The newest coffee shop/restaurant in Corfu Town

Karpouzi opened on Saturday, with a great choice of food - good coffee, snacks, waffles, pancakes and a Daily Specials menu prepared by one of Corfu's best known chefs. Convenient location next to McDonalds at 42 Kapodistriou facing the park, so a perfect place to break up your Corfu Town morning. Denise and Andreas look forward to offering you some excellent food and drink. (By the way, spotless loos.)
Diana

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Happy 2015 from Corfu!

Corfuhomefinders - let us find your perfect home in Corfu! Whatever your interest - luxury villa, village house for renovation, family home, holiday home, investment property or a plot of land to build your dream home, we can help.  

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Christmas Coffee Morning

Well, it might be approaching December but some days Corfu doesn’t seem to realise it! Sunny days and vast sandy beaches mean that we just HAVE to get out and take the dogs for a walk. In spite of that, the time is upon us again, Christmas Coffee Morning at the Corfuhomefinders office in Dassia on Thursday 4th December 10.30 - 13.30. All are welcome to enjoy coffee, mulled wine, highly slimming cakes, mince pies with no calories - all the usual.

This year we are collecting bits and pieces for some local charities, so if you have any spare non-perishable foods, kids' clothes, toys etc that you could give, it would be much appreciated.
Diana

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House in Corfu

Look what we found today! For once, the perfect little stone house awaiting conversion, on the edge of a village, with a large garden and sea views IS ACTUALLY FOR SALE. Watch our website for price and more details.
Susan

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Corfu has something for everyone

Driving back from the beach on Sunday we passed this village property which has been for sale for some time. It is a lovely old stone manor house, with a small courtyard garden and outbuildings. With a modicum of talent and a good builder to hand - just ask Corfuhomefinders, we have found a real star - this property could be a wonderful home, or holiday base.

Karousades has a good selection of shops and tavernas, including one shop that looks as if it has come straight out of a Dickens novel. It is only minutes drive from several pretty, secluded bays on the north coast - old-fashioned Greece, not particularly touristy and a world away from the fashionable north east. Corfu really does have something for everyone.
Susan

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July in Corfu

Well, it has to be said that this year July is not the way it normally is. We have experienced some wonderfully cool evenings, quite a bit of rain, waterspouts yesterday, and today this lovely rainbow with its pot of gold at the bottom of our garden. Must be a good omen!
Susan

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Buying a villa in Corfu

This week we had one of those days when we realized, yet again, the difference between the job of an estate agent in Corfu and the UK.

We had a client who wanted to see several villas - not many, but Corfu being the way it is, the distances are actually quite long.  Add to this the fact that we can only view certain villas on "change-over" days and at certain times - between the departure of one lot of clients and the arrival of the new. 

On this particular day we had three villas on change over day all with very specific viewing windows.  Of course the times specified did not fit the optimum geographical route between the three - let alone the fourth, which was out on a limb anyway, but at least the owners were in residence!  We could be seen - foot down on accelerator pedal -  zooming from villa to villa in order to arrive at the designated times. 

At the last stop - pictured - we were actually mistaken for the arriving clients by the resident cook, and we could quite easily have sat ourselves down at the already laid table by the pool and tucked into the delicious moussaka whose smell wafted from room to room.
Susan

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Greece is back in favour

Good news and bad news from a travel website. (The bad news is in red.)

An online travel agent has seen a major increase in bookings to Greece of over 70% compared with the same period of last year.

Jason Waldron, product and marketing director of Broadway Travel, said significant price drops by hoteliers has sparked renewed interest in the country.

Broadway's booking patterns show all-inclusive trips are selling particularly well, accounting for 77% of all packages sold from January to March.

Luxury family holiday specialist Boltholes agreed the Greek recovery had been boosted by accommodation-owners willingness to cut prices last year, sometimes by 10% or even more.

But founder Sian Williams said discounting at the higher end of the market had been significantly reduced this year, to less than 5% on some properties, yet the luxury sector was thriving.

She said: "Since January, we've seen a massive 242% increase in bookings year on year for the summer season to high-end villas and resorts in Greece and the Greek Islands, which shows that the return in the luxury arena to higher pricing has not deterred UK travellers from booking."

Williams said the average spend was in excess of £2,150. "It seems that the UK economic uncertainty has also had a positive impact on the luxury sector in Greece, with many families, who have either had to forsake their annual holiday or downgrade over recent years, now willing to pay more to ensure less risk in terms of quality."

I can't help but feel that its about time someone found something positive to say about Greece - all the articles I have read recently don't even mention the word Greece, it seems as if we have almost been wiped off the map. Has something happened? Did the beaches go away? Did all the hotels and villas shut down and we didn't notice? Did all the flights stop coming? Did the historic sites all close? Did the sun stop shining over Greece? I don't think so.
Diana

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Driving through a cloud

I know they say its a good idea to view property in the rain so that you see it at its worst, but today's viewing was taking this to the extreme.

Susan and I set off with our clients on a carefully planned route, starting with Spartilas, going over the top to Episkepsis, then down, along and up to Loutses. We could see that Spartilas was in cloud as we drove along Ipsos bay, and as we drove up the windy Spartilas road it did get a bit thick, necessitating headlights. We viewed the house, promised our clients that there is normally a lovely view, and then set off for Episkepsis.

Coming out of the upper end of Spartilas we hit a wall of fog so thick that we really couldn't see further than about three or four metres! Too dangerous to continue, we decided not to go any further, so turned round and headed back down the mountain.

This photo is taken about half way down, when the fog was a lot clearer!
Sarah

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Easter Visitor

 

 

After our Easter lamb lunch we were looking out of the window to some trees just outside our land when we saw two large bright yellow birds. Rushing to find binoculars, we are pretty sure that we’ve identified them as Golden Orioles, migrating here from Asia. They are big birds, about the size of a small pigeon, but their colour makes them quite unmistakable, and they have a lovely song, something like a thrush. I’ve never seen them before, but will be keeping my eyes and ears open from now on. 

Sarah

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Good Friday in Corfu

We all know it is supposed to be gloomy on Good Friday - funeral marches are played by the bands and sad songs accompany them and the lamps on The Liston are coloured in mourning purple especially for this day. Yesterday, however, the weather decided to join in! We were treated to sudden downpours, temperatures colder than at Christmas and several epitaphio processions were cancelled altogether. Nothing daunted, we decided to head into Corfu Town and having circled several times searching for a parking spot managed to find one on the side of the road within a reasonable walking distance of the centre. The rain held off - I really don't know how anyone would have managed to open an umbrella in the crush, so it is just as well it wasn't necessary. There were hoards of people, standing patiently in the main on the sides of the streets as the various church processions wound their way, criss-crossing through the back streets and returning to their starting points. The photograph is taken on The Liston - with apologies to the people who have been included in the picture - I kept trying to take a general scene, but someone always walked into view.
Susan

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Foreign buyers attracted to Corfu

 

 

This is a recent article from a property analysis group:

 

Corfu’s position as a high end recreation destination means that its property market has proved resilient when set against the markets of mainland Greece, according to a new analysis from real estate firm Savilles.

Prices are down by around 30% from their former highs in the desirable north eastern coast of the Greek island, but this is much less than falls in excess of 50% in mainland cities.

The analysis suggests that the market seems to have bottomed out so good deals are on offer. However, it points out that demand is selective and turnkey properties are favoured, while the market for building plots has all but disappeared.

British, German and French buyers account form most of the purchases and most sellers are Greeks. The recent introduction of a golden visa programme is anticipated to generate interest from Chinese and Russian buyers in particular.

I have to say that's not exactly our experience, although certainly the market here in Corfu has not suffered as much from the economic crisis as mainland Greek cities. The best properties in seaside locations are still in demand. Also we do have requests for new builds, since many buyers really want to be a part of the design and creation of their new homes, and with reliable professionals, they can achieve this.
Diana

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Speaking of not choosing your dogs in Corfu....

Susan's not the only wondering how we all end up with extra members of the family, generally unintentionally. Years ago we always had Labradors, then when our last one had died we decided not to have another dog, until a friend begged a home for a 'sweet little puppy, one of 11 needing a home'. So of course we took the one with the biggest feet, who turned into a donkey-sized, one dog destruction force. 

Seven years on he has cancer and was living quietly and peacefully for however long he has left. Until one day there was a little Lab sitting outside the gate. I fed her and hoped she had a home to go to. Two days later she was still around so I gave in and she moved in.

The first few days she was quiet and shy, too good to be true of course. The photo shows the current happy family, old sick dog has reverted to puppyhood, little Lab has gained her confidence, and our house looks like the aftermath of a cyclone! None of this was planned; as Susan says, we don't pick our dogs, they just happen to us!
Diana

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It's a Wisteria tree!

We spotted this unusual tree on the way to the office – it’s a Wisteria Tree! Usually seen as a rampant creeper, the wisteria has completely overcome the tree underneath it and now appears to be a tree in its own right.

It’s beautiful, perfect for this time of year when Corfu is in full bloom and ready for the Easter celebrations.
Sarah

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Palm Sunday in Corfu Town

Balmy weather tempted crowds of people into Corfu Town to watch the annual procession of bands, schools and priests. It never ceases to amaze us how very many bands there are, from villages far and wide, each in their different coloured uniforms and carrying their incredibly shiny brass instruments (though there was one very battered trombone that had seen better days!).

I believe that this is one of the longest outings for our patron saint - Spiridon, after whom a hefty percentage of children are named (Spiros for the boys and Spiridoula for the girls).

The photo shows Aghios Spiridon in pride of place amidst the mass of priests. 

Holy Week begins, with the atmosphere slowly building towards its triumphal climax on Easter Saturday - there will be church services every day, and a selection of concerts throughout the week.
Susan

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We all love Greece

It's not that we need to be shown what it is that we love about Greece, but this selection of photographs that is doing the rounds of the internet certainly helps to remind us!
Susan

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Dogs in Corfu

My friend Joy, who lives even further up the mountain than I do - in Spring and Autumn her village is often swathed in low-lying cloud - made a very keen observation recently: "In Corfu you very rarely get to CHOOSE your dog".

Recently this has been very much brought home to us in our own olive grove location in Corfu. When our elderly medium sized poodle cross (known as labradoodles in posh areas, I believe) died a couple of years ago we made a decision not to have another dog, though it took a while getting used to the lack of muddy pawprints on the outside terrace and the complete silence throughout the night. I did look from time to time at websites offering dogs for adoption, always focusing on woolly dogs because that is what I would choose if we were to get another one. 

Last Autumn a large black dog trailing a length of severed rope turned up outside the gate of our nearest neighbour. We drove past him several times before it became obvious that he was not being fed and was looking more and more miserable. Eventually he trailed up to our house and "got into conversation" with Periklis who was working in the garden. I thought I was the doggy one of the two of us, but from that day onwards Boobis has been in residence at Daltas Towers. Needless to say anything less like a poodle would be hard to find - short haired and enormous, he more resembles a small horse than the fluffy dog I would have chosen!

Around Christmas time we had an invasion! Five cats and three large puppies arrived in one fell swoop and took over the garden. Every single window and doorway seemed to have a starving animal queuing outside, and woe betide us if we left the smallest opening - they would be INSIDE. To cut a long story short, with the help of Facebook we managed to home two of the puppies, two cats disappeared and we now have another even shorter haired black dog keeping company with the first - and three more cats!
Susan

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Rural Car Park

Well, this certainly beats the 'Pay and Display' or multi-storey car parks in the UK! A sign behind one of our favourite bakeries in Acharavi (great coffee too!) directed us to Free Parking. In amongst the olive groves, surrounded by wild flowers and with baby goats skipping around, it has to be the prettiest car park I've ever not paid in!
Sarah

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What better way to show off Greece?

This website caught my eye the other day and as you scroll through the photos you realise what an amazingly beautiful and diverse country we live in. It might drive us crazy occasionally, and after all the past economic problems we tend to forget the good points, but as you look at the photos you realise why people come here year after year on holiday and why so many want to move here permanently. It almost makes me forgive the potholes in the roads!

Diana

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As usual, where is Greece?

Law 4146, passed last year, provides for the issue of a five-year Greek residence permit to non-EU nationals who own properties valued at 250,000 euros or more or have signed contracts for a lease of at least a decade for hotels or other types of tourism accommodation valued at the same amount. The permit can be renewed for another five years and also covers family members. Such permits have already been issued to Chinese, US and Canadian nationals, as well as Russians and Ukrainians'.

This permit has been available since last year in Greece. It has also been available in other countries such as Portugal (with a higher threshold amount) and yet if you look through the various property portals such as Rightmove they extol the advantages of 'the Portuguese Golden Visa' with not a mention of Greece.

A similar situation occurs regularly in tourism - a recent airline advert in the UK says 'Spain or Turkey' and a listing of places recommended to buy property, where you would actually like to live again does not even mention Greece.  I know we have our problems, doesn't everywhere, but that seems ridiculous given the number of people who do want to buy here.

Are we the worst country in the world at publicising the advantages of our country? Tourist Board - what tourist board?
Diana

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Spring in Corfu

I love driving home from work watching the seasons change - almond blossom is now in bloom and the bright yellow of acacia trees brightens the landscape. Smoke lazily rises from the chimney pots of the villages I drive past and bonfires burn here and there as the local farmers prepare their land for planting spring vegetables. It is wonderful to be able to watch the smoke without the fear that we all feel in the summer when smoke only means one thing - a forest fire with the potential to cause a huge amount of damage.
Susan

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Spring is on the way!

I wish that I could write an audio blog. Just been out on the upstairs terrace before going to bed, and there is a light breeze blowing a faint scent of wood smoke and hyacinth, a squashed moon on the wane, and the most amazing background buzz of hundreds of frogs way down in the valley below. This morning our alpha male dog was getting frisky with the newly acquired stray - even though he is male too, the almond trees are in full blossom and the days are growing longer.

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Corfu acquires new territory

Many of our clients ask us not only to find properties to buy, but also to make recommendations for properties for them to rent for their holidays. We also we have holiday villas which we advertise for rental. One of the major holiday rental sites allows you to search by area, so for one of our clients I searched Agios Stefanos and came up with this. And this one in Kassiopi. The only problem with them is that they are both actually in Albania.

I am sure they are very nice, but when I think how often our own clients get confused about locations, it does make me wonder if anyone not familiar with Corfu takes advantage of a bargain price and finds that they are not exactly where they thought they would be!

Diana

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Spot the owl

I'm definitely never going to make a wildlife photographer, but believe me, on the lower branch on the left of the olive tree is an owl.

Walking around the garden I noticed some owl pellets under the tree and looking carefully up I spotted the one owl in my photo. What I didn't realise was that there were about fifteen more of his family in the tree too, who flew away in all directions far too fast for a photo.

The owl definitely had ears which were quite noticeable, so I think it was either a Scops or a Long Eared owl; I will look more closely next time I'm near that tree.
Sarah

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It's the price that sells a house!

Posted the link to this article, from REALTY TIMES, on our Corfuhomefinders Facebook page, but think it really deserves to be printed out in full. It is so very true ...

IT'S THE PRICE THAT SELLS A HOUSE!

You've heard the old saying - "Location, location, location."

The real truth is "Location, condition, and price." And price trumps every other factor.

Location affects the value of a home, but it's price that sells a home.

Oceanfront, mountainside, or penthouse, the most desirable location in the world won't sell at the wrong price.

Every property has a potential buyer, but like rock, paper, scissors, it's sometimes hard to know which factor is going to win the showdown.

A good location will sell at a fair price. A bad location will sell at a fair price, too. It just won't be as a high as it would be for a good location. 

A home in good condition will sell for a fair price. A home in poor condition will also sell at a fair price. Again, it won't be as high as a comparable home in better condition.

But neither location or condition will sell any house. Only one thing does that - price.

So if you're a seller waiting for that "special buyer" who will appreciate your faded pink and black bathroom tile, your vintage orange shag carpet and is willing to help you put your kids through college because of your real estate prowess, you're going to have a long wait.

So if your home is represented by an agent, and it's been on the market for a long time, chances are it's your own fault.

Maybe you didn't listen to your agent when he said you're pricing your home above the market. Maybe you got mad at the first few folks who looked at your home and didn't make offers.

When the showings stopped completely, maybe you accused your agent of not doing a good enough job.

You put the blame on everyone except where it belongs - on you. It's not about you, what you want, or how much you need for your retirement.

It's about the price.
Susan

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Mimosa

I always reckon that January is the most miserable month here in Corfu, we seem to enter the greyest, dreariest time of the year. However, there is one bright flash of colour, as the mimosa trees begin to come into blossom. With their acid yellow fluffy blooms , they light up the grey days.
Sarah

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Well, now it really is time for the New Year to begin!

One of the things I have always loved about Greece is the way Christmas doesn't end on Boxing Day. Carol singing carries on into the New Year, St. Stephens Day (especially if you know a Stefanos) is a big celebration, then New Year's Eve, with its very own exclusive carol, and New Years Day when Father Christmas (St. Basil), visits bearing gifts. As a triumphant conclusion there is the celebration for Epiphany (Ta Fota). On the eve, there is a final carol to be sung, and on Epiphany Day, January 6th, a gilded cross is thrown into the sea for eager swimmers to "rescue" (though it is attached firmly to the priest's wrist on a rope or chain).

This year we had a lunch party on 12th Night, and finished off in style in the village church on the morning of Epiphany before going home, clutching our bottle of holy water, to take down all the Christmas decorations and really get back into working mode.
Susan

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