Comprar un inmueble en Grecia siendo ciudadano británico

Since 2021 British buyers are non-EU third-country nationals. You can buy freely — Greece has no general nationality bar (only border-zone land needs special permission) — but without a residency permit you are capped at 90 days in any 180 across Schengen. A Greek holiday home does not grant the right to live there; for longer stays you need the golden visa or another residency route.

You need a Greek tax number (AFM) to buy, open a bank account or connect utilities, and as a non-EU non-resident you must appoint a Greek fiscal representative for tax correspondence. Most British buyers grant a power of attorney to a Greek lawyer who handles the AFM, the checks and the deed in parallel — essential when you cannot be present for the notary signing.

Resale property carries a transfer tax of 3.09% of the assessed value. New-builds with a post-2006 permit are technically subject to 24% VAT, but VAT on new construction has been suspended through 2026, so 3.09% generally applies in practice. Annually you pay ENFIA (roughly 0.1-0.5% of taxable value, with discounts for insured homes). Budget 7-10% of the price for all-in closing costs including notary, lawyer, agent and land-registry fees.

The old €250,000 route is effectively gone. From 2026 the property tiers are €800,000 in high-demand areas (Athens, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and islands over ~3,100 people) and €400,000 elsewhere, each requiring a single property of at least 120 m². The cheap €250,000 option survives only for restoration or commercial-to-residential conversion projects. Golden-visa property cannot be used for short-term (Airbnb-type) letting — violation means revocation and a €50,000 fine. The visa grants residency for the family with no minimum-stay requirement, but it is not citizenship.

Greece offers foreign retirees who relocate their tax residency a flat 7% rate on all foreign-source income (pensions, dividends, rents) for up to 15 years. For a British retiree drawing a private or state pension this can be highly favourable versus UK rates — but it requires actually becoming Greek tax resident (and tax residency interacts with the 90/180 rule and the golden visa). It is a relocation decision, not a holiday-home one.

Greek banks do lend to non-resident buyers but conservatively — typically 60-70% loan-to-value, in euros, with thorough income proof, so many British buyers pay cash. As a UK tax resident you remain taxable in the UK on worldwide income and gains: Greek rental income and any sale gain must be declared in the UK, with relief for Greek tax under the UK-Greece double-tax treaty. You also carry GBP/EUR exchange risk on the purchase and any euro mortgage.