Most of the guidelines for buying property in your own country hold true when acquiring a home in Crete—with a few extra points specific to this sun-drenched island. Here’s what to look out for:
1. Lucky enough to find land on the coast? You may need official military approval to own part of Greece’s “border” with the rest of the world. As it is all considered “border,” any coastal property in Greece technically requires military approval. In practice, this is a straightforward process and approval is generally not denied unless an area of special sensitivity is involved—for example, if the property has a clear view of a military installation where you could conceivably watch the arrival of military vessels or planes.
2. Location is still key. Don’t choose an area that’s too remote: While you may start with the fantasy of getting away from it all, chances are that, once you settle in, you’ll want to be within a half-hour’s drive of a major town. If you decide to sell, this will be a factor.
3. Romance will cost you. If you want to build a house in the traditional style with traditional materials it will cost about 40% more than a modern-looking home constructed with standard materials and craftsmanship. Kreta Plan, who built the house pictured above, quotes 1,300 euro per square meter (roughly $161 per square foot). Most of these small new-builds run at about 130,000 euro, or roughly $173,000, excluding the land purchase.
4. To find workers who will undertake a renovation or construction job and complete it more or less on time, ask other expatriates in the area who have had a good experience. Locals will often recommend a relative to do the work, but showing up at the same time every day may not be a strong point. It is helpful to remember that local religious festivals, baptisms, funerals, and weddings may take precedence over your own schedule, and it’s rare that any of these will last just a single day.
5. Never give all the construction money in advance. Reputable companies will let you break up the payment, asking for as little as 10% to begin, with additional payments at agreed-upon construction milestones, and a final payment only when you receive the keys to your new home.
6. U.S. citizens can buy property in Greece, but the process is still simpler and quicker for EU citizens. Many sales agents may not have handled a sale to a U.S. citizen and may simply prefer to tell you it can’t be done rather than go to the trouble of figuring out new paperwork. IL
