Greek mortgage guides for US buyers

Clear finance and purchase guidance, with dedicated expertise for Santorini and the Saronic Islands.

Buying in Santorini or the Saronic Islands?

Explore location-specific guidance covering non-resident mortgages, property types, technical checks, costs and realistic timelines for American buyers.

Compare Santorini areas Read the Saronic Islands guide

Plan your Greek purchase

Whitewashed Greek house with blue shutters and a balcony on a quiet street corner

Costs

Made, reviewed and approved by Bas Terpstra5 October 20269 min read

What a Greek property costs every year

ENFIA, the municipal charges on the electricity bill, building charges, earthquake insurance and upkeep, plus the US reporting that touches your Greek bank account.

Buying in a Greek border area as a US buyer

Legal

Made, reviewed and approved by Bas Terpstra16 September 20269 min read

Buying in a Greek border area

Rhodes, Kos, Santorini and the rest of the designated areas need prior approval before a US citizen can buy. Where it applies, who decides, and how to protect the mortgage timetable.

The Greek cadastre and what US owners must check

Legal

Made, reviewed and approved by Bas Terpstra6 September 20269 min read

The Greek cadastre is finalising

3.45 million rights sit as owner unknown, absentee owners are over-represented, and from 16 September 2026 the correction route runs through mandatory mediation.

Unauthorised construction checks for Greek property buyers

Legal

Made, reviewed and approved by Bas Terpstra2 September 20268 min read

Checking a Greek property for unauthorised construction

Afthereta blocks the sale and the mortgage. How to find it before you commit, what the Law 4495/2017 categories mean, and who pays for the settlement.

Inheriting or leaving a Greek property

Legal

Made, reviewed and approved by Bas Terpstra2 September 20268 min read

Inheriting or leaving a Greek property

A renunciation clock that nobody starts deliberately, allowances of 150,000 euros per heir, forced heirship, and a US-Greece estate tax treaty from 1950.

Selling a Greek property and capital gains

Costs

Made, reviewed and approved by Bas Terpstra10 August 20268 min read

Selling a Greek property: the capital gains suspension

Greece has not collected capital gains tax on private property sales for over a decade, which is exactly why the US side of the same sale catches owners out.

Where to buy in the Ionian Islands

Regional Guide

Made, reviewed and approved by Bas Terpstra6 August 20269 min read

Where to buy in the Ionian Islands

Compare Corfu, Lefkada, Kefalonia, Zakynthos and Paxos from a US buyer's mortgage and purchase-planning perspective.

Non-resident mortgages in Greece for US buyers

Financing

Made, reviewed and approved by Bas Terpstra31 July 20267 min read

Non-resident mortgages in Greece

A separate product, not a resident loan with extra paperwork. Deposit, Euribor-linked pricing, Greek title work, the weaker dollar and the filings that follow completion.

How much can I borrow for a Greek mortgage?

Financing

Made, reviewed and approved by Bas Terpstra31 July 20267 min read

How much can I borrow for a Greek mortgage?

Two ceilings decide the answer for a US buyer, loan to value and affordability, and the lower one binds. Why a US thirty-year calculation overstates your capacity.

Can a US resident get a Greek mortgage?

Eligibility

Made, reviewed and approved by Bas Terpstra31 July 20267 min read

Can a US resident get a Greek mortgage?

Greek lenders do lend to Americans. What decides the outcome is tax residency, documented income and the property, not the credit score you rely on at home.

Fixed or floating rate on a Greek mortgage

Financing

Made, reviewed and approved by Bas Terpstra29 July 20268 min read

Fixed or floating rate on a Greek mortgage

How Greek fixed-rate periods and Euribor-linked floating rates actually differ, and what the June 2026 ECB hike changes for US buyers.

Where to buy in Crete

Regional Guide

Made, reviewed and approved by Bas Terpstra23 July 20269 min read

Where to buy in Crete

Compare Chania, Rethymno, Heraklion and Lasithi from a US buyer's mortgage and purchase-planning perspective.

Greece's new short-term rental rules

Legal

Made, reviewed and approved by Bas Terpstra15 July 20267 min read

Greece's new short-term rental rules

Registration, safety standards, permit freezes and a revised tax bracket: what US owners need to know before counting on rental income.

Where to buy in Santorini

Regional Guide

Made, reviewed and approved by Bas Terpstra10 July 20269 min read

Where to buy in Santorini

Compare Oia, Fira, Imerovigli, Pyrgos and Akrotiri from a US buyer's mortgage and purchase-planning perspective.

Santorini mortgages for US buyers

Regional Guide

Made, reviewed and approved by Bas Terpstra10 July 20268 min read

Santorini mortgages for US buyers

A Santorini mortgage guide for US buyers covering Greek non-resident lending, deposits, documents, costs, currency and purchase deadlines.

Buying and financing in the Saronic Islands

Regional Guide

Made, reviewed and approved by Bas Terpstra10 July 20268 min read

Buying and financing in the Saronic Islands

Plan a Hydra, Spetses or Poros property purchase from the United States, including boat-only access, renovation, mortgage timing and euro costs.

Preliminary agreements and finance

Legal

Made, reviewed and approved by Bas Terpstra10 July 20267 min read

Preliminary agreements and finance

How the prosymfono and the notarial deed interact with mortgage conditions, deposits and deadlines for US buyers in Greece.

Using equity from your US home

Financing

Made, reviewed and approved by Bas Terpstra10 July 20267 min read

Using equity from your US home

How using a cash-out refinance, home equity loan or HELOC on a US property may fund a Greek purchase, including affordability, security and currency risk.

Greek mortgage or US home equity?

Comparison

Made, reviewed and approved by Bas Terpstra10 July 20267 min read

Greek mortgage or US home equity?

Compare a Greek mortgage with releasing US home equity, including security, currency, fees, affordability and application timing.

Mortgage checklist before an offer

Checklist

Made, reviewed and approved by Bas Terpstra10 July 20266 min read

Mortgage checklist before an offer

A practical Greek mortgage checklist for US buyers covering affordability, documents, deposit, costs, currency and contract conditions.

Documents for a Greek mortgage

Documents

Made, reviewed and approved by Bas Terpstra10 July 20266 min read

Documents for a Greek mortgage

Greek mortgage document checklist for US residents: identity, income, tax records, statements, debts, deposit evidence and property details.

Additional costs of buying in Greece

Costs

Made, reviewed and approved by Bas Terpstra10 July 20267 min read

Additional costs of buying in Greece

Budget beyond the asking price for Greek property: taxes, notary, registration, legal checks, valuation, mortgage, currency and ongoing costs.

Start with your financial position

Planning

Made, reviewed and approved by Bas Terpstra10 July 20267 min read

Start with your financial position

Plan a Greek property budget before viewing: mortgage, deposit, taxes, buying costs, exchange rates and a realistic monthly commitment.

Greek property market outlook for US buyers, 2026

Market Update

Made, reviewed and approved by Bas Terpstra10 July 20267 min read

Greek property market outlook for US buyers, 2026

Where Greek mortgage rates, the dollar-euro rate and island prices stand heading into 2026, and what it means for US buyers planning a purchase this year.

Greece's Golden Visa for US property buyers

Residency

Made, reviewed and approved by Bas Terpstra10 July 20267 min read

Greece's Golden Visa: what US buyers should know

Unlike some other Southern European markets, Greek property can qualify for residency through the Golden Visa. What the program covers, and what it doesn't.

ENFIA tax and FBAR for US owners

Costs

Made, reviewed and approved by Bas Terpstra10 July 20267 min read

ENFIA explained, plus FBAR and FATCA for US owners

ENFIA is Greece's annual property tax, and it's not the only filing US owners need to track. What ENFIA costs, plus FBAR and FATCA obligations for a foreign account.

Greek property prices, 2025

Market Update

Made, reviewed and approved by Bas Terpstra10 July 20267 min read

Greek property prices, 2025: islands and mainland diverge

The best-known Cyclades islands are pulling away from quieter island and mainland markets in 2025. What the divergence means for a US buyer's budget and timing.

Fifth ECB rate cut, January 2025

Market Update

Made, reviewed and approved by Bas Terpstra10 July 20266 min read

Fifth ECB rate cut, January 2025: rates at 2.75%

The ECB's fifth consecutive cut brought the deposit rate to 2.75% in January 2025, just as the dollar began a sharp 2025 slide against the euro. What it means for US buyers.

ECB rate cut, December 2024

Market Update

Made, reviewed and approved by Bas Terpstra10 July 20266 min read

ECB rate cut, December 2024: rates down to 3%

The ECB's fourth cut of 2024 brought the deposit rate to 3% in December. What a full year of easing means for Greek mortgage affordability for US buyers.

ECB rate cut, 2024

Market Update

Made, reviewed and approved by Bas Terpstra10 July 20266 min read

ECB rate cut, 2024: Greek mortgages start to ease

The ECB cut rates for the first time since 2019 in June 2024. What the first cut means for Greek mortgage pricing and the dollar-euro picture for US buyers.

ECB rate pause, 2023

Market Update

Made, reviewed and approved by Bas Terpstra10 July 20266 min read

ECB rate pause, 2023: what it means for buying in Greece

The ECB paused rate hikes in October 2023. What the pause means for Greek mortgage costs, and how US buyers should plan trips within the Schengen 90/180 rule.

ECB rate hike, May 2023

Market Update

Made, reviewed and approved by Bas Terpstra10 July 20266 min read

ECB rate hike, May 2023: what it means for a Greek mortgage

The ECB raised its deposit rate again in May 2023. What this means for Greek mortgage costs and dollar-euro timing for US buyers.

Where to buy in the Cyclades

Regional Guide

Made, reviewed and approved by Bas Terpstra9 July 20269 min read

Where to buy in the Cyclades

Compare Santorini, Mykonos, Paros, Naxos and Syros from a US buyer's mortgage and purchase-planning perspective.