A scouting trip is the cheapest line in the entire relocation budget and the one that saves the most. Done properly it also has a specific agenda.
When to go
Avoid the high season. Summer is crowded, expensive and — more importantly — it gives a false picture of the place you would actually live in.
Go in the low season at least once. That is when you see how somewhere lives without tourists: which services close, which districts empty, and how cold the housing gets.
Plenty of people buy after a July visit and only understand what they bought during their first winter.
Seven things to do
- Use public transport at peak hours, from the district you would live in to the centre
- Go into a supermarket and photograph prices of what your household actually buys
- Visit a hospital or clinic and see the real facility
- Walk past schools at closing time and look at the surroundings
- Meet a lawyer and an accountant locally, and pay for the consultation
- View at least five properties across different districts
- Meet people already living there and ask what they wish they had known
Item five is the best value in the list: a paid hour with an independent professional produces completely different information from an agent, because they have no interest in whether you buy.
The EU-specific questions
- Ask about tax before becoming tax resident — preferential regimes for new arrivals typically require that you were not previously tax resident there
- Ask about qualification recognition if you plan to work
- Ask about short-term letting rules in that municipality if you plan to let the property
The first is the costliest to skip. Asking afterwards is usually too late.
How long, and how many trips
Two weeks is the minimum with any meaning. Under a week is still tourism.
Two trips in two seasons beat one long trip. If only one is possible, choose the low season.
Keeping notes
Take a notebook. Each evening write three lines: something you liked, something that bothered you, and a question you could not answer. After the trip, the third column becomes your to-do list. Memory three months later keeps the feeling and loses the detail.
Frequently asked questions
Which season should you scout in?
The low season — that is when you see how the place lives without tourists, including how cold the housing gets.
What is the best value activity on the trip?
A paid consultation with an independent lawyer and accountant — they have no interest in whether you buy.
Which question must be asked before moving?
The tax question — preferential regimes usually require that you were not previously tax resident there.
How long is a meaningful trip?
Two weeks at minimum; under a week is still tourism.
Need a tailored roadmap?
Viking Global Group walks with you from paperwork to settlement. Call +849.219.219.88 or email [email protected] for a free consultation.
Related articles
- The latest Greece investment migration programmes
- Greece immigration routes and how to choose
- Travel & Explore
Frequently Asked Questions
What visa do I need for Greece?
Tourist-visa requirements are covered above.
Information is for reference and may change under the latest official policy. Please contact us for current regulations.
