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How do you travel from London to Thessaloniki by train?

This is a pros and cons guide for travelling by train from London U.K. to Thessaloniki Greece.

We have done it and will tell you how.

Why travel to Greece by train?
When travelling by train, you can book months before or, buy your tickets and seat reservations just before the train departs.
You can arrive at the train station just a few minutes before departure.
Unlike airplane travel, there are no luggage restrictions. You can take as much luggage as you like as long as you can carry it on and off the train.
With train travel you get to see a lot of interesting places and changing countryside along the way.
You can choose where to hop off; decide what to see and how long to stay.
The best part is that most tickets can be refunded (some only up to 85%) if you decide not to travel.
If you don’t like flying, take the train, it can be an interesting and an enjoyable adventure.

The downside is
You can book the entire train journey from the U.K to Greece but you cannot book the return journey. Only when you reach the ticket office in Thessaloniki can you book the return journey and they will only book it to Belgrade. Once in Belgrade you have to book the next stages back to the U.K. yourself. (On hearing this, we chose a route from Volos, Greece to Brindisi, Italy by bus and ferry).
You need a lot of spare time and patience as train journeys can be long and tedious.
Connections can be late or cancelled and if you miss your connections, your seat reservations become invalid.
Overnight sleepers can cost as much as a hotel room and you get woken up constantly throughout the night by the train stopping at stations, noise and passport control.
Trains in Eastern Europe we travelled on often broke down due to old rolling stock. They did not have buffet cars and sometimes sleeper cars had no lights.
Stations in Eastern Europe were old and crumbling. Information was sparse
“Keep your doors locked” the Romanian guard shouted at us on the Bucharest to Thessaloniki night train. “There are bandits in Bulgaria who jump on the trains!” My wife quickly armed herself with a coat hanger. Maybe she wanted to politely ask the bandits to hang up their coats before they attacked us!
Hidden costs, reservations and small extras can make it more expensive than an economy airplane ticket.
Ferries from Italy to greece can be rough in bad weather and toilets can be disgusting.
Travelling by train is much, much slower than airplane travel.

How much time is needed to travel from London to Thessaloniki by train?
The shortest time from the U.K to Greece by train would be about 3 days.
The longest time is up to you.

Pre-planning is essential
Study maps and have a pretty good idea of your route before you travel.
It is very important to co-ordinate the planning of your route with train timetables and ferry schedules.
We chose to book through Eurostar: www.eurostar.com and DB Bhan: www.bhan.co.uk
Make sure that you leave enough time in-between connections. Half an hour is not enough, 2 hours is advisable.
Remember to find out if your next train connection starts from a different train station and if it does, leave enough time to get there.
Make sure you reserve seats on all the trains you travel on. (Compulsory on most trains) Journeys can be long and trains overcrowded. If you don’t reserve a seat you may have to stand and in some cases even if you have a ticket you may not be let on as the train may be full.
Take water, some food, mobile phones with spare batteries and a book to read.
Be prepared for delays, cancellations and missed connections.
Always have a plan B.

Train Tickets

Eurostar: www.eurostar.com
DB Bhan: www.bhan.co.uk

The best way to travel by train is to buy an InterRail Global Pass.
There are various types of tickets and they would work out cheaper and give you more freedom (Hop on-hop off) of travel than buying each ticket individually.
Remember this ticket does not include Eurostar, seat reservations or sleepers. Each seat reservation would have to be bought separately from the Global pass.
Prices for reservations can range from about Euro 3 per person to about Euro 10 per person per seat. Sleepers on the overnight trains can be around Euro 84 (entire 3 person compartment unless you want to share)
You must fill out the days you travel, destinations, connections and train numbers on the InterRail Global Pass before you board the trains you travel on in two places on the ticket. If you don’t the ticket inspectors will fine you Euro 50 every time.

So, how good are the trains?
Western European trains are fast, reliable, comfortable and mostly on time.
Eastern European trains are slow and frequently break down as rolling stock is old. The trains we travelled on were mostly delayed (some by 3 hours) and the toilets were terrible. There are no buffet cars, so bring your own food. I bought beer from the train guards and the price went up every hour! For some reason they also seem to like driving the trains with the carriage doors open. Stations can be chaotic with platforms crumbling. Information is sparse. Things seem to run on luck!

The best and worst trains we travelled on

The best
The French, German and Italian trains

The Worst
The Romanian (Old Rolling stock) and Greek trains. It is always better to travel by bus in Greece. (EG: Thessaloniki to Volos by train-5 hours - by bus 2.5 hours).

London to Thessaloniki Greece by train

Our route: London to Paris - Paris to Vienna - Vienna to Budapest - Budapest to Bucharest ( with stopovers in Sighisoara and Brashov) - Bucharest to Thessaloniki - Thessaloniki to Volos by bus - Volos to Skopelos by ferry.

Tickets: Eurostar, InterRail Global Pass and paid for seat reservations.
Eurostar: www.eurostar.com
DB Bhan: www.bhan.co.uk

Day 1
London to Paris by Eurostar:
(Eurostar is not included in InterRail Global Pass.)
Choose your travel time and best price - Frequent trains
Duration: About 2hr 30m
Ease and Comfort: 8 out of 10
Notes: On time.

Day 2
Paris to Vienna by ICE Trains (12:24 hours- 1 change)
Seat reservation: €4 per person
Departing Paris EST at 6:58am
Arrive: Vienna 19:22
Duration: 12hr 24m
Ease and Comfort: 7 out of 10
Notes: 5 min late. Dinner and sleep over in Vienna

Day 3
Vienna to Budapest by IC Trains
Seat reservation: €4 per person
Choose your departure time - Frequent trains
Duration: About 3 hours
Ease and Comfort: 7 out of 10
Notes: 15 min Late

Budapest to Bucharest, Romania by CFR Trains.
Seat reservation: €84 for a three berth sleeper
Choose your departure time: Trains every 2-4 hours or so.
Duration: 14hr 15m – depending on train
Notes: It is best to arrive in Bucharest by 10:30am to catch the 12:16 connection to Thessaloniki or by 18:00 to catch the 20:04 connection to Thessaloniki. (Only two trains a day)
We chose an over night sleeper to Sighisoara
Depart: 19:13
Arrive: 05:40 next day
Duration: 8hr 56m
Ease and Comfort: 2 out of 10. Old Sleeper car. Clean sheets. No lights. At 23:30 work was carried out to replace the train battery. Much noise and what a carry on!
Notes: We arrived 65 minutes late.

(Day 3&4)
2 days touring in Romania

Day 5
Brasov to Bucharest – (It is the same Budapest to Bucharest train)
Seat reservation: €4 per person
Choose your departure time carefully: Every two hours or so (Choose 07:14 train to catch connecting 12:16 train to Thessaloniki).
Duration: About 3:15 hours
Ease and Comfort: 1 out of 10 – Trains stink of unwashed backpackers – No opening windows. Stop and start journey.
Notes: 90 min Late – mechanical problems with train. We only had 13 min to catch our connection to Thessaloniki.

Bucharest Romania to Thessaloniki Greece by CFR Romanian trains
Seat reservation: €78 for a three berth sleeper
Choose your departure time: 2 trains a day – (Don’t miss it!)
Departs: 12:16 or 20:04
Arrive: Thessaloniki 5:40 or 12:50
Duration: 17hr 24m
Ease and Comfort: 3 out of 10 – Sleeper was cosy with clean sheets. We were told to lock our doors whist travelling through Bulgaria as bandits can jump on the trains. No buffet car. Buy beer/water from train guards. Much noise.
Notes: We arrived 2 hours late.

Day 6
Thessaloniki to Volos by bus - Volos to Skopelos by ferry
Make sure you check the Ferry schedules before you travel so you don’t arrive after the last boat departs. Please make sure you reserve and buy seats on the ferry/flying Dolphin before you travel.

Ferry schedules: www.ferries.gr
Hellenic seaways Volos –Tel: 0030 2421023415
www.hellenicseaways.gr

Take bus No.18 outside train station to the central bus station (20min). Then take the bus to Volos.
KTEL Bus Company  in Thessaloniki: www.ktel-thes.gr
Tel. 0030 2310 510-835

Bus from Thessaloniki to Volos
Price: €15.80 per person one way
Frequency: every 2 hours.
Duration: 2hr 30m
Ease and Comfort: 9 out of 10
Notes: On time. On arrival in Volos it is a 25min walk to the port or a 5min Taxi ride. If you have heavy baggage, take a taxi. (It costs around €6)

Ferries / flying Dolphins: Volos to Skopelos
Price: €40 per person one way
Frequency: Check schedules (times change during summer and winter) www.ferries.gr / or ticket offices. Hellenic seaways Volos – Tel: 0030 2421023415
Duration: 3 hours
Ease and comfort: 8 out of 10 in good weather - 2 out of 10 in bad weather (vomit commit)
Notes: On time, saw some dolphins

Skopelos to London by Train

We decided not to book a return journey from Thessaloniki via Belgrade.
We travelled from Skopelos Greece to Italy and France to London

Our route: Skopelos to Volos by Flying Dolphin - Volos to Ioannina by bus - Ioannina to Igoumensta by Bus - Igoumensta to Brindisi, Italy by ferry -  Brindisi to Rome by train (with stopover in Florence) - Rome to Paris by train - Paris by Eurostar to London.
We booked all the above as and when we travelled.

Day 1 - Return
Ferries / flying Dolphins: Skopelos to Volos
Price: €40 per person one way
Frequency: Check schedules (times change during summer and winter) www.ferries.gr / or ticket offices. Hellenic seaways Skopelos Tel: 0030 2424022767
Duration: 3 hours
Ease and comfort: 8 out of 10 in good weather - 2 out of 10 in bad weather (vomit commit)
Notes: Best to leave on the first ferry/flying dolphin of the day from Skopelos to make all connections.

Bus from Volos to Ioannina
Price: Around € 28 per person one way
Frequency: every 2 hours.
Duration: 4hr 30m
Ease and Comfort: 8 out of 10
Notes: Bus travels through Meteora, one of the largest and most important Eastern Orthodox Monasteries in Greece – A must see sight. The bus then travels around and through the tunnels in the mountains.
On arrival in Ioannina central bus station, run through the station building for the connecting bus to Igoumensta as it leaves on the hour every two hours. We arrived at 17:59 and our connecting bus left at 18:00. If you miss it, it is a two hour wait for the next bus.
A direct bus route operates on the newly opened highway from Thessaloniki to the port of Igoumensta cutting journey times by 2 hours.

Bus from Ioannina to Igoumensta
Price: Around €3 per person one way
Frequency: every 2 hours.
Duration: 90 minutes
Ease and Comfort: 6 out of 10
Notes: Igoumensta is a new Greek shipping port and it is still being built.
The terminal for international ferries to Brindisi Italy is on the far left (facing the sea)
We stayed over night in a hotel near the port.

Day 2 – Return
Ferry from Igoumensta Greece to Brindisi Italy
Price: €78 for two people on deck ( price included with an InterRail Global Pass)
Be aware, you will have to pay Port Tax:  €10 per person - not included in your ticket price
Time: 7:30am – make sure you are on the ferry by 7:00am
Duration: 8 hours
Ease and Comfort: 8 out of 10 if it is not cold and does not rain (0 out of ten for toilets.)
Notes: Take wet wipes/antibacterial hand wash
Arrived 45 min late.
On arrival in Brindisi don’t get ripped off by taxi’s wanting to charge €20. Pay around €5 or €10

Brindisi to Rome by train Eurostar Italia high speed trains
Seat reservation: €10 per person
Travel time: 17:30 – 23:38
Duration: 6hr 8m
Ease and Comfort: 9 out of 10
Notes: Eurostar Italia is not the same company as Eurostar.
Beware of people dressed to look like train or platform staff. If you ask them a question about your train they look at your ticket then grab your bags and run with them to your carriage and seats. They then demand payment.

Day 3&4 – Return
Touring in Italy

Day 5 – Return
Rome Italy to Paris France by train TGV France
Seat reservation: €10 per person
Travel time: 11:30 – 23:19 (11hr 49m)
Arrival: gaud de Lyon Paris
Ease and Comfort: 7 out of 10
Notes: 10 min late.
Hotels in Paris can be expensive and awful.
Paris Metro is fast and cheap. (€1.60 for a single ticket)

Day 6 – Return
Touring in Paris.

Euro star Paris France to London U.K
Pre-booked tickets (£140 for two people – return)
Travel time: 18:30 – 21:30 (2hr 30m)
Depart: Gaud De Nord
Ease and Comfort: 9 out of 10
Notes: On arrival into London St. Pancras we found out about the weekend’s engineering works, causing tube cancellations and train delays. Welcome home!

Useful info:

Eurostar: www.eurostar.com
Train bookings: DB Bhan: Tel: 08718 80 80 66 -  www.bhan.co.uk
Flying dolphins/ferries, international/Greek: - www.ferries.gr
Hellenic seaways Volos, Tel: 0030 2421023415 -  www.hellenicseaways.gr
Hellenic seaways Skopelos, Tel: 0030 24240 22767 - 003030 24240 23060
KTEL Bus Company in Thessaloniki: Tel. 0030 2310 510-835  www.ktel-thes.gr

The Man in Seat Sixty-One: www.seat61.com

Disclaimer: Prices quoted in the above article are subject to change. Train timetables and prices quoted are subject to change. Ferry prices and schedules are seasonal. We are not responsible for the companies that have links on our site. Our article is a guide and should be viewed as such. Other people may have very different experiences to ours.

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Provided by holidaylettings.co.uk and angelsgreekislandhomes.com

Foreigners have been banned from buying property in several parts of Turkey. However, experts feel that this is unlikely to affect the holiday home market in the country.

A number of locations in south east Turkey are covered by the ban, reports the English language newspaper The Hurryet Daily News. The ban on foreigners purchasing Turkey apartments has been introduced after land purchases by foreign owners exceeded the 10 per cent limit imposed by the country’s government.

As a result, overseas investors can no longer purchase property in certain inland areas close to the Syrian border. These are Mardin, Kilis and Hatay.

Nevertheless, industry experts are confident that the ban will not impact on second home purchases. “This has nothing to do with the holiday home market,” Julian Walker from Turkish estate agent Spot Blue told Overseas Property Professional (OPP). “These are popular areas for commercial and industrial land purchasers but not for the residential market.”

Darren Edwards, director of Network Turkey, added: “These are not tourist areas and will not affect real estate sales, nor do I believe similar [restrictions] will be implemented in the major cities or the coastal resorts of the Aegean and the Mediterranean.”

Despite Edwards’s view that the restrictions will not spread, OPP warns that “similar bans could technically be brought in in other areas of the country”. This would be the case should foreign ownership reach 10 per cent.

However, such measures may be a long way off. Concerns were raised that foreign ownership could reach the limit in the Mugla region, which includes Bodrum, Marmaris, Dalaman and Fethiye. Mugla is “the prime area for foreigners purchasing,” Ishik Ahment from World Abodes told OPP. Such fears were unfounded, he added: “As far as I am aware, Mugla region is still some way away from achieving this figure at this moment in time.”

So, what is the answer to this latest imposed limit by the Turkish government?

It’s simple, buy in Greece!

We have many properties for sale in Skopelos and we like foreigners

See our property page
Property for sale in Skopelos Greece

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Buyers beware: Local Estate Agent trading under our name without agreement in Skopelos Greece

It has recently come to our attention that our copyrighted company logo ‘Angels’ has been reproduced and is being used to sell property and land on the island of Skopelos without our permission.

Angels Greek Island homes is a separate company and has no affiliation with ‘Angels’ For Sale - Homes and Land’ operating locally on the island of Skopelos by Angelo. We therefore can take no responsibility for any property sales or transactions carried out with this real estate agent.

Please see how our copied and reproduced Angels logo looks in the sign below. It does not contain the words ‘ Greek Island Homes’  like our logo

Warning: We do not work with the Estate Agent (Angelo) trading under this name

=========================================================

Our Angels Greek Island Homes Logo looks like this:

N.B. Please be aware of the difference between the two logos as Angels Greek Island Homes can take no responsibility for any property sales or transactions carried out with ‘Angels’ FOR SALE HOMES & LAND. This is not our company and is not in anyway affiliated to us.  Please see: First report

If you need any further advice or have any queries please contact us

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Provided by holidaylettings.co.uk and angelsgreekislandhomes.com

Increase bookings on your Greek property with a special offer from holidaylettings.co.uk

For a limited time only, any new advertiser joining the holidaylettings.co.uk website quoting promotional code 45922 will be entitled to either Offer Credit bundles worth £50, a 3 week Spotlight worth £70, or 15 months for the price of 12 to use during their first 12 month subscription.

What’s an Offer Credit bundle?
Offer Credit bundles are two Late Deals and one Early Bargain, or two Early Bargains and one Late Deal. Advertisers can use Offer Credits to promote special offers to holidaymakers at which point their advert also appears on the relevant Late Deal or Early Bargain page on our site.

What’s a Late Deal?
Late Deals are a highly effective way for homeowners to fill last minute vacancies through a dedicated Late Deals search section, which attracts in excess of 100,000 searches per week in peak periods.

What’s an Early Bargain?
These are a great way for new advertisers to kick-start their first year’s letting income by promoting the offer of a discount to those who book early.

What’s a Spotlight?
Displayed on rotation, Spotlights are seen over 100,000 times a month on the left hand side of every search results page, providing an extra marketing boost

With Greek homeowners enjoying on average 37 booking enquiries each year from their Holiday Lettings advert, can you afford to miss out?

If you would like to take advantage of this special offer now:

Just register here and quote promotional code 45922.

Home 91126  |  Peloponnese, Greece June 2009  “We are very happy with the website. Thank you. Over all I am impressed with Holiday Lettings because so far we have received more enquiries from your site than from any other sites we advertise with. Keep up the good work!”

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It has recently come to our attention that our company logo ‘Angels’ is being used to sell property and land on the island of Skopelos without our permission.

Please be aware that Angels Greek Island homes is a separate company and has no affiliation with ‘Angels’ ‘For sale Homes and Land’ operating locally on the island of Skopelos by Angelo. Our logo is currently being reproduced and used without out consent.  We therefore can take no responsibility for any property sales or transactions carried out with this real estate agent.

If you need any further advice our have any queries please contact us

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Provided by holidaylettings.co.uk and angelsgreekislandhomes.com

If you own a second home abroad you could make on average £10,000 each year by renting it out as a holiday home according to holidaylettings.co.uk. They currently advertise the rental availability for 583 properties in Greece.

On average owners of holiday homes in Greece can expect approximately 35 serious booking enquiries per year on their property via the Holiday Lettings website (This varies from property to property obviously.)

By advertising with holidaylettings.co.uk you would be joining more than 20,000 holiday homeowners who advertise in excess of 33,000 properties on the website. Each day the UK’s number one holiday home website attracts more than 60,000 holidaymakers to the site searching for self-catering holidays, who then go on to book directly with you, the owner. They deliver more booking enquiries per advert than their nearest competitors with the figure currently standing at between 80,000 and 110,000 each month. An impressive 90% of their advertisers renew each year as a result of these figures.

In addition to this, they advertise in over 25 publications each month in the UK and overseas including in-flight and consumer magazines and airport lounges and have a marketing budget of £1.5 million for 2009 ensuring that your property gets maximum exposure. They are a Top 100 spender in Europe with Google ensuring consistently high search visibility, they bid on several thousand keywords and appear on page one of Google for half a million organic search results.

holidaylettings.co.uk takes no commission on your bookings, so the income you generate is entirely yours. When setting up your advert you can include up to 24 colour photographs at no additional cost and you have space for an unlimited amount of text to describe your property, the local surroundings and interesting things to do. You have 24/7 access to your advert so you can easily update your availability as and when you receive bookings. You can also opt to receive free SMS text messages to alert you to enquiries when you don’t have immediate access to your emails.

When setting up your advert, there is a multi-lingual team of holiday home experts from 15 nationalities to help you every step of the way. They will advise you on your advert and ensure it looks its best so that you benefit from your share of the estimated £300m that holidaylettings.co.uk will generate in 2009 for its customers.

Special offer in your first year…

As a valued customer, Angels Greek Island Homes has negotiated a special offer for all of its clients.

Advertise with holidaylettings.co.uk now and in your first year get 15 months for the price of 12, that’s an extra 3 months, worth over £45.

To advertise your property in Greece with holidaylettings.co.uk and receive 15 months for the price of 12 in your first year. Click: http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/whychooseus.htm/from.45922/ or quote promotional code 45922 when registering.

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For Sale in Skopelos: A beautifully restored traditional village cottage.

Ananias Garden Cottage: Price €90,000

Cottage for sale in Skopelos Greece

For sale is a  beautifully restored traditional village cottage with a  garden.  It is located in the tiny village of Ananias in the hills of south eastern Skopelos - Mamma Mia Island, Greece.

There are wonderful views of the rolling wooded hills and over the sea to the island of Alonnisos.

There is a large stone paved patio on one side of the cottage and a small flower garden to the other with established plum trees, figs and vines. There is also a storage shed containing a 3,000 litre water tank and pump with another seating area above.

Upstairs is a bedroom-sitting room with lovely views and windows on all four sides.
Downstairs is the traditional kitchen with access to a modern bathroom.

Most of the furniture and all white goods are included in the price.

The cottage is reached via a quiet country road from Skopelos Town, which is a 10 minute drive away. You can drive up to the door to unload and park nearby.

The property is approx 230 sq metres overall and the cottage is approx 50 sq metres.

Mains electricity is connected. Water is easily and cheaply delivered to fill the 3,000 litre tank and there are plans to connect the village to the mains in the future.

This is a pretty little house in an idyllic country setting at a very good price.

For more information on this house please see:

House for sale in Ananias, Skopelos Greece

For a guide on how to buy a property in Skopelos
Legal information for buying property in greece
How to build a house in Skopelos Greece

Or Contact
Angels Greek Island Homes
Glossa houses

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Edited weekly euro update provided by Deane Roe of Moneycorp

Rising Sterling creates a window of opportunity for Greek Property Market investors.

It was a rewarding week for sterling, climbing from below €1.16 last Monday to open at €1.1810 in London this morning. There was moment’s panic at the very beginning of the week when the pound dipped briefly to €1.15 but thereafter the only way was up.

Sterling’s performance over the week obviously had something to do with the UK economic data - few thought they were - but mainly it was the by-product of another quiet week during which the mood of investors became more upbeat. As one of the allegedly riskier currencies it is more likely to find buyers when the market is less nervous.

The euro’s profile last week was so low as to be almost subterranean. An almost complete absence of pan-euro-zone economic data meant just three useful statistics. Consumer confidence improved slightly from -25 to -23. Inflation - make that deflation - went down from -0.1% to -0.6% in the year to July and unemployment ticked up from 9.3% to 9.4%. Individual national figures did not add much to the proceedings. German consumer confidence was higher and German unemployment was steady at 8.3%. As with sterling, the euro’s main claim to fame was to provide investors with an alternative to the US dollar, which was under pressure throughout the week.

Sterling starts August looking more potent than it did in July. It appears to have punched out of the €1.15-€1.17 range that held it for the previous three weeks, helped by its upward break against the US dollar. The high in June at €1.19 was sterling’s best level since the beginning of December and that must be its next target. The pound has the potential to test €1.21 but, up here close to eight-month high, buyers of the euro looking to invest in the Greek Property Market should take advantage of the higher rate.

It is always best to transfer currency to Greece via the commercial rate and not the tourist rate. Currency specialists like Moneycorp often offer much better exchange rates than high street banks, and their expert dealers offer you guidance to help to ensure you are sending your money to Greece when the exchange rate is at its peak within your given time frame

For information about setting up a bank account in Greece and Skopelos please see: Legal info

To find out about the best ways to transfer money to Greece and Greek Islands

Please contact:

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Spotless lock up and leave two / three bedroom holiday home for sale in Glossa, Skopelos

Artemis House Price €130,000

For sale is a well maintained and ready to live in house with stunning views. This is a great holiday home or rental investment at a very good price.

Artemis House is set in a quiet part of Glossa village, but within a few minutes walk of shops, tavernas and the bus stop.

From the upstairs balconies there are beautiful uninterrupted views over the sea to Skiathos, Evia, the Pilion and the small islands between. Each of the upstairs bedrooms has its own balcony. There is a small, partly shaded veranda downstairs with space for a table and plants in pots.

Downstairs there is a living room / third bedroom, large kitchen and storage.

Upstairs are two double bedrooms and a modern bathroom with washing machine.

Most of the furniture and white goods are included in the sale.

The property is approx 90 sq metres in size. Main services are connected.

It is an easy stroll through the village to get to the house with a few steps to climb at the end. Or, you can drive to within 35 metres of the house and park five minutes walk away.

From the property there is a 3 minute walk to the supermarket, mini market and bakers.  Tavernas and restaurants are a five minute walk. The bus stop is a  7 minute walk.

This house is priced at: €130,000 and is in Glossa Skopelos - Mamma Mia Island, Greece.

For more information on this house please see:

House for sale in Glossa, Skopelos Greece

For a guide on how to buy a property in Skopelos

Legal information for buying property in greece
How to build a house in Skopelos Greece

Or Contact

Angels Greek Island Homes
Glossa houses

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Conti are a Licensed Credit Broker offering mortgages for property in Greece

How much can I borrow and what proof of income is required?

If you require finance to purchase your overseas property, then Conti a Licensed Credit Broker who have over 16 years experience in the market could assist you in buying your Greek Island home.

Mortgages are only available to U.K residents buying homes in Greece.  Loans are currently available only in Euros.

Based on the valuation or purchase price, whichever is the lower, of the Greek residential property, UK applicants can borrow up to 70% for purchase Mortgages and construction loans.
For all schemes there is a minimum loan of €250,000. There is no maximum. For construction loans it is €250,000 min. The maximum term of the loan is 25 years - available up to age 70.

Current interest rates as at 20th July 2009 are from approx. 3.38% Variable for Repayment loans.

For example: A Repayment mortgage of approx € 250,000 over a period of 25 years at an interest rate of approx 338.% Payment would be approximately € 1247.65 per month. The total approximate amount payable over a term of 25 years is € 374,295

Valuation fees £125.
1% of loan amount is the banks arrangement fee.

All schemes require full documentary evidence of income

Please note, that there are no non-status/self-certification mortgage facilities available in Greece (although renting out your property is permitted), all loans need to be supported by a minimum requirement of proof of income, i.e. if employed - copies of your last three month’s pay slips & copies of your latest P60/Employer’s Reference together with copies of your last 3 month’s Personal Bank Statements will be required or alternatively if you are self-employed - copies of your last three years Audited Accounts & copies of both your last 12 month’s Business and last 6 month’s Personal Bank Statements will be required on application.

Unfortunately in Greece the Lenders will NOT take into consideration any proposed Rental Income from the property for mortgage purposes.

Your loan is based on your joint net “take home” pay and is calculated on an affordability basis. To qualify for a mortgage in Greece, a calculation is used to establish whether you can afford to maintain the mortgage repayments.

All your existing liabilities, including any mortgage/rent payments,, UK council tax, loans, credit card payments and any maintenance (EG: Divorce) payments are taken into account, together with your proposed Greek mortgage payments must not exceed 30% of your net monthly income.

For example: If your net joint monthly income is £3,000, 30% of that figure is £ 900. If your only liability is your current UK mortgage payment of say £500 per month, this would leave a balance of £400 for your Greek mortgage repayment.

Other documents will be required and will be confirmed when application forms are sent to you. Please visit website or speak to an adviser. Conti have a ‘quick quote’ calculator that will enable you to find out how much your monthly payments will be, or complete an online enquiry form to receive an Approval in Principle certificate and quotation.

PLEASE NOTE: THINK CAREFULLY BEFORE SECURING OTHER DEBTS AGAINST YOUR HOME.
YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE.
PLEASE NOTE THAT AS THE LOAN IS SECURED ON THE OVERSEAS PROPERTY IT IS NOT COVERED BY THE UK CONSUMER CREDIT ACT OR THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AUTHORITY.
CHANGES IN THE EXCHANGE RATE MAY INCREASE THE STERLING EQUIVALENT OF YOUR DEBT.

Contact Conti for overseas mortgage advice or a quote.

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