Can foreigners buy property in Greece? Rules and costs

Yes. Foreigners can buy property in Greece without Greek citizenship or a Greek residence permit. EU/EFTA and non-EU buyers should distinguish general ownership rules from address-specific restrictions. Non-EU/EFTA buyers need prior approval for purchases in designated border areas. Owning a home does not itself grant permission to live or work in Greece.

Reviewed 28 October 2026. Use this guide to prepare the questions for your independent Greek lawyer, engineer and notary before committing to a property.

What do foreigners need to buy property in Greece?

Start with a Greek tax number (AFM), your identification documents and the purchase documentation required by your advisers. Your lawyer should check title, restrictions and contract terms, while an engineer checks the property and its permitted use. The notary prepares the deed and the transfer must be registered with the competent land registry or Cadastre.

AADE provides an electronic AFM application and identity-verification process, including a video-call option. An authorized representative may also apply. Confirm the accepted payment route and source-of-funds evidence with the bank and notary involved in your transaction, rather than assuming that every foreign buyer follows an identical banking process.

AADE: AFM application for residents abroad

Are there restrictions on where a foreigner can buy?

Greece's designated border-area rules distinguish EU/EFTA buyers from other buyers. Purchases subject to those rules require approval before the transaction. Have your lawyer check the exact address and your nationality or entity status. Do not rely on a property advert or an island-wide marketing statement as approval for a specific purchase.

All buyers should also check restrictions related to the property itself, including coastal, forest, archaeological, planning and listed-building matters. Ownership of a plot does not prove that it can be developed.

European Land Registry Association: legal restrictions in Greece

How much are the buying costs?

Budget for the property price, the tax treatment of the transaction, agreed notary, legal, technical and agency fees, registration and any financing or work. Obtain an itemized estimate instead of applying a universal all-in percentage.

Where transfer tax applies, AADE states a 3% tax on the taxable value plus a municipal levy equal to 3% of that tax. The effective rate is 3.09%. Ask the notary whether transfer tax or VAT applies to the particular sale and whether you meet any exemption conditions. An asking price alone does not establish the taxable value or the total cost.

AADE: transfer tax and exemption conditions

How does a foreign buyer complete the purchase?

1. Set the property-price budget, area, intended use and financing requirements.
2. Appoint independent advisers and agree their written scope and fees.
3. Obtain the AFM and prepare the documents needed for your transaction.
4. Check the property, ownership, restrictions and proposed contract.
5. Agree deposit conditions and the documented payment route before paying.
6. Complete the applicable tax declaration, sign the notarial deed and register the transfer.

A properly drafted power of attorney may allow a representative to handle the purchase. The required form and any identity checks depend on your circumstances and the institutions involved.

Read the full buying process · Buying from the United States

Does a property purchase qualify for the Greek Golden Visa?

Ordinary ownership and Golden Visa eligibility are separate. The standard minimum is €800,000 throughout Attica, the Regional Units of Thessaloniki, Mykonos and Thira, and islands with more than 3,100 residents under the latest census. It is €400,000 in the remaining areas. Special qualifying conversion or listed-building restoration routes can start at €250,000.

For standard built-property purchases, one-property and 120 m² main-space conditions apply. Special routes have different conditions; acquisition history and the legal or technical documents matter. A price, a renovation or a “Golden Visa” label does not establish eligibility.

Residence permission requires a separate application and continuing compliance. It is not citizenship or permission to work in Greece. New-rule properties have short-term-letting restrictions; older or transitional investments require separate review.

Compare the Golden Visa routes, rules and property budgets

Which Greek areas should a foreign buyer compare?

Start with how you will use the property. For a year-round Athens base, compare Central Athens and the wider Attica market. For coastal living, review Glyfada and Ellinikon and its surroundings. For the Peloponnese, compare Nafplio and Kalamata. For Crete and the islands, consider year-round access, management and address-specific checks.

Compare individual properties and their documents, rather than treating regional average asking prices as a valuation or a promised rental return.

Questions foreign buyers ask

Can I buy without being a Greek citizen or resident?

Yes. Citizenship or residency is not generally required for foreign ownership. Designated border-area and property-specific restrictions still need to be checked, and ownership does not itself grant residence rights.

Can Americans, Canadians, Australians and British citizens buy?

These buyers can generally buy Greek property as non-EU buyers, subject to the applicable approvals, transaction requirements and individual checks. A buyer who also holds Greek, EU or EFTA citizenship should tell their lawyer, since their status may change the analysis.

Can I buy land and build a home?

Land can be purchased, but development rights require separate legal and engineering review. Check boundaries, lawful access, planning status, permitted use and any coastal, forest, archaeological or other restrictions before treating a plot as buildable.

Can I buy in Crete?

Foreigners can buy in Crete, subject to the normal transaction and property checks. For the standard Golden Visa route, Crete falls within the €800,000 geography. Special qualifying €250,000 routes remain distinct and require property-level verification.

Can I buy remotely?

A valid power of attorney may authorize someone to handle the transaction. Have a Greek lawyer define the document and check the consular, notarial, translation and identification requirements that apply to you.

Does buying give me a Greek passport?

No. Ownership does not give citizenship. The Golden Visa is a residence route for qualifying investors; naturalisation and citizenship through family are separate legal processes.

Discuss your Greek property search

Send BUY GREECE® your preferred areas, property-price budget, intended use and timeframe. Mention any financing or residency requirements. We can discuss the search and relevant published listings; current availability, service scope and suitability must be confirmed.

Tell us your buying brief · Browse properties in Greece

General information, not legal, tax or investment advice on a particular purchase. Confirm your transaction with independent advisers before signing or paying.