Cretan-homes, Crete property estate agents

The reality of Crete hits home buyers like a sledgehammer. Out of nowhere. Buyers do not see it coming. It happens the very moment that you get serious about buying a property in Crete and exit your mesmerised "visitor's" state of mind.

As Crete wannabes we are enchanted by the wonderful Cretans, their food, the weather and the overall welcoming atmosphere for the foreigner. Up to that point, time has not been important. We savour our holiday visits but now life turns serious when we phone to our real estate agent. "Yes we have made the decision to go ahead," we say. "The sledgehammer moment" as I call it.

Suddenly the clock is ticking. How many days left to start the buying process? What happens next? Who did you say our lawyer is? Accountant, what accountant? As for an architect the most vital of all connections on Crete, in panic we want to know: when do we meet them?

At this point you are starting to drive your hitherto patient estate agent slightly insane. For them their routine has not changed. It is just you who has made the "momentous" decision. For the agent everything is proceeding as expected. The architect, the lawyer, and everybody else in the chain has been informed.Β  And yes they do know your flight leaves two days later in the early hours of the morning.

Now suddenly nothing can move fast enough for the panicky buyer to take that first step. Why are the locals so slow, why are my calls not returned. This is your state of mind. Yet by a Cretan measure of time progress is being made, but it just not on UK, Dutch or German time. Did you know many professionals call each other later in the evening when they are actually in their offices from being out all day? This may seen bizarre but it is a practical necessity.

So, there is the Cretan way, or no way at all. Understand that and your blood pressure will immediately return to normal. While you as the buyer are the paymaster, consider the Greek perspective:Β 

1. Most Greeks by nature plan their time emotionally and as needed, not to a clockwork machine. When jobs need to get done they will. Allow for that approach.

2. Try not to show impatience, nor blow a gasket in public or private but if you do, and it is inevitable, at least once, make sure you know the person well enough for them to understand. Always apologise. You will be forgiven.

3. E-mails will be answered but not necessarily at your speed, because the senders are not you.

4. Ironically, Greeks expect you to be on time for an appointment if they are not. Stick to that understanding.

5. In my experience, prioritise your list of questions for any meeting. Then keep all discussions on topic and as brief as possible. Do not deviate into convoluting discussion. If you have a whole series of subjects to discuss, keep them self-contained and be prepared to hold over any to the next meeting when time runs out for today's meeting. Why? By nature, many Greeks have a lower attention span, even for the professionals.

6. When it comes to dealing with government, there appears to be a limited number of windows of opportunity in the year to get things done. This makes it look as though the process of getting permissions to move ahead with your project can appear erratic. Understand that your real estate professionals are doing their best for you.

7. Any timely reminders should be courteous, not a "why hasn't this been done" approach.

8. Greek professionals are usually very generous with their time given to clients and can go to great lengths to please, without chargeΒ  to ensure they deliver as promised. They are flexible to find creative solutions, so you should be.

In conclusion, may I suggest you allow more time for tasks to be undertaken than you would in your home country in Northern Europe and remember that your real estate agent is sandwiched between you and the professionals thatΒ  need to get the job done. And, they would appreciate not being used as a client's verbal punch bag, as a means to vent frustrations.Β 

Gerald recommends you read his buying advice page.  He can also be contacted by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .