Story Time, Final Days in Paradise
This week’s article is dedicated to my late friend Ron and his widowed wife, Maya.
Final Days in Paradise – Story Time
This week, since I heard the news, I have not been in the mood to talk or write about anything else. I debated telling this story a bit, but I want to say what is in my heart and honor the memory of Ron. Ron passed away from cancer this week—very sad news for me, and I cannot imagine how it is for his good-hearted wife Maya. I followed the intimate scattering of his ashes, as his wish was to have them scattered at Lake Tahoe, where he built his house beside the lake and where they got married. Ron was a smart and strong man. I hope he will rest in peace, and I will always remember him as a good friend.
How we met
I met Ron and Maya back in 2021 when they joined an online webinar where we presented an investment deal. We started exchanging emails pretty often, planning for his and his wife Maya’s trip to Cyprus. I started getting to know Ron back then—about his childhood, his first job (which gave him hearing damage), his coffee distribution business, his time sailing, and the passing of his first wife. I also learned a lot about Maya—her upbringing in the Philippines, her building a vacation resort there—and I remember how I admired her entrepreneurial spirit and businesswoman strength.
Ron had a mother who struggled in her final years due to Alzheimer’s, and he took very good care of his health to prevent that for himself. He worked out, ate well, took cutting-edge supplements, and used all the alternative methods to stay in his best shape. He had a chiropractor, used hyperbaric chambers, acupuncture—you name it. Through our initial email exchanges, I started exploring lifestyle options for him in North Cyprus. Some of these things I had never even heard of before. I wasn’t very informed on the wellness spectrum.
I learned a lot from Ron even before I met him face to face. Our emails turned into regular phone calls, and I was able to discover that everything he needed—and more—was already readily available in North Cyprus. His lifestyle could be sustained and even improved, since we were able to find pesticide-free foods, a wider selection of unprocessed food, quality fish, and free-roaming meat. Beyond that, we discovered the northern coast—with the mountains in close proximity to the sea—offered a great variety of outdoor sports: hiking, diving, surfing, and swimming. The warm season in Cyprus stretches year-round, so exploring outdoors is pleasant most of the year. It brought an additional element of time in nature, with fresh air that is excellent not just for physical health but also the number one contributor to a fit mental health. Social interactions are another factor heavily affecting mental fitness, where the widespread use of English proved no challenge in that department here.
Journey To Cyprus
Once we identified that life in North Cyprus was a relatively good fit for Ron and Maya, we started looking for that forever home—one that would give them their happily ever after. Proximity to the beach and the mountainous forests was at the top of our list, so that eliminated some other options and helped us focus. Proximity to the city of Kyrenia was another factor we weighed heavily, so he could travel easily for his daily health procedures—within 5 to 15 minutes.
There were hiccups on their journey here due to Covid regulations, but eventually they got here and we finally met in person. Thus began our ten-day journey of house hunting to turn into their forever home.
We started viewing properties within our budget, in our portfolio, and from other agencies and agents. During a ten-day period, we visited banks, notaries, legal offices, and tackled a lot of paperwork. Toward the end of the trip, one property stood out the most, listed by another local agency. The property seemed amazing—priced very low for its location. It was right on the beach, about 100 meters from the water, a corner lot with one of the biggest land sizes we had seen within our budget. The building was 12 years old, had a private pool, and you could literally hear the sea waves hitting the shore. It all seemed too good to be true. The only downside was the outdated furnishings.
Rejection is Redirection
When we went to see the gardens and the outdoor shed, we noticed some cracks on the outer walls, as well as some on the rooftop terrace floor tiles. We were assured by the agent that it was general wear and tear since the house wasn’t brand new. But one thing we remembered was that we had been told the home was freshly painted, though we didn’t put two and two together at the time.
Another issue was a construction site at the left corner of the home that was blocking the views of the homes along the same line across the road. If the construction were to continue, the home’s views would be completely gone, devaluing the property and taking away most of its charm. We were assured the land there could not be built on by the listing agent.
Further Digging
I checked with the city planning department the next day. It was true that the land where the vendor was building apartment complexes only extended halfway in front of the villa we were viewing. That section was going to be the parking lot for the apartments and would not affect the views, but the trail leading to the beach would be gone. The beach would only be accessible through the main road to the villa—approximately 800 meters. That was not a deal breaker, since our other options were no better within our budget. But the main concern was the lot in front of the other half of the house, which belonged to a different private owner and could very well be built on at any time. That could block half the villa’s views and restrict access to the beach—but still, it wasn’t a deal breaker.
We weighed the pros and cons. It was only two days before Ron and Maya needed to return to the USA, and it was the weekend. We didn’t feel at ease, so we scheduled a last-minute inspector to check the house before releasing any deposit—which, in this case, was about £10,000. The inspector took one look at the exterior and said the cracks were framing the house, following the concrete meeting the columns. That meant nothing to me despite my engineering degree, so he explained that the walls were not securely and properly attached to the columns and foundation—the house was essentially held together with plaster and paint. Being so close to the water meant constant erosion, and even if they painted it every month, the issue would persist until they stripped the plaster bare and meshed the walls and columns back together. That would mean tens of thousands on top of the price of the home and refurbishing.
We Held Back The Deposit
We felt uneasy and did not release the deposit. Ron and Maya returned to their home in the USA. We also began to suspect the building’s age was closer to 20 years rather than the 12 years listed, and the listing price had already been reduced three times in the last two years. Our legal representative kept asking for the title deeds in the meantime, and the other agency representing the seller was unable to provide them for over ten days. That’s when we decided to pull the plug on the deal—leaving us back at ground zero, with broken dreams and disheartened buyers who had spent months researching with me and days touring properties in the summer heat.
We went back to the drawing board and reviewed our other options. There was one other bungalow within budget, but it wasn’t beachside—it was on the mountainside of the dividing highway. It had a smaller lot size and fewer bedrooms. It was a reality check, one we didn’t want to face but were heavily debating, because even that less desirable option was still the most desirable one on the market. That meant it could also be very well sold at any given time.
I happened to close a few other sales that week with a vendor/developer with other customers. That meant seeing them every day and every night. In a casual conversation, I mentioned the struggle we were having. The villas we had seen from this vendor while Ron and Maya were in Cyprus were way out of our budget—they were just breaking ground, brand-new homes on excellent waterfront lots with actual unobstructed (and permanently unobstructable) views, pool, three bedrooms, and terraces.
Happily Ever After
The developer called me back two days later and told me how much they could reduce the price to help out, since we had done so many deals over time and recently. I then went ahead and further reduced our commission to bring the price just over the comfortable budget. Once I told Ron and Maya, they were beyond pleased—and we closed in no time.
It showed me that when something doesn’t work, and many things go wrong, it’s for a reason—and often a good one. I believe in divine intervention, and I was so happy to have been part of what felt like a very challenging dream that came true.
Sadly, between closing and construction delivery—which was a year later—Ron found out he had cancer. He wanted to avoid chemo at all costs, and it was a devastating time. He tried other methods of treatment. In the interim, I met Maya a few times when she came back to decorate. She stayed at one of my rentals, and we got to spend more time together. Before things got too bad for Ron, they decided to move to their home to spend his final years living his dream by the ocean.
Fullfilled Dreams
I was happy to follow along on their journey, and also happy that he got to spend his final few years at his dream home, living his dream life with his beloved wife, Maya here in Cyprus. I spoke with Maya a week before Ron’s passing—it was a difficult time, as it always is. Maya was brave and strong and was always there for Ron. Then, a few days ago, I heard he passed. Maya fulfilled his wishes and scattered his ashes where they got married. Ron’s story was a beautiful one, one that will live on for me with Maya. I am so happy to be doing the job that I do, bringing such great people into my life and giving me the chance to make even a small impact in theirs.
Dear Ron, may you rest in eternal peace. I hope you enjoyed your final years in your dream home by the ocean and that your dreams were fulfilled. You lived an honorable life, and your memories will be cherished by your sons and your pure-hearted wife, Maya.
Love,
Soylem Coli
