Philadelphia Greek Law Blog

Report names Athens a top place to live for millennials

On behalf of Hahalis & Kounoupis, P.C. - Greek Law Group posted in real estate on Tuesday, April 25, 2017.

Among the factors that can impact real estate demand in a given area is how attractive of a place to live the area is. What things make a given area an attractive place to live can vary among age groups, as different age groups can be looking at very different things when it comes to where they want to live.

Recently, a list of the top cities in the world for millennials was released by the website Nestpick. In gauging how attractive of a place to live the different cities of the world were for millennials, 16 different factors were considered. Some examples of these factors are: cost of living, employment offerings, internet speed, healthcare access, public transportation access, beer prices and gender equality.

Greek property market sees another decline

On behalf of Hahalis & Kounoupis, P.C. - Greek Law Group posted in real estate on Tuesday, April 18, 2017.

Real estate transactions in Greece have many unique aspects.

One contributor to this are Greek laws connected to real estate. These laws impact what sorts of issues come up in relation to transactions involving real estate in the nation. Skilled U.S.-Greek real estate lawyers can help Greek Americans who are involved in a Greek real estate deal understand what Greek laws apply to their transaction. They can also guide such an individual through the various unique legal issues related to the transaction.

The importance of estate planning for parents living overseas

By George Kounoupis of Hahalis & Kounoupis, P.C. - Greek Law Group posted in estate planning on Thursday, April 13, 2017.

Migrating to the U.S. is no easy feat but you did it. You made it here and have started a new life. Unfortunately, your parents are still back in Greece and you miss them terribly. Since you're unable to see them on a regular basis, you make it a point to have weekly phone dates.

You look forward to these dates every week because it gives you a chance to check in and hear all about what's happening back home. Lately, however, you've started to notice that your dad seems to be slowing down and are beginning to worry about the state of his health. He claims to be feeling fine and blames his ailments on old age.

Greece sees increase in home sales to foreign purchasers

On behalf of Hahalis & Kounoupis, P.C. - Greek Law Group posted in real estate on Tuesday, April 11, 2017.

One of the real estate investments a person may decide to make in a foreign country is to purchase a residential property in the country. Recent data suggests that interest in homes in Greece among foreign investors has been on the increase lately.

The data indicates that, in 2016, foreign buyers made 250 million euros worth of Greek home purchases in 2016. In comparison, the home sales total to foreign buyers for Greece in 2015 was 186 million euros.

The Brexit could significantly impact businesses in Greece

On behalf of Hahalis & Kounoupis, P.C. - Greek Law Group posted in business law on Tuesday, April 4, 2017.

With Greece being a member of the European Union, various things about the EU can have big impacts on Greek Americans who do business in Greece.

One are EU laws and regulations. Some of these rules touch on businesses in member countries. So, compliance issues regarding EU laws and regulations are among the complex and significant legal matters that can come up for a Greek American as they are running a company in Greece. So, the guidance of a lawyer with a firm understanding of EU rules related to businesses is among the things a Greek American may want to have when they have a business in Greece.

Athens seeing an increase in office space leasing

On behalf of Hahalis & Kounoupis, P.C. - Greek Law Group posted in business law on Tuesday, March 28, 2017.

Different businesses have different space needs. Some companies need office space for their operations. One of the big decisions that can come up for owners of such businesses is how best to meet those needs. Sometimes, a business owner will opt to go the leasing route.

This is a route some Greek Americans choose when it comes to meeting the office space needs of Greek businesses they own. Just as with buying Greek commercial property for their business, leasing such property can be a very complex process with many impactful steps and details. When it comes to leases or other complex transactions related to their business in Greece, a Greek American may want skilled legal guidance to help with navigating the transaction in a way aimed at protecting and furthering their business’ interests.

George Kounoupis speaks in Athens at International Meeting for Mediation

On behalf of Hahalis & Kounoupis, P.C. - Greek Law Group posted in international law on Wednesday, March 22, 2017.

On Monday, March 20, Attorney George Kounopis, partner and co-founder of our firm, spoke along with several other renowned presenters about the state of mediation as it pertains to Greek-American relations. The International Meeting for Mediation event was held in Athens, Greece, at the behest of the Greek Prime Minister. It was co-sponsored by a number of key international finance and commerce organizations, including the:

ADR Promotion Organisation
American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce
British-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce
CCI France Grèce
The Hellenic Dutch Association of Commerce and Industry
The Hellenic Bank Association
The Hellenic German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Deutsch-Griechische Industrie und Hamdelskammer)
Italian-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce (Camera di Commercio Italo-Ellenica di Salonicco)
Hellenic-Canadian Chamber of Commerce

Greek property tax totals up considerably in recent years

On behalf of Hahalis & Kounoupis, P.C. - Greek Law Group posted in real estate on Tuesday, March 21, 2017.

Different countries undergo different trends when it comes to property taxes. Recent data points to Greece being in a trend of rising property tax totals in recent times.

According to the data, Greek property taxes came in at 3.5 billion euros in 2016. This is up several times from where the totals were just a handful of years previous. For example, the total amount of Greek property taxes paid in 2009 only came up to 500 million euros.

Report recommends further structural reforms in Greece

On behalf of Hahalis & Kounoupis, P.C. - Greek Law Group posted in business law on Tuesday, March 14, 2017.

Greece has seen many legal reforms in recent years. This includes reforms of legal systems related to business activity.

A recent report by the Center for Planning and Economic Research looked into what sort of business environment is coming out of current Greek legal systems.

Survey: Greek hotels have been moving towards the luxury side

On behalf of Hahalis & Kounoupis, P.C. - Greek Law Group posted in real estate on Tuesday, March 7, 2017.

Among the foreign real estate investments some individuals make are hotel-related investments. Some Greek American investors may desire to make such investments in Greece. There are many things it can be important for such an individual to give due regard when investing in Greek hotels.

One are the legal issues related to the particular hotel investment they are thinking of making, including issues related to Greek real estate and tax laws. Properly addressing such issues as they come up could help with preventing unexpected complications from arising in connection to transactions or other matters involving this type of property. So, what sort of legal guidance a Greek American has when dealing with such issues could be quite impactful.