What to check before paying a property deposit in Greece
You have found a property in Thessaloniki and the seller is asking for a deposit. Ask for the seller’s deed and a draft of the agreement. These are the starting points for checking who can sell the property, what the payment covers and what happens to the money if the purchase falls through.
What to have before you pay
- The address, municipality and cadastral reference, if available. For an apartment, confirm the floor and any storage room or parking space included in the sale.
- The seller’s deed and the information needed to check title and registered encumbrances with the relevant Cadastral Office.
- A draft agreement that states the amount, who receives it and how the deposit is credited towards the price.
- Dates for the legal checks, financing and signing. Read when the agreement provides for a refund and when the deposit may be kept.
The seller says the mortgage will be discharged
We check what appears on the cadastral record and which property right the entry affects. Ask which documents will be needed to discharge the mortgage, who will obtain them and when the process is expected to finish.
If the seller wants you to pay sooner, we check what the agreement says about your deposit if the mortgage has not been discharged by the date you agreed.
Hellenic Cadastre guidance on cadastral records and certificatesYou are still waiting for mortgage approval
Keep the bank’s written update on your application. Check whether the seller’s proposed signing date gives the bank enough time to approve the loan and release the money.
We check what the agreement says about the deposit if the bank takes longer than expected or declines the loan. We also look at who must notify the seller, how and by what date.
The seller has already sent you a draft agreement
Read what each side is agreeing to, when the deposit is due and what the agreement says if the title check reveals a problem. Have the wording reviewed before you sign or pay.
Greek law requires a notarial document for a preliminary agreement that binds the parties to enter into a property transfer. Whether the draft amounts to that kind of agreement depends on its terms.
Has the seller given you a deadline for the deposit?
Tell us where the property is, when payment is due and whether you have already signed or paid. Have the draft, the seller’s deed and any proof of payment ready.
Request a review before paying a deposit