Find a property to buy in Crete

It is difficult to find an overseas property when you live far away. Apart from finding the right property in the right location at the right price, there are legal and planning checks to be made, local laws and languages to be understood, and negotiations to be carried out. We remove the stress of finding your perfect home, by providing you with a list of suitable properties, taking you to view them, and making sure that your chosen property is legal and suitable for your purposes and budget.

Property portfolio

We maintain a portfolio of properties for sale that we have personally inspected, and negotiated a fair price with the vendors. As far as reasonably possible, we have satisfied ourselves that:

  • it would be a viable proposition to build or renovate
  • access, water and electricity are available
  • planning permission to build or renovate would be granted
  • we can provide a rough estimate of costs
  • the vendor has clean title

We are constantly being approached by local vendors to sell their properties, so our portfolio list is updated frequently. However, if we do not currently have a suitable property, clients can send us their requirements with our Contact page and we will start looking on their behalf.

Property search

Having received Contact page information from you, we will carry out an initial search based on properties we have in our portfolio, then email details to you. We will also alert our network of local contacts to look for suitable properties. If we feel we need further information, or that the requirements are unrealistic, we will discuss them with you.

Once registered via our Contact page, you will automatically be informed via email of all properties added to our website.

Property tours

Our clients have told us that some estate agents do not take them to view properties … they are expected to make their own way to the appropriate village, ask for the key and find the property! This is fine if you know the area well, can speak Greek, and can find an irregular piece of land or old house sometimes located in the middle of nowhere. But we believe this is an unsatisfactory way to view properties.

Where we have found suitable properties for clients to inspect, we provide a personal guided tour of the properties, as we believe this is the only way for clients to learn about the area, the properties and the buying process. We personally:

  • take our clients to each of the selected properties;
  • provide a list of the properties with relevant information as a useful aide-memoire later;
  • highlight the benefits, likely costs and any potential problems at each property;
  • provide information about the area in general;
  • provide information about the buying, design and building phases.

Negotiation

It is fairly common for clients (or vendors), to check or change what’s being bought (or sold). For example:

  • extra land or outbuildings may be available
  • a better access route may be available
  • an olive grove could possibly be included
  • a topographical plan may not be available
  • the property dimensions may not be exactly as described in the title
  • clients may want a structural survey and/or estimated repair costs

We can negotiate and arrange for technical investigations to be carried out prior to purchase, to achieve a satisfactory outcome to both parties.

Planning rules

Outside village limits

Electricity usually nearby?

Check

Forestry approval required?

Yes

Shared development permitted?

No

Outside the defined village limits, you must have a minimum of 4,000m2 land before you can build, up to a maximum of 200m2. You must also have 45 metres frontage onto a road, and in general have to build 15 metres from the boundaries - so be careful about the shape of any intended plot. If you cannot build at least 15 metres from the boundaries, you may be able to obtain an exemption whereby this is reduced to 7.5 metres, however some extra restrictions then apply. Planning rules make it difficult to sub-divide larger plots, e.g. 8,000m2 or 12,000m2.