One important thing to bear in mind when buying any property…the neighbours. And buying abroad is no different, as TV presenter Natasha Kaplinsky has recently found out!

Natalie and her husband have purchased a 5 bedroom villa on the island of Corfu, much to the dismay of her disappointed and angry new neighbours.

The villa was purchased ‘off-plan’, and now it has been fully constructed, it blocks out the entire view that her neighbours had from their properties. Neighbours have labelled the new building as a ‘monstrosity’ and have complained to the council, the developer, and the Greek ombudsmen, demanding that the part of the building blocking their view is to be demolished.

This is a fine example of things that could go wrong whilst purchasing a property abroad, especially if it has not been fully constructed when you buy it. If you are buying off-plan, then a good idea would be to introduce yourself to your new neighbours as soon as possible and to let them know the plans for the building. This is the best way to avoid upset with the people you will be living next to, and any unwanted and unnecessary stress or argument for either party.

To understand the full step-by-step process to buying a property in Greece, collect The Overseas Guides Company’s ‘Greece Property Buying Guide’