Main homes in Greek settlements of up to 2,000 residents will pay no property tax (ENFIA) from 2027 under a draft bill posted on 18 October 2026. About 62,000 more owners in 131 more settlements would qualify.
The provision is part of the Ministry of National Economy and Finance bill with the measures announced at the Thessaloniki International Fair. It is a draft bill in public consultation until 1 November 2026, not law.
Who qualifies
Article 15 extends the existing exemption for main residences in small settlements. It raises the population limit from 1,500 to 2,000 residents, and the higher limit from 1,700 to 2,200. The published summary names Western Macedonia for the 2,200 limit. The draft also deletes the references to the Evros regional unit and to border municipalities from that higher tier.
The new wording applies from 2027 to individuals who are tax residents of Greece, and only to their main residence. In 2026, main homes in these settlements received a 50% cut rather than a full exemption, and some owners only got it in reissued bills last week, as we reported.
A grant for Megisti
The bill also offers a yearly state payment of €5,000, plus €1,000 for each minor dependent, to people who live in the Municipality of Megisti (Kastellorizo) or move their main residence there. They must have lived there for at least one full year before the payment.
Long-term letting tax break kept
Article 13 keeps the three-year income tax exemption on rent from homes that move to long-term letting. Leases must run for at least three years and be signed between 8 September 2024 and 31 December 2027. The home can be up to 120 m².
The property must have been declared empty, or not declared as let, in the previous three tax years, or used only for short-term rental in the previous year. The exemption is lost if the home is left empty or returned to short-term rental within the three years.
What it means for buyers
The ENFIA exemption needs Greek tax residence and a main home, so most owners who live abroad and keep a holiday house will not benefit. It matters to returning members of the diaspora and to buyers who plan to move their life to a village. Owners of short-term lets who are thinking of switching to long-term tenants can keep the three-year rent exemption in view through 2027. Buyers should confirm how this applies to them with a Greek lawyer or accountant.
What happens next
Comments are open on opengov.gr until 1 November 2026. Eligibility details can still change before the bill is voted in parliament. The same bill sets a 1 July 2027 start for higher transfer tax on non-EU buyers: our report.
