Greece is renowned for its abundance of traditional old village houses and
ruined stone cottages that are in need of some or total renovation. These older
properties are frequently set in idyllic friendly villages, where the locals are
welcoming and often ply new home owners with gifts of wine and oranges. Although
many of these dilapidated properties are in need of a little care and attention
they are full of charm and characters and can usually be purchased at reasonable
prices. This makes older properties an attractive purchase for prospective home
owners.
Before buying an older property that is in need of renovation
there are various aspects that you should consider. Some of the first questions
you should be asking yourself include: Are you going to do the building work on
the property yourself? Will you be dealing with the work from another country?
Or will you need to find somebody local to help you?
Normally, Greek
people prefer to build new houses and do not understand why anyone would want to
bother fixing up an old property. Consequently, Greek builders are often
completely bewildered by the requirements, time scales and expectations of
foreigners. It is hardly surprising then, that builders are generally reluctant
to renovate older properties. It is also advisable to remember that Greek
renovations standards vary considerably, so it is best to ask around for
recommended builders.
Dealing with the builders yourself can turned out
to be a more daunting task than you first realised. You may prefer instead to
find someone in the local area to project manage the renovations of your
property for you. This will ultimately give you peace of mind knowing that there
is somebody close at hand at all times. Your project manager will be able to
oversee the building works of your property on a day to day basis, regularly
reporting back to you and thus, ensuring that all goes smoothly. Another
important point is that your project manager will also have valuable knowledge
of local suppliers and tradesmen. A good level of communication between you and
your project manager will make certain that you have plenty of involvement in
renovating your home even though you live thousands of miles away.
In
either case, it would be wise to ask a builder to look at a property before you
buy it. The builder will be able to give an estimate of renovation costs. It is
best to have a good idea of the work that you require as this will give you a
more accurate approximation of building expenditure. It is also vital to inspect
the property for any obvious faults. Most importantly it should have sound
walls, without which it may be cheaper to build a new house. Any other problem
can be overcome (at a price). It is desirable to have a roof that doesnt leak
ensuring the property is waterproof particularly if funds are limited. It is
always better to have a roof replaced rather than repaired. Patch work never
proves to be successful and is not cost effective in the long term. Old
properties often need damp-proof courses, timber treatment, new windows and
doors, re-wiring, new kitchens and bathrooms and central heating. (Yes, it gets
cold in the winter even in Greece !) Furthermore, when renovating an old
property it is important to have a sensitive approach and keep as many of the
original feature as possible reflecting the propertys natural rustic charms. Use
local building materials and reflect the local building styles.
The cost
of renovation is dependant on the type of work required, the quality of
materials used and your budget. Building works such as plumbing, masonry and
electrics are charge by the square metre. As a rough guide you should expect the
cost of making an old property habitable to equal the cost of purchase. If you
are restoring an older property for investment it is easy to spend more than you
will get back. On the other hand if you are restoring a holiday or permanent
home you can spread the work over a longer period of time.
Planning
permissions is required if you plan to make external alteration such as
extending the property or enlarging windows and doors. This is obtainable from
the local town hall. Never start any building works until you have received
official permission.
Having a property inspected and considering the
works that you will need before you buy it might prevent you from making a
disastrous decision and save you a lot of money in the long run. Take a
realistic look at the property you intend purchasing. It is easy to imagine that
you have more money to spend on your dream property than you actually have. The
cost of purchasing a property and costs of repairs can spiral dramatically
without you being prepared for it. This statement is one that should be at the
forefront of your mind when you are making your plans.
Providing you do
your research prudently you can successfully renovate an old property in Greece
. Good luck with the purchase of your dream home and you will soon be sipping
wine with the locals. Enjoy your little piece of paradise after all you've
earned it.
For more information and tip about owning a property in
Greece and for up-to-date new regarding the region of Messina visit: http://
Blog.r-and-c-pms.biz
Claire May has a wealth of knowledge about property in Messinia and the concerns of buyers facing the Greek purchasing processes for the first time. Her articles aim to help buyers with their research and assist them through the unfamiliar Greek property purchasing procedures.Claire has also designed http://www.claires-messinian-properties.com/ websites to provide readers with information about property in Messinia. Happy reading and good luck with your venture, you deserve it!
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
