Practice Hub · All of Greece

Real Estate
Law.

Comprehensive legal services for residential buyers, commercial investors, hotel operators and developers across all of Greece — from Athens and the islands to the northern mainland. Six specialist sub-practices. One integrated team.

AllOf Greece Covered
6Sub-Practices
20+Years Experience
3Languages
Full title due diligence — Cadastre & Land Registry
Comprehensive title searches, encumbrance checks and ownership verification across all Greek property registries.
International buyers — non-EU and EU clients
Extensive experience advising foreign nationals on Greek property acquisition, including all non-EU buyer requirements.
Hotels, resorts & hospitality assets
Acquisition, licensing, management agreements, franchise structuring and sale of hotel and hospitality properties.
Coastal zone & island property expertise
Specialist knowledge of αιγιαλός regulations, island conveyancing and archaeological site restrictions across all regions.
Golden Visa property investment
Full service from property identification through acquisition to residency permit — all thresholds and zones covered.
Buying property in Greece?
Initial consultation on your transaction, title position and next steps — in English, Greek or Italian.
Request Consultation
Overview Sub-Practices Why Us Our Process Experience FAQs

Overview

Property law in Greece requires
specialist knowledge — and international experience.

Greek real estate is one of the most sought-after property markets in Europe — driven by sustained international demand, a transforming hospitality sector, the Golden Visa programme and growing interest in distressed and development assets. But Greek property law is also among the most technically demanding in the EU, with complexities that catch unprepared buyers and investors repeatedly. A property lawyer in Greece completes those checks before any deposit is paid, because a deposit is hard to recover.

At Pantazis & Associates, real estate has been a core practice since the firm's founding. We have advised on some of the most significant property transactions in Greece, including a private island acquisition and major commercial and development matters across the entire country. We act for residential buyers, commercial investors, hotel groups, developers, lenders and distressed asset funds.

"Whether you are buying a home in Athens, acquiring a hotel in Mykonos, developing a resort in Crete or purchasing a distressed portfolio — the legal complexity of Greek property demands a specialist, not a generalist." Arbitrary construction and planning irregularities are the issues a property lawyer in Greece finds most often on Greek titles.

Our property lawyers are expert in the specific complexities of Greek real estate: Cadastre and Land Registry title searches, coastal zone (αιγιαλός) regulations, archaeological site restrictions, co-ownership structures, forest land designations, building permit issues, ENFIA tax compliance, and the full legal framework for non-EU buyers. We work across the entire country — Athens, Thessaloniki, the Cyclades, the Dodecanese, Crete, the Ionian islands, and the mainland. Send the property details before you sign anything.

Why Greek property is complex
Title verification is not straightforward
Many Greek properties — particularly on islands and in rural areas — carry unresolved title issues, boundary disputes, forest land designations or coastal zone complications that only emerge through specialist due diligence.
International buyers
Non-EU nationals face additional requirements
Non-EU buyers require a Greek tax number (AFM), a bank account, and in some areas a Ministry of Defence permit. We guide international clients through every step of the process.
Our reach
All of Greece — not just Athens
We advise on property transactions across the entire country. Islands, mainland, resort destinations and urban centres — our knowledge is not geographically limited.
Languages
We advise in your language
English, Greek and Italian. The majority of our real estate clients are international. We manage the full process remotely when needed.

Sub-Practices

Five specialist areas.
One integrated real estate team.

Our real estate practice covers the full range of legal needs across residential, commercial, hospitality, investment, development and distressed property matters.

Property matters that read
like case studies.

From a private island acquisition in the Ionian Sea to the acquisition of seventeen gold mines in Greece, our real estate practice has advised on property transactions that go far beyond a standard conveyancing instruction. Twenty years of experience across residential, commercial, hospitality, investment and distressed property matters — for Greek and international clients alike.

Pantazis & Associates is recommended by a number of foreign embassies operating in Greece, including the UK, US and Australian embassies. The firm's lawyers are frequently invited to speak at international legal conferences and symposia, and the firm regularly provides opinions, analysis and commentary to international institutions such as the World Justice Project and the World Bank. In real estate law, as across the firm's practice, we have advised on matters that other lawyers read about in textbooks and legal journals — institutional recognition that no marketing budget can buy.

20+
Years In Real Estate
All
Of Greece Covered
4
Languages Spoken
2002
Firm Founded

Our Process

How we handle a
Greek property transaction.

STEP 01
Due Diligence
Full title search in the Cadastre and Land Registry. Identification of encumbrances, liens, mortgages, easements, coastal zone status, forest designations and building permit compliance.
STEP 02
Structuring & Advice
Optimal ownership structure — personal, company or fund. Tax planning for ENFIA and transfer tax. Non-EU buyer requirements. Currency and funds transfer considerations.
STEP 03
Contract & Negotiation
Drafting and negotiating the preliminary contract (προσύμφωνο), reviewing the notarial deed. Power of attorney where the buyer cannot attend in person.
STEP 04
Completion & Post-Sale
Attendance at notary, Cadastre registration, ENFIA registration, utility transfers and post-completion matters. Golden Visa permit application coordination.

Selected Experience

Property matters that required
more than standard conveyancing.

Private Island · Ionian
Private island acquisition — Ionian Sea
Acted for a foreign investor on the acquisition of a private island in the Ionian Sea, including title due diligence and coastal zone analysis.
Mining Portfolio · Due Diligence
Acquisition of 17 gold mines in Greece
Advised an international investment fund on the acquisition of seventeen gold mines in Greece, covering title diligence, regulatory permits, environmental compliance and mining law.
Golden Visa · Portfolio
Multiple Golden Visa acquisitions
Extensive Golden Visa practice advising non-EU investors through residential and commercial property purchases qualifying for the Greek residency-by-investment programme.

Frequently Asked Questions

What buyers and investors
ask us most.

Can a non-EU national buy property in Greece?+

Yes. Non-EU nationals can purchase property in Greece subject to certain requirements — a Greek tax number (AFM), a Greek bank account, and in some border areas a permit from the Ministry of National Defence. We guide non-EU clients through every step of this process and manage transactions remotely under a notarised power of attorney.

What does title due diligence involve in Greece?+

Greek title due diligence involves searching the Cadastre and/or Land Registry, identifying mortgages, liens and encumbrances, verifying building permits and usage compliance, checking coastal zone and forest land status, and confirming ENFIA tax clearance. On islands and in rural areas particularly, unresolved title issues frequently emerge that require resolution before a transaction can safely proceed.

Do I need to be present in Greece to buy a property?+

No. The vast majority of our international clients complete their Greek property acquisition without visiting Greece. We handle the entire process under a notarised power of attorney — due diligence, contract negotiation, notary attendance, Cadastre registration and post-completion matters — in English or Italian.

What taxes apply when buying property in Greece?+

The main tax on a Greek property purchase is the Real Estate Transfer Tax at 3% of the objectively assessed tax value. Buyers also pay notary charges, Cadastre registration charges and an annual ENFIA property ownership tax.

Is the Greek Golden Visa programme still open?+

Yes — the programme remains open and active, though investment thresholds were significantly increased in 2023-2024 and vary by location. See our dedicated Golden Visa page for current thresholds and full details.

What if a real estate matter becomes contentious — e.g. a title or boundary dispute?+

Where a property matter turns contentious — title disputes, boundary/encroachment issues, partition actions or lease disputes escalating to litigation — our Litigation & Arbitration practice handles the dispute directly, working closely with this team. See our Real Estate Disputes page for details.

Do you handle property outside Athens?+

Yes. A large share of our property work is on the islands — Crete, Mykonos, Santorini and Corfu in particular. Island titles more often involve older deed chains, planning irregularities and, for non-EU buyers in designated border areas, a Ministry of National Defence permit that must be factored into the timetable.

What checks are needed before buying property in Greece?+

A property lawyer in Greece will verify the chain of title at the Land Registry or Cadastre, confirm the absence of encumbrances and unpaid taxes, check planning and building permits and any arbitrary construction, and confirm the property is outside protected or coastal zones before a deposit is paid.

Buying or investing in Greek property?
Let us guide you through it.

Initial consultation to assess your transaction, advise on title position and outline the process.