Greece announces property transfer tax rising from 3% to 15% for non-EU buyers from July 2027
Greece has announced that the property transfer tax paid by third-country nationals buying residential property will rise from 3% to 15% — or 3.09% to 15.45% once the 3% municipal surcharge is included. The measure was announced by the prime minister at the Thessaloniki International Fair, specified by the Ministry of National Economy and Finance on 7 September and narrowed by ministerial clarification the following day.
The scope is narrower than the headline suggests. It applies only to residential property bought by natural persons who are non-EU/EEA citizens without long-term resident status. Commercial property, land, and purchases by legal entities are outside it. The start date has also moved, from 1 January to 1 July 2027.
Why this matters
If you hold a Greek digital nomad visa or another long-stay permit and have been considering buying, the exemption for long-term resident status is the detail that decides your position. Someone who has held residence long enough to qualify is treated differently from someone who arrived recently, so the question is not simply which passport you hold. Anyone weighing a purchase should establish which category they fall into before the timing matters, because that determination is what changes the tax by twelve percentage points.
The 1 July 2027 date also creates a visible window, and that carries its own risk. Announced tax changes with a long lead time tend to pull transactions forward, which affects both prices and how quickly conveyancing and notary appointments can be obtained. A deadline-driven market is rarely a calm one to buy in.
What to watch
This has been announced, not legislated. No bill has been published, and there are no transitional rules yet for deposits already paid or purchases in progress — which is the gap that matters most to anyone mid-transaction. The current 3.09% applies until the change takes effect.
Anyone with a live purchase should take advice from a Greek lawyer on where a part-completed transaction would stand, rather than relying on the announcement. This is not settled law yet, and the transitional provisions are where the difficult cases will be decided.