03.09.2026
Buying an Off-Plan House in Greece from Abroad Explained
“How can I buy a house in Greece that is not built yet from abroad?”
That’s a very common question we receive from clients interested in buying an off-plan house.

09.04.2025
Greece has naturally become a popular destination for purchasing a second home because of its scenery, hospitality, culture, and ideal climate. While it is a popular place to buy property, it’s important to have an accurate estimate of the value of a property before buying or selling.
As a seller, it helps to know the value of your property because you can choose what features to market to potential buyers. As a buyer, it helps to know the value of your potential next home because you can negotiate a better price.
In this article, we will list the most important factors that determine the value of a home.
Perhaps the most important factor in a property’s value is its location. While this is a cliché in the home market, properties in tourist destinations, near a beach, or with a view of the Mediterranean Sea, will generally be worth more. In remote areas, homes generally have lower values.
Many factors go into the value of a property when looking at on-site features. This includes the architectural features and the layout of the home, the floor on which the apartment is located, the view position, recent maintenance, and whether it is furnished.
It’s also important to take into account how old the property is. Older properties, as expected, have lower values. Newer properties are more expensive. Renovations also play a role. For example, older properties which have renovations are likely more valuable than an old property without renovations.
Homeowners also like to know if a property can be upgraded. For example, if you can increase the floor space, add an extra storey or bedroom, or add a pool, the property is likely worth more. This is because buyers value the ability to customize a space. Note than in Greece, the ability to add extensions on a property could also be limited by Greece’s Forest Regulations.
The supply and demand of the local market play a role in property values. Interest rates and economic conditions also are important to watch. In a seller’s market, demand is high and supply is low, so property values will increase. In a buyer’s market, supply is high and demand is low, so property values decrease. In a seller’s market, homes usually sell more quickly, and in a buyer’s market, homes stay on the market for a longer time. Greece in 2023 is a seller’s market, because demand is higher than supply.
The local market in Greece is on an upward trend. According to data from the Bank of Greece in the first quarter of this year, the rate of house price growth in Greece is reaching record highs. More specifically, prices rose 14.5% year-on-year in Greece as a whole, and even sharper spikes were seen in Greece’s 2 largest urban centers, reaching 16.5% in Attica (the region which includes Athens) and 16.1% in Thessaloniki.
Yes, this is the boring economics part, but it’s important when thinking about property values. A rise in short-term interest rates (for example, what you pay on a credit card or on a short term loan) makes short-term debt more expensive. For example, if you’re spending more money paying off a credit card or short-term loan, you will likely have less money available for paying for a house.
In Greece in 2023, interest rates increased, and banks are less willing to lend. If customers get a loan, the money is more expensive. This is why more buyers in Greece are choosing off-plan properties.
One of the best ways to assess the value of a home is to look at sale prices of similar homes in the neighborhood that sold recently. You might hear these homes referred to as “comps.” In general, if you have a home appraisal done by an agent, real estate experts will use comps to help evaluate your home’s value.
Determining the value of a home is complicated. There are value calculators available online, but it’s most reliable to consult a industry specialist. Elxis offers sellers help appraising the value of their property. We also take the guess work out of negotiations, which can admittedly be scary for a first-time home buyer or seller.Interested in listing your property? Here's where to get started.
We asked 600+ home seekers the ideal features of a home in Greece, and this is what they responded. The results come from a survey available on Elxis’s website and newsletter, so you won’t find these insights anywhere else on the internet.
According to the data, Crete and the Ionian Islands are the most popular places to buy a home in Greece. Next up, the Aegean Islands and the Peloponnese were the next most popular. Among other popular islands for buyers of a second home in Greece are Lefkada, Corfu, Rhodes, and Samos.
Villas and homes in Greece are more popular than apartments or maisonettes. This may be a result of the offerings on Elxis’s website, which are mainly villas and standalone homes. To read more about the different types of homes in Greece and how to choose which one is right for you, see our full article here.
Among the amenities listed, terraces are the most important for home searchers in Greece, ranked higher than sea views, mountain views, pools, gardens, and outside kitchens. 54% of people surveyed said that having a terrace was “very important”, compared to 47% for the next category: sea views. People searching for a home in Greece felt that pools were also important, and they felt more neutral about the garden, garage, and storage.
Everybody dreams about a beachfront home in Greece, but our data shows that people searching for a home in Greece start their search about 200 to 2000 meters from the sea. This may be because some homes in Greece with a sea view have a more impressive view if they are farther from the shore.
It may also be because people searching for sea view homes in Greece know that beachfront homes will be more expensive, and start their search farther away for this reason.
03.09.2026
“How can I buy a house in Greece that is not built yet from abroad?”
That’s a very common question we receive from clients interested in buying an off-plan house.
28.08.2026
A power of attorney represents a crucial legal tool for international property buyers and sellers. This legal document grants another person the authority to act on your behalf in property transactions, eliminating the need for personal presence during the sale process. Whether you're a German retiree buying a holiday home in Crete or a Dutch family looking to sell your property in Corfu, a power of attorney allows you to complete a property sale whilst remaining in your home country.
10.08.2026
For many people, the idea of owning a home in Greece starts with a feeling. The sunny days, the sea, a slower pace of life. What often follows is a more practical question: “How does buying a house here actually work?”
For this very reason, we created the following guide so that you can have a clear overview of how the process of buying a house in Greece works.
07.08.2026
Buying a home in Greece from abroad raises a fair question. Can the paperwork be handled with a digital signature, so you never have to fly in to sign in person? For some documents, the answer is yes. For the ones that actually transfer ownership, it is not. A Greek purchase deed is signed before a notary, and that step cannot be done digitally. Therefore, digital signatures are accepted in Greece for private documents, such as certain agreements and declarations. They are not accepted for public documents. That includes the notarial purchase deed and the power of attorney. You cannot become the owner of a Greek property by signing a document digitally. The transfer is always completed before a notary, either with you present or through a power of attorney that was signed in person.
03.08.2026
If you plan to buy a home in Greece, you have probably given some thought to how you will pay for it. Depending on your home country, a mortgage may be one option. Getting a mortgage in Greece as a non-resident is not always straightforward, so it helps to understand how the process works before you begin. The general process is broadly similar from bank to bank, though the details differ and can change from year to year. Rates depend on the bank you approach and on your own profile. As a rule, non-resident buyers pay a little more than residents. The sections below walk through what to expect. You do not need to be a Greek resident to apply for a mortgage. Most Greek banks do apply stricter rules to people living abroad. For some banks, though not all, you will need to be a Greek taxpayer, meaning your tax residency must be in Greece to be eligible for a loan.
22.06.2026
Every home in Greece is now meant to have its own digital file. It is called the Electronic Building Identity, or E-ID (Ηλεκτρονική Ταυτότητα Κτιρίου). The Electronic Building Identity gathers the key facts about a property in one secure online record. It sets out the building's current condition, its permits and plans, and any changes made to it over the years. For anyone buying or selling a home in Greece, it has become one of the most important documents to understand. This guide explains what the E-ID is, what it contains, who prepares it, and why it matters at the moment a property changes hands.
12.06.2026
Selling a property in Greece involves a number of professional fees, taxes, and administrative costs that vary depending on your circumstances. Knowing what to expect before you list helps you plan realistically and avoid surprises later in the process.
10.06.2026
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.









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