Buying property in Greece as a foreigner

Greek law does not stop foreigners from owning property. Citizens of the EU and the EFTA countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland) buy on the same terms as Greeks, anywhere in the country.

Citizens of other countries, and companies based outside the EU and EFTA, also buy freely in most of Greece. The exception is land in designated border areas.

Under Law 1892/1990, buyers from outside the EU and EFTA need prior permission to acquire property rights in border areas (παραμεθόριες περιοχές). A committee at the regional Decentralised Administration decides, and a purchase made without permission is void.

The border areas are listed in the law. They cover regional units and islands near Greece's land and sea borders, in the north, in Thrace and in the eastern Aegean, and they are wider than many buyers expect.

Do not rely on lists on property websites, which are sometimes wrong. If you are not an EU or EFTA citizen, ask your lawyer at the start whether the parcel falls in a border area, because the permit takes time.

• Tax number (ΑΦΜ): every buyer needs one. You can apply online through myAADE with a video identity check, or through someone holding your power of attorney.
• Tax representative: since AADE Decision Α.1069/2024 this is optional for non-residents, provided you agree to receive tax notices directly at your declared contact details.
• Payment: since 11 December 2023 the price in a sale deed or preliminary contract must be paid through a bank. A deed that records cash payment, or does not record bank payment, is void and cannot be registered.

In practice this means opening a Greek bank account or arranging a traceable bank transfer, and keeping the proof. Ask an accountant how your funds should be transferred and documented.

The sale is signed as a notarial deed (συμβόλαιο) before a Greek notary, and the deed is written in Greek. If a party does not know Greek, an interpreter is engaged and signs the deed as well. Ask for a translation of the draft deed well before signing, not on the day.

Every sale deed also attaches an engineer's certificate on the building's legality (see the article on unauthorised buildings), and the buyer registers the deed with the Hellenic Cadastre after signing.

You do not have to be in Greece to buy. Many buyers sign a power of attorney (πληρεξούσιο) so that their lawyer can act for them. A power of attorney signed before a foreign notary generally needs an Apostille and an official Greek translation. It can also be signed at a Greek consulate.

Ask your lawyer to draft the power of attorney, so that it covers exactly the acts needed, such as getting a tax number, opening an account and signing the deed.

Non-EU buyers can apply for a five-year residence permit by investing in Greek real estate. After the 2024 changes (Law 5100/2024), confirmed by a Ministry of Migration circular in April 2026, the minimum investment is:

• €800,000 in the Attica region, the Thessaloniki regional unit, Mykonos, Santorini and islands with more than 3,100 inhabitants.
• €400,000 in the rest of Greece.
• €250,000 only for converting a non-residential building into a home, or restoring a listed building.

For the €800,000 and €400,000 options the investment must be one property with at least 120 m² of main living space. A Golden Visa property may not be let short-term; breaking this rule can lead to a fine and loss of the permit.

Which zone a property falls in, and whether it meets the size and single-property rules, needs a lawyer's confirmation. This is general information, not immigration advice.