Property for sale in Athens

Choosing an area

Athens is a market of neighbourhoods, and most buyers narrow it down with two questions: do they want the centre or the coast, and are they buying to live in, to let long-term, or to hold.

The centre. Kolonaki, Pagrati, Koukaki, Exarchia, Kypseli and the streets around the historic core are dense, walkable and served by the metro. Stock is mostly apartments in multi-storey buildings from the 1960s to the 1980s, with renovated flats and top-floor units commanding a premium. Kypseli and Exarchia are among the areas where a new metro line is under construction (see below).

The south coast. Glyfada, Voula, Vouliagmeni, Alimos and Palaio Faliro combine the sea with a daily commute into the city by tram or car. Prices here are among the highest in Attica, and the stock runs from 1970s apartment blocks to new-build developments.

The northern suburbs. Kifisia, Marousi, Chalandri and Psychiko are greener, quieter and family-oriented, with houses and maisonettes as well as apartments. They suit buyers who want space and schools rather than nightlife.

East Attica and the Mesogeia. Towards the airport and the coast beyond it, around Koropi, Markopoulo, Keratea and Saronida, you find detached houses on their own plots, land, and holiday homes at lower prices per square metre than the city.

What to check in an apartment

The building, not just the flat. Most Athens apartments sit in a polykatoikia, a multi-owner block. Ask for the building regulation, the record of shared costs, and whether any works are planned or disputed. The year of construction tells you which seismic rules the building was designed to: Greece's first anti-seismic regulation dates from 1959, it was tightened in the 1980s and 1990s, and the current code dates from 2000. For anything older, have a civil engineer inspect the structure before you commit.

Legal status. Every sale needs an engineer's certificate confirming that the property has no unauthorised works, or that any have been legalised, plus an energy performance certificate. Closed-in balconies, converted basements and roof extensions are common in older blocks and must be settled before the notary. Ask for both certificates and the building permit early.

Heating and running costs. Older blocks have central oil heating with shared bills; newer or renovated flats often run on individual gas or heat pumps. Check which applies, and what the shared monthly costs have been.

Short-term letting. Since 1 January 2025 no new properties can be registered for short-term letting in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd municipal districts of the Municipality of Athens, and the freeze has been extended to 31 December 2026, with a further extension to the end of 2027 announced in September 2026. When such a property is sold its registration lapses, and the new owner cannot re-register it while the freeze lasts. If your plan depends on short-term letting, confirm the district and the current rules with your lawyer before you make an offer.

Golden Visa in Attica

For buyers from outside the EU and EEA, the whole Attica region is in the top tier of Greece's investor residence permit (Law 5100/2024): a single residential property of at least 120 square metres of main living area with a purchase price of at least €800,000. Smaller or cheaper properties cannot be combined to reach the threshold, and a Golden Visa property cannot be let short-term.

A separate route sets the threshold at €250,000 regardless of size or location for a property whose use has been legally converted from non-residential to residential after 5 April 2024, with the conversion completed before the application is filed. Office floors and ground-floor commercial units in central Athens are the usual candidates. Whether a specific property qualifies is a legal question; ask a lawyer before you rely on it.

Buying as a foreign buyer

You need a Greek tax number (AFM). A lawyer checks the title in the Hellenic Cadastre, and the contract is signed before a notary. Many buyers do not travel for every step and give power of attorney to their lawyer instead.

The property transfer tax is 3.09% (3% plus a municipal surcharge), on the contract price or the tax authority's objective value, whichever is higher. Notary, land registry and legal fees are extra, and owners pay an annual property tax (ENFIA).

For buyers from outside the EU and EEA, note that in September 2026 the government announced a 15% transfer tax on residential purchases. It has not been legislated yet; ask your lawyer for the current position before you sign. Attica is not a border area under Law 1892/1990, so no military approval is needed to buy there.

Metro Line 4. A new 12.8 km line with 15 stations between Alsos Veikou and Goudi is under construction, passing through Galatsi, Kypseli, Exarchia, Kolonaki, Evangelismos, Kaisariani, Ilissia and Zografou. Tunnelling is due to finish by the end of 2026. The contractual completion date is June 2029; the contractor has asked for an extension to 2032, which the client has not accepted. Treat the line as a long-term factor rather than a near-term one.

How PlotX works

Listings show the price, size and an approximate location; the exact position is shared once you are in contact about the property.

Your purchase runs in a PlotX Deal Room, where your lawyer and engineer see the same documents and next steps. PlotX rates notaries, lawyers and engineers on their record in completed transactions, because Greek sales most often stall at the notary. You choose your professionals with those ratings in front of you, and if a file stops moving, PlotX chases the notary directly.

The platform fee is 1%, paid only by the buyer. Sellers pay nothing.