We talk a lot about property on our blogs, but rarely do the people who sell it share their experiences and valuable expert information with us. It's not fair. And what a shame not to meet the professionals who are so willing to help us all find our perfect home!
So today we would like to introduce you to Irina Eroshenko, the manager of DOM real Estate Larnaca office.
Irina Eroshenko was born in the Far North and graduated from the Siberian Academy of Public Service. She has lived in Cyprus since 2001. She has worked in tourism, consulting and real estate. Today, she heads DOM regional office in Larnaca. Irina is also a wonderful mother and a very interesting person who happens to love the cinema, penthouses with breathtaking views of Aphrodite's island and has an amazing super ability to synchronise with her clients.
- Irina, if your job as an estate agent was a film, which genre would it be and why?
The first thing that comes to mind when you ask me if my job was a film is of course Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street because it's fun, it's about selling. But actually I would say my job is a melodrama, Cassavetes' "Diary of a Memory", because a broker, a real broker, will always wait for his client and make him happy!
- Have you ever had a case where a buyer fell in love with a house at first sight, like in a romantic film?
I have never had a situation where a client has fallen in love with a house at first sight. I think that is the ideal situation and the wish of every agent: come, see, sell or buy on the part of the client. But I have also had cases where clients have fallen in love with a house on the second or third viewing, as their future home revealed its qualities. Well, that's people for you.
- What is the most unusual requirement for a house that you have heard from clients?
Let me tell you a case from practice. A client once refused to buy a house because it had aluminium letterboxes. He said that when he saw them he realised that the developer had no respect for his customers. Apparently, no one had put in such boxes for a long time. So there you have it.
- If you could choose any house in Cyprus, which one would it be and why?
If I could choose any house in Cyprus... I would like to say right away that I cannot answer this question clearly, because I would choose not one, but three houses in Cyprus at the same time! I would need them all at the same time. One house in Larnaca, because I love this town, my daughter is studying here and we need a house here. The second house would definitely be in the mountains because it is very beautiful there and the nature is very different. It is wonderful to spend time in Troodos skiing in the winter and escaping the heat in the summer. And of course I would have a third house in Protaras, because it is so beautiful there: azure blue skies, turquoise sea and white sandy beaches that you never get tired of. That's why there are only three of them.
- If you had the opportunity to sell only one type of property (villas, apartments, townhouses), which would you choose and why?
I would sell penthouses. I like to sell apartments that are on high floors with beautiful views of the neighbourhood, the sea and the mountains. At the same time, penthouses are different: they are flats, but they have a certain privacy. I personally like it when there is a community, but at the same time there is a sense of privacy. And of course the view. Yes, I would sell penthouses.
- Can you give me some examples of current penthouse developments in Larnaca?
Firstly, Casa del Sol - Plus 37 is a luxury residential development in the prestigious Mackenzie area of Larnaca. The development comprises 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments and penthouses with roof terraces offering stunning sea views. Located just 100 metres from the sea, the project is opposite another iconic development in the city - The Pearl. The project has an energy efficiency rating of A and the average purchase price is €685,000.
I would also like to highlight GAIA Residences, a modern residential development in the centre of Larnaca, in the Finikoudes area, just 150 metres from the sea. The complex comprises two and three bedroom apartments and two-storey Skyvillas villas. The floor area of the building is 9, the area of the objects - from 115 to 142 m2. Energy efficiency class A. The purchase price varies from €1.200 million to €1.550 million. The residential complex combines the elegance of the city centre with the comfort of the seaside zone, offering its residents magnificent sea views and modern amenities for a comfortable life.
Another, of course, is the Park Avenue luxury project. Edge Development Group's development in the Ayios Nikolaos area of Larnaca. The development comprises 21 two-bedroom apartments and 3 three-bedroom apartments over eight floors. The units range in size from 51m2 to 166m2. Energy efficiency class A. Distance to the sea - only 900m! Purchase price - from 220 thousand euros to 1.500 million euros. The project combines designer apartments with panoramic views of the Mediterranean and Aliki Salt Lake, convenient location and high quality materials, making it an ideal investment opportunity with high resale and rental values.
And Probably Downtown Residences, a premium 5-storey apartment complex in the Sotiros area. The complex offers 2 and 3 bedroom apartments ranging from 84 to 119m2. Distance to the sea - 900 metres. Energy efficiency class - A. The purchase price varies from 330 to 600 thousand euros. The complex is within walking distance of the city's infrastructure, including the American Academy public school, the city park, the theatre and the library, and only a 5-minute drive from the Finikoudes promenade and the central beach. Construction is being carried out by a reliable developer using high quality materials, making the property ideal for both residential and investment purposes.
- How do you deal with situations where the buyer and seller cannot agree on a price?
We try to work with the buyer by explaining the benefits of the property. In fact, every property has advantages: location, proximity to amenities, finishes, occupancy. If it's a second home, we talk about the furnishings or the fact that the house is already furnished, it won't break down if it's still in such good condition. Such details help to explain to the buyer that the value is made up of these criteria. And, of course, we try to ask the seller to improve the price to make the deal happen. The golden mean.
- What has been your most embarrassing or funniest moment as an agent?
The funniest situations are always when buyers come to viewings with their young children. It's really cute. You realise that these kids are the real desi makers, in quotes of course. The parents look at a lot of criteria just for the kids. It's especially fun when clients come to viewings with young children who already have their own opinions, and they very quickly start to master the space and do their own viewing, according to their own criteria and with their own comments. It's a lot of fun! Now for the awkward situations... They arise when second home owners promise that everything will be fine, and when a buyer arrives ready to put down a deposit, there are problems with banks, family or taxes. The deal falls through. It's very frustrating and embarrassing. As estate agents, we find ourselves in a situation where the embarrassment is felt through the fault of a third party. We've done our job well, we've got a buyer and they're ready to buy, but the other party has created a situation that makes the deal not happen.
- If you could give advice to your "rookie broker", what would it be?
I would tell a rookie broker to synchronise with their client. That is, try to understand their needs and wants. Then it will be much easier to offer the best option, both in terms of price and criteria.
- What is your most memorable case with a client that left you with a smile on your face?
I'd like to say it's always the smile on my face and the joy of the client finding what they need when the jigsaw comes together. You see that click: here's this house, here's this apartment, and we get the deal done quickly and easily, everybody's happy.
- If you could add one feature to your ideal home in Cyprus, what would it be?
In my ideal home, the feature would be that I would tidy the house myself, so that all the things that are out of place would crawl, fly and stand up by themselves. Just like that, yes.
- If houses could talk, what would be the most interesting story you would hear from one of them?
I think I'd like to hear stories from houses about what happens when owners leave the house for a few hours and pets are left behind. That's probably would be the most interesting and funny. Kind of like the film The Secret Life of Pets. What happens in the world of our pets? How and where do dogs run, what do they do, how do they compete, how do they socialise with their cats, parrots, birds, hamsters and rabbits? It's that kind of story.
- What is the most unusual thing you've ever seen in a house for sale?
The most unusual thing I saw in a house for sale in Cyprus was a safe room. It was a big villa with a room with thick walls and an armoured door. The whole room was a safe!
- If you were offered a house swap with one of your clients, would you accept?
I haven't yet had a buyer with whom I would like to swap houses. I would not want to swap, but try to live for a day in a beautiful high penthouse with sea and city views, a private pool and a large garden. That would be interesting.
- What's the biggest myth or funny story you've heard about buying property in Cyprus?
A client of mine chose a property with a compass. She came to the viewing with a compass and checked the sides of the world, where the bed would be in the bedroom, where the living room would be, where the kitchen would be. Everything had to be Feng Shui. She was not interested in square metres or anything else, just the location on the sides of the world. We found it!
- If you could spend a day with any historical figure in a house in Cyprus, who would it be and why?
I would love to spend time with Audrey Hepburn in a beautiful villa with swimming pools, a huge garden, lawns and beautiful garden furniture. We would walk around and talk about philosophy, psychology, beauty, fashion, cinema and enjoy the beautiful views.
- Irina, what do you think about the trends in the property market in Cyprus?
The property market in Cyprus is currently experiencing a steady increase in prices, especially for apartments and office space in major cities and tourist areas. In Limassol and Paphos, house prices have increased, while in Nicosia and Larnaca they remain at the same level. Foreign investors continue to show interest in Cypriot property due to the favourable business environment and high quality of life. However, the market is affected by political instability and rising interest rates, which may reduce demand. An increase in the cost of building materials may also make new construction more expensive. Overall, the property market in Cyprus remains attractive to investors and prices are likely to continue to rise.
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