FAQ for foreign buyers
Short, clear answers to the most important questions about buying property in Greece
01Can a foreigner buy property in Greece?
Yes.
Foreigners can buy property in Greece, including those who are not Greek tax residents.
Buyers from outside the EU face extra restrictions in certain border areas, so a lawyer checks the specific property before any deposit is paid.
Citizenship ≠ tax residence. You do not need to move to Greece or become a Greek tax resident to buy.
02What is an AFM and when do I need it?
The AFM is the Greek tax number.
It is a 9-digit taxpayer identification number. It is mandatory for buying property and is needed before the transaction: without it you cannot sign a preliminary contract or pay a deposit.
You can get your AFM in advance without travelling, through a representative acting under a power of attorney.
You will keep using your AFM after the purchase: for the E9 property return, the annual ENFIA tax, rentals and other tax matters.
03Do I need a Greek bank account?
For the purchase itself — not always.
The price is paid by bank transfer under the terms of the deal. In practice, though, a Greek account is almost always convenient: taxes, notary, utility bills, running costs and rental income.
04Can I buy without coming to Greece?
Yes. The purchase can be completed under a power of attorney.
The power of attorney is signed at a Greek consulate or before a notary in your country, with an apostille and an official Greek translation.
- Power of attorney
- Apostille
- Official translation
- Representative in Greece
- Completion
Check the spelling of names. Your name in the power of attorney, translation, AFM, bank documents and contract must match your passport. One extra letter in the transliteration can stop the process at the worst possible moment.
05How much does buying cost on top of the price?
The price of the flat is not the whole budget.
| Property transfer tax | 3.09% |
| Notary | ≈ 1–1.5% |
| Lawyer | ≈ 1% |
| Land registry / cadastre | ≈ 0.6–0.7% |
| Translator | if needed |
| Estate agent | if involved in the deal |
Why 3.09%: the base tax is 3%, plus a 3% municipal surcharge on the tax amount. New builds are taxed differently. These are guide figures — I prepare an exact cost breakdown for the property before the deposit.
Calculate your purchase budget →06How long does the purchase take?
Usually 1–3 months.
That is a guide, not a guarantee.
- Property chosen
- Lawyer checks documents
- Deposit
- Seller gathers documents
- Notary drafts the contract
- Payment and signing
- Registration
Sometimes everything is ready in a few weeks. Sometimes one certificate from the seller holds the deal up for a month. The timing does not depend on the buyer alone.
After the purchase the property is added to your E9 return and counted for the annual ENFIA tax.
07Does buying property give me the right to live in Greece?
Not by itself.
Owning a flat and having the right to live in Greece are two different things. EU citizens follow EU rules. A citizen of another country needs a separate basis for a residence permit to stay long term.
Property can qualify for a Golden Visa if the property and the investment amount meet the programme's requirements.
Golden Visa in Greece. Thresholds, property requirements, restrictions and what you can buy.
See Golden Visa conditions →08Can I rent the property out?
Yes.
Long-term leases are registered by the owner through the AADE tax system, and the income is declared in Greece — this applies to foreign owners too.
But long-term renting and Airbnb are different regimes. Short-term rentals have their own requirements, and central Athens has restricted registrations of new short-term units. So before buying a flat "for Airbnb", the rules are checked for the specific address and at the time of purchase.
“If you are buying to rent, decide it before the purchase, not after. The strategy determines the area, the building, the layout, the renovation budget — and which properties are worth viewing at all.”