As the housing crisis continues to squeeze Greek citizens, foreign buyers are finding golden opportunities in the property market—opportunities that locals can barely imagine. Among the many nationalities now flocking to Greece, Germans are leading the pack. In fact, the German tabloid Bild recently published an enthusiastic article celebrating how their compatriots are snapping up Greek homes for bargain prices.
One area that has captured German interest is Skala Oropou. A Greek real estate agent, Eleni Koutzouki, shared insights with Bild, detailing the types of deals Germans are seizing—and the paper didn’t hold back its praise for the fact that Northern Europeans are acquiring Greek homes “for a song.”
Beachfront Bargains Near Athens
One example highlighted in the article: a 150-square-meter house on a 600-square-meter plot. It comes with a garden, barbecue area, and a mix of sun and shade. Located just 30 minutes from central Athens and 45 minutes from the airport, the property is two minutes from a clean, quiet beach with scenic views.
“German clients love it,” says Koutzouki. “It’s peaceful, close to the beach, and that view is unbeatable.”
The price for this piece of paradise? €240,000—fully furnished. “It only needs minor updates—maybe the bathroom and a bit of paint,” the agent adds.
And there’s more: Bild notes, with a touch of condescension, that “there’s always room to negotiate in Greece,” implying that even this already low price could drop further. The paper goes on to claim that German buyers are now the “great hope” for real estate agents in mainland Greece, as demand from them has suddenly surged.
From Tourists to Buyers
It started with tourism. In 2024 alone, German tourist arrivals increased by 15%, reaching nearly six million visitors. Now, many are returning—not just for vacations, but to buy homes.
“Over the past few years, the number of German buyers has grown by 25%,” says Giannis Ziavras, head of the international real estate giant Remax in Athens. Marios Christodoulou, head of the German-language property platform Ferimmo.de in Berlin, reports that interest in Greek property searches has surged by at least 70% compared to 2023.
A key driver? Taxes. Germans approaching retirement are taking advantage of Greece’s favorable tax policy: anyone who resides in Greece for more than six months is taxed just 7% on their pension income.
Where Are They Buying?
The German middle class is acquiring homes across various price ranges, mostly under €250,000. Hotspots include northern Attica and the areas surrounding Athens.
Many retirees are seeking a quieter life in the Peloponnese—between Pylos, Sparta, Patras, and Corinth. Maria Liva, an agent based in Kyparissia, says she struggles to find beachfront homes in the €150,000–€250,000 range to meet demand.
“The Germans have become our most important clients,” she notes. “Last year, almost all of my buyers were German.”
In the village of Xirokampi above Kyparissia, Liva offers a 100-square-meter home with a 950-square-meter garden and terraces—overlooking olive groves and the sea—for €170,000.
In nearby Meligalas, real estate agent Melina Stathopoulou refers to the area as “the 30-minute place”—where everything is within half an hour’s reach: three beaches, Kalamata airport, and the hospital.
A simple bungalow with land and a garden goes for €130,000, but Bild notes again, “The price will probably go down.”
Another fixer-upper is available for just €50,000. “These are stone houses—easy and fast to renovate,” says Stathopoulou. “And renovation costs are low here.”
Greece’s property transfer tax is also an advantage, at just 3.09%—significantly lower than in Germany.
