Plan a Greek property purchase around title, planning, deposit terms, tax, notarial completion and registration, with separate residence checks.
Editorial author: Karabatsou Legal editorial team. Source-checked with AI-assisted editorial support on .
Legally reviewed by Nadia Karabatsou. Approval of this revision confirmed on . General information only, not advice for an individual case. Our editorial policy.
A Greek property purchase should begin with independent title and technical checks before a binding deposit. The notarial deed, payment, taxes and registration are distinct steps. Buying a home does not by itself give a non-EU buyer permission to live in Greece.
Legal support for property purchase
A clean-looking listing, recent renovation or bank valuation is not a substitute for these checks. If the intended purchase is for investor residence, confirm the qualifying route before the contract is priced or signed.
| Professional | Role to agree |
|---|---|
| Buyer's lawyer | Legal due diligence, contract and authority review, risk advice and representation within the engagement. |
| Notary | The required notarial transaction and legal/documentary formalities within the notary's role. |
| Engineer | Technical and planning assessment, building documentation and condition issues within the agreed scope. |
| Tax adviser/accountant | Tax registration, transaction-specific tax treatment and continuing reporting obligations. |
Ask who represents whom, whether any referral relationship exists and which report each professional will provide. Do not assume the seller's adviser or a broker is protecting the buyer's separate interests.
Confirm the purchaser's identification and tax-registration requirements, the approved signing authority and the payment method before arranging completion. A power of attorney should be drafted for the actual transaction and checked by the professional who will use it.
Signing a notarial deed is not the whole title process. The required registration must be completed with the competent land-registration or cadastral service. Obtain evidence of submission and completion, and check that the recorded property and owner details are correct. Hellenic Cadastre: official property registration services.
If the seller acquired by inheritance, review the succession chain and whether all necessary acts and registrations are complete. The 2026 succession rules can affect an estate sale; use the inheritance guide as a starting point.
Get a transaction-specific budget. Transfer tax or VAT treatment, any relief, assessed values and current temporary measures depend on the facts and law at completion. Avoid applying one percentage to every property. Separate public taxes and registration charges from the lawyer's fee, notarial costs, engineering, translation and any brokerage agreement. AADE: real estate transfer tax.
After purchase, check property declarations, annual property-tax obligations, utilities, insurance and any rental reporting. These are not all completed automatically by the signing appointment.
A non-EU buyer needs a separate lawful basis for a long stay. Only a qualifying investment that meets the applicable immigration requirements may support an investor-residence application. Other buyers may need FIP, work or family residence instead.
Immigration permission, an AFM tax number and tax residence are separate questions. Greek tax residence can depend on a permanent or principal home, habitual abode or centre of vital interests, as well as the statutory presence test. Do not rely on a simple "less than 183 days per calendar year" rule. Check the relevant period, exceptions and any treaty with a tax adviser before moving. AADE: tax residence of natural persons.
For a purchase from abroad, plan what can be delegated and what must be attended personally. Do not send original identity documents or transfer funds in response to changed bank details without independent verification.
Often parts of a purchase can be represented, but the wording, signing authority, legalisation and acceptance by the receiving professionals must be checked.
No. Deposit and reservation terms should be reviewed before payment, including the consequences of failed title or technical checks.
No. The required registration and post-completion checks are separate parts of the transaction.
No. Location, value, property type, use and other route-specific conditions must be established.
Sources checked on 10 October 2026. Read the relevant provision together with amendments and the requirements for your case.
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