To find property for rent by owner in Greece (often abbreviated as FRBO), a combination of online platforms, local resources, and direct word-of-mouth can be used.
Greece has the twelfth longest coastline in the world at 13,676 km (8,498 mi) in length, featuring a vast number of islands (approximately 1,400, of which 227 are inhabited), including Crete, the Dodecanese, the Cyclades, and the Ionian Islands among others with Mykonos and Samos being a particular favourite for vacationers. Eighty percent of Greece consists of mountains, of which Mount Olympus is the highest at 2,917 m (9,570 ft).
Greece has land borders with Albania, the Republic of Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to the east. The Aegean Sea lies to the east of mainland Greece, the Ionian Sea to the west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the south.
Modern Greece traces its roots to the civilization of ancient Greece, generally considered the cradle of Western civilization. As such, it is the birthplace of democracy, Western philosophy, the Olympic Games, Western literature and historiography, political science, major scientific and mathematical principles.
Websites that are set-up for FRBO, allow filtering for owner-listed rentals, and when searching be sure about what you want such as location, budget, and the type of housing.
Never wire money or send deposits before seeing the property, and ask for a lease and verify ownership if possible by using local property tax records.
Buying a property or house that is then set up as a "for rent by owner" (FRBO), is usually one that is intended to be rented out without the assistance of a property manager.
When a suitable property has been found evaluate the property as an investment, and ask for current rental rates and payment history, maintenance records, property expenses such as taxes, insurance and utilities costs.
You can work directly with the owner or hire a real estate attorney or buyer's agent to help draft an offer, but before making an offer perform due diligence such as hiring a licensed home inspector and ensure there are no liens.
If considering buying an investment property that is currently a rental, there is the option to contact the manager or proprietor of a Greece property for rent by owner, and then use a title company or closing attorney to handle the purchase process.
If looking at Greece as an overseas or foreign investor or buyer into Greek real estate, those who typically invest or purchase at €250,000 to €800,000, which varies according to the area chosen, can obtain Greek residency through the Golden Visa Program, making Greece an attractive gateway to the EU.
Greece, which is deemed as affordable when compared to other luxury property markets, can offer high-end real estate at lower price points than hotspots like the French or Italian Rivieras, still with excellent growth and demand, and Greece offers many buyers the attraction of purchasing into the Greek lifestyle that has a great appeal, where buying through a real estate agent or buying direct from the owner.
Greece offers both stability and opportunity to buyers and investors, as tourism to Greece brings in over 30 million visitors across the mainland and the Greek Isles.
With the Golden Visa residency as an option those buying for personal use or as an investor in Greece real estate, whether the aim is short-term rental income, capital gain, or a mix of personal use and renting for income should be considered.
