Buying property in Greece as a foreigner can seem complicated when you first start looking into the process. There are real estate agents, lawyers, notaries, tax numbers and property documents to deal with, and it is not always clear which checks are really important.
I have now gone through the property-buying process in Greece twice. My first purchase was an apartment in Kallithea, Halkidiki, in 2024. Later, I purchased a plot of land near Ormylia with the intention of building a house in the future.
The two purchases were very different, and both taught me things that are difficult to understand from a simple list of legal requirements.
This is not a legal guide, but my personal experience of buying property in Greece and some of the lessons I learned along the way.
Why We Chose Kallithea
Our first purchase was an apartment in Kallithea, Halkidiki, in 2024.
One of the main reasons we chose Kallithea was our family. We have two teenage children, so we wanted a place where there would be enough activity and things to do during the summer.
At the same time, we did not want a location that completely shuts down when the tourist season ends.
Kallithea is relatively developed compared with many smaller holiday villages in Halkidiki. Supermarkets such as Lidl and Masoutis, shops, tavernas and other services make the town practical even outside the busiest summer months.
For us, that combination of summer activity, beaches and everyday infrastructure made Kallithea an attractive choice.
Finding Our Apartment
I found the apartment through Spitogatos, one of the main Greek property websites. The property had been listed by a real estate agency based in Hanioti.
The apartment is in an older building, but it had been very nicely renovated, which was one of the reasons it appealed to us.
At the time of purchase in 2024, the price worked out at approximately €2,950 per square metre.
From what I saw while searching in Kallithea, newer properties were generally priced above €3,000 per square metre, while properties in prime locations closer to the sea could reach around €4,000 per square meter or more.
If you want a broader overview of purchase prices and additional expenses, see our guide to the cost of buying property in Greece.
This was also part of the decision-making process for us. Instead of paying a premium for a new development, we chose a well-renovated apartment in an older building that offered the location and practicality we were looking for.
The real estate agency charged a commission of 2% for the transaction. The agent also helped me find a lawyer who could handle the legal side of the purchase.
As a foreign buyer, one of the first things I needed was a Greek tax identification number, known as an AFM.
My lawyer handled the process of obtaining the AFM for me using a power of attorney. Once this was arranged, the purchase process continued and initially everything appeared to be progressing normally.
Then the lawyer discovered a problem.
A Legal Check That Delayed the Purchase – but Protected Me
During the legal checks, my lawyer discovered an issue concerning the swimming pool belonging to the apartment complex.
The pool was not properly reflected in the property documentation as part of the common areas connected with the property I was buying.
Instead of allowing the transaction to continue, my lawyer stopped the process and required the issue to be resolved before we completed the purchase.
The seller then had to correct the documentation.
This process took approximately three and a half months.
At the time, waiting several additional months was frustrating. Looking back, however, I consider this one of the most important parts of the entire purchase.
It is much better to discover a documentation problem before becoming the owner than to inherit that problem after signing the contract.
It also changed the way I looked at the role of a lawyer when buying property in Greece. In my case, the legal check was not simply another administrative step. It identified a real issue and prevented me from completing the purchase until that issue had been resolved.
Why We Later Chose Land Near Ormylia
Our second property purchase was very different.
After owning the apartment in Kallithea, we decided to look for land where we could eventually build our own house.
This time, what attracted us to the location was almost the opposite of what attracted us to Kallithea.
We wanted peace and quiet.
The plot we found is near Ormylia, a few kilometres before Metamorfosi, in an area locally known as the Teachers’ Settlement.
The settlement was originally organised many years ago as an association, with plots laid out in a regular pattern of around 400 square metres.
One of the things that made the area particularly interesting to us was the existing infrastructure. The settlement already had water, electricity and sewage.
This was important because these are not things I would now automatically assume are available when looking at land in Greece, particularly when the intention is to build a house.
The location itself also suited what we were looking for. It is extremely quiet, while Nikiti is approximately 9 km away. Beautiful beaches and other parts of Sithonia are also within relatively easy driving distance.
For us, it offered a good balance between privacy, infrastructure and access to the places we enjoy.
Buying the Plot
I found the land through a RE/MAX real estate agent.
The agency commission was again 2%.
The second purchase was easier in some respects because I was no longer starting from zero. I already had my Greek AFM and, importantly, I continued working with the same lawyer who had handled the purchase of my apartment.
However, buying land introduced a completely different set of questions.
When you are buying an apartment, much of your attention is naturally focused on the condition of the property, its documentation and the building itself.
When you are buying land with the intention of constructing a house, one question becomes especially important:
Can you actually build what you want on this plot?
Checking That the Land Was Buildable
Before proceeding with the purchase, my lawyer reviewed the documentation for the plot and its topographic plan.
If you are considering land for your own project, our Buying Land in Greece guide explains some of the main checks to make before purchasing.
An engineer was also involved in confirming that the land was suitable for construction and checking the applicable building rights.
In this particular settlement, the plots were intended for residential development, and the plot we were considering had the right to build a house of up to approximately 120 m².
For me, this was one of the most important lessons from buying land in Greece.
A beautiful location and an attractive asking price are not enough if your intention is to build.
Before committing to the purchase, you need to understand whether the land is actually buildable, what you are legally allowed to construct and whether the infrastructure you need is available.
Having a lawyer and an engineer check these things before completing the purchase gave us much more confidence in what we were buying.
Buying Property in Greece as a Foreigner: Apartment vs Land
Having now experienced both types of purchase, I would not approach an apartment and a plot of land in exactly the same way.
With the apartment in Kallithea, one of the most important issues turned out to be the legal documentation connected with the existing property and its common areas.
With the land near Ormylia, the focus shifted towards the topographic plan, building rights and infrastructure.
In both cases, however, the principle was the same:
verify before you buy.
Do not rely only on the property advertisement or on what you are told during a viewing.
An independent legal and, where necessary, technical check can reveal things that are not obvious when you first see the property.
What I Would Tell Other Foreign Buyers
After going through buying property in Greece as a foreigner twice, I have learned that taking time with the legal and technical checks is just as important as finding the right property.
My experience does not mean that every property transaction in Greece will follow the same path. Every property has its own history, documentation and circumstances.
But after going through the process twice, there are a few things I would pay particular attention to.
Do not rush simply because you like a property or are worried that another buyer might take it.
Have the documentation properly checked before completing the purchase.
If you are buying land to build on, involve an engineer and confirm the building possibilities before committing to the property.
And do not treat delays automatically as a bad sign. In my first purchase, a delay of more than three months happened because my lawyer found a problem and insisted that it be corrected. In the end, that delay protected me as the buyer.
Final Thoughts
Buying property in Greece has been a learning process for me.
Our apartment in Kallithea and our land near Ormylia were purchased for different reasons and presented different challenges, but going through both transactions gave me a much better understanding of what matters when buying property as a foreigner.
The biggest lesson I have taken from the experience is simple:
Finding the property is only the beginning. Understanding exactly what you are buying is just as important.
Take your time, use independent professionals and make sure the legal and technical checks are completed before you commit.
A few extra weeks or months spent resolving a problem before the purchase can be far better than discovering that same problem after the property has become yours.
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, financial or investment advice. Rules and requirements may change, so always verify current information with the relevant authorities or a qualified professional.
