Steps to buy a house in Greece

Greece, the land of gods and scholars, fascinates with its Mediterranean climate, excellent wines and the cheerful lifestyle of its inhabitants. For many, buying a house in Greece is a real dream.

If you are considering purchasing a property in this beautiful country, here are some useful tips for you.

Requirements for buying a house in Greece

Article 17 of the Greek Constitution provides special protection for private property, especially for real estate. In principle, any person, both domestic and foreign, can become the owner of real estate in Greece, whether a natural or legal person. However, the law does not allow foreigners to buy or rent real estate in certain legally defined border areas. These areas also include places that geographically have no direct border with another state.

The reasons for these restrictions may vary, for example due to the privilege of the state or the location of the property in a border or landscape zone. Please note that land in Greece is not registered in a land registry; instead, the property is verified by a plan (topography) signed by an engineer. It is also important to check a certificate from the competent authority (Poleodomia) in advance, especially for plots outside urban areas.

How do I find a suitable house in Greece?

In Greece, there is no association of real estate agents. It is therefore advisable to contact Makelaardij Greek directly. Please note: as in other countries, there are also less reliable real estate agents active in Greece. It is therefore important to verify the professionalism of your real estate agent.

Notaries do not play a role in mediation in Greece. If you choose to use an estate agent for your search, you can expect a commission of approximately two to three percent of the purchase price. Many national Dutch newspapers have a section for international real estate, where you can also find offers for Greek properties. In addition, regional Greek newspapers contain real estate offers from the region in question. Here, for example, you can find houses on Crete.

Building permit

Before you buy a building plot, it is important to check whether you can actually build a house on it. If the plot is at least 4,000 square meters and is located on a public road, the government usually allows building outside the built-up area. On locations that are in forest or nature reserves or near archaeological sites, no building permit will be granted.

Since the land in Greece is not officially registered, only a site plan is available for inspection (topography).

Development and prices of houses in Greece

If you decide to build on undeveloped land, it is important to think about the necessary infrastructure such as electricity and water. Plots of land in a city or village usually have the most facilities. If your property is outside the zoning plan, the owner must provide electricity, water and telephone connections. In addition, if your property borders the sea, there must usually be a 30-metre-wide strip of beach open to the public.

Real estate prices in Greece fluctuate greatly.

Notarial purchase agreement

To purchase a property or land in Greece, there are several steps you need to follow:

Concluding a notarial purchase agreement
A business agreement on the transfer of ownership
Registration in the land registry
The notary who ratifies the purchase contract does not offer advice. It is therefore essential to engage a lawyer to draw up and execute the purchase agreement. He or she can help you with important questions such as: was the seller’s property acquired in a legally correct manner?

In Greece, registration in the country registry does not guarantee that the seller is actually the owner. The registration is kept at the personal level and there is no public supervision of these registrations. This means that you cannot blindly trust the correctness of the registrations in the land registry. The proper acquisition of ownership or other real rights is excluded under Greek law. Therefore, it is important that the competent registry checks the transfer of ownership in the last 20 years, as well as any registrations, encumbrances or seizures (Greek: Ola ta pistopiitika Metagrafis, Hypothikon, Waron, Diekdikiseon, Kataschesseon).

If there is a building permit for your home that has been confirmed by the building authorities, the following applies:

Also have the country registry check whether there are any registered encumbrances, encumbrances or seizures.
Is there a building permit for your property that has been confirmed by the building authorities? Can an undeveloped property really be built on? Is there a certificate from the competent authority (Poleodomia)?

What should you pay attention to when buying land?

Caution is particularly advised in the case of plots outside the urban development plan, for example because the plot in question is characterized as a forest area or in a so-called border zone, where purchase is only possible with a special state permit. In addition, you are normally only allowed to build on your property far away from the city or village if the plot is at least 2,000 square meters in size and is located on a public road. Inquire about the conditions before you proceed with the purchase.

After the legal inspection of the property, a notarial contract is concluded with the buyer. The draft is drawn up by the lawyer who has been commissioned. The transfer of ownership rights is only valid if you are registered in the land registry (the so-called transcription book) of the district where the property is located. Here, the notarial copy of the purchase agreement is deposited under a registration number. For questions about buying a house in Greece, you can also look at our FAQ section.