Lately, the island of Lemnos and in general the islands of North Aegean have attracted the interest of many foreign citizens, both in EU and from third party countries and mostly residents from Balkan countries, Russia, France, and Switzerland who wish to buy property in the island with the aim of investing in the tourism sector or having a vacation residence.
Lemnos (or Limnos) is a large island in the northeastern Aegean Sea, between Lesvos and Thassos.
Due to its long distance from Athens, Lemnos is one of those Greek islands that has managed to stay under the radar. Its unspoiled charm makes it a great destination for those who seek privacy and relaxation. Apart from being an ideal place for holidays, Lemnos presents many advantages to those who seek to acquire property in the island, namely the large number of plots being sold especially in the northern part of the island, the reasonable prices, the relatively speedy process of purchasing and the extensive opportunities to invest in tourism facilities.
The legal process of acquiring land or real estate property in Lemnos is, more or less, the same as in any other place. Nevertheless, there are some particularities for potential buyers:
Pursuant to articles 25 par.1 and 26 par.2 of Law 1892/1990, which were amended by article 114 of Law 3978/2011, foreigners (natural or legal persons) are prohibited from buying land and acquiring any general right in rem in areas of Greek territory that are characterized as border areas, without prior issuance of a relevant permit by the Greek State.
The former prefectures of Dodecanese, Evros, Thesprotia, Kastoria, Kilkis, Lesvos, Xanthi, Preveza, Rodopi, Samos, Florina and Chios, the islands of Thira and Skyros, as well as the former prefectures of Evros, are now defined as border areas. For foreigners who wish to buy a property (home/house or business) in Lemnos the buyer must follow a process of issuing the required property purchase permit from the Greek State which is initiated by an application with supporting documentation and ends with the issuance of the decision which provides permission to the buyer to proceed with the purchase.
Buyers should be very cautious on potential issues of Building Planning restrictions and archeological restrictions on the lands they are willing to buy. Lemnos is an island of important archeological history, and a large extent of the land can present archeological interest and findings. What is more, different parts of the island have distinctive Open City Spatial and Housing Organisation Plans, which are essentially rural plans established by Law which define the terms and conditions of use for different parts of land (i.e. there are lands in which you can only build for touristic purposes, or building a house with specific requirements). Another issue to consider is the pending process of Forest Maps.
Forest Maps are public documents The object of the Forest Charter is the final recording and demarcation of forests and forest areas in Greece. The process of such recordal is still open for Lemnos so Buyers should be cautious to check and establish if a land they wish to buy is characterized as forest by the competent authorities because such characterization can impose several restrictions on the transfer.
Before concluding any type of agreement for the purchase of land or real property in the island, buyers ideally need to appoint a lawyer and a mechanic to examine whether there are any building or other rural or forest map restrictions applied in the property or if there is a need to get a license from the competent Archeological Authority to proceed to any kind of building works. Such professionals can also assist in the general process of the acquisition, obtain any necessary licenses, and advise on the conformity of the land of interest in general.
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