The Real Estate Market in Crete sends the message that now is the right time to buy property

Everything in life has two sides. Whether you are interested in buying or selling a property in Crete you need to know what is going on in the market today. Many people have waited for the prices to fall before they buy. Some have been justified by this since few developers announced special offers with 10% deductions for the months of August and September. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate that for the majority, waiting has been more of a loss rather than a benefit.
For example the deduction of 10% was not given to all properties but primarily to properties that have some disadvantages as for example not being in a highly popular location. Or to apartments that are located on the 3rd floor of a building without an elevator.
Other companies or private individuals offer discounts to interested buyers offering cash. However for real estate agencies it is not unusual to negotiate lower prices when cash is involved. So this is not a result of a crisis in the market but common practice.
Another issue is the mortgages or housing loans in Greece at the moment. According to one of Athens most reliable national newspaper on Sunday 14th of September 2008, it is reported that banks now avoid offering finance for more than 60% of the property value. Meaning, that if one wants to buy a property valued at 200.000 Euros they will only receive funding for 120.000 Euros. The remaining amount of 80.000 Euros must come from their own funds.
Therefore, it is harder for anyone that does not have cash to come to Greece and buy a property today. When up to August of 2007 people received funding for up or even more than 90% when buying a property.
At the same time, interest rates have risen significantly when compared to the first half of 2007. For example for a mortgage or housing loan of 150.000 Euros that will be paid over a period of 30 years the monthly payment is now over 800 Euros.
So whoever does not have a significant amount of cash and waited for the prices to fall has probably lost more than what they have gained from delaying their purchase. For people that sell property this also means that a great percentage of prospective buyers are simply gone. So if they were asking for higher than normal prices or rejected reasonable offers in the past they will probably soon regret it.
However, it must be noted that when the location of a property is considered of high demand and the specifications are of high quality, then the prices are unlikely to fall and more likely to rise. Published reports have proved that even in areas around Athens where 100.000 new properties are available for sale - which is considered an extremely large amount of properties - in 2008 in some areas prices have risen by 15% when compared to 2007: Exactly because of their location.
This article is not meant to make you feel bad for your previous decisions but to protect you from losing money in the near future. And delaying your purchase further can make you lose more money.
For the past 3 months the national press in Greece has offered contradictory information regarding the programmed increase of the objective values of properties in Greece by 30%. At this point it must be clarified that the objective value is the value of each property according to the Greek State, which is usually lower than the commercial or real value. All purchase costs such as the notary and lawyer fees or the transfer tax are calculated according to the objective value. So if the rise of objective values materializes from the 1st of January 2009 then you will pay higher purchasing costs.
This is why it makes sense to buy now, within 2008, without risking increasing the cost of your purchase by waiting for 2009.
Andreas Batakis has lived in Greece, Ireland and Cyprus, acquiring a Business Administration Degree in Greece, an International Marketing Diploma and a Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management in Ireland. He is also a member of the UK based Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Andreas has extensive experience in helping people from all over the world to locate a home in Crete and is a founding member of the independent consultancy Talos Properties.
Talos properties was created in order to guide and protect all of you who wish to acquire a property in Crete via offering you a wide range of choices as well as professional advice in property related matters. For more information please access the Talos Properties website at: http://www.talosproperties.com

Why National Growth is higher in Greece and why investing in properties in Crete is a wise choice.

A line of thought that highlights the importance of the property market and of Greek culture.
At a time of doubt and uncertainty in the world economy, it is encouraging to be presented with positive facts about Europe. In an article in the Greek financial newspaper "Naftemporiki" published on Friday the 15thΒ of February 2008 (pg. 5), the economic growth of all the European Union member states in 2007 is 2,6% when compared with 2006 while Greece had a growth of 3,95%.
Naturally no one can disagree that this growth is decreasing when compared with previous years but it may be considered as leveling off after the explosion of growth which was generated because of the 2004 Olympic Games hosted in Greece. The construction sector was obviously a dynamic element in the growth created during the past five years. The positive factor is that this has evolved in a real estate market for various areas in Greece such as the island of Crete.
It is no secret that builders have become developers because they focused on attracting in Crete, potential home owners from wealthier countries. One of the revelations of the past year is that these companies now realize that Greeks are also looking for properties and realize that the percentage of home owners is quite high when compared with other countries in Europe. By focusing on international clients, companies had forgotten that Β the local culture purchases or builds a house at least once in their lives, for example when one is getting married. Investing in properties for the future generations of a family is equally popular.
A temporary slowing down of the world economy or a sub prime loan generated crisis, can not change the culture of the people in a country, especially when the locals are the Cretans. As a result the purchase of properties is not slowing down exactly because it is also generated from the local market as well as from the international clientele. This means, that the property market has an additional shield of protection and a factor which may convince people to view buying property in Crete as a safe investment.
It may come as a surprise that national or local cultures and beliefs can have an influence in maintaining economic growth in a country. On the other hand, it is important to remember that human resources are behind every economic chart no matter whether it is positive or negative.
Nektaria Kladitis is a Greek Canadian who has lived in Canada, Greece and England, acquiring a Bachelor of Arts, a Masters of Science as well as years of experience in properties overseas. Nektaria is also the creator of the property consultancy - Talos Properties.
Talos properties was created in order to guide and protect all of you who wish to acquire your dream property in Crete, the island that has been loved by Gods and humans alike throughout the centuries.