Buying Property in Greece
Services Provided
Karetta Properties & Construction cooperate over 300 real estate officies and construction companies and features over 24,000 properties for sale in Greece and the Greek Islands, including villas, apartments, houses and land.
Whether you are looking for an investment property, a holiday home or property for retirement or relocation purposes Karetta Properties & Construction is the perfect starting point in your search for your property in Greece.
Owning, buying or selling property in Greece is exciting but it is important to have reliable information and advice.
We provide expert help and advice on all property matters in Greece, from buying and selling to renovating.
Our areas of expertise include:
The Buying Process
Buying a land/villa normally progresses very quickly without chains and gazumping.
This means that it is important to have your financing ready before you make
your viewing trip. Otherwise by the time you return home and arrange things your
perfect land/villa may be sold.
You will also need a Greek bank account and currency exchange facility. Help
can be provided with both of these areas if required.
Finding the land/villa
You will be asked to complete a questionnaire to determine what you are looking
for. From the information given by you land/villas that specifically meet your
criteria and your budget will be identified. However, although much can be
achieved over the telephone and the internet you will need to arrange to visit
Zakinthos to ensure that you pick the right land/villa in the right location and have
total confidence in the people that will be working for you.
As part of the process of selecting the land you can choose from an existing
villa design which you can take as it comes or modify to more suit your needs.
Alternatively, you can opt for a villa design totally of your own. Combining the
design stage with the plot selection ensures that the plot will meet your
requirements.
Buying the land/villa
If you decide to buy a land/villa you will first need to find a Greek lawyer
independent of Karetta Properties & Construction to whom you should
consider giving Power of attorney so that he can act on your behalf
without your being present on the island. You will need to attend the
Public Notary’s office in Zakynthos to sign the Power of Attorney.
The document can be limited to allowing your lawyer to act on your behalf
solely in the purchase of your land/villa.
Karetta Properties & Construction can introduce you to an English speaking
Lawyer if you should so wish.
If you buy land a plan of the land signed and stamped by the civil engineer
showing that it is suitable for building purposes will be provided to you and
your lawyer. The lawyer will ensure that there is clear title to the land and that
it is free from encumbrances. Once this is done your lawyer will visit the Public
Notary to obtain the documentation necessary for the tax authority. The tax
authority will determine the value of the property for taxation purposes. All fees
and taxes are based on this valuation which is generally lower than the actual
purchase price.
If you buy villa/business a civil engineer must measure all the constructions that exist
In the land (villa, business, garage, swimming pool, fencing walls, little storage, attics, basement, covered veranda, pergola, location of construction if it is placed correct in the building zone etc etc) compare them with the existing building license ,declare them to the government and receive back a confirmation that all is legal to proceed to the purchase.
If not then the engineer must determine what parts are illegal and what is the penalty to be paid to the government to make all them legal. Then a plan of the land with the villa/business signed and stamped by the civil engineer showing that everything is legal inside the land will be provided to you and your lawyer. The lawyer will ensure that there is clear title to the land/villa and that it is free from encumbrances. Once this is done your lawyer will visit the Public Notary to obtain the documentation necessary for the tax authority. The tax authority will determine the value of the property for taxation purposes. All fees and taxes are based on this valuation which is generally lower than the actual
purchase price.