Lawyer and Engineer Fees in Greece: What Property Buyers Pay in 2026

How much does a property lawyer cost in Greece?

Greek lawyers' fees for property transactions are normally determined through written agreements between the lawyer and client.

Under Law 4194/2013, the Greek Lawyers' Code, Article 58 establishes the principle of freely agreed written remuneration. Article 73 applies specifically to title investigation, and Article 74 covers legal work on contracts and transactions.

The Code also provides default fee-calculation rules where there is no written agreement. These should not be confused with a compulsory price that every lawyer must charge.

Sources: Greek Lawyers' Code — Article 73, Title Checks and Article 74, Transaction Documents.

What do lawyers typically quote?

Published property-buying guides contain different estimates.

Some quote approximately 0.5%–1% of the property price, while others quote 1%–2%, usually before VAT.

For a €250,000 property, that produces very different figures:

Illustrative arithmetic, not actual professional quotations or a recommended fee schedule. The VAT column assumes that Greek VAT at 24% applies to the services.

The wide range reflects differences between providers and the services being described.

For example, Engel & Völkers' 2026 Greek property guide quotes roughly 0.5%–1%, while Global Property Guide describes a range of approximately 1%–2%.

Neither figure establishes what an individual buyer must pay.

A lawyer may instead offer a fixed fee, an hourly rate or separate prices for particular stages of the transaction.

What this means for a buyer: A percentage quote is only useful once you know what work it covers. A cheaper quote may exclude essential services, while a more expensive quote may cover work you do not need.

What should a buyer's lawyer actually do?

The central purpose of a buyer's lawyer is to investigate the legal position of the property and advise the buyer before they become committed to purchasing it.

A meaningful legal due-diligence assignment can include several distinct activities.

Ownership and title checks

The lawyer examines whether the seller holds the ownership rights they intend to transfer.

Depending on the property's history and applicable registration system, this can require investigating earlier deeds, ownership succession and registered interests.

The review may include the Hellenic Cadastre, the relevant historical land registry or mortgage records, and supporting documents.

A buyer should expect the lawyer to establish what rights are being offered, what has been verified and which questions remain unresolved.

Mortgages, liens and other encumbrances

A property may be subject to registered burdens or third-party rights.

These can include mortgages, mortgage prenotations, seizures, claims, usufruct rights or other restrictions relevant to the proposed transfer.

Finding an encumbrance does not necessarily mean a purchase is impossible. Some may be discharged or otherwise resolved as part of the transaction.

But the buyer needs to understand what must happen, who is responsible and how the resolution will be documented.

Cadastral consistency

The lawyer should assess the relevant legal and cadastral information, including whether the registered property and rights match the intended transaction.

Where the cadastral description, property boundaries or ownership arrangements raise technical questions, coordination with an engineer or surveyor may be necessary.

Legal review and physical measurement are not the same task.

Contract review and buyer protection

A lawyer's assignment may also include reviewing a reservation agreement, preliminary contract or final purchase deed.

This can cover deposit conditions, payment arrangements, unresolved documents, representations made by the seller, completion deadlines and the buyer's rights if problems emerge.

For buyers purchasing remotely, the scope may extend to preparing or reviewing authorisations and coordinating with the notary.

These services should be specified rather than assumed.

For a more detailed explanation, see What Does a Property Lawyer Check in Greece?.

The report matters

A useful legal investigation should produce a clear conclusion about the areas examined, the documents reviewed, the risks identified and any conditions requiring resolution.

That conclusion may be provided in a written report or other agreed documented form.

The buyer should ask in advance what deliverable will be provided.

What this means for a buyer: You are not simply buying a lawyer's presence at a signing appointment. You are paying for a defined investigation and professional advice about the legal risks of the purchase.

Is hiring a property lawyer legally mandatory?

For an ordinary Greek residential purchase, a buyer is generally not required to appoint their own lawyer solely for the final notarial deed.

The notary has a separate statutory role in preparing and authenticating the transfer.

However, the fact that independent buyer-side legal representation is not generally compulsory does not make it unnecessary.

The notary is not exclusively retained to defend the buyer's interests. The estate agent also does not replace independent legal advice.

Sources: European e-Justice Portal — Legal Professions in Greece and GreekProperty.org — Lawyer in a Greek Property Purchase.

For a foreign buyer who does not read Greek legal documents or understand the cadastral system, independent legal advice can be especially valuable.

The relevant question is not simply whether the lawyer is compulsory. It is whether the buyer is comfortable proceeding without an independent professional examining the seller's title and the contractual obligations.

How much does an engineer cost when buying property in Greece?

Unlike a single statutory purchase-tax calculation, an engineer's fee depends on the actual technical service.

An ordinary apartment inspection, a building-legality assessment, preparation of an Electronic Building Identity and a structural engineering investigation can involve substantially different work.

Greek engineering-service fees are generally agreed in writing, under the professional-fee framework of Law 3919/2011, Article 7.

The law removed compulsory minimum fees for the engineering services within its scope and established a written-agreement framework. It does not establish one fixed price for all residential pre-purchase inspections.

Source: Law 3919/2011 — Article 7, Engineers.

A published example of inspection pricing

As an illustration of provider-specific pricing, Greek engineering firm GTKO publishes the following prices for a basic residential pre-purchase inspection:

Source: GTKO Design & Properties — Published Technical Due-Diligence Prices, accessed October 2026.

These are one company's published prices, not regulated Greek fees or representative market averages.

Its stated basic service includes one site visit, review of available technical documents, documentation of visible defects or discrepancies, and a written report. Specialist structural assessments and additional work are separately agreed.

A buyer should not assume that every service called a "property inspection" covers the same scope.

Why can a detailed engineering review cost considerably more?

Technical work may expand when the property has missing permits, undocumented alterations, complex construction, several buildings or significant suspected defects.

An engineer may need to obtain historical drawings, compare authorised and existing layouts, commission measurements, review regularisation documents or involve additional specialists.

Properties outside urban plans, rural houses and older buildings can raise different questions from a relatively straightforward apartment.

Travel to an island or remote area can also affect the practical cost of an inspection.

What this means for a buyer: Ask for the engineering scope first, then compare prices for that same scope. A low-priced visual visit is not a substitute for a structural assessment when one is needed.

What is the difference between the seller's engineer and the buyer's engineer?

This is one of the most important distinctions in the Greek buying process.

A property transfer can require technical documentation prepared through authorised engineers.

The seller ordinarily arranges the documentation needed to demonstrate the building's recorded legal status and enable the notarial transfer, although responsibility for particular costs should be confirmed in the transaction agreement.

A buyer may separately appoint an independent engineer to assess the property's technical risks from the buyer's perspective.

These services serve different purposes.

A seller's engineer may carry out legally significant work. The distinction is not that one engineer is inherently trustworthy and another is not.

The distinction is the engagement, scope and professional responsibility.

An independent buyer-side assignment allows the buyer to define the questions they need answered and receive findings addressed to them.

What is the Electronic Building Identity, and who pays for it?

The Electronic Building Identity (Ηλεκτρονική Ταυτότητα Κτιρίου — HTK) is an official digital record containing prescribed information about a building or separate property unit.

The system is operated through the Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE).

For ordinary residential property transfers within the applicable legal framework, a Certificate of Completeness of the Building Identity is part of the required documentation.

The authorised engineer must finalise the relevant electronic record, carry out the required inspection and satisfy the applicable procedure before issuing the certificate.

Sources: Greek Ministry of Environment — Introduction of the Electronic Building Identity and Gov.gr — Certificate of Completeness.

The record can include building permits, plans, relevant declarations concerning unauthorised construction, energy documentation and other required property information.

Who normally pays?

The seller generally arranges the documentation necessary to deliver the property for transfer, including the applicable HTK documentation.

However, buyers should confirm the actual allocation of costs in the transaction rather than treating commercial practice as a universal statutory allocation.

If the seller has already commissioned an engineer for this documentation, the buyer should not assume that the same work includes independent buyer-side technical due diligence.

Does an HTK certificate mean the building is in good physical condition?

No.

The certificate addresses the legally required completeness and documentation process.

It is not automatically a comprehensive assessment of structural integrity, hidden defects, waterproofing, electrical safety, plumbing condition or the cost of future repairs.

An engineer can check additional matters, but the buyer must establish whether those checks are included in the engagement.

What happens if the engineer finds unauthorised construction?

The consequences depend on the nature of the issue and the applicable legislation.

An undocumented extension, enclosed balcony, altered floor plan or unauthorised change of use may require further investigation and potentially corrective administrative procedures.

Some irregularities may be capable of regularisation under applicable rules; others may create more serious obstacles.

The buyer should not assume that all unauthorised construction can be regularised or that payment of an administrative fine resolves every issue.

The responsible engineer and lawyer should explain what must be resolved before the buyer commits to completing the transaction.

For more detail, see Illegal and Unauthorised Construction in Greece.

Is an Energy Performance Certificate another engineering fee?

Potentially, but it is a separate service and document.

The Energy Performance Certificate (Πιστοποιητικό Ενεργειακής Απόδοσης — PEA) records the calculated energy performance of a building or building unit.

The Greek Ministry of Environment states that the property owner commissions an authorised energy inspector for the relevant assessment and certificate, which is generally required for property sales subject to the applicable rules and exceptions.

Source: Greek Ministry of Environment — Building Energy Performance.

A PEA should not be confused with an independent engineering survey of the property.

It primarily addresses energy performance, not the entire physical or legal condition of the home.

If you are paying for engineering work, ask whether the quote relates to a PEA, Electronic Building Identity, buyer's technical inspection, or some combination.

They should not be treated as interchangeable deliverables.

How should VAT be calculated on lawyer and engineer fees?

Greek professional services are ordinarily subject to VAT where the applicable place-of-supply and taxation rules require it.

The standard Greek VAT rate is 24% in October 2026.

Source: AADE — Basic VAT Rates.

For services directly connected with the transfer of title to a specific Greek property, the EU VAT framework generally places taxation where the immovable property is located.

But not every legal service has identical VAT treatment. The nature of the service, the customer and the particular VAT rules must be considered.

Sources: European Commission — Place of Taxation and EU Implementing Regulation 282/2011 — Article 31a.

This is relevant for non-EU buyers because being resident outside the EU does not automatically mean all legal work relating to a Greek property will be invoiced without Greek VAT.

An illustrative calculation

A lawyer quotes €1,750 before VAT for an agreed purchase-related service.

If 24% VAT applies:

€1,750 × 24% = €420 VAT.

Total: €2,170.

For an engineer charging €400 before VAT under the same assumption:

€400 × 24% = €96 VAT.

Total: €496.

The buyer should ask both professionals to confirm the actual VAT treatment and provide a written amount inclusive of all applicable tax.

Worked example: A €250,000 apartment

Consider a hypothetical foreign buyer purchasing a resale apartment for €250,000.

The buyer engages an independent lawyer and an engineer to examine the property before committing to purchase.

The following amounts are illustrative negotiated fees, not actual quotes, official estimates or claims about typical Greek prices.

The example assumes:

• One residential resale apartment.
• One individual foreign buyer.
• An agreed legal-services package, including title and contract review.
• One independent engineering inspection with a written report.
• Greek VAT at 24% on both services.
• No additional specialist investigations.

It excludes the seller's HTK and PEA expenses, any extra buyer-commissioned engineering work, translations, powers of attorney, official searches or document retrieval charged separately, as well as notary fees, transfer tax, registration charges and estate-agent commission.

The €2,666 combined figure is not a universal allowance.

For this particular hypothetical scope, it simply demonstrates how separate professional quotations and VAT can be combined into a transparent budget.

What if a problem is discovered?

Suppose the engineer identifies a discrepancy between the authorised drawings and the actual apartment layout.

The original inspection fee may cover reporting the discrepancy but not preparing revised plans, technical studies or regularisation documentation.

Similarly, the lawyer's original agreed fee may cover identifying a registered mortgage but not carrying out a lengthy additional process to resolve title difficulties.

These extra tasks could incur additional fees.

That is why the scope of the original quote matters as much as the headline price.

How should a buyer compare two lawyer quotations?

Compare the services rather than only the percentages.

A lawyer quoting €1,500 for a limited title search and another quoting €2,500 for a full transaction package may not be offering equivalent work.

Ask both professionals to specify whether their services include:

Not every buyer needs every service.

For instance, a buyer who has already obtained an AFM may not need to pay a lawyer to arrange one.

But core title and contractual checks should not disappear from the assignment merely because the buyer already understands the purchase process.

Fixed fee or percentage?

Both can be legitimate.

A fixed fee provides a defined total for an agreed scope. A percentage links the remuneration to the transaction value. An hourly arrangement may be appropriate for uncertain or additional work.

The commercial format does not itself determine the quality of the legal advice.

For any arrangement, clarify what happens if the deal is abandoned after initial investigations or additional work becomes necessary.

How should a buyer compare two engineering quotations?

A useful engineering quote should describe the inspection method, the records to be examined, the deliverable and the limits of the work.

The following comparison framework helps expose differences.

The buyer should ask which tasks are included and which require additional payment.

A visual survey should not be represented as a full structural certification if it does not involve the necessary investigation and calculations.

Similarly, an engineer may be qualified to assess some technical questions but need another specialist for particular issues.

Why a written report matters

A verbal comment that a property "looks fine" does not give the buyer enough detail to understand what was actually inspected.

A useful report can identify the property inspected, documents available, observations, uncertainties and recommended further actions.

It should distinguish between issues that were checked and issues that could not be checked.

This is particularly important for foreign buyers who may be unable to attend every inspection personally.

Who should pay for additional engineering work if a problem is found?

There is no useful universal answer without knowing the problem and the transaction agreement.

The seller may need to provide legally necessary documentation or resolve an issue that prevents a lawful transfer.

The buyer may commission additional investigations for their own decision-making.

The parties may also negotiate responsibility for further work, corrective action, delays or costs.

Before accepting an additional expense, establish:

1. What problem has been identified and what evidence supports it?
2. Is the work required for the transfer, or is it an optional buyer-side investigation?
3. Which professional is qualified and responsible for the work?
4. Who has agreed to pay for it?
5. Is a completion deadline or deposit condition affected?
6. What happens if the problem cannot be resolved?

These questions should be addressed before the buyer makes a non-refundable commitment.

At what stage should you hire the lawyer and engineer?

Both professionals can be valuable before the buyer becomes contractually or financially committed to the property.

A practical sequence is:

The sequencing can vary.

The essential point is that discovering an expensive problem after an irreversible payment is generally less useful than identifying it before the buyer is committed.

Some professionals charge for the initial investigation even if the purchase does not proceed. That should be explained in the engagement agreement.

Does a more expensive lawyer or engineer guarantee a safer purchase?

No.

Price alone does not establish professional competence, independence or the completeness of an investigation.

A buyer should evaluate the professional's relevant experience, qualifications, proposed scope, reporting standard and capacity to address the specific property.

For a lawyer, confirm their Greek bar membership and relevant property-law experience.

For an engineer, confirm the professional qualifications and authorisations appropriate to the task, including TEE registration where relevant.

A property with complex title history or significant technical irregularities may require a broader engagement than a straightforward apartment.

But paying a higher fee does not guarantee that every risk will be identified or eliminated.

What should be agreed in writing before work begins?

The most useful step is to define the engagement.

For each professional, the agreement should identify:

• The exact property and purpose of the work.
• The services and documents covered.
• The professional responsible for the work.
• Whether an inspection or registry investigation is included.
• The expected written deliverable.
• The fee calculation and VAT treatment.
• Third-party charges and expenses.
• What is specifically excluded.
• How additional work will be approved and priced.
• When fees are payable, including if the transaction stops.
• Any relevant deadlines.

For a foreign buyer, the language of communication and reports is also worth confirming.

A clear written scope reduces the risk of assuming a professional has checked something they were never engaged to investigate.

Common questions

Can one person act as both lawyer and engineer?

Legal advice and technical engineering work require different professional qualifications. A coordinated professional team may offer both services, but the buyer should know which qualified individual is responsible for each task and receive the corresponding deliverables.

Does the seller's Electronic Building Identity remove the need for my own engineer?

No. The Electronic Building Identity fulfils a specific statutory documentation function. A buyer-side inspection can address additional questions about building compliance, condition, visible defects and further investigation. The scope must be agreed separately.

Is a lawyer's fee always a percentage of the purchase price?

No. Written agreements can establish different remuneration arrangements. A property-price percentage is one commercial pricing method, not an obligatory universal tariff.

Should I pay for due diligence before making an offer?

You can make an initial offer subject to appropriate conditions, but the legal implications of any reservation payment or agreement should be checked before signing. Core legal and technical investigations are most valuable before the buyer becomes irrevocably committed.

What these professional checks cannot guarantee

A legal review is not a structural survey.

A technical inspection is not a title certification.

Neither a legal report nor an engineering report automatically proves that the advertised purchase price reflects current market value.

Each professional operates within a defined scope and evidence base.

A responsible purchase decision distinguishes between confirmed findings, unresolved matters and matters requiring specialist follow-up.

Related guides

• Costs of Buying Property in Greece — the wider acquisition-cost budget.
• Property Due Diligence in Greece — the legal, technical and market-evidence layers.
• What Does a Property Lawyer Check? — buyer-side title and legal investigations.
• What Does a Civil Engineer Check? — technical verification and building issues.
• Electronic Building Identity in Greece — what HTK documentation establishes.
• Notary Fees in Greece — the separate cost of preparing and executing the deed.
• Documents to Request Before Paying a Deposit — the documents that support early investigation.

Evaluating a particular property? Obtain clear written legal and technical scopes before committing significant money.

The Greek Property Report is independent of estate agencies and transaction commissions. Our property research helps buyers organise available administrative and market evidence, but it does not replace a lawyer's title investigation, an engineer's physical inspection or any statutory professional certification.