Six Things You Need to Know Before You Build on a Greek Island Friday, March 5, 2004
Karpathos, Greece 
If you decide to build your own Greek island paradise, there are six things you should know…
The history, myths, year-round sunshine, picturesque ports and villages, bewitching beauty of sea and countryside, and luscious landscapes of the Greek islands sweep visitors off their feet. Whether you're looking for a tranquil escape or the buzz of island life, you'll find it here. But if you decide to build your own Greek island paradise, there are six things you should know: 1. Handle with care tips from well-meaning expat friends living on different islands; each region in Greece--including different island groups--has its own construction rules. 2. If you don't build directly on the coast, you'll have more freedom when choosing the color and style of your house; Greek coastlines have always had building restrictions but now they're strictly enforced. 3. Be prepared to wait. Building permit approvals take time; certainly months, maybe years. (Once you get your permit, you have to publicly display the permit number and the year of issue; you then have four years to build your house.) 4. Beware "forested areas". You can't build on a lot if it's considered a forested area, which it may be, even if you can't see a single tree. Check official records. 5. Hire a surveyor. Many Greek islands are not mapped out and some don't even have a land registry office. Don't take any chances on who claims to own what. 6. Buy in winter. Generally speaking, people need money in the off-season, so that's bargain time. In summer, you can expect prices to go up. Roberta Beach Jacobson
For International Living Editor's note: Once you start looking beyond U.S. shores, you discover there are still (affordable) stretches of coastline…indeed whole islands… where you can have the tropical sun, the sapphire waters, and the swaying palm trees all to yourself… if you know where to look. Free monthly newsletter Island Escapes shows you where. Sign up for free here. | 
