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Moving your life to Crete is entirely achievable, and it's open to anyone in principle. What changes is the process: your nationality, how long you intend to stay, and your personal circumstances all play a part. Emigrating to Crete is possible, though it means navigating visa rules, residency permits, and legal obligations that differ significantly between EU and non-EU citizens. EU nationals benefit from freedom of movement, while non-EU citizens typically face more paperwork and longer processing times.

International investors have been paying closer attention to Greece for a few years now. Keeping up this pace, new survey data shows just how far that attention has grown. Greece has moved into first place among institutional investors targeting hospitality assets in Europe. More specifically, it has overtaken Italy, Spain, and France, the countries that traditionally led this ranking.

More and more buyers from the United States and Canada are looking to fulfill their own "Greek dream" by purchasing a holiday home in Greece. According to our data, demand from these two markets increased by 50% during the first half of this year, establishing an entirely new trend in Greece's holiday home market.

Greece remains one of Europe's most rewarding places to own a property and let it out, and the latest short-term rental rules do little to change that, as the new limits are targeted. More specifically, they focus on the busiest central districts of Athens and Thessaloniki, while the islands, the coast, and the wider market stay open.

Moving your life to a new country brings enough to think about, including the costs. For those settling permanently in Greece, there is some welcome news on that front. Bringing your household belongings and even your car can come with relief from customs duty, VAT and vehicle registration tax. The Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) has recently set out clearer rules on how this works. It's important to clarify that this relief is not exactly new, but what has changed is a significant detail: a recent AADE circular (reference E.2027/2026) spells out the eligibility, the supporting documents and the procedure, with the aim of handling applications more consistently across customs offices.

Above Rethymno, in the protected village of Kyrianna, a small development blends traditional Cretan architecture with modern comfort. Olivion Villas is a collection of eleven homes set among olive groves, each with a private pool and views towards the Cretan Sea. With only eleven villas in total, the development stays small and private. The village sits close at hand, and the coast is a short drive away.

If you own a property in Greece and are thinking about selling, one of the first things on your mind is probably a practical one: what do I pay to the estate agent? It's a sensible question to ask early, and the answer shapes how you budget for the sale and what you can expect from the agency representing you.

If you have bought or sold property in the Netherlands, Germany, the UK, or most other Western European countries, you are probably used to a clear setup: the seller has their agent, the buyer has theirs, and each represents their respective client. In Greece, things work differently, and it is very important to have a clear overview before you decide to move forward with a property transaction.