Buying Property In Greece As A Foreigner: What You Need To Check Before You Pay A Deposit

You have found the house you love. The location is right, the view is right and you can already picture yourself renovating the kitchen or sitting on the terrace.

Then comes the question: should you put down a deposit?

This is often the point where it is worth slowing down rather than rushing ahead. The problems buyers discover later are rarely about the price of the property itself. They are more often about what was signed, what was not checked and when money changed hands.

The good news is that most of these issues can be identified before a buyer commits.

 

 

When buying a property, everyone involved has a different role.

The seller wants to sell. The estate agent wants the transaction to go ahead. A developer has their own interests in the project.

The buyer's lawyer has a different responsibility: to look at the transaction from the buyer's side and make sure they understand exactly what they are purchasing before they commit.

For international buyers, Nikos Paterakis, Attorney at Law and founder of Paterakis Legal, can provide this independent legal support, checking the property, the seller's ownership, the relevant documents and any agreements the buyer is being asked to sign.

This is particularly important for someone buying from abroad, who may not be familiar with the Greek property system or the way transactions are handled.

The first stage is establishing that the person selling the property actually owns it and has the right to sell it.

This involves checking the title and the property's records at the relevant Land Registry or Cadastre, as well as looking for mortgages, liens, claims and other encumbrances.

The buyer also needs to know whether there are any unresolved inheritance issues or other claims affecting ownership.

Another important question is whether the property has been correctly declared and recorded in the Cadastre.

These checks may sound technical, but they answer a very simple question: are you actually buying what you think you are buying?

Legal checks are only half of the picture.

A technical inspection looks at the physical and planning status of the property. Nikos works with engineers who can examine issues such as unauthorised alterations, building permits and planning compliance, as well as the property's electronic building identity.

This becomes particularly important if you are buying a house with plans to renovate it.

A beautiful old property may have an extension, enclosed balcony or other alteration that was never properly authorised. If you discover that after buying the property, the renovation you had planned may not be possible in the way you expected.

This is exactly the kind of problem that is much easier to deal with before money changes hands.

A foreign buyer also needs to take care of several administrative steps before the purchase can be completed.

A Greek tax number is required before signing the purchase deed, and this can be arranged in advance.

Transfer tax is paid before the notarial deed is signed, while the seller needs to provide the relevant tax and insurance clearance certificates and other documents required for the transaction.

The seller's paperwork can sometimes take time to gather, which is another reason not to assume that a property can be completed immediately simply because both sides have agreed on a price.

If you have already found a property in Greece and are considering paying a deposit, Nikos Paterakis can help you understand what should be checked before you commit.

You can contact Nikos at info@paterakislegal.com or +30 694 760 1994 (WhatsApp & Viber), or connect with him on LinkedIn.

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There is also a tax change that prospective buyers from outside the EU and EEA should be aware of.

In September 2026, the Greek government announced a proposed increase in the property transfer tax on residential property purchased by individuals who are citizens of countries outside the EU and EEA. The rate would rise from 3% to 15% from 1 July 2027. Including the municipal surcharge, the effective burden would move from 3.09% to 15.45%.

The proposal is aimed at residential property purchased by individuals. As currently announced, commercial properties, land and purchases through companies would remain outside this particular increase, while ethnic Greeks and holders of long-term resident status are among the categories identified for exemption. A residence permit such as the Golden Visa is not the same thing as long-term resident status and would not, by itself, create that exemption.

There is an important qualification, however: at the time of writing, this is an announcement rather than enacted law. The final legislation could change the scope, exemptions or timing.

For a buyer considering a purchase before July 2027, that makes timing worth discussing. A purchase completed before the proposed start date would be subject to the current rate, assuming the measure ultimately takes effect as announced.

But that does not mean everyone should rush to buy.

If a purchase was already part of your plans, it makes sense to understand how the proposed change could affect you. If you were not planning to buy yet, however, the existence of a proposed tax increase is not in itself a reason to purchase a property before you are ready.

On a €400,000 property, the current and the proposed rate would be €48,000, or around €49,400 including the municipal surcharge, which is why the question deserves a proper calculation rather than a rumour or headline. 

 

One of the easiest mistakes to make is also one of the most difficult to undo.

A buyer sees the perfect house, worries that somebody else will take it and agrees to pay a deposit immediately.

The problem is that a deposit or preliminary agreement can bind the buyer before they know what they are actually buying.

Ideally, the legal and technical checks should come first. Any deposit should be properly documented and the terms should clearly address what happens if the necessary checks reveal a problem.

Signing something simply because the seller or agent says that it is “standard” is not a substitute for having your own lawyer review it.

 

Property sales in Greece are completed before a notary, who prepares and certifies the purchase deed.

The notary is a neutral professional in the transaction.

The buyer's lawyer has a different role: checking the transaction from the buyer's perspective and making sure that what is being signed reflects what was actually agreed.

For an international buyer, having someone independently review the documents can be particularly useful when the transaction is taking place in a legal system they do not know well.

 

The purchase price is paid through the banking system, and the payment is recorded in the purchase deed.

This provides an important record of the transaction and is also particularly relevant where the property purchase is connected to a Golden Visa application.

The method of payment should therefore be considered part of the legal process rather than simply an administrative detail.

Signing the deed is not quite the end.

The purchase deed needs to be registered with the relevant Cadastre or Land Registry. Other practical matters then follow, including utilities and the buyer's ongoing property-tax obligations.

Registration is an important final step because it records the transfer of ownership.

For someone buying remotely, this is another stage where having the process coordinated locally can make things considerably easier.

Yes, many parts of the process can be handled remotely.

With an appropriate power of attorney, a buyer can authorise someone in Greece to handle various steps on their behalf. This is particularly useful for international buyers who cannot travel to Greece every time a document needs to be signed or an administrative step needs to be completed.

Nikos works with estate agents, notaries and engineers in different parts of Greece, including Athens, Crete, the Cyclades and Northern Greece, allowing the different parts of the transaction to be coordinated while the buyer remains abroad.

 

The most common problems are often avoidable.

Paying a deposit before the property has been checked. The emotional excitement of finding the right house can make it tempting to move quickly, but the checks should come first.

Signing someone else's preliminary agreement without independent advice. A document prepared by the other side may not address the buyer's interests.

Assuming the advertised square metres are the legal square metres. The measurements in a property listing are not necessarily the same as those recorded in the official documents.

Buying a property with unauthorised alterations. This is especially important if your plans involve renovation.

Buying land without checking what can actually be built. Planning restrictions, settlement boundaries, forest maps and protected areas can all affect development potential.

Ignoring the seller's clearance certificates. Missing tax or insurance documentation can delay completion.

Panicking about the proposed 15% transfer tax. The proposed change is significant, but its scope and final form still need to be confirmed through the legislative process.

In one case, a couple had already paid a deposit on a beautiful house before the property had been properly examined.

The technical inspection revealed that alterations to the building had never been legalised.

The couple's main reason for buying the property was to carry out a substantial renovation. The problem was that the renovation they had planned could not lawfully be carried out in the way they had intended.

The issue could have been identified before the deposit was paid.

That is the important point: the earlier these checks happen, the more choices the buyer still has.

Buying a property in Greece can be an exciting step, whether it is a holiday home, an investment or the place where you eventually plan to live.

But the most useful thing a buyer can do is let an independent lawyer and engineer look at the property before any money moves.

At that stage, potential problems can still be identified and decisions can still be changed.

Once a deposit has been paid and documents have been signed, those choices can become much more limited.

If you have found a property in Greece and are ready to take the next step, it may be worth getting in touch with Nikos Paterakis before paying a deposit. He can help coordinate the legal and technical checks and explain what needs to be addressed before you commit to the purchase.

To get in touch, send Nikos a short email explaining where the property is, what stage you have reached and whether anything has already been signed or paid, and he can advise you on the next steps. 

You can contact Nikos at info@paterakislegal.com or +30 694 760 1994 (WhatsApp & Viber), or connect with him on LinkedIn. His office is located at 64 Panepistimiou Street, Athens 106 77, 3rd floor.