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From the American Dream to the Greek Dream: Surging Interest from the U.S. in Greek Holiday Homes

Press Releases

29.06.2026

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.

"Until recently, the primary source markets for holiday home buyers in Greece were countries in Central and Northern Europe, such as Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Switzerland. However, this year's sharp increase in interest and transactions from North America signals a significant development and broadening of the international markets now driving demand for Greek real estate," said Giorgos Gavriilidis, CEO of Elxis. According to the company's data, another noteworthy finding is that 30% of these buyers (approximately three out of ten) are of Greek descent, representing second, or even third-generation members of the Greek diaspora. According to Mr. Gavriilidis, "This demonstrates that the growing interest in Greece is not purely investment-driven, but also represents a 'return to one's roots,' as many seek to reconnect with the country of their heritage."

What Types of Homes Are They Buying?

Seven out of ten (70%) buyers from the U.S. and Canada choose to purchase newly built holiday homes, either off-plan or currently under construction. The remaining 30% prefer existing properties. The average purchase price stands at €448,000 per buyer. Interestingly, only 11% have taken advantage of Greece's Golden Visa residency-by-investment program, confirming its relatively limited appeal among overseas buyers.


As for preferred locations, Crete continues to rank as the top destination for American buyers, while the Ionian Islands follow closely behind, with strong demand.


We first identified the growing interest from the U.S. market in 2024. "Interest from American buyers was already significantly higher in 2024 compared to 2023, with the trend accelerating dramatically following the U.S. presidential elections," Mr. Gavriilidis noted. According to companies monitoring global investment migration trends, recent years have seen a growing number of U.S. citizens seeking to relocate abroad in search of a better quality of life. Southern Europe, and increasingly Greece, has emerged as one of their preferred destinations.

Direct Flights Fuel Demand

Another factor contributing to this trend is the expansion of direct air connections between the United States and Greece. American travellers can now fly directly to Athens from cities including Dallas (added just last month), Philadelphia, Chicago, New York (JFK), and Charlotte. According to American Airlines, passenger traffic from the U.S. to Greece has increased by 28% compared to 2024 and is now more than double pre-pandemic levels. This trend is also reflected in the figures from Athens International Airport "Eleftherios Venizelos", where the United States ranked as the airport's largest international source market in 2025, with 1.18 million passengers, representing a 12% increase over 2024. During the first four months of this year, passenger traffic from the U.S. recorded a further 10% increase. This continued growth in transatlantic travel is now translating into stronger demand for holiday home purchases across Greece.

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