Buyers and sellers checklist
Photo by Romano Pedetti
Trigono groves website seeks to inform about the practicalities of life in the Methoni area of Messinia, Peloponnese, Greece.When buying property there are many options to choose from: Are you looking for a luxurious villa, a traditional Greek stone house, a convenient bungalow, an easy to build prefabricated home, a modern apartment, an old house to renovate or just some land to gain a toehold for future development? There are advantages and disadvantages to all options and price, location and the speed with which you want to take up residence will all play a part in the decision-making process.
Checklist for buying land in Greece
Visit before buying
Don't underestimate the costs involved in visiting just to look at the area! Winter flights and hotels are cheaper than summer prices and you'll get a better idea of the non-tourist related lifestyle. Many of those who settle in Methoni have come as holiday-makers for many years and already made friends and aquaintances.
- Flights
- Rail Fares
- Buses/Taxis
- Accommodation
- Meals
- Drinks/snacks
- Viewing properties
- Contingencies
Two lives
If you are maintaining your present home and buying land in Greece don't underestimate the running costs and the time and effort involved.
- Running costs of each property
- Communications between countries
- Cost of delegating work in your absence
- Time spent organising
- Time spent traveling
- Ways of problem solving
- Language barriers
Legal and financial issues
- Finding a lawyer
- Finding a Notary Public
- Transferring funds
- Currency fluctuations
- Paying tax
- Utility bills
- Insuarance - including health, transport, property
Maintaining a plot of land
It is much easier to start with a plot of land than a house if you are still maintaining your home and job in your own country. Land without access to facilities is much less expensive than land within the town boundary, though the cost will rise sharply if there is a sea view and imminent prospect of development.For the straightforward maintenance of a grove or uncleared land you need to consider:
- Clearing - access
- Clearing - major works
- Bush and border clearance
- Tree Pruning and maintenance
- Fertilising
- Harvesting
- Tilling
- Transport
- Security
Keeping records and logs
keeping a record of the costs is not something we all think of, but it is necessary for tax purposes and useful for our own planning and evaluation.The most vital record will be the legal ownership of the property and this will be held by the notary public of the town in which you purchase the property. You will have your own certified copy.
Buying and selling procedure
Buying and selling can be easy, but you must be careful, since boundary disputes, ownership complications, and all manner of other difficulties can arise - and this is just for the land, never mind the buildings!
- Hire an interpretor if necessary
- Locate the property - through adverts, word of mouth or an agent
- Check the ownership - single or collective?
- Check the number of decision makers
- Evaluate the property location, boundaries, access and facilities
- Assess the obstacles to any agreement
- Hire a lawyer to act for you on the sale/purchase
- Give legal authority (power of attorney) to a trusted person to act for you if you may be absent
- Pay (buyer) or receive (seller) a binding deposit with agreement for the completion date
- Complete the sale, with lawyers, Notary Public and interpretors present
- Pay any taxes due