20.01.2025
Holiday homes with areas from 70 to 95 square meters in alternative, low-tourism destinations, featuring a pool and barbecue, are expected to dominate the demand from foreign buyers this year. According to Elxis - At Home in Greece data, independent newly-built properties, of high standards, making use of outdoor spaces, with excellent construction quality and a price ranging from 270.000 to 400.000 euros, will be the main focus of interest among international buyers. This is stated in this year’s analysis of the trends expected to prevail in the Greek holiday home market.
"Firstly, we are observing once again this year a clear shift in demand from high-tourism areas to others that offer more room for development. This is happening due to the saturation in the most popular areas and the desire of many buyers for privacy. Additionally, land plots are scarce and, when they are found, they are expensive, causing the final sale price to skyrocket," says Mr. Giorgos Gavriilidis, CEO of Elxis.
The result is a shift towards other areas that are less crowded and more affordable, which not only do not lack natural beauty – quite the opposite – but also offer authenticity and, of course, privacy. This is a strategic advantage of the Greek holiday home market compared to other competitive Southern European markets, which are oversaturated.
"This is a development we had identified and reported on early in 2024, and we see that it continues this year as well, with even greater intensity. For example, instead of purchasing a holiday home on the island of Lefkada, we are seeing a noticeable shift of interest to the mainland coasts across, to the south and north of Preveza. Locations such as Monolithi, Kanali, Palairos, Pagonia, and further south, the beaches of Mytikas, stand out, offering the same turquoise seas as the Ionian Islands, but with the added element of privacy and, of course, more affordable prices," notes Mr. Gavriilidis.
A major advantage of these areas is the port of Igoumenitsa, which significantly facilitates access, even by car, via Venice, Ancona, Bari, and Brindisi. Similarly, according to Elxis, in Crete, there is a shift in the interests of potential buyers of holiday homes from the northern part of the island to the southern one, in areas that are much less developed. Villages in the southern part of the Rethymno region, such as Plakias, Mariou, and Asomatos, with panoramic views all the way to the islands of Gavdos and Paximadia, are now key destinations for hundreds of holiday home buyers. At the same time, access remains good, as the distance from the northern part of Crete and the city of Rethymno is about 35 kilometers, while these destinations are at about the same distance away from the airports of Heraklion and Chania.
It is also worth noting that Crete was voted as the 9th best holiday destination in the world, based on the latest annual Tripadvisor user awards. As for sale prices, the most popular range will remain the one from 270,000 to 400,000 euros.
According to Mr. Gavriilidis, "In this price range, there is a very large pool of clients from Western Europe who choose to buy a holiday home in Greece. These people prefer such an investment rather than keeping their money in savings accounts, which offer close to zero interest rates. Therefore, holiday home builders are adjusting the new properties in such a way that the cost does not increase and remains within that range."
This is primarily achieved by reducing the available space. As Elxis points out, 20 years ago, a typical two-bedroom holiday home offered 90–95 square meters of living areas. This year, the same newly built and fully independent house with a pool is available with an area of 70 square meters, mainly by reducing the size of the bedrooms and placing greater emphasis on the design of outdoor spaces. For example, many new homes now include an outdoor kitchen, pergola, and a barbecue. Given that these properties are used primarily in the summer months, during which time a large part of the stay is spent outdoors, this makes sense, Elxis’ analysis concludes.
Elxis-At Home in Greece (https://elxis.com/) is an expert provider of realty and legal services in the Greek market. With offices in Thessaloniki and Crete in Greece, and Utrecht in the Netherlands, Elxis's team of highly qualified property professionals has over 30 years of experience in managing residential property investments. The company covers the needs of its international clientele in the best way possible, with a team of seven legal experts, as well as with personnel whose native spoken language is English, Dutch and German.
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.
25.05.2026
Holiday home prices across Greece are rising by 10.8% this year. According to a recent study of ours, the average price per square meter increased by 10.8% during the January – April period of this year compared to the same period last year, reaching €3,398/sq.m. from €3,067/sq.m. The main reason behind this increase is the significant rise observed in newly built properties, driven by strong purchasing interest from abroad, a sector in which we specialize, promoting properties to foreign buyers, mainly from Northern Europe and the United States. Specifically, in holiday homes purchased off-plan, the average value of signed contracts rose by 12.5% to €507,427. At the same time, the average price per square meter increased by 12%, from €3,790 to €4,245.
Commenting on this development, George Gavriilidis, CEO of Elxis, stated: “This year’s increase and the overall trend highlight the strong interest in newly built homes, despite increases in construction costs due to price adjustments. Buyers seeking modern specifications, high energy efficiency, and flexible usage options, such as personal use or investment purposes, continue to drive demand in the Greek market.”
27.04.2026
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.
23.03.2026
A shift is evident this year in the profile of foreign property buyers in Greece, following adjustments to the Golden Visa program. According to an analysis by Elxis – At Home in Greece, demand for residency permits has dropped by 83% compared to last year. This is based on demand data and trends observed through Elxis’ network and its offices in the Netherlands, Thessaloniki, and Crete.
19.01.2026
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.
17.12.2025
Holiday homes with an average value of €450,000 were the primary choice in 2025 for foreign buyers. This represents a 37.3% increase over 2024, demonstrating international investors’ willingness to spend more to acquire higher-quality properties. This is the main conclusion of our latest survey by Elxis – At Home in Greece.
17.11.2025
Foreign buyers of holiday homes are showing a clear preference this year for more expensive and luxurious properties, as the percentage of those choosing homes worth over €600,000 has tripled. Even though prices have already risen significantly, international buyers continue to view the prospects of the Greek market — and the value it offers — very positively. As a result, they are turning to increasingly high-quality properties to upgrade their quality of life by acquiring the home of their “dreams.” These are some of the conclusions of the latest analysis of holiday-home market trends by Elxis – At Home in Greece (www.elxis.com), a leading company in selling holiday homes to foreign buyers.
24.10.2025
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.
