Buying Greek land

[Durbs]

Lying in bed last night, my web browsing went off at a tangent and I somehow ended up here:

Land for sale in PAVLIANITI LAND, Ano Korakiana, Greece

Whats the downsides here other than trawling through bureaucratic nonsense to get something built? Has anyone ever bought a plot in Greece of know anyone who has done similar?

I'm really fancying something like that as a project, preferably Greece as I like the place and the people. Something like that out in the sticks(ish) would be perfect.

[Paddy]

Land advertised outside of Greece is generally marked up for foreigners. Once Greece comes out the Euro; prices will halve. Panning permission will be difficult. You will need a water supply 5000EU. There are strict EU regulations on septic- tanks (cost about 8000Eu) Electricity 3000EU plus the cost of building the villa

[russell]

Land advertised outside of Greece is generally marked up for foreigners. Once Greece comes out the Euro; prices will halve. Panning permission will be difficult. You will need a water supply 5000EU. There are strict EU regulations on septic- tanks (cost about 8000Eu) Electricity 3000EU plus the cost of building the villa

Greece will not exit the Euro now, they have been bailed out and had most of their debt written off, and the country is now run by technocrats to ensure they reduce the debt.

[eek]

Greece will not exit the Euro now, they have been bailed out and had most of their debt written off, and the country is now run by technocrats to ensure they reduce the debt.

Wanna bet on that.

Even with all the debt write off Greece's debt is over 120% of GDP. once Germany stops paying they will have no choice but to leave the eurozone. Although it may not be this year.

[russell]

Wanna bet on that.

Even with all the debt write off Greece's debt is over 120% of GDP. once Germany stops paying they will have no choice but to leave the eurozone. Although it may not be this year.

Japans is 200%, you can't use one statistic and extrapolate based on that. The deal is done, they will slowly lower their ratio.

[vetran]

you building something like this?

World's tallest tree house reaches ten stories high | Mail Online

[eek]

Japans is 200%, you can't use one statistic and extrapolate based on that. The deal is done, they will slowly lower their ratio.

But the Japanese debt is owned by and owed to Japanese pensioners. It can continue to borrow money because its lenders still want to lend it money.

that is not true for Greece.

[d000hg]

Wanna bet on that.

Even with all the debt write off Greece's debt is over 120% of GDP. once Germany stops paying they will have no choice but to leave the eurozone. Although it may not be this year.

Saying "it will one day" is a virtually certain bet, in a decade or two the € might have disappeared entirely for other reasons. Make a less open-ended prediction!

[Halo Jones]

Whats the downsides here other than trawling through bureaucratic nonsense to get something built? Has anyone ever bought a plot in Greece of know anyone who has done similar?.

Getting any sort of building work done in Greece will require the use of “facilitation payments” but if you are based in the UK these are illegal (even if it’s for work in a foreign country to a foreign company) as per the Bribery Act 2010

So it’s a bit of a catch 22, the locals only work on facilitation payments as a means of tax evasion & if you do get caught you could end up in prison.

You will have less grief if you buy a existing building through international solicitors (they get to make the facilitation payments on your behalf & don’t care about UK law)

[Durbs]

Getting any sort of building work done in Greece will require the use of “facilitation payments” but if you are based in the UK these are illegal (even if it’s for work in a foreign country to a foreign company) as per the Bribery Act 2010

So it’s a bit of a catch 22, the locals only work on facilitation payments as a means of tax evasion & if you do get caught you could end up in prison.

You will have less grief if you buy a existing building through international solicitors (they get to make the facilitation payments on your behalf & don’t care about UK law)

Yeah, sounds like it plus the additional leccy, water and septic costs stated by Paddy seem steep.

Shame as I really want to go down the plot of land route rather than buying a villa.