Buying Property in Rhodes
Buying property in the cosmopolitan island of Rhodes is attractive for investment or business reasons as well as residence or retirement purposes.
Rhodes , know as “the island of the sun”, “the island of the knights” , “the emerald island”, is the largest island of the Dodecanese of the South Aegean Region and the 4th in size island of Greece. It is situated 350 kilometres approximately South-east of Athens, with total extension 1.400,684 square kilometres. It has a coastline of 253 kilometers.
The island’s capital, the city of Rhodes, is situated in the north-east edge of the island. Within the borders of Rhodes City is the Medieval City of Rhodes, one of the best maintained medieval cities of the world, which is included in the Monuments of World Heritage of UNESCO, since 1988.
The island has many attractions and wonderful beaches. The southern part of the island has attracted many foreign investors during the past years and offers touristic attractions as well as remote peaceful areas. Lindos, the most known of the ancient cities of Rhodes, is a picturesque settlement in the southern part of Rhodes and is a significant touristic attraction.
All real estates of Rhodes are registered in the Land Registry of Rhodes which is located in the city of Rhodes and appertains to the First Instance Court of Rhodes. The Land Registry keeps files of all ownership and transaction deeds, legal encumbrances and claims, regarding the properties.
The Land Registry of Rhodes was founded by the Italians, during their occupation on Rhodes, and is characterised by its unique file system, being based on each portion of property which bears an identity number, enabling research on the whole history - succession of titles of each specific property. It is significant for legal check to be conducted through the Land Registry of Rhodes, before signing a preliminary contract, paying a deposit and purchasing any property in Rhodes.
Our law office carries out all searches in the Land Registry of Rhodes, obtains all the necessary paperwork, to confirm that there are no outstanding debts or encumbrances on the property, in order to ensure an efficient and secure property transaction.
Property checks should be done before you pay realtor fees to hold a property and before you make a down payment.
All foreign citizens are eligible to purchase property in Rhodes, but there are specific stipulations under Greek Law regulating the ability of non- EU nationals to buy or acquire rights to Rhodes real estates , as Rhodes is a borderland area of Greece and application for a permit to purchase, along with specific documents, are submitted to the Committee of the Borderland Areas of Greece , which is based in Rhodes.
Our law office undertakes the procedure for the preparation and submission of the application for the permit to purchase regarding the specific property. The permit is usually granted within 3 to 5 months from application.