107 National Land Registry Offices to Open Soon: Government Directive to Property Owners to Register

Greece has never had a central computerized system for the inventory and tracking of property. However, during the last decade, Greece has been working towards the creation of the National Land Registry (ETHNIKO KTIMATOLOGIO) in an effort to create a functional system to record property and its ownership. This system will hopefully bring Greece’s title offices into the 21st Century.

The National Land Registry requirements are more stringent and detailed than the ones previously used by the Mortgage Offices. For a property owner to be recognized, they have to produce a series of current certificates, titles, e.g., which will be required to support their claim of ownership.

On March 2007, the Ministry of Land Planning and Public Construction issued a new directive (9.400 of 1/28.3.2007) declaring 107 additional Municipalities that are to be surveyed and incorporated into the National Land Registry System. The Municipalities which are coming up for the required registrations are listed below.

When this directive becomes effective, (which may happen in as little as two months), each of the Municipalities listed below will begin opening area based National Land Registry Offices. There will be different opening dates for each office. When filing, property owners will be directed to submit their application along with the necessary documents: official copies of deeds, recent certificates of ownership from the Mortgage Offices, e.g. Once these documents are submitted the Land Registry offices will research the documents produced by the owner and compare them with existing documents/maps and topographical data to validate the property owner’s claim. Once this is done the property owner’s documents will be listed (or rejected) by the Land Registry.

The National Land Registry system will be particularly beneficial for property owners living abroad since it will help protect their property ownership. This system makes challenging a land claim much more difficult.

Property owners should take the time to make sure that their “titles” are in order, so as to be prepared for when the Land Registry registration process begins. If they have acquired property through inheritance, which they have never legally claimed, (such as accepting their inheritance) or if they do not know the status of their property they need to follow up on these issues now to make sure they hold all the necessary paperwork.

Failure to register the necessary documents at the National Land Registry will result in the land being registered as “of an unknown owner.” The Greek Government could within its rights, claim ownership if no other owner, with the correct paperwork and worthwhile claim, claims the land and all means of appeal have expired.

What you can do to prepare: a. look through the areas listed below to see if your property is located in one of the areas and; b. look through your archives to see if you have your paperwork in order.

Within the next six to eight months, if your property is located in a Municipality listed below, you will need to register your property at the Land Registry. If you take the time now to organize your documents and to follow through on any unresolved legal issues pertaining to your property, you will be ready for when these offices open. Preparation at this initial stage of the Land Registry registration process could save you from unnecessary headaches later on.

PREFECTURE OF ATTICA - MUNICIPALITIES

1. Athens

2. Agia Varvara

3. Aigaleo

4. Peiraeus

5. Peristeri

6. Galatsi

7. Heraklion

8. Lykovrisi

9. Metamorphosi

10. Nea Ionia

11. Nea Filadelfia

12. Nea Chalkidona

13. Papagou

14. Pefki

15. Psihiko

16. Agioi Anargiroi

17. Ano Liosia

18. Aspropyrgos

19. Acharnes

20. Zefiri

21. Thrakomakedones

22. Ilion

23. Kamatero

24. Kryoneri

25. Mandra

26. Petroupoli

27. Phyli

28. Chaidari

29. Agios Stefanos

30. Anthousa

31. Anoixi

32. Dionysos

33. Drosia

34. Ekali

35. Kifisia

36. Marathonas

37. Nea Erythraia

38. Nea makri

39. Nea penteli

40. Pallini

41. Penteli

42. Pikermi

43. Rafina

44. Balas

45. Stamata

46. Alimos

47. Argyroupoli

48. Glyfada

49. Dafni

50. Elliniko

51. Ilioupoli

52. Moshato

53. Tavros

54. Immitos

55. Palaio Faliro

56. Agios Konstantinos

57. Anavissos

58. Vari

59. Voula

60. Vouliagmeni

61. Kalivia

62. Keratea

63. Kouvaras

64. Kropia

65. Lavreotiki

66. Markopoulo

67. Palaia Fokaia

68. Saronida and

69. Kalithea


PREFECTURE OF SALONICA - MUNICIPALITIES

70. Salonica

71. Agios Pavlos

72. Ampelokipi.

73. Elefterio Kordelio

74. Efkarpia

75. Evosmos

76. Local area of Ionia, now called local areas of Nea Magnesia and Diavata of

the Municipality of Echedoros

77. Menemeni

78. Neapoli

79. Pefkoi

80. Polixni

81. Stavroupoli

82. Sykees

83. Triandria

84. Oraiokastro


OTHER AREAS OF GREECE

(In these other areas of Greece, only local areas from the Municipalities are being enlisted. So, you need to be careful in determining if your property is located in these areas)

85. Local area of Nafplieis of the Municipality of Nafplion, County of Argolida

86. Local area of Tripoli of the Municipality of Tripoli, County of Arcadia

87. Local area of Levadieis of the Municipality of Levadia, County of Viotia

88. Local area of Drama of the Municipality of Drama, County of Drama

89. Local area of Alexandroupoli of the Municipality of Alexandroupoli, County of

Evros

90. Local area of Zakyntioi of the Municipality of Zakynthos County of Zakynthos

91. Local area of Pyrgos of the Municipality of Pyrgos, County of Ilia

92. Local area of Igoumenitsa of the Municipality of Igoumenitsa, County of

Thesprotia

93. Local area of Karditsa of the Municipality of Karditsa, County of Karditsa

94. Local area of Kilkis of the Municipality of Kilkis, County of Kilkis

95. Local area of Kozani of the Municipality of Kozani, County of Kozani

96. Local area of Korinth of the Municipality of Korinthians, County of Korinthia

97. Local area of Spartiates of the Municipality of Sparta, County of Lakonia

98. Local area of Larisa of the Municipality of Larisa, County of Larisa

99. Municipality of Volos, County of Magnesia

100. Local area of Xanthi of the Municipality of Xanthi, County of Xanthi

101. Local area of Edesa of the Municipality of Edesa, County of Pella

102. Local area of Katerini of the Municipality of Katerini, County of Pieria

103. Local area of Preveza of the Municipality of Preveza County of Preveza

104. Local area of Samioi of the Municipality of Vathy, County of Samos

105. Local area of Lamieoi of the Municipality of Lamieoi, County of Fthiotida

106. Local area of Florina of the Municipality of Florina, County of Florina

107. Local area of Polygyro of the Municipality of Polygyro, County of Chalkidiki


ATTORNEY CO-AUTHORS:

Anna Haughton, J.D. – Member of the Massachusetts Bar

Gianna Zafeiropoulou- Member of the Athens Bar

Evridiki Lerou – Member of the Athens Bar

Contact information: ahaughton@greeklandlaw.com, annahaught@aol.com, www.greeklandlaw.com

(Posting date 18 April 2008)

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