Konstantinos Angloupas

Nine checks turn a Greek luxury purchase into a smooth, well-governed transaction, and each one is completed before signing. Greece Sotheby’s International Realty has guided international buyers through this sequence since 2016, and the guide below sets out each check, who performs it and what it confirms, so that buyers commit with the complete file in hand.

1. Planning legality: the building matches its permit

An independent engineer compares the building on the plot, including pools, terraces, boundary walls and outbuildings, with the permitted plans and issues the certificate of planning legality. Every transfer carries the Electronic Building Identity. Any regularisation under Law 4495/2017 is completed ahead of the deed, with the cost allocated in the preliminary agreement, and a regularised property also supports the buyer’s financing, because lenders lend against it.

2. Clean title: the register confirms the seller’s right

The buyer’s lawyer searches the Land Registry and the Hellenic Cadastre for mortgages, prenotations, easements and court attachments, and traces the chain of title far enough back to confirm that the seller holds the right being sold, including after inheritance or co-ownership. Every mortgage and prenotation is discharged before transfer, and the notary executes the deed on the file that the lawyers assemble.

3. Land classification: the plot’s permitted use is confirmed

Forest characterisation, coastal setbacks, archaeological sites and Natura 2000 designations define what a buyer may build, extend or keep. On islands and rural plots, the lawyer obtains a Forestry Service certificate confirming that the land lies outside forest classification and checks for pending characterisation proceedings. Properties in border areas under Law 1892/1990 receive committee approval for buyers from outside the EU and EEA, which adds three to six months and runs in parallel with due diligence.

4. Representation: the buyer’s own lawyer

The buyer appoints a lawyer who works exclusively for the buyer, while the notary acts for both parties alike. The brokerage brings the property, holds the negotiation and coordinates every professional to one completion date, and the title and planning checks belong to the buyer’s lawyer. For non-residents, a notarised and apostilled power of attorney lets that lawyer sign the preliminary agreement, pay the transfer tax and attend the deed, so a single visit to choose the property is enough. The full sequence is set out in The Legal Steps to Buying a Luxury Property in Greece, From Offer to Registered Title.

5. Budget: the complete cost of acquisition

The total cost of acquisition comprises the price, transfer tax of 3.09% of the higher of the price and the objective value, notary fees of roughly 1% to 1.5% plus VAT, Cadastre registration of about 0.5%, and the lawyer’s and engineer’s fees. New-build homes sold while the VAT suspension runs, currently to 31 December 2026, pay the same 3.09% in place of 24% VAT. The government has announced a 15% rate for buyers from outside the EU and EEA, expected from mid-2027 once legislated, and a deed signed before the effective date pays the current rate. A written cost schedule from the lawyer, requested before the offer, sets the budget, including the annual ENFIA and the tax on any Greek rental income.

6. Rental plan: the letting rules for the exact address

A yield projection starts from the rules that apply to the specific property. Short-term letting runs on a registration number (AMA) from the tax authority, displayed on every listing, together with civil liability insurance from a licensed Greek insurer. New registrations are suspended in saturated central areas of Athens and Thessaloniki, and a registration attaches to the owner, so the lawyer confirms the licence position of any apartment before the offer. Golden Visa properties are let long term, and Greek rental income is taxed in bands from 15% to 45%.

7. Off-plan: the developer’s record and a protective contract

An off-plan purchase follows the construction schedule, with staged payments against a notarial preliminary agreement. Bank guarantees on deposits are not customary in the Greek market, so the developer’s name and record of completed projects carry the buyer’s confidence. The lawyer reviews the developer’s company filings, delivered projects and financing, and buyers visit completed developments. The contract adds a valid building permit issued for the specific development before the first payment, a completion date with a longstop date and agreed consequences for delay, and a written specification of finishes.

8. Payment: clear terms and a prepared file

A reservation deposit of 5% to 10% is customary, and the preliminary agreement sets what happens on default: under a notarial preliminary agreement the deposit is forfeited or doubled. The deposit follows the lawyer’s review of the title. The whole price passes through a Greek bank account by transfer or banker’s cheque, since cash payment for property has been prohibited since December 2023. Buyers who assemble the evidence of their source of funds early, such as sale contracts and account statements, keep the bank and the notary on the agreed date. The financing routes are compared in How to Finance a Villa Purchase in Greece.

9. Pricing and residence: comparables and thresholds confirmed

Luxury properties trade on a small number of comparable sales, so buyers request recent sales in the same area and price band, and ask whether suitable homes are offered privately, since those never reach the portals. For Golden Visa buyers, the threshold depends on location: since March 2024, €800,000 in Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and islands with more than 3,100 residents, and €400,000 elsewhere, for a property of at least 120 square metres. The buyer’s lawyer confirms the figure in force on the day of the offer. Eligibility rules are covered in Can Foreigners Buy Property in Greece? and the tax regime for new residents in Greece’s Non-Dom Tax Regime.

Before you sign: the checklist

The lawyer conducts the searches, the notary executes the deed, the engineer certifies the building, and the brokerage coordinates every party to one completion date.

  • Engineer’s planning-legality certificate and Electronic Building Identity received
  • Land Registry and Cadastre search completed by the buyer’s own lawyer, mortgages and prenotations discharged
  • Forestry certificate and border-area check completed where the plot requires them
  • Power of attorney in place for non-resident buyers
  • Written cost schedule: transfer tax, notary, registration, lawyer, engineer, ENFIA
  • Rental plan checked against registration, insurance and local rules
  • Off-plan: developer’s record of completed projects reviewed, building permit, completion and longstop dates, specification attached
  • Source-of-funds file ready, deposit paid after the title review
  • Golden Visa threshold confirmed on the offer date, where relevant

Frequently asked questions

What are the most important checks when buying luxury real estate in Greece? Planning legality, clean title, land classification, the buyer’s own lawyer, a complete budget, the letting rules, contractual protection for off-plan and clear payment terms. A lawyer, an engineer and a written cost schedule complete each check before the deed.

What should I prioritize when buying high-end property? Title, planning legality and the written cost schedule, in that order, because they decide whether the deed can be signed and what the property costs in total.

How do I shortlist potential luxury property investments? Start from the letting and residence rules for each specific property, then compare recent sales in the same area and price band.

Do luxury villa agencies differ in service quality? Yes. Buyers compare recent sales in their area and price band, the marketing plan, access to privately offered homes and the named broker who will coordinate the lawyers, notary and engineer.

Is off-plan villa buying advisable in Greece? It suits buyers who choose a developer with a strong record of completed projects and secure a valid building permit, a longstop completion date and a written specification before the first payment.

Figures as of October 2026. This guide is a general guideline and is not legal advice. Prospective buyers obtain professional legal advice from a reputable Greek law firm before any commitment, and the buyer’s own lawyer and notary confirm each step.