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From the Athens Riviera to Mykonos, Porto Heli and Costa Navarino: buying prime property in Greece, the Golden Visa, and the 15% tax announced for buyers from outside the EU.
At a glance
| Can foreigners buy? | Yes, freehold, all nationalities. Buyers from outside the EU, including Americans, need a permit in designated border areas, which include Santorini and the Dodecanese. |
|---|---|
| Purchase tax (resale) | 3.09% transfer tax (3% plus a municipal levy) on the higher of the price and the official "objective" value. |
| Announced, not yet law | A 15% transfer tax (15.45% with the levy) for individuals from outside the EU buying homes, announced on 6 September 2026, not yet law. A 2027 start has been reported; no date is fixed in law. |
| New builds | 24% VAT, suspended until 31 December 2026 (Law 5246/2025). |
| Residency through property | Yes. The Golden Visa is open at €800,000, €400,000 or €250,000, depending on area and type of property. |
| Flat tax for new residents | €100,000 a year on all foreign income, for up to 15 years (Article 5A). |
| Currency | Euro. |
| US tax treaty | Yes (1950). |
Why buy here
Greece offers the widest choice of prime island and coastal homes in the eastern Mediterranean: the Athens Riviera on the capital's doorstep, the Cycladic islands of Mykonos, Santorini, Paros and Antiparos, the Argolid coast at Porto Heli opposite Spetses and Hydra, the Peloponnese at Costa Navarino, green Corfu in the Ionian and Elounda on Crete.
For buyers from outside the EU, Greece is also one of the few Mediterranean countries where a home still leads to residence: the Golden Visa remains open, with a five-year permit for the whole family and no minimum stay. Today's 3.09% transfer tax is low, but a much higher rate for non-EU individuals has been announced, so timing matters.
Planning a first visit? See our guide to the Greek islands, the Athens Riviera and the Peloponnese.
Who can buy
Freehold, open to all nationalities, with no residency requirement and no general reciprocity test.
Border areas. Under Law 1892/1990, buyers from outside the EU and EFTA, including US citizens, need prior approval from a committee of the regional Decentralised Administration to buy in border areas. A purchase made without approval is void. Border areas include Santorini, the Dodecanese (Rhodes among them), Lesvos, Chios, Samos and the Evros region. Crete, Attica, the Peloponnese, Mykonos and Paros are not border areas.
Other limits. The foreshore and beach are public and cannot be owned. Forest and agricultural land, archaeological zones and Natura 2000 sites restrict building.
Company ownership is allowed.
Best areas to buy
Figures are indicative; the sources mix averages with asking-price ceilings.
Indicative prime priceAbout €10,500 per m² on average
Seafront villas and apartments from Glyfada to Vouliagmeni, with the new Ellinikon district on the old airport site.
Greece Sotheby's International Realty, December 2025.
The Athens Riviera Territory →
Indicative prime price€7,500–12,000 per m²; top waterfront asking prices about €17,000 per m²
The most international of the islands, with sea-view villas above Psarou, Agios Lazaros and Ornos.
Engel & Völkers Greece Market Report 2026; Engel & Völkers waterfront ranking, August 2026.
The Mykonos Territory →
Indicative prime priceUp to €8,000 per m²
Cave houses and suites on the caldera rim. A border area: buyers from outside the EU need a permit.
Engel & Völkers Greece Market Report 2026.
The Santorini Territory →
Indicative prime priceParos €5,500–10,000 per m²; Antiparos up to €10,200 per m²
Quieter Cycladic islands with fishing harbours, new villa estates and private coves.
Engel & Völkers Greece Market Report 2026.
The Paros & Antiparos Territory →
Indicative prime price€4,000–6,000 per m²; €12,000 per m² or more for prime villas
The "Greek Riviera" of the Argolid, with Amanzoe above Porto Heli and the car-free islands of Spetses and Hydra.
Engel & Völkers Greece Market Report 2026.
The Porto Heli, Spetses & Hydra Territory →
Indicative prime priceUp to €6,000 per m²
Golf, olive groves and the resort villas of Costa Navarino on the south-west Peloponnese.
Engel & Völkers Greece Market Report 2026.
The Messinia & Costa Navarino Territory →
Indicative prime price€3,200–3,800 per m² on average; about €8,900 per m² at the high end
Green hills and Venetian towns; the north-east coast of Corfu is the prime strip.
Engel & Völkers Greece Market Report 2026; Greece Sotheby's International Realty, December 2025.
The Corfu & Paxos Territory →
Indicative prime priceNo reliable per-m² figure published
Elounda's prime villa market on the Gulf of Mirabello, and Venetian Chania in the west.
Searched 31 October 2026.
The Crete Territory →Homes and settings
Photographs to show the setting and style of homes; they are not listings for sale.
Developers
Projects selling or taking enquiries on 31 October 2026.
Five- and six-bedroom villas by TEMES at Navarino Dunes (Sea Dunes and Olive Grove), sold off-plan or turnkey. Visit website (opens the official site) ↗︎
Villas for private ownership with the use of the resort's services; sales by enquiry. Visit website (opens the official site) ↗︎
The Ellinikon's first residences on the Athens Riviera (Riviera Tower and The Cove) are shown as sold out; later phases and resales are the way in.
How to buy
Usually obtained by a lawyer under a power of attorney. Open a Greek bank account.
The lawyer searches title at the Hellenic Cadastre, checks debts and charges, and obtains an engineer's certificate that there are no unauthorised structures. A Greek bank lending to a non-resident requires a lawyer as proxy.
If the property is in a border area, such as Santorini, a non-EU buyer applies for approval before completion.
Signed before a notary, with a deposit.
Declared and paid electronically before signing.
Notarisation is mandatory. The notary checks tax clearances and certificates.
At the Hellenic Cadastre, or at the old Land Registry where the cadastre is not complete.
Allow about two to four months, longer where a border-area permit is needed.
Lawyers and lenders who serve foreign buyers can be listed on this page. To advertise, write to [email protected].
Taxes and fees
| Item | Rate or cost | Paid by |
|---|---|---|
| Transfer tax (resale) | 3.09% (3% plus a municipal levy) on the higher of the price and the objective value | Buyer |
| Announced for non-EU buyers | 15% (15.45% with the levy) for individuals from outside the EU buying homes; announced on 6 September 2026, not yet law | Buyer |
| VAT (new build) | 24%; developers may elect the suspension until 31 December 2026 | Buyer |
| Annual property tax (ENFIA) | Main tax per property, plus a supplementary tax when total Greek real estate exceeds €500,000; non-residents pay it too | Owner |
| Rental income (from 2026) | 15% to €12,000; 25% to €24,000; 35% to €36,000; 45% above | Owner |
| Short lets | Registration number (AMA) for each property; a per-night climate resilience fee | Owner |
| Capital gains on sale | Suspended until 31 December 2026 | Seller |
There is no net wealth tax. New short-let registrations are frozen in central Athens until 31 December 2026.
Residency
Golden Visa: open. A five-year investor residence permit, renewable while the property is held, with no minimum stay. It covers a spouse, children up to 21 and both spouses' parents.
The minimum must be met with one property, of at least 120 m² on the €800,000 and €400,000 routes. Short-term letting is banned: breaches lead to a €50,000 fine and loss of the permit.
Flat tax for new residents (Article 5A): €100,000 a year covers all foreign income for up to 15 years, plus €20,000 per family member. Golden Visa holders are exempt from its separate €500,000 investment test. Retirees can instead pay 7% on all foreign income for 15 years (Article 5B).
For Americans: the US–Greece income tax treaty (1950) applies, and US citizens remain taxable in the US on worldwide income.
Founding Partners
Founding Partners
Three places for Founding Partner Agencies and three for Developers in each Territory. Places are open.
Territories in Greece: Athens Riviera, Mykonos, Santorini, Paros & Antiparos, Porto Heli, Spetses & Hydra, Messinia & Costa Navarino, Corfu & Paxos, Crete.
Questions
Yes, freehold. Americans need a permit only in designated border areas, which include Santorini and the Dodecanese. Mykonos, Paros, Crete, Attica and the Peloponnese are not border areas.
€800,000 in Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and larger islands; €400,000 elsewhere; €250,000 only for converting a non-residential building or restoring a listed one. The property must be a single home of at least 120 m² on the two main routes.
No. It was announced on 6 September 2026 and is not yet law. A 2027 start has been reported, but no date is fixed. Today non-EU buyers pay the same 3.09% as everyone else.
No. Short-term letting of a Golden Visa property is banned, with a €50,000 fine and loss of the permit for breaches.
Yes, if you are not an EU citizen. Santorini is a border area, so approval from the regional Decentralised Administration is needed before the purchase.
Where to stay while you look
Selected by TheMediterranean.com · Vouliagmeni, the Athens Riviera
View the ResortChecked and sourced
Checked 31 October 2026. Rules and rates change; confirm with a qualified lawyer and tax adviser before you buy. TheMediterranean.com is not a real estate broker, agent or finder, and nothing here is legal, tax or immigration advice.
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