When buying process in Greece you will need the assistance of various professionals (lawyer, notary, accountant, engineer) so that all documents required are collected and a thorough legal and technical survey of the property to be transferred is carried out before its safe transfer to the buyer.
In case you are not in Greece while this procedure is taking place, you may sign a Power of Attorney before a notary in Greece or in your country (in such a case APOSTILLE is needed) or before the Greek Embassy or Consulate, where you give the authority to a third person, usually your lawyer, to act on your behalf and sign all the relevant documents for you.
You or your proxy must issue a Greek tax number from the Greek tax authorities as well as open a Greek bank account. Opening a Greek bank account is not compulsory but it is strongly suggested.
A preliminary contract made by the notary may be drawn up between the seller and the purchaser, where a deposit, usually of 10%, for reserving the property is given. This will give the details of the completion date, payment schedule and the terms & conditions.
The preliminary agreement may also be private, with different legal effects though. Your lawyer will advise you promptly.
The notary is the professional who draws up the final transfer contracts.
As soon as the notary confirms that all documents required for the property transfer have been delivered and that they are valid and correct, you pay the property transfer tax, which is 3% on the sale price + 3% on the result. After that, the notarial act of the property transfer is signed by both parties. The transfer of the property is completed as soon as an official copy of this notarial act is registered at the land registry or the cadastral office.
After purchasing your property in Greece, your accountant will have to declare your ownership at the tax authorities and you are required to annually complete a tax declaration.