Crete Property Market

In the past few years many Northern Europeans have decided to live in Crete, they have been purchasing, building, or restoring old stone Cretan houses.

This rapid Crete property development is mainly due to its excellent climate with over three-hundred sunny days a year, and the low property cost.

Crete has several international airports and harbours making travel to and from the island extremely easy. Crete has two University hospitals that offer the very best in health care and at very high standards.

Fresh fruits and vegetables can be found in Crete year round as well as its extra virgin olive oil that is exported all over the world and is well known how beneficial olive oil is for a well balanced diet.

Cretans are very warm and friendly people and communication with the locals is not a problem since most of them speak fluent English. Criminality is very low in Crete as well as the rest of Greece.

Many Greek and foreign contractors and estate agencies are very active in the area, this fierce competition has a positive affect on the asking price and services rendered. In any case, it is wise to be very careful and check the property with an attorney prior to making the final purchase. All Embassies have a list with the names and telephone numbers of English speaking attorneys in the area that can assist you.

Prices for Property in Crete

The prices for Crete property range according to location, the quality of the construction, the size of the property and of course if there are extra amenities such as a swimming pool, etc. The coastal area of Apokoronas which is located a few kilometers east of Chania and the area of Akrotiri are the areas with the highest in demand. The reason for such high demand is due mainly to the beautiful scenery, which combines the beautiful blue waters of the Mediterranean and the snow covered peaks in the background. These areas are located near the international airport, the harbours of Souda and the beautiful city of Chania.

If you are searching for Crete property that is more economical then you should prefer the southern coastline of Crete. The southern coast of Crete is less developed in comparison with the northern coast of Crete, and the distances from the harbours, airports, hospitals and urban centres are greater, but not to far to cause a problem. The southern coast of Crete is approximately 40 – 50 kilometers from the northern coast; this distance normally takes no more than 1 hour driving distance.

Some of the advantages of Southern Crete is, that it still maintains, for the most part, its untouched natural beauty, and that life moves at a simpler pace. The temperatures in Southern Crete are warmer and it is possible to enjoy swimming even during the month of January.

If you like the idea of relocating to Crete, study and learn as much as possible about the island. Travel and explore the different regions of Crete so you may choose the one more suitable for you. The best source to better prepare you for your decision is the Internet, there are several wonderful sites on Crete, as well forums and blogs, from where you can gather a great amount of information from people that have already relocated to Crete, they can offer useful tips based on their experience.