Off-Plan Properties in Cyprus

How off-plan instalments are structured in Cyprus

Our guide describes the market-standard structure as roughly 20 to 30% on signing the contract, 40 to 50% in stage payments during construction and 20 to 30% on completion and handover. The largest single cheque is the last one, and a lender may not release a mortgage until the building is finished, so ask your bank before you sign whether it will fund the stage payments. How much money you need to buy property in Cyprus works through a €300,000 schedule.

What protects your money on an off-plan purchase

• No statutory guarantee. Cyprus does not require performance guarantees on off-plan purchases, so the safeguards have to be written into the contract.
• The Land Registry deposit. Depositing the signed contract with the Department of Lands and Surveys creates the specific performance right, your enforceable right to have the home registered in your name. It is time-limited, so have your lawyer confirm the deadline and confirm in writing that it was done.
• Bank guarantee or escrow. Neither is compulsory; larger developers can often provide a guarantee, smaller ones often cannot. Ask who holds an escrow account and who certifies each milestone.
• The developer's mortgage. If the developer borrowed against the land, get a waiver letter or a contractual timetable to release your unit.
• An independent lawyer. The lawyer checks the planning permission, the building permit, the contract and the path to separate title deeds before you pay. Choose one the developer did not recommend.

The checks are in Cyprus off-plan deposit protection, and how to vet a developer in Cyprus covers the developer itself.

VAT and costs on an off-plan home

A new-build carries VAT, not transfer fees, and the developer invoices the VAT with each instalment. VAT is 19%, or 5% if the home will be your primary and main residence within the limits; on a €300,000 home that is €15,000 against €57,000. Stamp duty was abolished for contracts signed from 1 January 2026, and a lawyer costs about 1% plus VAT. See Cyprus property VAT explained and the cost of buying property in Cyprus.

Buying off plan as a non-EU buyer

A non-EU buyer needs Council of Ministers permission, filed by the lawyer after the contract is signed (how to buy property in Cyprus as a foreigner). A first-sale new-build of at least €300,000 plus VAT, which includes off-plan homes, can qualify for Category 6.2 permanent residency, provided the purchase money is transferred from abroad and the income test is met.

Where we sell

We market and sell only in the areas controlled by the Republic of Cyprus. Tell us your budget, the city and the delivery date you can accept, and we will send projects with plans and availability.