developer, when you want to compare new builds with resale homes, or when you need viewings arranged across several companies in a short visit. If you already know the building you want, going direct is simpler: one conversation, with the people who are building it.

How SquareOne works

SquareOne sells directly and through registered partner agents. Buyers who come to us direct deal with our own sales team from the first viewing to handover. Buyers introduced by an agent get the same contract and the same handover and after-sales process.

To see what is available, browse our projects, read our guide to off-plan developments open in 2026 or contact our team.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Confirm fees and terms for a specific purchase with your lawyer.