The dream of living elsewhere in enchanting climes is deeply rooted in the minds of all of us, and the coveted place gives rise to as many desires and projects as there are people. What is certain is that, since childhood, the little house that will house our joys and secrets has been interpreted as the key to secure and comfortable happiness. Who hasn't evoked the cabin in Canada, the blue house, the house on the water, and sometimes suffered from the illusion of castles in Spain?
If there's one country where the dream of a change of scenery is possible, Greece is it.
Leaving the city of your daily life, taking the plane and finding yourself, a few hours later on your terrace, in the sun, in front of the sea or facing a landscape shaped by centuries since Antiquity, visible everywhere by its vestiges, isn't this the culmination of the ordinary search for happiness in everyday life?
This happiness goes by many names, but they are condensed into a single one: “Second home”.
In Greece, finding the Grail is within everyone's grasp, provided you build your project with simplicity and pragmatism.
The fundamental point is to ensure that the project is in line with your lifestyle, your needs and your means.
Nothing would be more risky than to fall head over heels in love with that little house in the middle of a breathtaking landscape, which beckoned to you last summer with its little “For Sale” sign floating limply in the soft morning air.
A host of questions need to be answered. For example, you need to know who the seller is, and what legitimacy he or she has over the property. This is obvious in France, but not always in Greece. Is this small, isolated house connected to the sewage and drinking water networks? In fact, sewage systems are not always available in remote areas. That's why it's still not advisable to drink tap water directly on certain islands, for example. On an island like Kea, many houses outside villages are supplied by water tanks, which poses problems of stewardship. So it's important to assess the feasibility of your project and its financial viability in relation to the property you're interested in.
You'll also need to think carefully about where you want to live, depending on whether you're on your own or have children, and on your age. If you're older, it's best to limit your search to an area within reasonable distance of care facilities. If your family includes children, you need to be sure that the location you choose will be compatible with your little ones as they make their way from childhood to adolescence.
If you like the sea, but it's not enough and you miss the mountains, you can head for certain parts of Greece where, until spring, you can ski in the morning and, quite naturally, swim in pleasant waters in the afternoon.
Greece offers so many possibilities that you'll be able to design your project endlessly, from the classic seaside or insularity to exploring original and atypical facets.
To paraphrase Georges Brassens, when it comes to second homes, we'd say of Greece: “Everything is good here, there's nothing to throw away”.
BUT - because there is a “but” - spontaneous projects, unrealistic dreams, risky partnerships with unofficial sales people, poor project sizing and lack of local knowledge can quickly turn your dream into a nightmare.
It's essential to identify your desires in accordance with your means, and to have the property proposal assessed by a professional who will be able to detect and foil all the traps you might fall into through ignorance. Your second home will be several thousand kilometers away from where you normally live. You won't be able to be on the spot at the slightest alert, the slightest problem. This is another reason why you need to choose a good professional who will keep you safe, now and in the future, from worries large and small.
A good professional will also be able to suggest specific geographical areas and reliable properties from his or her catalog, after having discussed your requirements and personality with you. You may also be invited to enrich your approach by asking the real estate professional to search for one or more opportunities on your behalf.
Additional management services can even be offered if you want to rent out your holiday home when you're not there, which obviously improves the project's business model.
If your ambitions lie with the islands, you should be aware that each has its own particularities and way of being. It was with this in mind that we at Mobilia Real Estate decided to assign specialized sales staff to the islands, in order to offer our customers a cutting-edge service.
After all we've had the pleasure of detailing in this short article, all that's left is to invite you to secretly visit the hollow of your Greek second-home dreams. If you so desire, we'll accompany you there until the door opens to a reality you'll continue to experience as a waking dream. That's what we want, and if you're willing, we'll put all our energy into making sure you can finally enjoy the sweetness of life in Greece, a country blessed by the gods, where people are the children of the sun.
Photo de orva studio sur Unsplash