Reading a Greek title deed.

The Greek property cadastre — the κτηματολόγιο — completed its first national rollout in 2024. For the first time in modern Greek history, every property in the country has a single, authoritative title record. Here is how to actually read it.

What the title deed contains

Every modern Greek title deed has five sections:

1. The KAEK — a unique 12-digit cadastral identifier for the property.
2. The geographic block — boundaries with neighbouring parcels.
3. The ownership chain — the sequence of transfers that gave rise to the current title.
4. The encumbrances — mortgages, easements and other recorded rights.
5. The planning consents — building permits and zoning compliance status.

What to verify

Your lawyer will run a series of checks:

• Chain of title — that every transfer in the ownership chain is properly registered and untainted by any open litigation.
• Planning compliance — that the existing structure (if any) matches the planning consents on file. Unauthorised construction is one of the most common issues with older Athens properties.
• Encumbrances — that any mortgage on the property is being discharged at closing and that no rights of third parties remain attached to the title.

Pre-sale specifics

For pre-sale, the title check is performed against the developer's title on the land. You should expect:

• A clean title at the parcel level.
• A registered building permit (οικοδομική άδεια) matching the project being sold.
• A registered division (σύσταση οριζοντίου ιδιοκτησίας) creating the individual units that will eventually be sold.

If any of these three are missing, slow the transaction down until they are in place.