Buying land in Greece

Building the home of your dreams starts with buying land in Greece. Few countries offer as many beautiful plots and views as Greece. Read here how to buy land in Greece and what to look out for.
Not everyone wants to buy an existing home in Greece. More and more buyers are considering buying a plot of land and building their own home. It means that they can have the house built to their own design and wishes. There is a huge choice of land available in Greece. There really is a plot for sale for everyone, regardless of the view, the environment or the budget.

Buying Land in Greece: Where to Start

Estate agents in Greece offer both land and existing properties. Many clients of Real Estate Greece ask us to find a piece of land in a certain region to build a house on.
The procedure for buying land in Greece starts with a good estate agent. They should be able to show you a wide selection, taking into account your wishes for the type of plot you are looking for. Whether it is rural or by the sea, flat or in the mountains, Real Estate Greece will search for the ‘perfect’ piece of land that suits your wishes.

Legal rules for buying land in Greece

Once the country in Greece has been selected, you will appoint a solicitor to act on your behalf and carry out the survey. They will in turn appoint an engineer. These two parties will establish 6 key facts:
1. the land titles,
2. any financial encumbrances on the land by the seller,
3. the exact size and boundaries of the land,
4. any rights of way,
5. access to the plot, and
6. the height of the land.
All of these factors will affect whether or not the plot qualifies for planning permission. Your solicitor would not allow you to purchase a plot of land that does not qualify for planning permission as this is the main function of their survey.
Generally speaking, land is not sold with existing planning permissions. These are time sensitive and if the permission expires there is a cost to renew it. Furthermore, each permission is for a specific design of the property so any changes that a new owner wishes to make will also incur further costs. This applies even to changing the position of a door or the size of a window.

Land prices Greece

In Greece, land prices vary enormously, from around €30,000 for an inland plot with countryside views to €3,000,000+ for a prime seafront plot with stunning views.

Plots within a planning zone of a city or village

This type of plot allows for a higher percentage of development and lower boundary restrictions than land in rural areas in Greece. For a plot that is within a planning zone, the building regulations will depend on the rules of the specific town/village in which the land is located. Within these zones, a plot of 1,000 square meters will normally allow you to build a house of 400 square meters.
It is possible to build on a plot of less than 1,000 square meters, but this will require further investigation by an engineer. This will often depend on the history of the ownership of the plot. In all cases, the land must have suitable access, which will be determined by the engineer’s topographical survey.
In some village areas, there is a ‘boundary zone’ of 500 meters from the actual urban boundary, where a permit will be issued for a plot of 2,000 square meters.

Plots outside the official built-up area

The basic rule for plots outside a planning area (village/town) is that you need a minimum area of ​​​​4,000 square meters. This would give you a building permit for 200 square meters. Once this has been established, your lawyer/engineer will carry out other checks. Firstly, the land must not be classified as forest. Secondly, it must not be in a nature conservation area (‘Natura’). Thirdly, it must not be in an area of ​​’archaeological’ interest.
All of these guarantees require certificates from the competent authorities and are absolutely essential before you buy the land in Greece. These features can disqualify a plot from being eligible for a building permit. These guarantees are obtained by the engineer and lawyer.
There is also a ‘sub qualification’, if a plot of 2,000 square meters has sufficient frontage to a municipal ‘adoption road’ then it could be eligible for a building permit.

Conclusion buying land in Greece

For any plot of land you wish to build on, the starting point remains the same: find land in Greece through a reputable real estate agent who has the correct information about the land. This is usually a topographical survey and the seller’s title does. Then consult an experienced real estate lawyer to appoint a specialist engineer and oversee the progress of the sale of the land in Greece. If you follow this path, you will be well on your way to the beginning of your dream home in Greece. Read more about building a house in Greece here.