Greece is emerging as one of the top choices for foreign buyers, with nearly one in three (30.8%) looking for a home in the country to settle permanently.
That’s the conclusion of this year’s analysis of buying trends from abroad, based on the client base of Elxis – At Home in Greece. The figures reflect not only the growing appeal of the Greek market, but also the impact of a tax program that has been in place for retirees in recent years.
Giorgos Gavriilidis, CEO of Elxis – At Home In Greece, explains: “As we see in our data, 30.8% of demand comes from people, mostly retirees, who want to acquire a permanent home in Greece. It’s a significant share, and a particularly positive trend, since the investments made by these buyers carry high added value. They’re not limited to the property purchase itself. These buyers keep contributing to the local economy as new residents.”
According to Gavriilidis, this also explains why 71.7% of buyers prefer newly built homes, or properties ready for immediate occupancy.
At the same time, 68.2% are looking for villas, while just 17.2% are interested in apartments. “As for the average budget among buyers from abroad, most fall between €320,000 and €340,000,” Gavriilidis notes.
According to Elxis, the growing interest in permanent relocation is also linked to a program introduced in recent years that offers tax incentives to retirees from abroad.
The Requirements
Those who take advantage of the relevant provisions can transfer their tax residency to Greece and pay a very low income tax rate of just 7% on their income.
That reduced rate applies for 15 years.
To qualify, there must be a double taxation treaty in place between Greece and the country paying out the pension, and the retiree must live in Greece for at least 183 days a year.
They must also not have been a tax resident of Greece for five of the six years before transferring their tax residency to the country.
The largest share of interest from abroad (44.4%) still comes from people looking to buy a holiday home, while another 17.8% are seeking a property mainly for investment purposes.
The “Golden Visa”
Interestingly, only 7% cite acquiring a residence permit through the “Golden Visa” program as their main motivation for buying.
That’s largely because, under new rules now in effect, anyone using the Golden Visa program is barred from renting out their property through short-term rental platforms.
So far in 2026, the strongest demand has come from the US, the Netherlands, Germany and the UK, followed by countries like Belgium and France.
Notably, this year has also seen a rise in buyers from Australia, mainly members of the Greek diaspora, with buyer interest doubling compared to last year.
There are also regional differences in demand: British buyers show a particular preference for the Ionian Islands, an area that draws less interest from American buyers. Crete remains firmly the top destination, accounting for 42.9% of demand, followed by the Peloponnese at 22.9% and the Ionian region at 12.7%.
About Elxis – At Home in Greece
Elxis – At Home in Greece is a leading real estate and legal services firm in Greece. With offices in Thessaloniki, Crete and Utrecht in the Netherlands, and a team of highly specialized professionals, it has more than 35 years of experience managing residential property transactions. It serves its international client base with a dedicated legal team and native-speaking staff in English, Dutch, German and French.
