Congratulations! You found your dream home in Greece and the buying process has started. Can you return home now? Or should you consider paying the deposit immediately, before returning to your home country? The simple answer is: yes, you should! In Greece the same object can be sold by several brokers and also by the owner himself. Due to the above: serious buyers bring all the necessary documents with them and are willing to pay the deposit immediately.
“The deposit is usually 10% of the final price. You pay the deposit to the broker who is responsible for the object or to the lawyer who represents you. It is completely risk-free to pay the deposit: should any errors be discovered, you will receive twice as much as you have paid in. When the deposit is paid, no one can place a bid or buy your dream property”
A serious buyer or a dreamer?
“Hi, do I speak with Housefinders in the Peloponnese?” is often the first thing I hear when I answer incoming phone calls. After my affirmative answer: “I want you to prepare 5 views with houses located a maximum of 2 km from the beach, for me. And I also want you to send me information on how I can get a mortgage in Greece, about 60% of the purchase price. I’m in Greece for 2 weeks. ” Well, I think, this will not be a short phone call….
“It is difficult, if not impossible, to borrow for house purchases from Greek banks unless you are a Greek citizen and a permanently resident in Greece.”
An, not at all uncommon, example for incoming email: “Hi, I want to move to Greece and buy a house that is close to the sea, with a minimum of 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms and no renovation objects because I am not so handy. My budget is a maximum of 80000 euros. What do you have to offer?”. Okay, I think, there will be many emails back and forth here….
“It is clearly cheaper to buy a house in Greece than in UK, Sweden, Norway or Germany. But houses or apartments that are close to the beach and have rental potential have never and will never fall as much as the properties in large cities. What is the average price? Feel free to check out our published items to get the most up-to-date picture! ”
“I plan to come to Athens in about 6 months and want to spend 1-2 weeks in the areas you work with. I love Greece but so far I have only been to Corfu and Samos. I decided to buy a house on the mainland though. Do not have a super budget but you have to start somewhere, right? How can you help me realize my dreams in the near future? ”. Exciting, I think, a serious buyer visiting!
What documents should you bring if you are a serious buyer?
All our customers come to the Peloponnese well prepared with documents and information about the necessary deposit. It makes it easier to reduce stress for both us, the brokers we work with or the lawyer we always recommend meeting, preferably before the screenings begin if time allows. If you will like the house: you need to open a Greek bank account to transfer the money for the purchase and other costs. To open a greek bank account you need to have with you:
- Copy of your passport
- Document (in English) to certify your residency in your home country (full address)
- A public service bill (electricity, bill etc) to prove your address in your home country
- A statement from your job, to prove your occupation and the address of your work
- A telephone bill to state your telephone number
- If you will buy the property together with your partner, you will need the above mentioned documents for both of you
