Buying a home in Greece as a foreigner: a step-by-step guide
· 6 min read
A step-by-step guide for foreign buyers in Greece in 2026: tax number, due diligence, contracts, off-plan purchases, the notary, registration and buying remotely.
Foreign buyers can own homes in Greece on largely the same terms as Greek citizens, with limited exceptions in designated border areas. The process is well established, but it runs on Greek paperwork and follows a fixed sequence: a tax number, legal and technical checks, a preliminary agreement, payment of transfer tax, a notarial deed and registration with the Hellenic Cadastre. This guide walks through each step as it stands in October 2026, including what changes when you buy a new apartment off-plan, how to complete a purchase from abroad with a power of attorney, and a significant tax change announced for buyers from outside the EU.
Step one: a Greek tax number and a bank account
Every buyer needs a Greek tax identification number, the AFM, issued by the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE). It is required whether or not you live in Greece, and it must be in place before any contract is signed. Applications are submitted online through the myAADE portal with a passport and supporting documents, and identity is then confirmed either in person at a tax office or by recorded video call through AADE's myAADElive service. Alternatively, a lawyer in Greece can apply on your behalf under a power of attorney. Once identity has been verified, the number is often issued within a few working days.
A Greek bank account is not a legal condition of ownership, but it makes the transaction much simpler and is usually opened early. Since 11 December 2023, Greek law has required the price of a property transfer to be paid exclusively through banking channels, such as a bank transfer or a banker's cheque, and the notary must state in the deed how payment was made. A contract recording any part of the price as paid in cash is invalid and cannot be registered, and fines apply. Keep a clear record of every transfer from your home country, and expect your bank to ask about the source of the funds.
Choosing a lawyer and checking the property
The notary who draws up the deed is a public officer who acts for the transaction rather than for either party, so the buyer's interests are best protected by an independent Greek lawyer. Instructing one is not strictly mandatory for a standard purchase, but it is strongly advisable, especially if you do not read Greek. Look for a lawyer registered with a Greek bar association, experienced in property work and fluent in English or your own language, and agree the fee in writing before work begins. Market guides published in 2026 commonly quote legal fees of around 1–2% of the price, sometimes with a minimum charge.
Due diligence has a legal side and a technical side. The lawyer searches the title at the Hellenic Cadastre, which by May 2026 covered about 99% of the country, with most rights already in an operational cadastre and the remainder in the final publication stage. The search confirms the owner, the property's cadastral code and any mortgages, seizures or claims. An engineer compares the building permit and approved plans with what was actually built, and the seller must provide an engineer's certificate under Law 4495/2017 confirming there are no unauthorised works, or that any have been legalised. A valid energy performance certificate is also required before the deed can be signed.
Reservation, preliminary contract and buying off-plan
Once an offer is accepted, a resale purchase usually begins with a short reservation agreement and a modest fee that takes the property off the market while checks are carried out. The parties may then sign a preliminary contract before a notary, setting out the price, the payment schedule, the completion date and any conditions, typically with a deposit of around 10%. Because it is notarised, the preliminary contract is binding on both sides. Your lawyer should confirm what happens to the deposit if either party withdraws or a condition is not met, and the deposit should be paid only once the main legal and technical checks are clear.
Buying a new apartment from a developer before it is finished follows the same logic, with more to verify. The project should hold a valid building permit issued through the national e-Adeies platform, and the contract should attach the approved plans, a detailed specification, a delivery date and a payment schedule, ideally tied to construction milestones. Ask how and when title passes to you, what protects your payments if the project is delayed, and how defects after handover are handled. On tax, qualifying new homes can currently be sold without 24% VAT and attract transfer tax instead. That suspension runs to 31 December 2026; an extension into 2027 has been signalled but not yet legislated.
The notary, transfer tax and registration
The notary prepares the final deed, gathers the required certificates and checks that the seller's obligations on the property are in order. Before signing, the transfer tax must be declared and paid. The declaration is now completed by the notary on AADE's digital myPROPERTY platform and accepted by the parties online, so no visit to a tax office is needed. For a resale home the rate is 3% of the property's value plus a municipal surcharge of 3% of that tax, an effective 3.09%. Notary, registration and legal fees come on top; one 2026 guide puts total costs at about 6.5% on a EUR 300,000 home, before any agent's commission.
The final deed is signed by the buyer and the seller, or their attorneys, in the notary's presence, and the balance of the price is paid at the same time through a bank. Ownership is not complete until the deed is registered with the competent Cadastre office, which the notary or lawyer normally files immediately after signing. Once registration is confirmed, you receive a certified copy and the property is linked to your tax number. From then on you will be liable for the annual property tax, ENFIA, which is assessed on what you own on 1 January each year, and utilities can be transferred into your name.
Timelines, buying from abroad and points for non-EU buyers
For a resale home with clean paperwork, two to three months from accepted offer to final deed is a realistic expectation; legality issues, missing certificates or Cadastre corrections can add weeks or months. For an off-plan home, such as those in AKI GROUP's projects in Athens and Patras, the timing of the final deed is set by the contract and the delivery date. None of the steps requires you to be in Greece if you grant a specific power of attorney for the purchase. It can be signed at a Greek embassy or consulate, in Greek and with an interpreter if needed, in which case no further legalisation is required, or before a notary in your own country.
A power of attorney signed before a notary abroad must carry an apostille and is then officially translated into Greek. Israel is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, and Israeli courts apostille notarised documents such as powers of attorney. Non-EU buyers should also note that purchases in designated border areas need prior approval, and that on 6 September 2026 the government announced a rise in transfer tax on homes bought by non-EU individuals from 3% to 15% (15.45% with the surcharge) from 1 July 2027, with exemptions for long-term residents and people of Greek descent. As of October 2026 it is not yet law, so anyone completing after that date should ask their lawyer how it would apply.
This article is general information as of October 2026 and is not legal or tax advice.
