|
“Greece has it all” - a famous cliché of Anton Chekhov in “The Wedding” nowadays has got a new meaning. Now Greece is a fashionable place to invest into in terms of real estate abroad. Greece definitely has it all. The cleanest sea in Europe, ski resorts, flowery mountains, pine forests, islands that suit any taste and more that three hundred sunny days a year, Mediterranean cuisine and friendly Greeks – the heirs of an ancient culture.
A TOUCH OF ETERNITY
Some refer to Greece as to the cradle of modern civilization. Greece gave the world what now is referred to as philosophy, theatre, the Olympic Games, democracy and an uncountable number of architectural monuments. Every stone in Greece holds a 5000 year history. It is an amazing country – a museum in the open air, a touch of eternity. “It is the only place in the world where I was really happy,” used to say Lord Byron.
How can one not be happy in such a small, but so beautiful country? Greece smells of the sea, and a soft sea breeze lives in Greece all year round. Black curled Greeks with kind smiles always take walks on the beaches with the shapes of yachts and islands in the horizon. Besides, coastline of Greece is the longest one in comparison with the other Mediterranean countries – it makes about 15 thousand kilometres.
The dream of any townsman - a private island – right here could come true. There are approximately 3000 islands in Greece, and only 140 of those are already inhabited. If one is able to, he can buy any of those islands – although it is easier to buy the non-inhabited ones. All this beauty is surrounded by three seas – Aegean, Ionic and Libyan.
HAPPILY EVER AFTER
Greece is now experiencing a real estate construction boom. Foreigners from all over the world are actively buying different kinds of property - apartments, houses, villas, townhouses, and land plots.
Specialists see this as a rational decision. Greece is a new market for real estate development – there are distinct options open, without having to overpay for just 'the name'. European researchers rated Greece among the top 20 world leaders for its quality of life. Greece managed to get high in the list for its low crime rate, family values, geography, climate, and a good ecological atmosphere.
One can definitely live calmly and breath easily in Greece. Approximately 23% of the territory is used for agricultural purposes: fruits, vegetables, grapes, cotton and tobacco. People here live longer than in the other European countries and the average life interval is 76 years for men and 81 years for women.
The investment opportunities that Greece is offering now are also supported by the almost finished construction of EGNATIA highway. The highway connects four ports, six airports and creates an easy access to the Balkan region and other Eastern Europe countries. Egnatia allows one to cross whole of Greece – from Italy to Turkey - in just six and a half hours, and see the 270 cultural objects that are one the way.
Vladimir Khanukaev, president of GREECE.RU:
“Most of foreigners in Greece prefer to rent a house by the sea for the summer. These houses are apartments, townhouses or villas – economic, middle and exclusive options.
Economic option – rooms or apartments in villages by the sea that can be rented out for approximately EUR100 per day. This is an option mostly used by those who want to save some money on hotel and to live in a spacious environment. However, this does not turn out to be the best option at all times sine not all real estate companies are willing to invest time and money into something that does not bring them much return.
Middle option – renting a townhouse. The price range for this category is between EUR150 and EUR350. This is a better option for those who want more space and privacy in comparison with the hotel. This option, just as the first one, lets one to win money wise, especially if the place is rented out on an early basis, not monthly. Good thing that the Greek climate is good enough all year round.
Last but not least is the exclusive option – renting a villa. As a rule of thumb this is usually a house with a land plot of approx. 200-600 squared meters and with a direct entry into the sea. This kind of places can be rented out for EUR500-EUR700 per day and more. This is the best option for the ones looking for privacy and quality, and who at the same time do not want to spend a fortune on their holidays. Prices for villas in Greece can reach three to five thousands per day, but this, of course, when the property is of top standards.
It is important to mention the fact that many people buy property and rent it out to other at later stages. This is a good investment opportunity since demand for rented out property is relatively high, while the property itself sees constant prices rises.”
It is relatively easy to buy a property in Greece. Upon the acquisition of either a house or land, you become the absolute owner once the 10% of the cadastre tax is paid for, which usually is slightly lower than market value. Real estate valued lower than 140 thousand euros does not have any early tax attached to it, and it is relatively easy to get a mortgage from a Greek banks. The maximum credit rate for non-Greek residents lies between 6-7% per year. There is only one 'but': Greece has some “border” regions where the acquisition of real estate requires special documents. Some of these regions are Chalkidiki, most islands and the Attic region. One can get a special permission for such acquisitions with the help of a lawyer in several months.
There are many reasons to buy a house in Greece. The most important thing is not to get lost among all the whimsical city, village and islands names... in just a couple of words – talking about Greece is a never ending dialogue...
|