Due Diligence

Legal Due Diligence on Greek Property

Transaction-grade investigation for the matters where more is at stake — development land, commercial property, a portfolio of assets, or the purchase of a company that holds Greek real estate. We examine the whole transaction, against the official records, and report the risks in writing.

Independent Greek counsel, in English. We act for the acquirer, never the seller — and we identify problems while you can still act on them.

When a snapshot is not enough.

For an individual buying a single home, a focused pre-purchase review usually answers the question. But some transactions carry more weight — a parcel of development land, a commercial building, several properties at once, or a deal structured as the purchase of a company that owns the real estate. There, the investigation must go wider and deeper, and run alongside the transaction rather than precede it once.

That is legal due diligence: a structured examination of the asset, its history and its transaction, tested against the official Greek registries rather than taken on anyone's assurance. The aim is plain — to surface every material risk while there is still time to renegotiate, restructure or walk away.

We act for the acquirer alone, take no commission on the deal, and report in writing, in English. We advise on Greek law only, coordinating with your own advisers on matters of foreign law and tax.

Which do you need — a Legal Risk Check, or full due diligence?

An honest distinction, so you neither over-buy nor under-protect.

Legal Risk Check

A fixed-fee, focused review of one specific property, before an individual buyer commits. Fast, contained, and usually all a straightforward home purchase requires.

See the Legal Risk Check →

Full Due Diligence

A broader, deeper investigation for complex or higher-value matters — development land, commercial assets, portfolios, or company and share acquisitions — running across the whole transaction through to completion. Scoped and quoted to the matter.

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What we investigate

Each line is checked against the official records. The report sets out what we found, what it means, and what to do about it.

Title & ownership chain

The full chain of title, co-ownership shares, inheritance or expropriation history, and any gap that could be challenged later.

Planning & permits

Building permits, whether the structure matches what was authorised, unlegalised construction, and — for development — what may lawfully be built.

Encumbrances & liabilities

Mortgages, liens, seizures and third-party claims against the property, and seller liabilities that could attach to the asset.

Cadastre & designations

Cadastral (Κτηματολόγιο) registration, and forest, archaeological or coastal-zone designations that can restrict use or building — a frequent and decisive Greek risk.

Corporate layer

Where the real estate is held through a company and the deal is a share or asset purchase: the company's standing, liabilities and the terms of acquisition, under Greek law.

Contract review

The preliminary agreement, the notarial deed and any conditions — reviewed and, where needed, negotiated to protect the acquirer.

Where full due diligence earns its place

Development land

Where what may lawfully be built — and any forest or zoning constraint — determines the entire value of the deal.

Commercial property

Hotels, retail, offices and mixed-use assets, where leases, permits and liabilities all bear on the price.

Portfolios

Several properties acquired together, each requiring its own examination within one coordinated mandate.

Company & share deals

Where the real estate sits inside a company, and acquiring it means acquiring the company and its history.

How we proceed

01

Scope the mandate

We agree what the transaction is, what is at stake and what the investigation must cover — and quote the fee to the matter.

02

Investigate

We examine title, planning, encumbrances, cadastre and designations — and the corporate layer where the deal requires it — against the official records.

03

Report

A written report in English: what we found, what it means, and the options — proceed, renegotiate, restructure or withdraw.

04

Through to completion

Where you proceed, we stay with the transaction — contract, deed and registration — much of it manageable through a Power of Attorney.

Related guidance

Buying a single home as an individual? The Legal Risk Check is likely all you need. Acquiring from overseas? Much of any transaction can be handled through a Power of Attorney. And our country pages set out the position for UK and US & Canadian buyers.

Discuss a due diligence mandate

Tell us briefly about the transaction — what is being acquired, roughly its scale, and where it stands. A supervising partner will review it and respond personally, usually within one business day, to propose the scope of investigation and a fee quoted to the matter.

There is no obligation, and nothing here creates a lawyer–client relationship until terms are agreed in writing.

Please do not upload documents here. A short description is enough. After initial contact, we provide access to the Secure Client Portal for confidential document exchange. Documents are not exchanged by WhatsApp.

Or contact us directly

Phone: +30 210 363 6035

WhatsApp: +30 697 827 6455 (first contact and scheduling only)

Email: [email protected]

By submitting this form you agree that Hellenic Law Firm may contact you regarding your enquiry. Submissions are reviewed under Athens Bar Association confidentiality. We do not share your details with third parties.

Common questions about due diligence

What is legal due diligence on Greek property?

A structured investigation of a Greek property and its transaction before you are bound: verifying title and the ownership chain, planning and building permits, encumbrances and seller liabilities, cadastral registration and any forest, archaeological or coastal-zone designations, and — where a company or its shares are acquired — the corporate layer and the contract. It identifies risks while you can still act on them, and results in a written report. It does not guarantee an outcome.

How is this different from your Legal Risk Check?

The Legal Risk Check is a fixed-fee, focused pre-purchase review of a single specific property, for an individual buyer deciding whether to proceed. Due diligence is broader and deeper, for complex or higher-value matters — development land, commercial property, portfolios, or share and asset deals — extending across the whole transaction. Many individual buyers need only the Legal Risk Check; investors and businesses with larger deals need full due diligence.

What particular risks affect Greek property?

Common Greek-specific issues include gaps in the ownership chain, unauthorised or unlegalised construction, discrepancies between the building permit and what was built, incomplete cadastral registration, and land affected by forest, archaeological or coastal-zone designations that restrict use or building. For development and commercial assets, planning and permitting risk is often decisive. Each must be checked against the official records, not taken on assurance.

Do you handle company or share acquisitions?

Yes. Where Greek real estate is held through a company and the deal involves acquiring the company or its shares, the corporate layer is examined alongside the property — the company's standing, its liabilities and encumbrances, and the terms of acquisition. We examine and report the position under Greek law; we do not provide foreign tax or corporate advice, and we act for the acquirer, never the seller.

Can it be handled if I am abroad?

Yes. The investigation is conducted in Greece against the official registries, and many associated steps may be managed through a notarised Power of Attorney, subject to acceptance by the competent notary, authority, bank or registry. We report to you in writing, in English, wherever you are.