How to Choose a Lawyer and Agent in Greece

In a Greek purchase the lawyer is the person who protects you, and the agent is the person who sells to you. The two jobs are different, they are paid differently, and the mistakes that cost buyers money usually come from mixing them up. A lawyer checks the title and the debts on the property; a notary signs the deed; an engineer checks the building; an agent finds the property and negotiates. Choose each for what they do, and make sure at least the lawyer works for you alone.

Who does what

Role	What they do	What they do not do	Fee reported
Lawyer	Checks the title at the land registry and the mortgage office for at least the previous 20 years: liens, seizures, court disputes, third-party rights. Pays the taxes, arranges the tax number, represents you under a power of attorney.	Checks the building itself	1% to 2% of the price plus 24% VAT
Notary	Draws up and authenticates the deed and the certificates the law requires, and calculates the taxes	Detailed due diligence on ownership	Set by a scale; sources give from 0.8% to 2% plus VAT
Engineer	Checks that the building matches its permit and plan: illegal extensions, closed balconies, measurements, condition	Legal title	Often €300 to €600, from about €150 for a simple flat
Agent	Finds properties, arranges viewings, negotiates	Legal checks: agents do not have access to the registries	2% to 4% plus VAT, negotiable, split between buyer and seller

Fees come from several Greek law-firm and agency guides, which agree on the shape of the picture and differ in the exact percentages, so treat them as ranges and ask for a written quote.

Is a lawyer compulsory?

The sources we read do not say a lawyer is required for every purchase, and one says it has not been a strict legal requirement since 2014. The notary and an engineer's certificate from the seller are required. All the guides still advise a buyer's own lawyer, and for a Golden Visa purchase you need one anyway: the lawyer files the application and gives the certificates the file asks for.

How to check a lawyer

1. Bar registration. Ask for the bar association and the registration number, and confirm them with that bar association.
2. Independence. The lawyer should be independent of the seller and of the agent. A lawyer recommended by the person selling to you has a reason to close the deal.
3. Experience with non-resident buyers, and with the permit if you are buying for a residence permit.
4. A written fee agreement that says what is included: the title search, the tax number, the power of attorney, the taxes, the notary, the registration.
5. Language. You should get the contract and a summary in a language you understand.
6. A narrow power of attorney, for this property only. It can be signed at a Greek consulate or before a notary in your country with an apostille, and it needs a certified Greek translation: see buying from abroad.

This applies to anyone who introduces you to a lawyer, including a consultancy: ask whether they receive a fee for the introduction.

How to check an agent

• Ask for the company's GEMI number (the Greek commercial register) and check it on the official register at businessregistry.gr. One guide says the licence also depends on registration with the local Chamber of Commerce, and the sources disagree on which other bodies keep lists, so ask a lawyer to confirm.
• Get the commission in writing, with the amount, who pays it and when.
• Ask which properties they represent exclusively, and whether they also act for the seller.
• Remember that an agent does not check the legal title. Do not accept "it is clean" in place of your lawyer's report.

Red flags

• A deposit requested before the lawyer has finished the checks.
• Cash. Greek rules in force since December 2024 require payments to go through banks, and a contract that records cash payments can be invalid, according to a trade report.
• A lawyer, engineer or bank "included" and chosen by the seller.
• No written contract with the agent, or an unclear fee.
• Refusal to let your own engineer inspect the property.
• Pressure: "another buyer is waiting".
• No answer about registration numbers.

What it costs: an example

For a €400,000 property, a lawyer at 1% costs €4,000 and at 2% costs €8,000, plus 24% VAT: €4,960 to €9,920. An agent at 2% costs €8,000 plus €1,920 VAT, €9,920, if the whole fee falls on you; often it is split. Compare these with the full list of purchase costs in taxes and fees when buying in Greece.

Before you pay anything

1. Choose the lawyer first, then the property.
2. Have the lawyer read the reservation contract before you pay the reservation.
3. Check the source of the money you will transfer: source of funds.
4. Keep every payment on a bank account in your own name.

Sources: Your Overseas Home, "Finding a good lawyer in Greece"; Nikana law firm, "Buying property in Greece: key professionals"; Elxis; Sotheby's Realty Greece; res-greece.com (December 2024). All are commercial or industry sources: we did not find an official fee scale. Informational, not legal advice.