Best real estate platforms for finding property in Greece: how to buy real estate in Greece as a foreigner

Greece is one of the most attractive destinations for real estate purchases, whether for personal residence, vacation, or investment. However, finding the right property can be a challenging task, especially for foreigners. In this article, we will explore the best Greek and international platforms for property search, discuss potential issues, the importance of choosing a local agent, and highlight the pitfalls when foreigners purchase property.

Popular Greek real estate platforms

Spitogatos.gr – the largest real estate listing website in Greece. It offers convenient filters and a comprehensive database from private sellers and agencies. Spitogatos has acquired several competitors, and now platforms such as Tospitimou.gr, Spiti24.gr, and HomeGreekHome.com, which all share the same property database, are under its ownership. Choose whichever platform suits you best.
XE.gr – formerly the most popular classified ad newspaper, now an online listing site. The platform offers a wide range of properties for sale and rent, from apartments and houses to commercial real estate and land. With easy filters and up-to-date listings, XE.gr is a popular resource for both locals and foreign buyers.
Plot.gr – a platform created by the founders of Car.gr, the most popular car sales platform. It hasn’t gained the same popularity in real estate, lagging behind its competitors in both the number of listings and ease of search.

Popular international platforms

Green-Acres.gr - an international property platform focused on foreign buyers. The site offers a wide selection of properties in Greece. The interface is available in several languages, and listings are posted by both private sellers and agencies.
Rightmove.co.uk – the largest real estate portal in the UK, offering a wide selection of properties for purchase and rent. In addition to covering the UK market, the platform also features international listings, including properties in Greece. Rightmove works in collaboration with agencies and developers, providing users with convenient tools for searching and comparing properties.
ImmobilienScout24.de – a leading German real estate platform. The site caters to both private individuals and agencies, providing tools for property search, filtering, and evaluation. Although primarily focused on the German market, the platform also features properties abroad, including in Greece.
Prian.ru – the largest Russian-language portal for overseas real estate, offering properties for sale and rent in various countries, including Greece. The platform provides up-to-date listings from agencies and developers, as well as market news, analytical articles, and advice on purchasing property abroad. Prian.ru is convenient for Russian-speaking users looking for vacation homes, investments, or relocation options.
LuxuryEstate.com – an international platform specializing in luxury real estate. The site offers exclusive villas, penthouses, castles, and other premium properties in over 120 countries, including Greece.

Issues with real estate platforms

Online platforms for property search in Greece have greatly simplified the process of finding a home, offering access to thousands of listings. However, despite their convenience, these portals have some drawbacks that every buyer should be aware of.

1. Inaccurate information and outdated listings
Most Greek and international platforms are not strictly regulated, leading to duplicate, outdated, or even fabricated listings. A property might be sold, yet the listing remains active, attracting potential buyers.

2. Lack of control over agents
On some platforms, anyone can post an ad, even if they aren’t an official agent or authorized to represent the seller. This creates risks for buyers, as it’s unclear who actually has access to the property and the authority to sell it.

3. Unethical marketing practices
Some agents intentionally post nonexistent or unrealistically compelling properties to attract clients. After contacting them, buyers are told the property is already sold but are then offered other, less desirable options.

4. Lack of a Centralized Database
Unlike the markets in the USA or the UK, Greece does not have a single real estate database where all current listings are accumulated. Therefore, the same property may appear on different platforms with different prices and contact details. Worse yet, the same property is duplicated dozens of times by different agencies on one platform, significantly complicating the search.

Conclusion. Buyers should view these portals as tools for familiarizing themselves with the market but not rely on them entirely. For a safe transaction, it is essential to consult a trusted local agent.

One agent or many? Which is better?

Real estate buyers in Greece often choose one of two approaches: working with several agents at once or trusting a single specialist to organize the entire process. Each method has its pros and cons.

Working with Multiple Agents

This option seems logical – the buyer browses listings on platforms, contacts different agents, and arranges viewings. This approach allows for seeing the maximum number of properties, but in practice, it may prove ineffective.

Cons of Working with Different Agents:

Greeks are not in a hurry. Agents often may not respond to calls and emails, promise to call back but never do.
Many listings may be outdated. A property may already be sold, but the listing remains on the site.
Lack of a unified approach. Each agent works by their own standards, and the buyer has to adapt to different conditions.
A random agent handles the deal. If a property is of interest, the deal will be handled by the agent who represents it. This isn’t always an experienced professional, and for foreigners, it’s important to have a professional guiding them through the nuances of foreigner purchases, tax issues, money transfers, residency permits, etc.
High time investment. Independent searches, negotiations, and viewings can be time-consuming and exhausting.

Working with one agent

A more effective approach is to find one reliable specialist who will not only offer their own database but also arrange viewings from other agents. This agent works in the buyer’s best interest, not the seller’s.

Advantages of working with one agent:

Time-saving. You don’t have to call dozens of realtors – the agent does that for you.
Access to a wide property database. Good agents have access to private databases and work with other agents under partnership agreements.
Guaranteed deal support. A reliable agent checks the property’s legal status, oversees the process, and helps avoid pitfalls.
Single commission. In most cases, the agent’s commission is a standard 2%, regardless of how many properties they show.

Conclusion. If you have plenty of free time and patience, working with multiple agents can be an option. But if you want to avoid unnecessary stress and ensure a successful outcome, it’s better to choose one professional who will take care of all organizational matters and guide you to a successful closing.

How to choose a reliable agent?

Choosing the right real estate agent is a key factor in a successful purchase, especially abroad. The Greek real estate market is such that most Greek agents work in the seller’s best interest. Their main goal is to add properties within a few kilometers of their office to their database, post ads on platforms, and show properties to potential buyers. They aren’t interested in searching for properties that match specific requests and rarely offer properties outside their database. Often, they aren’t qualified consultants and operate on the principle of “show more, sell more.”

But there are other agents – those who work for the buyer. They focus on finding the right property based on individual requests, taking into account market specifics, legal aspects, and client needs. Such a professional is essential if you’re not living in Greece permanently, don’t know the local areas, and don’t have your own lawyer.

I won’t state the obvious – that an agent should have a license, an office, good reviews, and experience. These are basic requirements that don’t need discussion. For those thinking about buying through just any local Greek, assuming every local is a real estate expert, it’s important to remember that this might lead to unforeseen difficulties – it’s just a matter of how big they will be.

To choose a truly reliable specialist, follow these steps:

Talk to 3-5 agents.
- Ask as many questions as possible about the buying process, taxes, maintenance costs, neighborhood specifics.
- Evaluate how clearly and logically they respond.
Request written information.
- A good agent will provide a clear step-by-step guide on purchasing property, taxes, and additional costs.
Describe your request in as much detail as possible.
- Explain your goals: vacation property, permanent residence, residence permit, investment, etc.
- A competent agent will not only find options but also adjust your request if it doesn’t align with the current market reality. Listen to their reasoning.
Evaluate responsiveness and quality of work.
- How quickly do they send a selection?
- Are they willing to discuss each property, pointing out both pros and cons? Will they work with properties from other agents if they suit you?

If the agent is knowledgeable, gives clear recommendations, quickly selects suitable options, and thoroughly analyzes them, then they are a reliable specialist you can trust with your deal.

About us

I am the founder of Aktis Group, which has been operating in the Greek real estate market since 2002. We started as an IT company in real estate, with over 2,000 agencies across Greece using our platform. Our company created Greece’s first real estate platform, which provided annual reports on property price trends for the central bank.

When foreign buyers started showing interest in the Greek market, we began promoting the services of our partner agents abroad. However, we encountered the issue described earlier: all agencies at that time worked for the seller and were unwilling to spend time consulting buyers. Foreign buyers required a different approach, and at some point, realizing we couldn’t change the market, we decided to sell properties to foreigners ourselves. This is how our Greece Invest brand was founded in 2006.

Strong market knowledge, our own IT platform, and accumulated experience helped us quickly capture a large share of the foreign buyer market, but our clients continued to face issues with post-sale services. So gradually, we had to organize all the necessary additional services ourselves: interior design and furnishing, property rentals and management, short-term and long-term car rentals, etc. We consolidated everything under the Aktis Group brand.

We’ve built an ecosystem of services that allows our clients not only to buy property in Greece but to feel at home here. And we don’t stop at what we’ve achieved – our goal is to make property purchasing and ownership in Greece as comfortable as possible for foreigners.

If you’re looking for professional and reliable assistance, we’ll be happy to help you find your dream home in Greece. Visit our websites Greece Invest and Aktis Estate, explore the properties, and let’s get in touch.

Vadym Dolmenidis,
founder of Aktis Group