Watson on file (LONDON HOMEBUYERS PROPERTY SHOW)

LONDON HOMEBUYERS PROPERTY SHOW
By Kate zikiz-Smith
At the end of 2003, Northern Cyprus estate agents were invited to participate at the Homebuyers Show at Excel in the Docklands, London from March 5th to 7th. Chairman Mehmet Safa from Property International UK bought a number of stands and created a [Northern Cyprus] Turkish Village in a prominent location in the Excel Centre. He then sold these on to a mixture of Turkish and British estate agents [of Northern Cyprus]. [Northern Cyprus] Turkish music was played, [Northern Cyprus] Turkish Delights were handed out and there was a good, united ambiance in the [Northern Cyprus] village.
This was the first time such a large number of Northern Cyprus estate agents united to advertise not only the properties [apartments etc in Kyrenia] they had to selI, but also promote Northern Cyprus as a country. An excellent turnout, approximately 22,000 people, visited the show over the three-day period in early March. Most of the Kyrenia-Girne based estate agents [of Northern Cyprus] exhibited along with some agents from Lefkosa and the Gazima�osa area [Northern Cyprus]. Stands displaying beautiful scenery and reasonably priced properties [apartments etc in Kyrenia] using huge posters and plasma screens were positioned to catch the visitors' eye, and many people who were not aware of the Northern [Cyprus] were attracted. Well-known British companies such as Wimpey and other International companies such as Atlas, also exhibiting properties [flats etc] in the Mediterranean along with an array of stands ranging from rental properties, buy-to-let firms, furnishing companies to mortgage advisors. Organisers of the Homebuyers Show stated that there had been a 20 percent increase in the amount of exhibitors compared with the previous year - partly if not mainly due to the Turkish Village [of Northern Cyprus].
There was a steady flow of enquiries [by potential purchasers of properties such as flats] and on the final day, a surge of old timers and newcomers besieged exhibitors with enquiries ranging from holiday homes to investments [in Northern Cyprus]. Visitors [potential purchasers of properties such as apartments] were from a mixed age range - young first-time buyers along with people who had already purchased property [such as apartments etc in Kyrenia] visited the stands to chat to the agents. Several estate agents [of Northern Cyprus] advertised flights and accommodation, offering the visitors an easy route to visit Northern Cyprus. Lawyers [of Northern Cyprus] and builders [of Northern Cyprus] were also available to chat to visitors and answer their queries. A Northern Cyprus estate agents association was also established at the exhibition and will continue to meet to discuss all property issues in Northern Cyprus.
I'll definitely do it again," enthused Iain Fraser of Fraser & Beyler Estate Agents. "People showed lots of interest [in properties such as flats in Kyrenia] . It was really positive and proved a big attraction [for Northern Cyprus]." Shaun Watson, Sales Manager for Boray Estate Agents [of Northern Cyprus] was also pleased. "We found it to be a great opportunity for us to promote our company as well as our country [Northern Cyprus]. We retrieved many useful contacts and received very good feedback from people in the UK. It was a well-organised event and the number of people [potential purchasers of properties such as flats] that attended was beyond expectations. In general it was a great experience and we will definitely consider attending again," says Watson.
It was fantastic to be a part of the exhibition representing Ian Smith Estate Agency [of Northern Cyprus], and to describe the many advantages of living in Northern Cyprus and I am sure all the exhibiting estate agents [of Northern Cyprus] and developers [of Northern Cyprus] will agree that the publicity created for Northern Cyprus in general was well worth the aching feet! Another property exhibition is planned for Manchester in June with estate agents [of Northern Cyprus] already booking up spaces