The Mediterranean island of Crete is a favorite for
Europeans who are looking for a second home, vacation spot
or retirement haven. It has year round sunshine and
beautiful scenery, and is currently undergoing a
development boom. Crete has over 1,000 kilometers of
coastline, is the largest island in Greece and the fifth
largest in the Mediterranean, and is important historically
as the home of the Minoan Civilization and has many
archaeological remains for visitors to see and explore.
Crete, approximately 160 kilometers south of the Greece
mainland, has a population of nearly 650,000 residents, who
mostly reside on the north coast of the island. A long
mountain chain runs through the island, coming right to the
sea along much of the southern coast, where there a number
of smaller towns and beaches. The climate is temperate,
with summers long and hot and winters mild. During the
winter, snow falls in the mountains, and occasionally along
the northern side of the island but rarely on the south.
The largest city on the island is Heraklion, with nearly
150,000 residents, followed by Chania, with 54,000
residents and Rethymno. Chania and Rethymno are the most
popular destinations for tourists on the western part of
the island. On the eastern half, Heraklion is the business
and commerce capital of the island, with Agios Nikolaos and
Sitia being popular tourist destinations.
In between Heraklion and Rethymno is the small town of
Panormos, where a new home development is under
construction. Panorma Seafront homes all have sea views,
shared or private swimming pools and are located within 50
meters of the sea. Homes here begin at under €70,000
for a 1 bedroom property, while 3 bedroom houses can run
over €200,000. This development is a fine example of
the type of property available off-plan and nearly new on
this idyllic island.
The main airport for Crete is Heraklion International
Airport, also known as Nikos Kazantzakis International
Airport (HER), which serves many UK and European cities
with daily, nonstop flights. The other international
airport on Crete is Chania International Airport (CHQ),
serving the western part of the island. A number of
discount airlines fly to both airports, making it a
reasonably priced destination. There are also ferries that
travel to and from the Greek mainland, often taking an
overnight for the trip.
My top tip if buying land in Crete with an intention to
build is use to local builders. Attempting to build or
renovate a house without using a local architect is not a
good idea and may be a false economy. The climate of Crete
is very different from the climate of northern Europe and
may demand different types of building materials and
procedures. Dealing with builders without a local architect
to oversee the project may also be disastrous and could
lead to expensive errors owing to communication problems
----------------------------------------------------
Buying property overseas can be a daunting experience
Nicholas Marr makes it seem easier with his informative
articles based on his experience as CEO of overseas
property websites at
http://www.greekhomes4sale.com/ and
http://greece.homesgofast.com
No comments:
Post a Comment