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» Corfu Real Estate
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The campaign to restore Corfu’s old houses was launched in 2000 when Harry Tsoukalas returned from 17 years in Australia to his birthplace in the North West of the island. During visits home over the years he had noticed the gradual decline of the island’s traditional villages as people moved away to the cities and resorts. First, he attempted to reverse this trend by involving the local people, but found that were not interested. In another effort to save Corfu’s old villages, he contacted UNESCO, who sent a delegation to advise about grants for restoration of the settlements . But nothing came of the UNESCO visit. Therefore, in order to promote the island’s old village properties and help save them, he initiated his residential tourism project by setting up a real estate agency to help families find their new home on Corfu.
Harry’s first move had come in 1997 while still in Australia, when he set up the website www.corfurealestate.com. Because of its high ranking in the search engines, the site quickly gained the attention of many people who up until then were not aware that houses could be bought in Corfu for as little as 20,000 euros.
His first big media success, in July 2001, came with the publication in the UK national newspaper, the Daily Telegraph, of a major article about his project. Subsequently, more media success followed for Harry, with articles in Homes Overseas Magazine, another one in the Telegraph, and appearances on the TV shows Wish You Were Here, a Place in the Sun (twice) and Dream Moves.
Due to this high-profile promotion and lots of hard work, Harry has so far relocated over 100 families to the island, and also found dream holiday homes for many others. He runs Luvcorfu Properties in partnership with Hilary Paipeti, a long-term British resident, journalist and author, and sharer of his dream to restore Corfu’s dying villages. Hilary edits the local English-language magazine, The Corfiot, and in 2000 established The Corfu Trail , the island-long walking route.
The agency has set in place new procedures , which simplify buying property in Greece, and safeguard the interests of clients. For example, early on Harry discovered a legal loophole which has saved clients thousands of euros in taxes. The agency also ensures that every deposit is kept safe until the sale goes through, and has found ways to guide buyers through possible pitfalls, like multiple ownership problems and tricky paperwork.
Together, Harry and Hilary run the agency, publish several resort-based newspapers, and for nearly two years produceed and presented Corfu Home and Away, a weekly half-hour TV show in English on Telekerkyra, a local channel. The show, which drew praise from local Greeks as well as foreign residents, was axed by the channel after it highlighted the issue of the illegal cutting down of Corfu's olive trees. Their efforts were vindicated when, in September 2005, the Greek government changed the law to protect the trees. Harry is also President of the Corfu Heritage Preservation Foundation (Hilary is a Founder Member). One of the Foundation’s aims is to guide clients through the process of reantiquating their old house in traditional style. But its most important action was the establishment of theArillas Agricultural Museum in an old house and olive press on Harry’s family farmland. Visitors can walk through the farm and witness a lifestyle which is gradually vanishing, as well as admiring old vehicles, artifacts and tools. The Museum proved enormously popular with visitors but later had to be closed down due to lack of support from sponsors, who pulled out due to Harry's campaign to save the olive trees.
To assist clients in their search for a dream home, Luvcorfu has opened branch agencies in all the island’s regions. Harry and Hilary’s hand-picked representatives are personally acquainted with the owners of the properties they handle, and since they have a thorough knowledge of their area can answer questions about local lifestyle and amenities. Several of their representatives boast extensive experience in the travel industry, and therefore can help potential buyers to find accommodation and car hire during their visit, as well as being able to offer general advice about where to go and what to see.
The Luvcorfu team looks forward to greeting you in Corfu, and to helping you find your perfect property. |
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