The apartment is only part of the purchase. A buyer should also understand the building’s shared expenses, decision-making arrangements and outstanding commitments. A recently renovated interior does not establish that the common roof, lift or shared accounts are in the same condition.
This review is especially useful where a conversion project sits inside a building with other owners. The checks below concern the building’s documents and management arrangements; they do not establish Golden Visa eligibility.
Request the documents behind the monthly figure
“Common charges are approximately this amount” is not enough to budget responsibly. Request the horizontal-property deed, applicable building regulation, expense-allocation schedules, recent statements and the administrator’s contact details. Your lawyer should establish which documents govern the unit and whether amendments exist.
Ask for the latest available accounts and a representative period of bills. Identify recurring items such as cleaning, lift maintenance and common electricity separately from extraordinary repairs. An estimate should specify its period, included services and assumptions rather than appear as a fixed future promise.
Check the allocation, not just the total
Different expense categories may use different allocation arrangements. Ask the administrator and lawyer to explain how the purchased unit is charged for each relevant category and whether any exemptions or special obligations apply.
The useful output is a unit-specific expense sheet showing the charge category, allocation basis, supporting document and current amount. Do not derive liability solely from the apartment’s floor area or assume that every apartment contributes equally.
If a conversion changes the configuration or services of a unit, ask whether the recorded arrangements and physical setup still correspond. A project brochure is not the document that determines co-owners’ rights.
Investigate arrears and approved works
Ask whether the unit has unpaid common charges, whether the building owes service providers money, and whether major work has already been approved. These are three separate questions.
Request evidence where available: a dated unit balance, relevant meeting minutes, supplier invoices and quotations or contracts for planned work. A zero balance for one apartment does not prove that the building has no debts or upcoming expenditure.
Do not assume all historical arrears automatically pass to the buyer, or that they automatically remain irrelevant. Have the lawyer assess the governing documents and applicable law, then record the seller-buyer allocation and any settlement evidence in the transaction documents. A contractual allocation also needs review for its effect on third-party claims.
Understand how decisions are made
Before purchasing, ask who currently manages the building, how owners receive notices, how expenditure is approved and how an overseas owner can participate. Do not use a single voting percentage as a universal answer: the decision type, governing documents and applicable law need examination.
The Greek Ministry of Justice has published a presentation titled “Legislative Initiative for the Modernisation of Co-ownership in Greece.” Its description concerns a reform initiative, not evidence that all proposed changes have become operative law. The visible page did not establish a publication date during this check. Investors should obtain the currently applicable rules from their lawyer rather than apply proposals to their building. Official Ministry presentation, checked 15 September 2026.
Hypothetical example: a lift bill after completion
Suppose an apartment has a clear unit balance, but the owners approved a lift replacement before the sale. The first instalment falls due after completion. A monthly-charge estimate would not resolve who bears that cost. The buyer needs the resolution, payment schedule and a legally reviewed allocation in the purchase documentation. This is an illustrative scenario, not a reported project dispute.
For a Santheos purchase, ask the company’s internal legal and risk-control team to review the available building-level material with the transaction file. Missing minutes or incomplete accounts should be listed as open items, not replaced with an assurance that there will be no additional costs.
Your pre-signature checklist
- Obtain the governing documents and relevant amendments.
- Reconcile the unit’s charge allocations with the documents.
- Check unit arrears, building liabilities and approved works separately.
- Record unresolved evidence and the agreed responsibility for known costs.
- Confirm how future bills and meeting notices reach you.
Use the handover technical checklist for physical inspections, and the investor FAQ for related purchase questions.
