THE COST OF PROPERTY IN GREECE

Aside from the purchase price of the property, allot about 15% more for the taxes and miscellaneous fees. These include property transfer taxes, which can go up to 11%, legal fees of about 2$, and other small payments such as notary fees and document processing in the land registry office. You may also have to pay a local municipal tax or community tax, which usually amounts to 3% of the purchase tax. Every year you will also pay property taxes for any houses or lots that cost more than 200,000 Euros.

AFM

The AFM is the local term in Greece for tax roll number, given out by the tax offices. Greeks and foreigners who have permanent foreign residence are required to get an AFM.

It is given immediately upon application and is free. You will need to present some documents, such as an ID card if you are an EU citizen, or passports, other valid documents of identification, and residence permits.

OPENING A BANK ACOUNT

In Greece all payments are done in Euros. For your convenience you should go to a Greek bank and set up your own bank account, from which you can disburse the checks and cash. This can be used to pay your legal advice, transfer money and pay bills. It is very easy. In fact, you can ask a foreign exchange brokers to give out large amounts to Greece (the rate and charges depend on the financial institution you approach). It is much easier if you can make direct debits at the bank or make online transfers.

THE PINK SLIP

No, this is isn’t a dismissal slip. In Greece this term refers to wire transfers of money from abroad. Remember you will need to provide justification of the amount of money that you have spent, or else the Greek tax authorities will declare it as unreported income and the buyer will be assessed income tax.

BUYING A HOLIDAY HOME

It’s much easier to buy a home than to rent out homes for months at a time. Holiday homes are hard to book due to the popularity of Greece as a tourist destination, and most areas will only allow rentals of up to three months or more. You will often need to get a licence from the Greek Institute of Tourism.

HOME INSURANCE

If you buy a holiday home it is highly advisable that you ask your real estate agent to refer you to an insurance company, who can protect you in case your property is damaged by fire and storms. However most insurance companies will only allow insurance for theft if you live in your property throughout the year. Another option is to approach companies in UK that can give full third party coverage.

LAWYERS

The Greek word for lawyer is dikigoros. Be sure to get one that speaks English. You can get a list from the British consul. Here is one tip. Because of Greek property law it is more complicated if you buy property that belongs to three family members. Your lawyer can also inform you of other intricacies and conduct necessary title searches.

CIVIL ENGINEERS

Also called Politikos Michanikos, they can help you look at a specific property and see if the property’s boundaries follow what is described in the document. They are also aware of the area’s building restrictions.

There is so much to love about Greece. It is full of great art and fine culture, and is one of the most beautiful cities to vacation in.

Greece is located in the southern tip of the Balkan Peninsula. It is enclosed by the waters on three sides. To the west is the Ionian Sea, to the south is the Meditteranean, and to the east the Aegean sea. The countries of Bulgaria and Turkey lie on the north east, while Albania and Macedonia lie in the northwest and north. Greece itself is composed of many islands.

Athens, the largest city of Greece, is also its capital. Athens is a very famous city. Its architecture is beautiful and the history is amazing. Here philosophers like Socrates, Plato and Aristotle discussed the concepts that would form the backbone of Greek Philosophy, which would influence Western thought for centuries.

The terrain is mountainous with a few rivers, though none can be navigated. The climate is wet during the winter and dry during the summer. The official language is Greek though English and French are also widely spoken. Greek Orthodox Christianity is the dominant religion. The economy is mostly driven by agriculture with major crops being grapes, cotton, tobacco, , wheat, barley, olives, tomatoes, sugar beets, and potatoes. There are some industrialized exports such as tobacco, textiles, chemicals, metal products, construction materials and petroleum refining. However Greece also earns a lot from tourism, as it is a very popular vacation destination. Tourism is a thriving industry in Greece. Tourists from all over the world flock to Greece attracted by its rich history and culture.

The country has 13 administrative regions, which are further divided into 52 departments or nomoi, which are responsible for the local governance. Since 1975 Greece has been a democracy and now has a presidential parliamentary system of government. Similar to the city-state government envisioned by Socrates, the president is elected by parliament for a five-year term. The executive is made up of a premier and a cabinet.

Greek mythology, philosophy, architecture, art—it’s impossible to look at the history of mankind without seeing the influence of this proud and distinguished civilization. Greek has been a dominant force in the development of culture and ideas, and there are so many things that the world owes to its thinkers, artists and philosophers.

The Greek civilization was one of the earliest advanced societies. The Minoans, and later the Mycenaeans, were the ones who established the foundations of the current language. No other country has been able to produce such philosophical, political, and cultural advancements. For example, the Greek arts were very much the inspiration of the Renaissance, and can still be seen in the Art Deco movement. The Greek tragedy and drama was influential in theatre. Greek literature is still studied in schools today, and philosophy owes so much to Plato, Aristotle and the pre-Socratics. Thus, even if Greece is a relatively small country, it is a giant in terms of cultural contributions.

Greece officially carries the name of the Hellenic Republic. It is roughly about 51,000 square miles. The capital, Athens, is the largest city and is both the capital and largest population center with about 3.5 million inhabitants. Second to Athens is which has just over one million people. The total population is more than 10.96 million.

Greek terrain is characterized by mountains and islands. The mountainous area lies in the north, while to the south are rolling plains. There are also a lot of islands. The weather is very pleasant. The winters see very mild rains while the summers, which are hot and dry, are best spent on the beaches.

The people of Greece are known as Greeks, and the official language is Greek. The educational system is very good and claims to lead to a literacy of 95%. School is free. Greeks enjoy good health and life expectancy is 76 for males and 81 for women.