Kalimera…and may the weather be a whole lot nicer with you than it is with me in gloomy London at the moment.

I say that but…I have come to the realisation that there is hot…and then there is TOO hot – in fact – FAR too hot!! I have just returned from a wonderful couple of weeks spent with my daughter and her adorable family in Dubai – but who would have guessed that I, as an ex-South African, would be glad to get back to the cool weather in my new home town of London?

When I tell you it was 41 degrees and upwards…We spent each day moving from an air-conditioned house to an air-conditioned car to an air-conditioned shopping mall…And what shopping malls! They are utterly mind-boggling: stupendous, outrageous, spectacular…and prolific. They reminded me of something from Gotham City - almost too magnificent and extravagant to be real.

I happened to be there (in Dubai) over Ramadan. This is in the ninth month of the Muslim calendar and lasts for an entire month. Muslims fast during the daylight hours and in the evening take a meal called Iftar (the breaking of fast) and visit with friends and family. It is a time of worship, contemplation and an opportunity to strengthen family and community ties.

We took ourselves off to an Iftar at the cultural centre that bears the name of the ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, fondly known as Sheik Mo to expats. It was a really good way to meet and talk to local people, and to learn something of their religion, their customs and their way of life. The children really found the whole experience fascinating – as did I.

This is really what travel, and indeed relocating abroad, is all about I think: learning how other people live in our global village, and learning to value and respect other cultures.

The meal	The Kidz

Talking of which, I am going to be discussing the final bits ‘n bobs that will complete your move to Greece, in the vain hope that in that way you will remember everything. Yes…I know…there will ALWAYS be something that gets forgotten – and that’s where I am relying on you!

Please, once the whole process is over for you, don’t forget us!! Drop me a line about what YOU forgot along the way and I’ll add it to a list that will eventually update our Greece Buying Guide and earn you the grateful thanks of other ‘relocators’!! Just email me on:
mailto:Carol@OverseasGuidesCompany.com

In this vein, we would also appreciate your ‘case studies’ – how it all went for you, who helped, who didn’t, potential pitfalls, happy surprises – the whole experience, warts and all!!!! We ARE listening, and striving to ensure that both the good and the bad reaches the ears of those following closely on your heels in the Greek property buying process!!

And remember, I am always only an email or – better still – a phone call away. Pick up the phone or give me your phone number - it would be lovely to speak to you. It’s so much more personal and will allow me to really get an understanding of exactly what it is you are looking for. That way, there is a far greater possibility of narrowing the search down and finding what you want…I’m on 0207 898 0549.

Good preparation is the key to any successful move and we are here to make your path to Greece as problem free as possible. We aim to guide you along the way with sound advice from the moment the idea to buy a property in Greece is born until the day the keys of your new property are handed to you – and thereafter!

Incidentally, have you ever read a book called ‘Bitter Lemons’ by Lawrence Durrell? It has a most amusing account of buying a house - in Cyprus actually - but buying it from an elderly, and very stubborn, Greek lady – it’s hilarious!!

So, to follow, the aforementioned Bits ‘n Bobs to remember on your move to Greece, then how to get your money to your destination from the financial Guru Charles Purdy, how to plan your removals successfully and how best to find special travel offers for you, your family and your friends, who will no doubt be itching to pay you a visit.

An aside here – a friend of mine said she saw far more of her children and grandchildren after moving to Greece. They still had their busy lives, but now holidayed with her instead of taking a beach holiday elsewhere!!

Then finally there is a Top Burning Question, a testimonial and an insight as to why we recommend certain people before signing off for this month.

Enjoy – and please tell me what you like, what you hate, what you find useful and what you would like me to add to these newsletters - they are, after all, for you.

Take care, have fun and happy move!!

Carol (& Kim).
Greece Buying Guide: The Overseas Guides Company Limited.
mailto:carol@OverseasGuidesCompany.com

The promised ‘Bits ‘n Bobs’ of your move to Greece – what to bear in mind BEFORE you leave and then what to do ONCE THERE!

It’s not so much that you aren’t going to remember to do everything, but what I found was that it took about ten times as long as I thought it would do to get it all done!!

For me the thorniest issue when I moved from South Africa was winding up my tax. Not, sadly, that I had oodles of cash, but that the paperwork involved had a remorseless way of just rolling along and taking its own sweet time. Any attempt to hurry it was in vain…until I finally found the man of my dreams – a man who listened, acted and knew how to hurry those recalcitrant papers along as if they were being blown along by an extremely high wind!!

I have said this time and time to my children (can you see me wagging my finger at them?!!) It is always worth going in person and being pleasant – at least initially…Sometimes, as time gets short, that has to change…But just bear in mind that everything seems to take longer than you expect it to.

Another stumbling block: my furniture and other multitudinous pieces collected on various travels… There was no way in the world that I was going to leave my collection of hundreds of books, masks, ornaments and weird wooden statues of Burmese, African and Nepalese Gods behind – what would they do without me?

So….in came a charming lady, ran a practised eye over all my possessions, quoted me a humungous figure for which I could probably have bought all the stuff twice over…And before
you could say ‘knife’ it was all packed away, next to be seen at my new home far over the sea.

Or so I thought. A phone call put paid to that. They had misquoted me, and I would either have to pay a whole bunch more money, or leave some of it behind. Reproachfully two coffee tables, three bookcases and a bed gazed woefully at me from the warehouse of the removal company as I abandoned them…

Lesson? Make sure that your removal people are sure of their facts and/ or that you know what you want to leave and where it is packed if you too need to make this difficult decision and extract it.

In the Worksheet section of the new Greece Buying Guide there is one called ‘Your Emigration Reminder List’ and personally I think that if you only got this list for the price you pay for the guide it would be worth it. Well….yes, I did write the list myself….but seriously – this is the list that I compiled when I left my lifetime home to return to the land of my birth …and I still think that I thought of just about everything!

It includes headings like:

Home – amongst which are getting a reputable estate agent to sell your property, doing repairs and paint jobs if necessary, getting a professional cleaning service…

Practicalities – Are all passports valid? Visas? What about schools if you have children?

Pets – Inoculations, quarantine, transportation

Health – Is there the equivalent of the NHS? What about dentistry? Pre-existing conditions? Take medical records with you…

Eyes – Glasses, tests – are they free? If not, where and for how much? Take scripts from your optician …

Money matters – bank accounts, old and new: close in one place, open in another. Credit cards, old and new; it’s good to have a well-known one like Visa or Mastercard, with account details as proof of a good credit record. Finalise accounts at shops and have proof that they are paid and closed.

Tax - sort out VERY well in advance. And don’t forget possible taxation on the sale of your house, car etc. Find out the answers to vital questions before you leave: for instance, what if you inherit money after your departure – do you have to pay tax on that?

Utilities – Cancel telephone, council tax, gas, electricity and conversely open all of these at the other end!

Contents of house – Sort out what you are taking. Then dispense with the rest: give away, have charity people collect, sell… whatever…

Car – Can you take it with you? Import permit, licence, driver’s licence etc

Etc’s – Have you got all addresses that you need eg Friends (obviously) but what about Doctors, Opticians etc (email & otherwise) to take with you? Return all library books, get back all lent items before rather than after the removal folk arrive!! Cancel subscriptions or change address thereof.

Necessary documentation – Take at least 6 copies of birth certificate, adoption/ marriage/divorce/ remarriage certificates plus copies of bank statements and accounts if you are going to be wanting credit…And credit includes mortgages.

On arrival - you will need to have sorted out a whole range of things like residence permit, insurance, schooling etc.

To get the Greece Buying Guide that has the full emigration list amongst several other valuable resources, please read more here: http://www.GreeceBuyingGuide.com/guide.htm

We at the Greece Buying Guides have sourced people who can help you with some of these, namely Independent Financial advisors, mortgage experts, legal advice….just go to the form at: http://www.greecebuyingguide.com/resources.htm

You need all the help you can get at a time like this – believe me, I know what I am talking about here!!

Getting your money to your destination

by Smart Currency’s Charles Purdy.

There are a lot of advantages to using a currency company such as Smart Currency Exchange; better rates, a one to one service, proactive management of currency requirements... the list goes on.

But one of the major advantages sometimes overlooked is that, as well as being experts in foreign currency, Smart Currency Exchange are also experts in transferring money. This may not seem such a big deal but getting a transfer wrong can be a hugely time consuming and frustrating experience to rectify.

The details required for transfers seem to vary from continent to continent and we have a clear understanding of what is required. If there is something unclear or lacking we would ask our client to clarify: better to get it right the first time.

Transfers of the Euro have become much easier with the advent of what is called the IBAN number. This number is unique for a specific bank account and it can be checked for validity before sending the funds. The only time I have experienced a problem was when a client’s lawyer gave him a wrong but valid IBAN number. Thankfully this was realised very soon after the transfer and we were able to correct error with no loss of time.

Time is also an important element when making a transfer. The whole banking system is based on a time period of two days for transfers. The reason for this seems to be one of logistics and coordination between the banks [or am I being naïve and it is really a way for them to make more money?!]. This two day period still applies to most transfers but for the US$ and Euro we can now transfer with a same day value. Needless to say there is a cost, but we absorb it – no hidden charges at Smart!

I hope the above is of help. It is the unglamorous side of the business but an actual key component in ensuring that our clients are properly serviced.

And what is happening with Sterling and the Euro?
Sterling lost a little bit of ground against most currencies last week – thus it was NOT a good week. There is no clear reason why this was the case and I think it was more likely a situation of better news elsewhere. The UK housing market seems to be slowing which will affect consumer confidence. We also wait for the Bank of England minutes which will, hopefully, give a clearer picture of how they view the economy, inflation and interest rates. I suppose we should be pleased that there have been no further “Northern Rocks” this week.

The Euro sits at an inter bank rate of €1.435/£1 and continues to benefit from strong economic data and not just from Germany. French and Italian industrial data has also been good. It has to be remembered that a lot of exports head east rather than west. The economies of India, Russia and China are all on the up and imports from Euro land are not, at this stage, being unduly influenced by what is happening to the US$/Euro exchange rate. The euro is likely to have the upper hand for a while and it seems like a good time to bring funds back.

To get a Better-than-Bank rate go to: http://www.smartCurrencyExchange.com/smartsquotation.htm
or call Carl on 08081 630 102 freephone.

How can I ensure my holiday home will be ok when I am not there?

Ah, well here is where your good neighbours come in! Once you are established in your new home and community, you should be able to find someone local who will pop in occasionally.

As far as the practicalities go, here is what a friend of mine does. She has her bills such as water, electricity and phone on direct debit with her local bank. She lets her friends know they are welcome to visit so, if she is away for longish periods, the time is broken by others using the house - only those friends that she trusts with her life she hastened to add!! Whenever she visits she has a huge spring clean, leaves windows open etc. and attends to anything that has gone wrong in her absence which of course, from time to time, it inevitably does!

But there is of course nothing to beat a friendly neighbour keeping a watchful eye out for you. As my friend says, the best thing really is to have someone such as a neighbour or friend to look in on your house, perhaps take the post in, and generally keep an eye open from time to time. You will need someone to do a general tidy up if you have a garden, sweep the veranda if you have one and generally keep the place from looking utterly deserted in your absence.

It’s all down to friendly relationships, and frankly I must say that for me that is the thing I love about Greece – the warmth and friendliness of the people and the open hearted way they welcome you to their country. Chances are you will not have to look too far for a friendly helping hand. I actually spoke to someone who had bought in Crete and he said that initially he had retained a managing agent but that his neighbours had said that they were not doing a good job. Upshot was that the neighbour took over the duties – without expecting to be paid!!

Do you have any suggestions? Why not post them on the Greece Buying Guide Forum? Http://www.GBG-Forum.com

Greece Buying Guide Reader...

I was really flattered to read the following from Des Hope, who in fact bought his home through an estate agent we recommended on Corfu. He had already bought his home when he bought the new Greece Buying Guide!

Carol

Have had the chance to read the Guide - I have found it useful (this is in spite of the fact that I have already bought a property in Corfu) - there were still enough useful tips and information to make it a really worthwhile publication – particularly facts about utilities / cost of living / cars etc.

Des Hope

To get the Greece Buying Guide, please read more here: http://www.GreeceBuyingGuide.com/guide.htm

Getting yourself and / or your tenants to your holiday home / destination

Flights to the Greek Islands

A question I am often asked is about getting to Greece – how accessible are the various islands? Here is a brief overview of the cheaper seasonal carriers – it does not pretend to be comprehensive, but please, if you see any glaring omissions, let me know and I can add them to the list. And the list changes all the time…

I have included links to Opodo, eBookers and British Airways where relevant, so that you can just click through and access all the flights immediately.

Opodo
This website is fantastic - it's one of those sites that checks all air carriers at once. It's easy to use and the online system checks all the airlines flying to your destination then ranks them according to price, dates or whatever you want them to be listed by. The tickets are sent out automatically or you can get electronic tickets. The only downside is not being able to see the flight prices 1 day earlier or 3 days later as you can on the British Airways online system.

eBookers
eBookers is an excellent site. You can book flights, hotel, car rental and anything else to do with travel. The site is easy to use and the prices are very competitive. When booking flights as a company, we usually check this one and Opodo. eBookers also sends out eMails if the flight changes so you always know what's going on.

British Airways
I cannot recommend more highly the entire process of buying and flying with British Airways. I recently booked tickets over their website and found it really good. You are able to specify whether or not you can fly +/- 3 days or +/- 7 days in order to see the various prices on each day. In doing this, I found that it was hundreds of pounds cheaper to go out on a Saturday rather than on a Sunday. If I hadn't known I would have simply booked the initial dates that I had in mind.

BA also has electronic check-in: you go to an ATM style machine, enter your booking credit card and after a few minutes answering various security questions, tickets are issued and you can then drop off your baggage! The entire check-in process takes just a few minutes. I highly recommend BA - they're a class act.

Okay, here is a very rough outline of the cheaper carrier flights to a few of the islands:

Crete

GB Airways: This is a low-cost British Airways franchise: They have two flights a week from Manchester to Heraklion on Tuesday and Friday and from Gatwick on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays.

Thomsonfly has flights from both Gatwick and Manchester on Thursdays and Sundays.

Corfu

GB Airways has launched new flights to Corfu from May 2007. They fly four times a week, on Monday, Wednesday Friday and Saturday.

Thomsonfly flies from Gatwick, East Midlands, and Manchester on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Zante

Thomsonfly has flights from Gatwick, and Manchester on Mondays and Fridays.

Mykonos

GB Airways has launched new flights to Mykonos from the beginning May 2007 until the end of October: They fly on Thursdays and Sundays.

Rhodes

GB Airways flies on Wednesdays and Saturdays and will also fly from Gatwick on Thursdays and Sundays.

Do remember too that British Airways and Olympic also have flights via the new Athens terminal, which I must say I find very quick and easy to navigate…but then, I flew in off-season times!! They were however not all that cheap…

And then many flights start off and if they don’t do well they are discontinued. Or vice versa – they start off as just a summer flight and are continued out of season if they prove popular enough…

Why we recommend the People we do.

I was looking on the website of one of the property professionals that we recommend to our Greece Buying Guide readers and I must say that I felt really proud to be associated with them.
Here’s why: There is a society called Friends of Animals in Rethymnon plus an animal shelter in nearby Apokoronas, Crete. This shelter takes in over 200 dogs and cats every year, and prepares them for re-homing. They found that the premises were far too small, and so in stepped our heroes and carried out an extensive programme of re-building, tiling, painting and carpentry to make the kennels larger, safer and altogether more comfortable.

Also, one of their most popular sales areas is Apokoronas. It offers great views, charming traditional villages and a number of lovely beaches. When the mayor of Apokoronas asked them to build a new bus shelter (they also have a construction company) they immediately got to work. The old shelter was demolished and replaced with this lovely shelter of traditional stone and tiles which blends in with the local landscape…

It’s this community spirit, together with the quality of their service and their expertise that makes us happy to recommend them to you. They are in the western Crete area - if you want to be put in touch with them for your property needs, please email me on
mailto:Carol@greecebuyingguide.com or fill out the property form at: http://www.GreeceBuyingGuide.com/property.htm

Phone 020 7898 0549

In Closing

That's all folks!! Please let me know if I can be of assistance to you at all. If you are interested in getting in contact with any of the wonderful people that I have sourced for you around Greece to make your search easier, just click on:

http://www.greecebuyingguide.com/resources.htm (FOR RESOURCES)

http://www.greecebuyingguide.com/property.htm (FOR PROPERTY)

fill I the form and I will respond with the name of someone who will contact you. We at the Overseas Guides Company take pride in the fact that the people we refer you to will look after you and help you make these all important choices.

Take care and all best wishes until next time,

Carol (aka Karolina!!) and Kim.
Greece Buying Guide/ Overseas Guides Company
mailto:Carol@greecebuyingguide.com

Phone 020 7898 0549 - CALL ME!