Greece issued 3,118 building permits in June 2026, up 21.5% on June 2025, ELSTAT data published on 28 September show. The permitted floor area rose 22.5% to 727,203 m².
More permits mean more new and off-plan homes reaching the market. For a foreign buyer, a new building brings its own checks on the permit, the tax treatment and the delivery timetable.
What changed
Private construction accounted for 3,083 of the June permits, up 21.8%, with floor area up 25.2%, according to the ELSTAT figures. In the 12 months to June 2026, Greece issued 31,707 permits, up 10.1% on the previous 12 months. Floor area rose 13.7% and volume 19.6% over the same period.
Two tax points shape the cost of a new home. First, the 24% VAT on new buildings is suspended. Buyers pay 3% transfer tax instead. The suspension covers buildings with permits issued since 2006 and requires the developer to file a request with the tax authority, Greek media reported. On 12 September, Greek media reported that the government has announced an extension to 2030. Under current law, the suspension runs to 31 December 2026 (Law 5246/2025, article 12); the legal text for a longer extension has not been published yet.
Second, the government has announced that transfer tax for non-EU buyers of homes will rise from 3% to 15% from 1 July 2027. According to Greek media reports, it applies to individuals from outside the EU and EEA without long-term residence, and not to companies, diaspora Greeks or non-residential property. The legal text has not been published yet.
What to do
- Get the building permit number and date. Ask an engineer to confirm the permit is valid and covers the unit, floor and size you are buying.
- Ask the developer in writing whether VAT or transfer tax applies. If VAT is suspended, ask for proof that the suspension request was filed for the building.
- Match the payment schedule to construction stages. Ask what each payment is for and what evidence of progress you will receive.
- Ask what protects your deposit. Ask whether the developer offers a bank guarantee or another form of security, and what happens if the project stops.
- Fix the delivery date and penalties in the contract. A late handover can change your costs and plans.
- If you are a non-EU buyer, plan the date of the final contract. The announced 15% rate is linked to transfers from 1 July 2027. Ask your lawyer how the final rules, once published, treat contracts signed earlier and completed later.
- Ask for the energy certificate and Building Identity Certificate at handover. Check which documents the developer will provide and when.
What to check before you sign
- The permit covers the exact unit, area and use in the contract.
- The contract states whether VAT or 3% transfer tax applies, and who bears any change.
- Deposits and stage payments are tied to clear milestones.
- Delivery date, penalties for delay and your right to withdraw are written down.
- Specifications, finishes and parking or storage are listed in detail.
- Your nationality and residence status have been checked against the announced 15% transfer tax.
Buyers should confirm how this applies to them with a Greek lawyer or accountant.
