There are a number of things that you need to consider before you get carried away with the idea of building your dream home on the shores of the Mediterranean.
Article written by The Overseas Guides Company
This week we speak to Carol Dunning of the GreeceBuyingGuide.com who gave us a few tips on steps to take…
- First things first, you need to know that Greece does not have a comprehensive land registry although they are in the process of putting one together. This means that once you have found a plot that you would like to build on, you need to seek out the services of a reputable and independent property lawyer. When I say independent – I mean make sure that they are not affiliated in any way with the vendor. This way, you know that they have only your best interests at heart.
- Your lawyer will ensure that you obtain the title deeds of ownership, the relevant certificates from the land registry and that no third party has any rights over the land. It is also worth noting that if the land has trees, you need to find out if you own them. Over the years, trees (especially olive trees) may have been owned by scores of people. You can either offer to buy them or gain permission to have them removed.
- Before you buy the land, check its size with the architect who you plan to have build your house. There have been cases of vendors misrepresenting the size of the plot leaving the buyers unable to proceed with their plans. This is outside of the remit of your lawyer so make sure you have it confirmed before you assign anything.
- Building permission must be obtained and only fully qualified registered architects or engineers are allowed to apply for building permits. It would be wise to write into your purchase agreement that if building permission is not granted due to some misrepresentation on the part of the vendor the sale is null and void.
These are just some of the things that you need to consider when buying land to build on in the Dodecanese Islands in Greece. We recommend contact an independent lawyer for more information.
To browse properties in Greece, visit the listings on Rightmove Overseas. One way to save money when buying property in Greece or living there is to use a currency specialist like Smart Currency Exchange when transferring your pounds into euros. For more information on this, visit the Currency Zone.
To understand the full step-by-step process to buying a property in Greece, collect The Overseas Guides Company’s ‘Greece Property Buying Guide’
The views and comments herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Rightmove Overseas, Rightmove Group Ltd or Rightmove Plc