"We cannot afford to keep fighting internally if we want this country to grow."
Many of us are hearing the name Eviqe Estates in the property sector in North Cyprus for the first time. Even though the name may seem new, this is a team that has been working in this sector for many years. When we met with Eviqe Estates’ young Director, Linnéa Kempe Baştaş, we understood straight away how much she knows about North Cyprus and the property business here. We decided to ask her a few questions to learn more about her and her newly formed company.
- First we would like to know, who is Linnéa Kempe Baştaş?
I am firstly a mother, wife, sister and daughter, but also an international entrepreneur, born and raised in Sweden, who now lives and runs my business full time here in North Cyprus. When I’m not working I love to spend my free time with my family, and especially with our lovely baby girl Ella, who has just turned one year old. If I do have some spare time, I love going for runs or a long walk in the countryside, or go down to the gym in our basement, swim in the ocean or in the pool, read books or just watch sport on television; if possible live. I used to play football for nearly 18 years, so to live a healthy and active life is still something very important to me and my huge interest in the sports’ world will probably never go away.
- You mention you are an international entrepreneur, how did you end up in the property sector in North Cyprus?
I have always been very interested in creating new businesses and have therefore explored many fields in the past. In the last few years I was mainly focused on building an educational business, I had speaking engagements worldwide and I was constantly traveling. In the middle of my busy career I was invited to North Cyprus and during my first visit I was introduced to the property sector. That was three years ago and at that time I had no intention of doing anything here. I left the island, but came back for the second time after six months and as I learned more about the market place I started to see great opportunities. It did not take me long after that to make the decision to move my whole life and career to North Cyprus and in spring 2018 I stepped into the estate agency business full time.
"It did not take me long after that to make the decision to move my whole life and career to North Cyprus."
- So you have been in the property sector in North Cyprus for two and a half years, but this year you decided to set up your own venture and Eviqe Estates was founded. Can you explain what is your goal and how would you say you are different to the other estate agencies in the market place?
During my first two years in the property sector in North Cyprus I learned a lot and I especially noticed how different it is to run an estate agency business here compared to many other countries; as unfortunately it is not fully controlled and secured. For me, it has always been very important to run a very professional company that has the best services, systems, communications, materials, staff, agents and relationships with our customers, agents and suppliers. So, to be able to grow the company that I had always imagined, I decided at the beginning of 2020 to set up my own estate agency, which we named Eviqe Estates. Our focus is to deliver a high standard of services and systems and to focus on quality business rather than quantity. For us it is not worth selling at any price. We want long-lasting relationships with our customers and partners and we want to be the go-to company for both local and foreign buyers and sellers, show the best properties on the island and deliver excellent after sales services to all our customers for many years to come. We are a brokerage with a young and modern mind-set, that truly care about our customers and partners and we want everyone involved in a deal to feel successful.
- Are you running this company solo or do you have any partners?
I have a partner in Sweden, Linda Hallberg, who is our Sales Director and she is in charge of all the international agents and the sales department as a whole. My role is to be the Chairman of the company and I have the main overview of all the operations and development in North Cyprus to make sure it all runs smoothly. Together with the rest of the team, Linda and I are a perfect duo and we have a great balance between us. Both of us have been on the island the same amount of time and together we have a big database of agents and customers that have chosen to follow Eviqe Estates since we officially launched our new business. Today we have 35 highly educated and fully qualified, international agents from 10 countries, a big, historical customer database and our aim is of course to grow with new local and foreign customers. Since our opening, our agents and customers have been mainly from Northern Europe, especially Scandinavia, but through our team we are now already growing into new markets such as Turkey, Russia, Iran, and of course here in North Cyprus.
- So how is Eviqe Estates doing now during the pandemic?
The fact is that we are not doing too badly. We were not really expecting anything from this year, but we are doing online sales and we have had a few guests on the island that bought after their visit here. And because we started this company just before the pandemic arrived, we had all the time during the lockdown to focus on the framework of our company and we created our website, CRM-system, brochures, contracts, after sales services, rules and regulations, and more, in a very short period of time. If the pandemic hadn’t happened, I think it would actually have been a longer set up time. So, for us, something positive came out of it after all and at the same time we have now found new creative ways of doing sales, which is exciting.
- You say you are doing your very best to run a professional company here in North Cyprus, how can you adapt to North Cyprus standards?
I believe that it cannot be negative to have chosen to run a professional company, even though not everyone in the market place here operates by these rules. We are trying to run our company as though we were in a modern country, because then at least we bring our standards to the island and hopefully it will reflect positively on the sector. It is obvious to most that the government needs to create a proper system around the estate agency sector in this country. Right now we have no full rights, legally we are not fully protected and everyone can come and work as an estate agent, or set up their estate agency business in this country, without any real knowledge or even a legal company. I think that it is completely wrong as it brings lots of headaches, not only to this sector, but also to the country as a whole when there are no systems. If there were clear laws in the estate agency business, everyone in it would have been forced to follow them and the whole sector would have been under the government’s control. At present, estate agents can do whatever they feel necessary to make a sale, without taking responsibility for the consequences to the whole market place. Personally I think that is wrong, so to take responsibility we as a company try to do our best in setting an example of how it should be run and to act in a proper manner that will not lead to any negative consequences. Even though it is not easy to be a professional company in this country, we will not give up on our vision to help this sector, and country, to develop its standards. We hope that our way of running our business here can inspire others to follow and that in the best of worlds, it will open up the eyes of the politicians and force the government to do something.
"We are a completely independent company. We have contracts with all the top-quality developers on the island, we are growing with a re-sales portfolio across the island."
- Many people on the island seem to be talking about your relationship with Baştaşlar Construction, as you are married to the owner of that company. What would you say are the side effects on your business?
I get this question a lot and many people make an instant wrong judgement that, just because I am married to an owner of a construction company, it would automatically have a negative effect on our business. The truth is that it has brought more positivity than negativity as, in a very short period of time, I have gained invaluable knowledge and experience from my husband about the market place and I believe I was fortunate to learn how to adapt to it faster than normal. Today we are running our company like we have been in the business for many years and we are a completely independent company. We have contracts with all the top-quality developers on the island, we are growing with a re-sales portfolio across the island and it is important for us that the buyer makes the final decision on where he or she wants to buy, without any undue influence from us, the estate agency. I believe we have already shown how professional we work as we have made sales for several different developers, after showing several options, and the buyer alone always makes the final decision in an unpressured atmosphere. My relationship with the owner of Baştaşlar Construction has actually never had any influence on the buyers and I am confident to say that everyone who knows me and works closely with me, can see that.
- You say a big amount of your customers come from Northern Europe, and mainly Scandinavia, what would you say they are buying and what is the main reason?
It has been very clear to us in the last two and a half years that people from Northern Europe and Scandinavia mainly choose properties along the northern coastline, east of Kyrenia - the Esentepe region, or the east coastline of North Cyprus - the whole Iskele region including Bafra. They mainly choose these regions because they can see the potential of tourists coming to these areas, which means it is a good investment, but also for the stunning beauty of these two coastlines. The Esentepe region has the incredible views of both the sea and the mountains while still being close to the city of Kyrenia. The Iskele region and Bafra have the fantastic sandy beaches, the big casino hotels close by and easy access to everything. Both these coastlines are perfect for our foreign buyers, as they are mainly looking for a second home in the sun, next to the sea, or a good investment that can easily rent to holiday makers. We are very proud to have a great selection of properties from both these amazing coastlines.
- What do you believe this country needs more of to attract higher quality customers from abroad to North Cyprus?
First of all, North Cyprus needs to become more modern. There are so many areas where this country is years behind the rest of the world, which can have a negative effect on the quality buyer who wants an easy and great lifestyle. It is very obvious for me, coming from a modern country such as Sweden, to see that the government here use very old systems in general and because of that, everything moves very slowly. I definitely believe North Cyprus needs to change their political system and make it clear who is in control within the government as a first step. This country definitely needs better internal systems, greater technology, easier access, better local transportation and direct flights, to mention a few. Before any of this happens, it will be very hard to attract the higher quality customers to North Cyprus. I just hope there will come a time when the government start looking outside of their small box and learn from the rest of the world; because if they do, this country could fly.
- What do you believe is needed for the real estate sector?
North Cyprus definitely needs to grow its brand internationally. Many people do not know about North Cyprus, or if they have heard of it, it is often through false propaganda. To be in the estate agency business here puts lots of pressure on all of us to prove everyone wrong about their inaccurate perceptions of North Cyprus. Even though we are working extremely hard to try to make a difference for this country, it is not enough. We need the government to help us here as well. There is a history of un-secured properties on this island which needs to be washed away. We have to show the world the truth about this place and especially the real estate sector. I encourage us all to work together on this important point as no one can do it alone. We need the government, construction union and the estate agency union to all work together. We cannot afford to keep fighting internally if we want this country to grow. We need to make a solid plan about how to market this country to show a new side, the true side, of North Cyprus. We have to change the status quo of this country abroad and make sure more people hear good things about our paradise instead of the old false propaganda. I am ready to help but we need support from the authorities.
"We have to show the world the truth about this place and especially the real estate sector. I encourage us all to work together on this important point as no one can do it alone. We need the government, construction union and the estate agency union to all work together. We cannot afford to keep fighting internally if we want this country to grow."
- As your final words, why would you recommend North Cyprus to everyone in your surroundings?
I recommend everyone to come to North Cyprus because of its extremely rare beauty, seen nowhere else in the world, with a nature that is so pure and untouched and with fresh organic food that is hard to find in the rest of the world. Here you have over 300 sunny days a year and wherever you go, you are always close to the sea and the mountains which makes it so unique. Here, you can live a good life, to affordable prices, with less stress or pressure from the outside world. Everyone respects each other and the Cypriots are one of the friendliest and most warmly welcoming people I have ever met. I feel lucky to have ended up here and I want the rest of the world to feel the same luck as I have and that’s why I recommend everyone to come to our lovely paradise of North Cyprus.
written by Propertync
Media
date :
05/15/2024
hour : 05:03 PM
