| I am an
American, can I live and work in Greece? |
| By Niki
Niolakis |
| Well, in
brief yes if you are of Greek descent, and yes to the first and no to the
second if you are not. This little treatise is not directed at those
who have Greek heritage but rather those wishing to live in Greece (specifically
Crete) without having to work here. Because America is outside the
European Union, Americans can not freely take up a job here. The procedure
for getting employment in Greece is complex. But for those wishing to retire
in Greece or simply enjoy what we believe to be a highly desirable lifestyle,
there is indeed a fully legal way for an American to live permanently in
Greece. And of course if you have an Internet-based business, you could
still operate that from here! Enough of the brevity … let’s get down to
the full story. First of all, I am writing from Crete and can speak little
of what we call “the other Greece.” |
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Crete has
a long history of fierce independence and although we are part of Greece,
we value our strong and independent spirit. And we believe Cretans to be
far more hospitable than any other Greeks, and of course Greece is well
known for its hospitality.
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If you are
not familiar with the beautiful Mediterranean island of Crete, it is
the southern-most province of Greece and is a 45-minute flight from Athens.
It is a big island; so big that we often forget that the sea surrounds
us. Crete is about 160 miles east to west and ranges from 37 miles to 7
miles north to south. No village is very really far from the blue Mediterranean,
nor is any far from the glorious mountain ranges than run almost the entire
length of the island. |
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| And it is
almost Alpine-like in the winter with beautiful snow-covered peaks visible
from practically everywhere on Crete. Our highest mountain peaks are over
7,800 feet above sea level.
What is
life like on Crete? Many adjectives come to mind … peaceful, stress-free,
laid-back, natural, exhilarating, healthy, and on and on. The traditional
Cretan diet is famous worldwide for longevity. For nine months of the year,
Crete is not a tourist haven and it is these months we Cretans treasure
most. The weather is pleasant, the skies are most always clear, the sea
and the mountains beckon, and of course all the best tavernas remain open
year-round! If you have never visited Crete and are thinking of coming
here to live, we suggest April/May or October/November for your holiday.
And if you can, also plan to come during our brief winter (usually from
the end of January to the end of March). Our summers are warm and clear
with daytime highs of 28-32 C and sometimes reaching 35 C but with generally
cool nights. August brings cooler nights and by October a light jacket
is needed in the evenings but the daytime temperatures are in the mid-20s. |
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Offshore
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| We usually
have a spate of summer-like weather in the middle of January but then the
rains come in February and March. The mountains start accumulating snow
in late November and the last vestiges melt away by late May. Our beaches
are fine for swimming year-round.
Being an
island, Crete is extremely safe and crime is virtually non-existent.
We grow most of our own fruits and vegetables and raise our own goats and
sheep and pigs and of course our olives so our food is healthy and inexpensive.
And we do dance to a different drummer … we’re very content to be relaxed
and laid-back. Our watches, if we wear them at all, always seem to run
slow. A hectic pace of life is something we see no need for … things will
always work out here in Crete; it’s simply a matter of time. Another adjective
we consider to be true of our lifestyle here in Crete is “free.”
We Cretans are generally skeptical about rules and regulations and generally
act accordingly! This is not to say there is no law and order … quite the
opposite! It’s just that there is no senseless law and order here in Crete.
We generally avoid government interference wherever we can. But with our
sincere hospitality and stress on family values, it is a very wonderful
place to live. |
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| Is Crete
expensive? Not at all. I suppose if one insisted on having Kellogg’s
Corn Flakes and Maxwell House coffee and other name-brands in the cupboard
then one might consider it costly. But our local fruits and vegetables
and meats and cheeses and breads are excellent, healthful, and very reasonably
priced. Petrol (gasoline) is presently has just moved over 1 Euro
per liter. It is about 1.03 Euro per liter today, which translates to approximately
3.06 US Dollars per gallon. Not cheap but then we have small cars here
and we don’t have to drive far (if at all) to get to our village
markets and tavernas. Local taxes are minimal (about 150 Euro per year
pays the equivalent of state tax for police, garbage collection, street
maintenance, etc) and water and electricity and Internet connections
are very reasonable.
Housing? Well,
here too we can speak with some authority and my husband and I along with
another couple have a small real estate office. |
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| Prices
are generally quite stable and land, especially in the villages not right
on the beaches, is very reasonable. Good village land ranges from 25,000
to 70,000 Euro per acre while new homes (traditional stone or conventional
concrete frame) run about 115 Euro per square foot, less if you do
it smartly! And generally our homes are typically European meaning smaller
and more space-efficient. A typical three-bedroom home here is about 1,300
square feet that would cost in the neighbourhood of 150,000 Euro.
And this includes solar panels, winter heating unit, built-in wardrobes,
fully-fitted kitchen, etc, etc.
So, what’s
the catch? None really. There is a Greek law that allows those with
adequate financial resources to reside in Greece. If you are seriously
interested in living in Crete, please e-mail me and I will send you full
details. There is of course no cost for this information by the way! This
is our way of extending our Cretan hospitality to you. We look forward
to welcoming you to Crete!
For more information
visit our website www.kritiko-ethos.com
or contact us by email
Kritiko Ethos
Real Estate Georgioupolis-Apokoronou 73007 Chania-Crete-Greece - Tel/Fax
+3028 25 08 30 93 |
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