Buying property in Greece as a foreigner is open to Americans, Britons and most other nationals, freehold and in your own name. Here are the costs, the seven steps, the rules changing in 2026 and 2027, and where to buy, from a U.S. property technology real estate company with offices in Chicago and Glyfada.
Sources: Greek transfer tax, 3% plus a 3% municipal levy · BUY GREECE® cost estimate · Bank of Greece, 15 September 2026 · Golden Visa: Law 5100/2024
Yes. Greece places no general restrictions on foreign ownership: US, UK, EU, Canadian, Australian and most other nationals can own Greek property freehold in their own name. You need a Greek tax number (AFM), a lawyer and a deed signed before a Greek notary. Non-EU buyers need a permit only in designated border areas, which include Santorini, the Dodecanese and Evros (Law 1892/1990). Budget 8–10% above the price for taxes and fees including an agent's commission (about 5–7% without it), and expect four to eight weeks from agreed price to registered title.
Issued by the Greek tax authority (AADE) and required for every purchase. Non-residents can apply online through myAADE with a video-call identity check, or through a lawyer with power of attorney.
Title search, building permits, encumbrances, the energy certificate and the engineer's certificate on unauthorised building work. This is where problems surface while you can still walk away.
The deed is signed before a notary and then registered with the Hellenic Cadastre. You can attend in person or sign through a power of attorney.
Normally needed to fund the purchase and pay the taxes. It can be opened remotely with the right documents; the paperwork is the slowest part, so we start it early.
US buyers: the full legal walkthrough is in our guide for American buyers, and common questions are answered in the buyer FAQ.
Plan on 8–10% on top of the purchase price including an agent's commission, or about 5–7% without it. On a €400,000 home that is roughly €32,000–€40,000 in taxes and professional fees, due at or before closing.
3% plus a 3% municipal levy on the tax, paid by the buyer on the higher of the contract price and the objective value. A 15% rate for non-EU individual buyers was announced in September 2026, expected from 1 July 2027; it is not yet law.
The notary drafts and executes the deed and handles registration.
Your lawyer's due diligence and representation through closing.
Recording the deed at the Hellenic Cadastre so the title is legally yours: 5‰ plus 1‰ of the value at cadastral offices (in.gr, June 2023). Your notary confirms the current fee.
There is no official rate. It is negotiated, so confirm who pays what before you offer.
The number to budget. We itemise it for your specific property before you commit, so nothing surprises you at the notary.
New builds carry 24% VAT unless the developer elects to suspend it, which is possible to 31 December 2026 (an extension for 2027–2030 was announced in September 2026, not yet law); the 3.09% transfer tax then applies. We confirm which regime applies to your property in advance. Figures indicative, October 2026. Run returns on the ROI page.
Prices are still rising, but more slowly, and several tax rules have deadlines. The Bank of Greece index rose 5.5% in the year to Q2 2026, after 9.1% in 2024. These are the dated changes that matter to a buyer as of 12 October 2026.
| Date | Change | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 7 April 2026 | ChangeLaw 5293/2026: a topographic diagram is no longer required to sell a plot in cadastral areas when its boundaries do not change, and inheritance or gift tax can be paid at the sale. A notary one-stop shop for transfers is legislated, with its start set by ministerial decision. | StatusIn force (ered.gr, 13 July 2026) |
| 31 December 2026 | ChangeNew-build VAT suspension ends: until then developers can sell with the 3.09% transfer tax instead of 24% VAT (Law 5246/2025). An extension to 2030 was announced in September 2026. | StatusExtension announced, not yet law |
| 31 December 2026 | ChangeShort-let freeze ends in Athens' 1st–3rd municipal communities and central Thessaloniki: no new AMA registrations until then. An extension to the end of 2027 was announced in September 2026. | StatusExtension announced, not yet law |
| 31 December 2026 | ChangeCapital gains tax on property sales by individuals stays suspended until this date (Law 4172/2013, Art. 72). | StatusNo extension enacted |
| End of 2026 | ChangeHellenic Cadastre completion: 99% of Greece already has published cadastral data and a KAEK property code. | StatusTarget (ered.gr, 26 May 2026) |
| About 1 July 2027 | Change15% transfer tax (15.45% with the levy) for non-EU individuals buying homes; companies, commercial premises and land are excluded. A preliminary contract does not guarantee today's 3.09% rate. | StatusAnnounced 6 September 2026, not yet law |
Every change is logged with its date on our Greek property law tracker.
Four to eight weeks is normal once documents are prepared. Every step below can be completed from abroad by power of attorney; our clients have closed on Greek property from New York, Toronto and Melbourne without flying in.
Buyer-side negotiation, with comparables from our Glyfada office so the number is defensible before anything is signed.
Title search, building permits, encumbrances, the energy certificate and the engineer's certificate that there is no unauthorised building work (Law 4495/2017, Art. 83): the checks that decide whether the deal proceeds.
The Greek tax registration every buyer needs. Non-residents can apply through myAADE with a video-call identity check (AADE, February 2026), or through a lawyer with power of attorney.
Used to fund the purchase and settle taxes. Started early, because documentation takes the longest.
A deposit secures the property and takes it off the market while the final checks complete.
The final contract is executed in person or by power of attorney, with funds transferred and taxes paid.
The deed is registered with the Cadastre and the title becomes legally yours. Utilities, management and any rental set-up follow.
Selling or inheriting instead? See resale and inherited property in Greece.
Most problems in a Greek purchase are visible before the deposit if the right documents are checked. Your lawyer and engineer cover each of these.
Every sale needs an engineer's certificate that the property has no unauthorised construction, or that it has been legalised (Law 4495/2017, Art. 83). Enclosed balconies and extra rooms are common examples.
Transfer tax is charged on the higher of the contract price and the tax authority's objective value, so a low declared price does not lower the tax.
Check the property's KAEK code and that the seller is the registered owner. 99% of Greece now has published cadastral data (ered.gr, May 2026), so gaps show up early.
In designated border areas, including Santorini, the Dodecanese and Evros, a non-EU buyer needs committee approval first, and a deal without it is void (Law 1892/1990, Arts. 25–26).
For the €400,000 and €800,000 routes the investment must be one property of at least 120 m², and it may not be let short-term (Ministry Circular 1/2026).
No new short-let registrations are issued in central Athens and central Thessaloniki through 31 December 2026, and an existing AMA number is cancelled on sale, so a buyer cannot take one over.
Check the building permit and the developer's title, and tie payments to certified construction stages rather than calendar dates.
Greece is not one market. Heat marks indicative gross rental yield, warmest in the Ionian, Crete and the Peloponnese. Athens apartment prices rose 5.0% in the year to Q2 2026, against 7.1% outside the big cities (Bank of Greece).
Reading the map: Zakynthos and the Ionian up to 6.8% gross, Crete and the Peloponnese 5.5–6.5%, Thessaloniki 5–6% (indicative long-let yields, BUY GREECE® network comparables, Q3 2026). Athens runs from about 3–4% in the premium Riviera districts to nearly 6% in western and central areas on asking prices and rents (Speak Real Estate, Q2 2026); homes in the BUY GREECE® network have achieved 5.1–5.8% on the Riviera (Greek Property Monitor, Q3 2026). The Cyclades trade on capital rather than yield: Mykonos asks about €7,059/m² on average (Spitogatos, Q2 2026).
It depends on what you want the property to do. For year-round city life, Attica and the Athens Riviera; for heritage and value, the Peloponnese; for holiday lets, the islands outside the frozen short-let zones; for a new build with VAT suspended, off-plan developments. Each guide below compares areas by price, yield and rules.
The capital region: Glyfada, Voula, Vouliagmeni and Varkiza on the coast, plus central Athens, Kifisia and Chalandri. Athens apartment prices rose 5.0% in the year to Q2 2026 (Bank of Greece), and The Ellinikon is rising beside Glyfada. Attica guide →
Four coasts on one motorway system: Nafplio, Kalamata and the Mani, Porto Heli, Monemvasia. Heritage stone and seafront at a fraction of island prices. Peloponnese guide →
Buying before delivery, with payments tied to certified construction stages. New-build VAT is suspended to 31 December 2026 (Law 5246/2025), so most buyers pay the 3.09% transfer tax instead of 24% VAT. New developments →
Mykonos asks about €7,059/m² on average and Paros €5,263 (Spitogatos, Q2 2026), with prime villas far above. Santorini is a border area, so non-EU buyers need a permit first. Luxury guide →
Eight coastal regions compared, from waterfront apartments on the Riviera to clifftop villas on the islands. Sea view properties →
Second-hand apartments and villas with a six-point verification before they reach your short list. Resale properties →
Comparing regions on numbers rather than pictures? The quarterly Greek Property Monitor tracks prices, yields and American buyer demand, and 50 market statistics sit behind it.
Under Law 5100/2024 the property thresholds are €800,000 in Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and islands with more than 3,100 residents; €400,000 across the rest of Greece; and €250,000 for converting commercial buildings to homes or restoring listed buildings. The €800,000 and €400,000 routes need one property of at least 120 m², which may not be let short-term. The permit covers your spouse, children under 21 and both spouses' parents, with no minimum stay.
Attica (including the whole Athens Riviera), Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and the larger islands. Prime Attica property often needs a budget above the threshold itself.
The whole Peloponnese, most of the mainland and the smaller islands. This is where the threshold and the market actually meet.
Listed-building restorations and commercial-to-residential conversions. It fits Greece's heritage stock unusually well: Mani towers, Monemvasia castle houses, Nafplio's Old Town.
Full requirements, timeline and family rules: the Greece Golden Visa guide. Thresholds as in force on 12 October 2026 under Law 5100/2024 and Ministry Circular 1/2026; confirm current rules with your lawyer before committing capital.
Yes. Greece has no general ban on foreign ownership: EU and non-EU buyers, Americans included, can own property freehold in their own name. Non-EU buyers need prior approval from a regional committee only in designated border areas, such as Santorini, the Dodecanese and Evros (Law 1892/1990). From about 1 July 2027 non-EU individuals may pay a 15% transfer tax on homes, announced in September 2026 but not yet law.
About 8–10% on top of the price including an agent's commission of 2–3%, or roughly 5–7% without it. That covers transfer tax of 3.09%, paid by the buyer on the higher of the contract price and the objective value, plus notary, lawyer and Cadastre registration fees of about 2.3–3.7% together. New builds carry 24% VAT unless the developer suspends it, possible to 31 December 2026, in which case the 3.09% transfer tax applies.
Through a Greek lawyer, a Greek tax number (AFM) and a notarial deed, usually in seven steps. Agree the price, run legal due diligence, get the AFM, open a Greek bank account, sign a preliminary agreement where needed, complete before a notary and register the deed. A non-resident can get an AFM remotely through myAADE with a video-call ID check (AADE, February 2026), and most other steps can be handled by your lawyer under a power of attorney. Foreign public documents need an apostille.
3.09% for most buyers: a 3% transfer tax plus a 3% municipal levy on the tax. The buyer pays it on the higher of the contract price and the objective value. In September 2026 the government announced a 15% rate (15.45% with the levy) for non-EU individuals buying homes, expected from 1 July 2027; it is not yet law, and companies, commercial premises and land are excluded. A Greek lawyer or accountant confirms the rate for your purchase.
Prices are still rising, but more slowly: the Bank of Greece index was up 5.5% year on year in Q2 2026, after 9.1% in 2024. Spitogatos asking prices rose 6.1% over the same period. Timing also matters for non-EU buyers: a 15% transfer tax was announced for them from about 1 July 2027, not yet law, and a preliminary contract does not guarantee today's 3.09% rate. Nothing here is investment advice; see the ROI analysis.
It depends on the goal. For year-round living, Attica and the Athens Riviera (Glyfada, Voula, Vouliagmeni); for heritage and value, the Peloponnese (Nafplio, Kalamata, Monemvasia); for rental yield, Zakynthos and the Ionian at up to 6.8% gross, or Crete and the Peloponnese at 5.5–6.5% (BUY GREECE® Greek Property Monitor, Q3 2026). The Athens southern suburbs are the priciest area in Greece at €4,231/m² asking (Spitogatos, Q2 2026).
Yes, on the same terms as other property: freehold, with a tax number (AFM), a lawyer's title checks and a notarial deed. Non-EU buyers need committee approval in designated border areas, including Santorini, the Dodecanese and Evros (Law 1892/1990). Land is excluded from the 15% transfer tax announced in September 2026 for non-EU buyers. Check the plot's cadastral code (KAEK): 99% of Greece now has published cadastral data (ered.gr, May 2026).
Yes, through the Golden Visa, a five-year renewable residence permit for non-EU buyers under Law 5100/2024. The threshold is €800,000 in Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and islands with more than 3,100 residents and €400,000 elsewhere, in a single property of at least 120 m²; €250,000 applies only to conversions and listed-building restorations. It covers your spouse, children up to 21 and both spouses' parents, with no minimum stay.
Yes. Since 2021 UK citizens buy as non-EU nationals: freehold and in their own name, with an AFM, a lawyer and a notarial deed, but with committee approval needed in border areas such as Santorini and the Dodecanese (Law 1892/1990). Owning a home does not give a right to stay beyond 90 days in any 180; the Golden Visa does. The 15% transfer tax announced for non-EU individuals from about 1 July 2027 would apply to UK buyers; it is not yet law.
About 0.5–0.6% of the value: 5‰ plus 1‰ at cadastral offices, against 4.75‰ at the old land registries (in.gr, June 2023). Your notary confirms the current amount before signing. It comes on top of the 3.09% transfer tax and the notary's own fee, and 99% of Greece now has published cadastral data (ered.gr, May 2026).
The main ones are unauthorised building work, which needs an engineer's certificate before any sale (Law 4495/2017, Art. 83); a title that does not match the Cadastre; border-area approval for non-EU buyers; and Golden Visa or short-let plans the property cannot meet. Transfer tax is charged on the higher of the price and the objective value, so a low declared price saves nothing. A Greek lawyer checks all of this before any deposit.
Where to buy.Athens and Attica, the Peloponnese, the Greek islands and Crete, each compared area by area.
The insider guide for US buyers: every step from AFM tax number to notary closing.
Can foreigners buy property in Greece: the rules for non-EU buyers and the border zones that need a permit.
Golden Visa thresholds in 2026: which investment tier applies to which part of Greece.
Do you need a buyer's agent in Greece: what real representation covers and what it costs.
Greek property law tracker: every rule change for buyers, dated and explained.
BUY GREECE® is a U.S. property technology real estate company that markets Greek real estate investments to American and international buyers, with offices in Chicago and Glyfada, Athens. You deal with one team from first question to registered title.
Title, permits, the energy certificate and pricing are checked on the Greek side before a property reaches your short list.
Power of attorney, AFM, banking and notary coordination, explained in English during US business hours.
Nothing on this page is legal, tax or investment advice. Costs and rules are cited as in force on 12 October 2026, and announced measures are marked as not yet law. Confirm current rules with your lawyer before committing capital.