To the question "How do estate agents work in Greece", more often than not the answer is "differently to the UK." The one thing you must bear in mind is that you cannot travel abroad and expect everything to be the same as it is in the UK, and this applies to estate agents too.

So…what can you expect from an estate agent in Greece?

For starters, one thing that differs is the estate agent's commission. You will find that Greek estate agents charge more than their UK counterparts and, unlike the UK where the buyer doesn't pay agent's commission, in Greece they do. Agent's commission (generally 2 to 5 per cent plus VAT) is paid by the buyer, but on agreement it may be shared with the vendor. This fee may be included in the purchase price but you need to check on this upfront.

As in the UK, you can book viewing days with agents and/or developers and then go ahead and plan your trip according to the area you are interested in. Unlike the UK however, estate agents are happy to pick you up at your hotel/whereever you are staying and drive you around from town to town and property to property. Given the high cost of petrol in Greece this is one of the reasons for the increased agent's fees.

Bear in mind incidentally that the first estate agent to show you a property is the one who is legally entitled to the commission, so don't allow a second agent to show you a property you have already seen. However, it may be a good idea to find out how much they are asking for the property; if it's less expensive you could then insist on that price with the first agent!

You need to bear in mind that property professionals are unbelievably busy during the summer as every tourist, after a few glasses of wine or ouzo, decides they want to own their own piece of Greek property! And of course it costs nothing to look, so agents are really stretched during the summer months of May to September. You would be wise to set up appointments well in advance - this will also show that you are a genuine buyer as opposed to someone just whiling away an afternoon and wasting the agent's time. You may receive better service if you visit in the quieter months but you will need to arrange this in advance as many agents take a well-earned rest over this period. A good estate agent will do more than just sell you a property. They should be able to advise you on all sorts of matters, from where to get a mortgage to where the best schools are, whether or not you can get earthquake insurance cover on a resale property or if you can prove that it has been built to anti-seismic standards.

A good agent can help you arrange insurance, utilities, interior decorators and builders. They should also be able to offer help and advice on obtaining planning permission and permits for new buildings or restoration projects, but bear in mind that you need to check this out with a ‘mechanikos politikos', or an architect licensed to survey. Most agents can also recommend a lawyer, but you would be wise to either insist on client recommendations too or retain your own, independent lawyer to ensure that there is no conflict of interest here.

Many agents are also able to help with construction and restoration services; an agent I met recently on Rhodes project-manages a number of restoration and building projects on behalf of people he sold the properties to.

Many estate agents may also offer a full management and rental service for non-resident owners. Estate agents in Greece must hold a valid estate agent's licence - this includes non-resident estate agents. Licences are issued by the Athens Vocational Chamber, which keeps an Estate Agent's Register. To obtain a licence, the agency owner must have clean European financial and criminal records and be educated to a certain level. They must also have a registered estate agency office, be registered as an employer and pay full Greek National Insurance for themselves and their workers.

Unlicensed agents - some of whom advertise in the glossy Greek and English magazines - do not meet these strict requirements, or operate illegally in order to avoid tax. They are those friendly folk who bump into you on the ferry and who have a magnificent property going for an absolute song - yeah right…! Many foreign buyers have been caught like this - PLEASE don't be one of them. There are a couple of associations that a Greek estate agent can join: if possible choose an agent who is a member of least one of them.

You may feel that you would be better off going with an expat agent operating out of the UK. However, what you need to weigh up is how well they know Greece and how well they are able to advise you on local things like surveyors, utilities etc. My agent of choice would perhaps be someone from the UK who now lives in Greece: the estate agents that the OGC recommends on Crete, Rhodes and Corfu fall into this category.

Good luck with your property journey. Many expats now own property in Greece and have had happy buying experiences - you can be one of them. Keep a wise head on your shoulders and choose your estate agent carefully and you should have no problems.

If you would like to discuss this with one of the OGC team just call 0207 898 0549.

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