Can a foreigner buy property in Greece?

Foreigners may buy, but with permission, zones or type limits

Greece allows foreigners to buy property. EU citizens buy freely, but a buyer from outside the EU needs a permit for land in border areas, which include many islands and northern regions.

Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.

Rules change. This page describes the structure of the rule, not prices, taxes or quotas. Confirm the current position with the official source listed below, and with a lawyer in the country, before you pay anything. This is general information, not legal advice.

Land

EU citizens may buy land freely. A non-EU buyer needs a permit before buying land in a designated border area.

Houses and flats

Houses and apartments follow the same rule: a permit is needed in border areas for non-EU buyers.

Buying through a company

A foreign company may buy, with the same permit rule for border areas if it is not from the EU.

Limits and closed zones

The border areas are set by law and include a large number of islands. Check the map for the exact location of the property.

What to watch for

The permit process takes time, so make the sale conditional on it. A Greek lawyer should check the title and the cadastre entry.

Understand the legal system first

Greece belongs to the Civil law family. Property is registered and transferred differently in different traditions, so it helps to know how the system works.

Read the Greece legal-system profile in the Legal Families Atlas →
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Official sources

Hellenic Cadastre

TheLawToKnow Tools’s guide to foreign property ownership is an educational overview of general rules. It is not legal advice, and it does not replace the official source or a lawyer in the country. Report a mistake.