Property Due-Diligence Checklist for a Greece Golden Visa

What should a Property Due-Diligence Checklist cover?

It should cover seven connected decisions: the correct Golden Visa route, ownership and encumbrances, Cadastre accuracy, building legality and condition, permitted use and costs, contract and payment protection, and the registration and residence-permit evidence produced at closing.

1. 01

   Fix the route before assessing the property

   Lead: Greek lawyer, with an engineer where area or use is decisive

   • Identify the legal route from the property's location, lawful use, purchase structure and official records, not from the listing description.
   • For a standard property route, confirm that one property supplies at least 120 m² of main areas. Storage, parking and balconies do not make up a shortfall.
   • For a change-of-use route, confirm that the investment concerns one property, then list the additional technical and notarial evidence before signing a reservation agreement. For a listed-building route, list its designation and restoration evidence.
   • Confirm that the property has not already been used by the seller for an investor residence permit where that would affect the transaction or evidence.

   Evidence to retain

   Written route assessment stating the route, threshold, location, lawful main area, intended use and unresolved conditions.

2. 02

   Verify the seller, title and third-party rights

   Lead: Buyer-side Greek lawyer

   • Confirm the registered owner and the seller's legal authority to transfer the exact right being offered.
   • Review the title chain and resolve gaps caused by inheritance, gifts, unregistered deeds or inconsistent property descriptions.
   • Search for mortgages, prenotations, liens, seizures, claims, usufruct, easements, rights of way and other encumbrances.
   • If the seller is a company or acts through a representative, verify the company approvals and power of attorney.

   Evidence to retain

   Current title and encumbrance searches, copies of the relevant deeds and a written legal report explaining every exception.

3. 03

   Match the Cadastre, deed and physical property

   Lead: Greek lawyer and authorised engineer or surveyor

   • Match the cadastral code (KAEK), legal description, boundaries, floor area and ownership share across the deed, Cadastre and plans.
   • Check access, shared areas, parking, storage, utility rights and any horizontal or vertical ownership arrangement.
   • For land, villas and rural property, verify lawful road access, buildability, boundary evidence and any forest, coastal, archaeological or border-area constraint.
   • Investigate discrepancies rather than accepting a promise that records can be corrected after closing.

   Evidence to retain

   Cadastral extract and diagram, survey where needed, and a reconciliation schedule for every description or area mismatch.

4. 04

   Run the technical and planning review

   Lead: Authorised Greek engineer; separate building inspection where required

   • Compare the building permit, approved plans, lawful use and recorded area with the property as it stands.
   • Review the Electronic Building Identity extract and the evidence for any regularised unauthorised work.
   • Identify structural, damp, seismic, roof, mechanical, electrical and energy-performance risks that a title search will not reveal.
   • Price necessary repairs and approvals, then record which items must be completed before closing and which the buyer knowingly accepts.

   Evidence to retain

   Engineer report, permit and plan schedule, Building Identity extract, regularisation records and a costed defects list.

5. 05

   Test use, occupancy and financial assumptions

   Lead: Lawyer, accountant and buyer's commercial adviser

   • Confirm vacant possession or review every lease, occupancy right and notice requirement.
   • Read the building regulations and co-ownership rules for restrictions on use, works, pets, signage and common areas.
   • Check common expenses, planned building works, utility arrears, insurance availability, local charges and recurring ownership costs.
   • Test long-term rental or resale assumptions against achieved evidence. Do not rely on a developer's projected yield as due diligence.

   Evidence to retain

   Occupancy statement, lease file, building regulations, common-expense record and a buyer-owned cost and income model.

6. 06

   Protect the reservation, contract and payment trail

   Lead: Buyer-side lawyer and notary

   • Have the reservation or preliminary agreement reviewed before paying, especially if the amount is described as non-refundable.
   • Make title, technical compliance, route eligibility and agreed repairs express conditions where the transaction requires them.
   • Ensure the deed, payer, recipient, amount and accepted payment method will produce the evidence required for the residence application.
   • Reject side payments, undocumented rebates, cash differences or an agreement to return part of the stated price after completion.

   Evidence to retain

   Reviewed agreement, written exit and refund terms, completion statement and a complete bank-to-deed payment record.

7. 07

   Close, register and assemble the permit file

   Lead: Notary, lawyer and accountant, with the engineer for route-specific evidence

   • Confirm the transfer-tax return and payment before the final deed is executed.
   • Obtain the signed notarial deed and the notarial certificate containing the property and payment details required for the selected route.
   • Retain proof that the deed was submitted for registration and later obtain proof of completed Land Registry or Cadastre registration.
   • Check the buyer's E9 property declaration and retain every document needed for the initial application and later renewal.

   Evidence to retain

   Executed deed, notarial certificate, registration evidence, transfer-tax record, E9 and a route-indexed residence application file.

Who is responsible for each due-diligence result?

No single professional replaces the others. The buyer should appoint an independent Greek lawyer and authorised engineer, then make the lawyer, engineer, notary and accountant responsible for named written outputs.

Which checks are specific to the Greece Golden Visa?

The property must satisfy the evidence rules for one legal route. Price alone does not establish eligibility, and the reduced route is not a general geographic tier.

When should a buyer stop the transaction?

Pause when a material record is missing, the professionals cannot reconcile the property, or the proposed contract removes the buyer's leverage before the risk is resolved. Do not treat a promise to fix the file after closing as completed due diligence.

What does a completed due-diligence file look like?

It contains the source records, the professional reports and a one-page exception schedule. Each issue is marked cleared, protected by the contract, accepted by the buyer with a cost, or unresolved. An unresolved material issue means the file is not complete.

Common questions

The points buyers most often need resolved before instructing the transfer.