Buying and owning property
Buying Property in Greece for Israeli Citizens
Greece remains one of the most convenient destinations for Israeli citizens looking to purchase property in Europe for vacation, residence, or investment. Buyers can choose from ready-made villas, apartments, land plots, or construction projects.
Can Israeli citizens buy property in Greece
Yes. Israeli citizens can purchase real estate in Greece as private individuals. The transaction requires a Greek tax number (AFM), a lawyer, a notary, and a property due diligence check.
Most of the process can be handled remotely via power of attorney. Buyers can view properties via video call, instruct a lawyer to verify documents, and prepare the contract without being physically present in Greece.
How the purchase process works
First, the purpose of the purchase is determined: family vacation, long-term rental, investment, or obtaining a Golden Visa.
After selecting a property, the lawyer verifies:
- The seller’s title of ownership;
- The existence of mortgages, liens, or other encumbrances;
- Registration of the property in the land registry;
- Compliance of the building with the building permit;
- Legality of extensions and the actual floor plan.
For land plots, boundaries, access, building potential, and forestry or archaeological restrictions are additionally checked.
Then, the parties agree on the price and payment terms. The main contract is signed before a Greek notary and registered in the land registry.
Expenses to consider
Before signing the contract, the buyer typically pays the property transfer tax. The base rate is 3% of the taxable value of the property (aade.gr).
One must also account for fees for the lawyer, notary, engineer, translator, transaction registration, and potential agency commissions. After the purchase, the owner declares the property on form E9 and pays the annual ENFIA property tax (aade.gr).
Is it possible to obtain a Golden Visa
As non-EU citizens, Israelis can participate in the Golden Visa program by meeting its requirements:
- 800,000 euro threshold: Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini, and islands with a population of over 3,100, including Crete.
- 400,000 euro threshold: other regions.
- 250,000 euro threshold: for specific properties after conversion to residential use or restoration of historic buildings.
For standard investments, the property must be a single unit with a minimum area of 120 m². Properties purchased under the new rules cannot be used for short-term rentals (newsletters.enterprisegreece.gov.gr). The residence permit is usually issued for five years and can be renewed as long as the investment is maintained (migration.gov.gr).
How AILIT Group helps
AILIT Group assists Israeli citizens in finding ready-made properties, land plots, or construction projects in Greece. The company organizes video viewings, verifies investment concepts, and provides project support from property selection to construction and management.