A tax registry number must be issued for the buyer, in order to proceed with any transactions. The tax registry number is applied for and issued by the local tax authority. Our office does this for you.

As buyer you have to appoint a lawyer to assist you with and represent you in the process. Our office can either provide you with a list of reputable real estate lawyers in our region and also a translator for English, German, French or speaking), or immediately assign one for you, subject to your approval.

The buyer must obtain the contract deed (title) held by the seller. It is then the lawyer's obligation to search the title deed at the registry of mortgages. The search must be carried out in order to secure that:

■ The vendor holds the absolute deed of the property.
■ The property is unencumbered.
■ All property taxes burdening the seller have been paid.
■ The construction was completed in accordance to all planning and building permissions.

Thus, only if the title deed is secure should the buyer proceed to contract. If you decided for a property, both parties - you, the buyer, and the seller in person, or the accordingly authorized represents - will sign a private preliminary contract.

With this contract you, the buyer, and the seller confirm that a specified property will be bought / sold within a fixed period for a determined price and that the buyer will make a corresponding down payment within a fixed period.

The preliminary contract can be cancelled, respectively the down payment refunded, only if subsequently some incorrectness in connection with the object of purchase will be proven. Then a attorney as well as a Notary has to be instructed to research and to verify the land register entries.

In addition the tax authorities require of the buyer to prove the financial resources for the purchase and of the seller a property tax declaration. Without these the contract may be avoided.
Also you must have / get a Greek tax payer's account number before the final notarial contract of purchase will be signed. Moreover a topographical chart is required, including the details of outline and measures as well as the names and signatures of the owners of all adjacent plots and, if necessary, the certification that the plot is developable.

The next thing is to pay the property transfer tax to the local tax office, and after all documents, diagrams and clearance certificates are made available by the attorney, the final contract of purchase defined by both parties or their authorized represents can be signed.

Finally the entry in the land register and the issue of an official abstract of title will be made. A copy of the title and the certificate from the Registry of Mortgages, of the property needs to be registered under the buyer's name at the Land registry. However, not all regions of the country have such a registry, as Greece is currently undergoing the process of establishing its Land Registry. In areas that do not yet have a Land Registry, ownership of property is based on and secured by the local Registry of Mortgages.