Blogs by Eva Karolidou

Thirty minutes from Lefkada. Twenty minutes from the airport. Just 180 metres from the sea. Fully furnished, fully equipped, and ready from the moment you walk in. Yet outside Greece, Paleros is still barely known. That gap between what the town already offers and how little attention it receives is exactly the kind that tends to close quickly once serious development begins.


Paleros Gardens is that development.

Selling a property in Greece can feel simple at first. You decide to sell, find an agent, list the home, and wait for the right buyer. In reality, a successful sale depends on much more than putting a property online. Today’s buyers compare several homes before making a decision. Their first impression often starts online, and their expectations are higher than ever. Good photos, clear information, easy access for viewings, realistic pricing, and proper legal preparation all play a role in how smoothly a sale moves forward. That’s why we’re hosting a free webinar focused on what property owners need to know before selling their home in Greece: from market positioning and pricing to documentation, compliance, and common delays.

If you own property in specific areas of the Regional Unit of Rethymno in Crete, there is an important deadline to keep in mind. As of 30 April 2026, the posting of cadastral data begins for several areas in Rethymno, giving property owners the opportunity for the first time to review how their property has been recorded in the Hellenic Cadastre. This is an important stage in the cadastral process. It allows each owner to check the legal and technical details of their property before the records become final. In simple terms, this is the moment to confirm that your property has been correctly registered and, if something is wrong, to request a correction within the official deadline.

The Greek islands are a classic destination of romance, offering intimate caldera dinners and sunset sails to charming village squares, where every moment feels timeless. If you're searching for "Greece Travel Ideas", these islands provide endless options for couples, whether it's your first visit or the start of a future life embraced by the Aegean breeze.

Buying a home in Greece has always come with a long list of pleasures: sea views, sunny terraces, village squares, fresh fish by the water, and the small but serious joy of never being too far from a good bakery. Soon, for many destinations, there may be another reason to smile: better airports. Greece is preparing for a new wave of airport upgrades, with a major tender planned for 22 regional airports that are still under state management. The project is expected to mark the next chapter in the modernization of Greek aviation infrastructure, following the earlier upgrade of the 14 regional airports managed by Fraport Greece. For travellers, this means smoother journeys. For local communities, it means better connectivity. And for international property buyers, it could make certain areas of Greece even more attractive.

Crete is Greece’s largest island, but buyers often underestimate how different each region feels. Chania is not Plakias. Heraklion is not Agia Galini. Elounda is not Mochlos. The right place to buy depends on what you want your home to do: generate rental income, become a retirement base, offer privacy, or give you an easy escape to the Greek sun. Crete is also not a small, seasonal island with limited infrastructure. In 2024, Crete recorded 5.96 million visits, 46.7 million overnight stays, and €4.57 billion in travel receipts, making it one of Greece’s strongest tourism regions. That matters if you are buying with rental potential in mind.

Weddings in Greece are no longer limited to a single day. Increasingly, they are planned as multi-day stays, with couples and their guests spending several days in one location. Most of these weddings involve couples coming from abroad. Instead of traveling only for the ceremony, they organize a broader stay that includes time for gathering, exploring, and hosting additional events. The wedding becomes part of a longer visit rather than a standalone occasion.

Crete, the Peloponnese, and the Ionian Islands stand out this year in terms of demand for holiday homes from international buyers. At the same time, an increasing number of foreign buyers are seeking newly built properties “off-plan” to benefit from lower prices. These findings come from one of the recent analyses.

The Greek holiday home market in 2026 is no longer defined by a single trend. What is emerging instead is a rising demand for smaller, more affordable holiday homes. This shift reflects broader changes in international buyer behavior. Foreign purchasers are no longer simply searching for a beautiful house near the sea. They are looking more strategically at value, rental potential, construction quality, lifestyle convenience, and future resale opportunities. Greece continues to attract strong overseas interest, but the profile of demand is becoming sharper and more selective.

Syros, in the central Aegean, is being highlighted by international media as a compelling alternative to the more crowded Greek islands. British outlets, in particular, are presenting it as a destination that combines culture, architecture, and nature without the intensity of mass tourism.

Greece is often associated with ancient history, island landscapes, and carefully preserved traditions. Less discussed, however, is another layer of its identity: its place names. Across the mainland and the islands, thousands of villages carry names that can sound unexpectedly funny or strikingly literal to a modern Greek speaker. These are not recent inventions or deliberate attempts at humor. Most date back centuries, shaped by geography, daily life, local dialects, and historical circumstances. What makes them stand out today is the shift in language over time. Words that once served as straightforward descriptions of land, resources, or communities can now feel unusually direct or unexpectedly humorous. Looking at these names more closely offers insight into how earlier generations observed their surroundings and chose to define them.

Selling a home sounds simple enough on paper: list it, show it, sell it. In real life, it is rarely that easy. A property can be beautiful, well-located, and full of potential, yet still sit on the market for far longer than expected. Not always because the market is slow, and not always because buyers are not interested. Very often, the real issue is in the way the property is being presented, priced, or prepared for sale. In today’s property market of Greece, especially in cities like Athens and Thessaloniki, buyers are more informed and selective than ever.


The good news is that most seller mistakes are avoidable. And no, we are not talking about anything dramatic here. More often, it is a series of small decisions that quietly chip away at a property’s appeal. Here are some of the most common mistakes sellers make when trying to sell their house in Greece — and how to avoid them.

Basements are a familiar feature of many homes across Greece. Traditionally used for storage, parking, or utility areas, these spaces are increasingly being reimagined—sometimes as guest rooms, independent apartments, or even stylish leisure areas. For anyone exploring property in Greece, it’s useful to understand how basements are defined and when they can legally function as living spaces. The rules are quite specific, but once explained clearly, they follow a logical structure.

If you are considering living in Greece, understanding your residence permit options is essential. If you are a citizen of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland, you do not need a residence permit to live in Greece, although you may need to register your stay if you plan to remain long-term. For non-EU citizens, Greece offers several residence pathways, each designed for different profiles, including investors, financially independent individuals, and remote workers. This article provides an overview of the main residence permit options available, including the Golden Visa, as well as alternative routes.

Greece is preparing to introduce a sweeping reform in the way property ownership and usage are recorded. Through the creation of the Μητρώο Ιδιοκτησίας και Διαχείρισης Ακινήτων (ΜΙΔΑ) — translated as the Property Ownership and Management Registry — authorities aim to create a comprehensive digital record of every property in the country.


The project is being developed by the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (Ανεξάρτητη Αρχή Δημοσίων Εσόδων - ΑΑΔΕ), in cooperation with the Ministry of National Economy and Finance. Its goal is to consolidate fragmented real estate information into a single platform and provide a clearer picture of property ownership and use across the country.


The new registry also featured prominently in discussions at the Property Owners’ Conference organised by the Panhellenic Federation of Property Owners (ΠΟΜΙΔΑ). The event brought together representatives of the government, local authorities, the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (ΑΑΔΕ), the Hellenic Cadastre, and property owners from across the country.


During the conference, the new registry was presented as one of the most significant reforms in the Greek real estate sector in recent years. Speaking at the event, Minister of National Economy and Finance, Kyriakos Pierrakakis, described the initiative as “the most systematic recording of the use of private real estate ever carried out in the country.” According to the minister, the registry will give the state a comprehensive digital overview of the country’s property stock and the way the real estate market actually functions.

Could you imagine owning a place of your own in Greece, close to the sea and surrounded by the Mediterranean lifestyle? If the idea of having your own holiday home abroad appeals to you, the Second Home Expo in Utrecht, from 27 to 29 March, is the ideal place to start exploring the possibilities.

For many people, building a home in Greece is both an exciting dream and a complex undertaking. From finding the right plot to navigating permits and coordinating professionals, the process can feel overwhelming –especially for foreign investors unfamiliar with Greek legislation and bureaucracy. This comprehensive guide explains everything step by step, outlining not only what you need to do but also the challenges you may face, so you can begin your journey fully prepared.

Short-term rentals in Greece continue to show strong momentum, confirming the country’s position as one of Europe’s most dynamic accommodation markets. According to the latest Eurostat data, Greece recorded double-digit growth in guest overnight stays during 2025, outperforming most major EU tourism destinations. 


Beyond national performance, regional data offers valuable insight into where demand is concentrated and where new opportunities are emerging.

Our survey forecasts notable changes compared to previous years and the formation of new trends in the holiday home market for 2026. Throughout our research, we identified an increasing shift not only toward luxury and high-end properties, but also toward more affordable holiday homes of smaller surface areas, based on demand observed in selected projects with such characteristics.

Dreaming of owning a holiday home abroad? The Second Home Expo in Maastricht is the ideal place to take the first step. On 24 and 25 January 2026, the MECC Maastricht will once again welcome thousands of visitors and international property specialists under one roof. Elxis – At Home in Greece will be present to guide prospective buyers interested in purchasing property in Greece. 


The Second Home Expo is one of Europe’s leading exhibitions for second-home buyers, bringing together experience, inspiration, and expert advice in a single location. With a presence dating back to the fair’s inception in the 1990s, Elxis has participated in over 100 editions, reflecting decades of experience in Greek real estate.

At Elxis, we value the trust our clients place in us, both during their property purchase and long after. To show our appreciation, we are introducing a special loyalty reward for returning clients who previously used our legal services when buying their home in Greece.

An exponential increase both in the speed of real estate transactions and in the overall size of the real estate market can be achieved through the availability of publicly accessible and reliable data, especially for prospective buyers from third countries. This was the key takeaway from the remarks of Mr. Dion Gavriilidis, Managing Partner of Elxis – At Home in Greece, a leading company in the sale of holiday homes in Greece.

“Greece is moving up a league. It is no longer a market of opportunities; it is a market of trust and stability.” With these words, Mr Giorgos Gavriilidis, CEO of Elxis – At Home in Greece, summed up the trends and prospects of the Greek holiday home market for foreign buyers during his speech at the recent Oikodomi Expo.

In the heart of the Peloponnese, just under two hours from Athens, lies Nafplio: A city that combines centuries of history with a contemporary, high-quality lifestyle. Once the first capital of modern Greece, Nafplio is today one of the country’s most sought-after locations for those dreaming of a second home by the sea. With its cobbled alleys, elegant neoclassical houses, Venetian fortresses, and vibrant waterfront, this is not just a beautiful place to visit; it’s a place where you can truly have a quality of life

Aristides Dallas Architecture Studio is based in Athens and Tinos and was founded by Aristides Dallas. They focus on residential and hospitality projects all over Greece - mainly in the Aegean and Ionian islands and near Athens.

Stavropoulou Architects isn’t your average Greek architecture house. At Stavropoulou Architects, the team helps people realize their dreams of sustainable living and working spaces.

In this article, we explain the basic process of selling your home in Greece, including the required documents, cooperation with third parties, and the signing of the purchase agreement. There are many reasons for selling a home in Greece. Some sellers want to buy a property in a different location in Greece or simply increase their cash flow. Others may want to take advantage of a seller’s market, as real estate prices in Greece are gradually rising. No matter your personal goals, the steps involved in selling your home are generally the same.

Luxury villas in Paros, a hotel in Milos, beach bars in Porto Rafti, and a golf course in the Peloponnese – Outside Landscape Architecture takes on a wide variety of projects, bringing the modern urban homeowner into contact with the natural beauty of Greece’s rural landscapes.

Konstantinos Stathopoulos is an experienced Greek Architect and has participated in numerous workshops specifically oriented in traditional building techniques. In addition, he was working occasionally as a concept designer, scenographer assistant, and muralist. In the period 2015-2017 he was a collaborator architect of AD architects, leaving his mark on the concept of projects such as the "lap pool house," "casa Leone," and "touch of new."

Designing buildings and space is about creating experiences, not just something attractive, while modern challenges have made architects an even more necessary part of the building process.