Greece Golden Visa Conversion Project Handover: Technical Due-Diligence Checklist

Handover is a critical stage in a Greece Golden Visa conversion project. A unit may look complete in photographs while important contractual, engineering or operational items remain open. For an EUR 250,000 commercial-to-residential purchase, the buyer should treat handover as a documented verification process that links the exact apartment to the title, approved plans, change-of-use file, sales specification and physical condition.

Begin before the handover appointment

The review should start well before keys are delivered. Ask the developer for an updated unit file containing the apartment number, floor, plan, area description, specification, proposed contract, construction status and expected completion evidence. The independent lawyer and engineer should be able to identify the same property across every document. Building-level brochures are useful for orientation, but they do not replace records for the unit being transferred.

Create a responsibility list covering the developer, seller, engineer, lawyer, notary, property manager and buyer. Record which party must produce each document or complete each item. This prevents the final inspection from becoming an informal walk-through with no clear follow-up.

Check the legal and technical identity

The property’s legal description, cadastral information, floor and boundaries should match the plans and the unit on site. The engineer should review the prior commercial use and the completed residential conversion documentation. Under the official special-route procedure, the change of use must be completed before the residence application, and the technical report forms part of the supporting file.

Ask for a written explanation of any difference between the title, architectural plan, final layout or marketing plan. Small-looking discrepancies can affect the clarity of the transfer and application record. Do not assume a mismatch will be corrected after completion unless the responsible professional has identified the remedy and timing.

Inspect the unit systematically

An independent engineer should lead or support the inspection. Use a room-by-room checklist and take dated photographs. Test doors, windows, locks, water flow, drainage, electrical points, lighting, heating and cooling controls where installed. Review natural light, ventilation, wall and floor finishes, kitchen connections, sanitary fittings and evidence of moisture. Confirm that equipment described in the sales specification is present.

Measurements and layout should be compared with the approved plan. Note whether storage, balconies or other areas are included in the title or merely shown in promotional material. Where access, fire-safety, acoustic or building-system requirements apply, ask the engineer to record the relevant evidence rather than relying on appearance.

Review common areas and utilities

The apartment cannot be evaluated in isolation. Inspect the entrance, stairs, lift, corridors, lighting, roof or basement access where relevant, waste areas and the route from the street to the unit. Confirm which common works are complete and which remain. Ask when the building will have permanent utility connections, how meters are allocated and who will handle activation.

Obtain the available building rules, common-charge arrangement and property-management contact. If the conversion involves a larger building delivered in phases, understand how unfinished areas may affect access, noise, security or services. These are practical ownership questions even when they do not change the immigration analysis.

Create a written defects and completion record

List each defect or incomplete item with a location, photograph, responsible party and deadline. Use precise language: for example, identify a specific window, surface or connection instead of writing “finishes to be checked.” Classify items as preventing acceptance, requiring correction before occupation or suitable for an agreed post-handover remedy.

The contract and handover protocol should explain what happens if work is delayed or does not meet the agreed specification. A verbal promise is difficult to administer. Buyers should ask their lawyer how to document retention, remedies or later completion where appropriate to the transaction.

After corrections are reported, arrange a second inspection instead of treating an email confirmation as proof of completion. Close each item only when the buyer or appointed engineer has checked the work. Keep the signed final schedule with the handover record so later questions can be traced to an agreed document.

Assemble the property and Golden Visa records

Keep the final contract, notarial certificates, proof of registration or cadastral filing, engineer’s technical report, payment confirmations and handover documents together. Names, amounts, property identifiers and dates should be consistent. The official procedure requires full payment by permitted traceable means and property-specific legal and technical evidence. Your advisers should confirm that the payment trail and final property file are ready before the residence application is submitted.

Also collect keys, remotes, meter numbers, appliance information, available warranties, final plans, emergency contacts and management instructions. These materials do not replace statutory documents, but they make ownership and future maintenance easier to administer.

Questions to resolve before acceptance

• Does the physical unit match the title, plan and contract?
• Has the independent engineer reviewed the completed conversion evidence?
• Which works and common-area items remain open?
• Are utilities permanent, individually metered and ready for activation?
• Which defects are recorded, and who must correct them by what date?
• Which original or certified documents will be delivered at transfer?
• Does the payment record match the notarial and application requirements?
• Who manages the building after completion?

Use a property-specific review

Browse current Santheos Greece Golden Visa conversion projects, read the conversion documents and engineer checks guide, and consult the Greece Golden Visa Encyclopedia. Availability, delivery status and eligibility should always be confirmed for the exact unit.

Editorial note and official source

Prepared by: Santheos Research & Project Team.
Last reviewed: August 2026.
Important: This is general information, not legal, tax, engineering or immigration advice. Independent advisers should review the property and transaction.

• Greek Government Mitos registry: permanent Golden Visa (change of use) – initial issuance

Request current project and handover documentation from Santheos.