Why Buy on Crete?
An island of dreams
Crete is an island of endless possibilities. You will never get bored.
Κρήτη is the biggest Greek island, featuring the most southern Greek city: Ierapetra (Ηιεράπετρα). Its location at the corner of Europe, Africa, and the Middle East gives it a very moderate climate: warm to hot summers, moderate springs and autumns, and mild winters. Its mountains and location offer it a variety of landscapes and weather patterns, from north African in some parts to Alpine higher up. It well and truly is a continent within an island!
On Crete, you will find a variety of properties to choose from, from derelict mountain houses with incredible views to fully-equipped villas with sea views and pools. And of course, everything in between.
The time is also right to buy on Crete: after 10 years of economic crisis, the opportunities for properties are huge. The large variety of beautiful houses in varying conditions gives you a wide choice to choose from.
Let’s look in more detail at two options: renovating an older home or buying a newer house.
Option 1: Renovating an older home
I am personally a big fan of older houses in need of renovation. This on the one hand gives you the opportunity to transform it to your own taste and in the spirit of your dream home, but it also provides a huge boost to the community as those houses would otherwise stay unused, uninhabited, and unloved. And on top of that, you get to experience the true heart of Cretan life!
Additionally, a lot of older houses are very unique, with historic features that can be restored and rescued while renovating. I especially love those historic features as they give a house a soul, as well as honoring its identity - something that is very difficult to create in a new build.
Renovation costs in Crete are lower in comparison to many other European countries: for a mid-sized house (somewhere between 40 to 60 square meters), you will be in a position to renovate the building and make it habitable again for a reasonable amount of money. This depends on the quality and materials you chose and on the amount of your own work during the renovation. You will always be an integral part while creating your Soul home on Crete.
Option 2: Buying a newer house
A newer house of course has its advantages as well. For old houses you will need to invest money for insulation, while in newer houses this is normally already done. When buying a newer house or considering a new build, you will of course have less issues for some time in respect to renovation and maintenance of your new dream home on Crete.
Especially when you are looking for modern amenities like central or underfloor heating, triple glazed windows, several bathrooms with showers and bath tubs, or even a swimming pool, these are some things you will most likely not find in older houses. In most older houses during renovation, bathrooms and kitchens need to be adjusted or even added.
Whatever you prefer, buying on Crete will be giving you the endless pleasure of enjoying the Cretan sun, the Cretan sea, the Cretan food and of course the people of Crete.
