Off-Plan or Completed: Which Greek Home Fits Your Timeline?

Start with the date you need the keys

If school, a move or a planned family stay depends on a fixed date, write that date into your search brief. Ask whether a quoted date means construction completion, utilities connected or the home ready for occupation. For an unfinished development, keep a separate accommodation budget and ask your lawyer what the contract provides if delivery slips. A brochure date is a starting point for questions.

Compare the specification, not the rendering

Request the unit-specific plan, orientation, room dimensions and a written finishes schedule. Establish which appliances, cooling equipment, wardrobes, parking and storage are included. Ask how substitutions are approved and which outdoor areas are private or shared. For completed homes, compare the documents with what is actually there. Government energy inspection services provide a route for certificates; ask your engineer which documents apply to the building and its stage.

Map payments to independent checks

Create a dated list of the deposit, construction instalments, taxes and final payment. Ask who verifies each milestone and what happens if a check fails. Give the proposed reservation and sale documents to your own lawyer before making a commitment. Have the notary or tax adviser confirm the transaction’s tax treatment; “new build” is not a complete tax answer. Keep purchase costs separate from the price.

Make a comparison you can act on

Compare one completed candidate with one unfinished candidate in a similar location. Include the cost of waiting, expected works, furniture and the amount of evidence still missing. If residency is part of your objective, ask counsel to confirm the property-specific route and timing independently. Choose the option whose uncertainties you can manage, then request a shortlist limited to that stage of readiness.

• Need a home soon: request a current inspection and utility status.
• Can wait: request the delivery agreement and milestone schedule.
• For either: obtain the exact plan and full inclusion list.