20.12.2024
A series of property tax measures make buying and owning real estate in Greece more attractive for foreign buyers. Several were introduced in late 2024 and have since been extended. Here is where each one stands now.
You may have heard of a "VAT exemption" in Greece. Greek developers can apply for a VAT suspension on their construction projects. Where it applies, the buyer does not pay the 24% VAT on a new home in that project. Instead, the buyer pays the 3.09% transfer tax, which is much lower. This makes buying a newly built property more affordable. The suspension was due to expire at the end of 2025. It has now been extended until the end of 2026 under Law 5246/2025. One point to keep in mind if you are building rather than buying. If you buy a plot intending to build a home, you pay the 3.09% transfer tax on the plot. When construction begins, the contractor issues invoices with VAT for each stage of the work. The VAT suspension does not apply to those construction invoices.
Listed historic buildings may be exempt from ENFIA, subject to a value limit and other conditions. The qualifying threshold can change, so confirm the current limit with a tax professional. Temporary exemptions may also apply to properties in certain regions.
ENFIA is the main ongoing tax you pay on a home in Greece. It is based on the property's tax zone, so it is higher in sought-after areas, such as Mykonos, Santorini, and central Athens, and lower in the countryside. For rural properties, it often works out at around 3 to 4 euros per built square metre per year. A 100 square metre home might therefore pay roughly 300 to 400 euros a year, depending on location. For unbuilt plots, ENFIA is very low.
If your home has a taxable value of up to €500,000 and is insured against fire, earthquake, and flood, you may qualify for a 20% reduction on ENFIA.
This one matters if you are planning to sell. Capital gains tax is calculated on the difference between a property's purchase price and its sale price. In Greece, it was introduced in 2013 but suspended soon after, and that suspension has been extended ever since. In practice, this means that as an individual seller, you will not be taxed in Greece on the profit from selling your property, provided the transfer takes place by the end of 2026. If you are resident in another country, you may still have capital gains obligations at home. Greece has treaties with many countries designed to prevent double taxation.
If you are planning to let your home, this measure rewards switching to long-term renting. It offers an income tax exemption on rental income from properties that were previously vacant, or previously used for short-term rentals, and that are now let on a long-term basis. The main conditions are:
The lease must run for at least three years.
The lease must be signed between 8 September 2024 and 31 December 2026.
The property must have been vacant, or used only for short-term rental, in the qualifying period before the lease begins.
The exemption stops applying if, within the three-year period, the property becomes vacant again or is used for short-term rental. It can continue if the property is re-let on another long-term lease. Other eligibility conditions apply, so confirm your situation with a tax professional.
Together, these measures lower the cost of buying, owning, and letting property in Greece. The VAT suspension keeps new-build purchase costs down, the ENFIA reliefs ease the annual tax on certain homes, the capital gains suspension means individual sellers are not taxed on their profit through the end of 2026, and the rental exemption rewards long-term letting. We have been guiding international buyers to find their ideal home in Greece since 1991, and we are happy to help you understand how these rules apply to your plans.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only and does NOT constitute legal or financial advice. The suspension of the 15% capital gains tax on real estate sales for individuals in Greece is currently valid until 31 December 2026. Greek tax authorities may still classify a sale as a business activity based on specific criteria, such as intent for profit or quick resale, which would subject the profit to standard income tax rates and potentially VAT. For example, if a property was built or bought specifically for sale rather than for personal use, and never occupied by the owner, the tax office may treat the profit as business income. We strongly recommend consulting a qualified Greek tax professional or lawyer about your specific situation before making any real estate decisions.
09.06.2026
Selling property in Greece means meeting a clear set of legal requirements: the right documents, a notarial deed, settled taxes, and clean title. For owners living abroad, the difficulty is rarely the rules themselves. It is coordinating several Greek authorities from another country. Here is what the process actually involves, and where having a legal team on the ground changes things.
21.05.2026
I bought a home in Greece (or I'm fantasizing about buying one), and I want to rent it out. What does it take to rent out a home in Greece? What taxes will I pay, and what income can I expect? Can I hire someone to assist me in renting out my home in Greece? In this comprehensive guide, we share everything you need to know about renting out a home in Greece, including legal requirements, market insights, and practical tips.
21.05.2026
Buying a home in Greece often starts with one very simple question: what does my budget actually get me?
It is a fair question, because property prices in Greece can vary a lot depending on location, views, accessibility, construction quality, and rental potential. A budget that may secure a sea-view apartment in one region could open the door to a private villa with land in another. In more established destinations, the same amount may buy less space, but stronger location value. In this guide, we look at both existing homes and off-plan projects currently under construction. This reflects how many international buyers search in Greece today: comparing ready-to-use properties with new-build opportunities that may still be in development. In some cases, buying off-plan can offer more flexibility, newer specifications and staged payments, while existing homes may appeal to buyers who want to use or rent the property sooner.
For international buyers, understanding these differences is an important first step. Whether you are looking for a holiday home, a future relocation base, or a long-term investment, knowing what €250K, €400K and €600K can realistically offer helps you search with more clarity.
13.05.2026
A full-service Greek real estate company handles the property search, the legal work, and the support after purchase in one place, so international buyers don't have to hire and coordinate separate agents, lawyers, and administrators. For anyone buying from abroad, that removes the hardest part of the process: navigating Greek property law in a language and a system they don't know. This guide explains what a full-service company does, why it matters for international buyers, and how it works in practice at Elxis.
07.05.2026
Greece has become one of the most appealing places in the world to spend retirement. The climate is mild, the cost of living is reasonable, the healthcare is good, and the tax treatment of foreign pensions is among the most generous in Europe. This guide walks through the practical side of retiring here: how to get residency, how the tax system works for pensioners, how to arrange healthcare, and where people choose to live.
05.05.2026
You can sell a property in Greece yourself. For most owners, though, an agent is the safer and far less stressful route. That is even more true if you live abroad. Here is the honest case for using one, and what selling alone really asks of you.
21.04.2026
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.
17.04.2026
Trying to figure out what a property in Greece is really worth has become surprisingly difficult. Not because there’s no demand, on the contrary, the market has been rising steadily, but because “value” in Greece is no longer a single, stable concept. Overall, the market looks healthy. According to the Bank of Greece, apartment prices increased by 7.8% on average in 2025, based on provisional data published in its Q4 2025 residential property price index. However, this overall figure masks important regional differences. In the fourth quarter of 2025 alone, prices rose by 5.9% in Athens, 8.0% in Thessaloniki, 10.5% in other cities, and 8.6% in other areas of Greece, highlighting how uneven price dynamics can be across the country.
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