Greek Property Due Diligence Checklist for Overseas Buyers
Greek property due diligence is where overseas buyers protect the deal. The aim is not to make the process slow. It is to discover title, planning, tax, use and building issues while the buyer still has leverage.
This checklist was reviewed on 19 May 2026. It is a working guide for buyer conversations with lawyers, notaries, engineers and accountants.
1. Confirm title and seller authority
Your lawyer should confirm who owns the property, whether the seller has authority to sell, and whether the title chain is clean. They should also check for mortgages, claims, seizures, easements, rights of way or other encumbrances.
The Ministry of Migration and Asylum's Golden Visa document list specifically refers to a certificate of encumbrance from the land registry or national cadastre agency. Even outside a Golden Visa purchase, that kind of check is central to risk control.
2. Check cadastre and boundaries
The legal property description, cadastral record, floor area, land boundaries and physical property should match. Mismatches can affect valuation, renovation, resale and registration.
For land, villas and rural homes, pay attention to road access, buildability, forest or coastal restrictions, archaeological zones, shared access and utility rights.
3. Review permits and unauthorised works
An engineer should review building permits, floor plans, planning use, energy certificate, declared areas and any regularisation of unauthorised works. Renovated listings can still have old compliance problems hidden behind new finishes.
If you plan to renovate, add a second layer of review: what can be changed legally, what approvals are needed, how long they may take, and whether the budget includes professional fees and contingencies.
4. Test the rental and use assumptions
Do not assume that a property can be used for short-term rental, student rental, commercial use or Golden Visa purposes. Local rules, building rules, co-owner restrictions, licensing requirements and Golden Visa limitations can all change the business case.
If rental income matters, ask for comparable achieved rents, not only advertised rents. Then stress-test vacancy, management fees, maintenance, cleaning, utilities, tax and seasonality.
5. Inspect practical ownership costs
- Building common expenses and reserve-fund needs.
- Utility connection status and arrears.
- Insurance availability and cost.
- Structural condition, damp, seismic upgrades, roof, plumbing and electrical systems.
- Heating, cooling, energy performance and summer operating costs.
- Access, parking, storage, noise, neighbouring uses and future works nearby.
6. Confirm tax and closing mechanics
The buyer should understand the transfer-tax calculation, payment timing, notary process, registration fees, E9 filing, ENFIA obligations and accountant role before the final deed is signed. AADE's non-resident tax guide states that transfer tax is paid before drawing up the transfer contract.
Stop signs before exchange or completion
- Seller pressure to pay before basic legal checks are complete.
- Missing permits, unclear regularisation or unexplained floor-area differences.
- A rental yield forecast with no evidence of achieved income.
- Golden Visa claims that have not been confirmed in writing by an immigration lawyer.
- Unclear access, boundary or co-ownership arrangements.
Practical next move
Create a due-diligence tracker with one owner for each workstream: lawyer, notary, engineer, accountant, bank, broker and buyer. Do not release the main deposit or move to final signing until each critical item is marked complete or accepted in writing.
