Greece Golden Visa 120 sqm Rule: What Counts in 2026
Balconies and parking do not count. How the 120 sqm minimum is measured, who certifies it and the mistakes that void a €400K or €800K application.
By Greek Invest Editorial · Updated July 4, 2026 · 8 min read
Quick answer: Greece Golden Visa property at the €400,000 or €800,000 tier must measure at least 120m² of main usable area on a single title deed (Law 5100/2024). Balconies, terraces, parking and storage do not count. Only the €250,000 heritage restoration route skips the size rule. A licensed engineer certifies the area before you apply, not the broker brochure.
What Law 5100/2024 Actually Says
Greece restructured its Golden Visa programme with Law 5100/2024, raising investment thresholds and introducing a minimum property size that did not exist before. The full Greece Golden Visa property guide for 2026 covers the complete framework, but the 120m² rule is the most misunderstood element of the reform.
- Terraces and balconies, regardless of how large they are
- Parking spaces, whether open or enclosed in a garage
- Storage rooms and utility areas attached to the unit
- Basement areas not recorded as habitable space in the building permit
- Communal stairs, landings, or shared facilities
A property listed as “135m² total” in a developer brochure may contain only 108m² of main usable area once these exclusions are applied. Buyers who rely on marketing figures without checking the Electronic Building Identity risk purchasing a property that fails the Golden Visa test at the application stage, after the purchase has already completed.
Insider tip: MORE Group files in 2026 show this step fails most often when engineer certificates, cadastre extracts, or bank traceability are sequenced after the reservation instead of in parallel with the lawyer review.
Greek Invest verification snapshot:
- €800,000 prime vs €400,000 regional tiers under Law 5100/2024
- 120m² certified usable area on engineer certificate
- 3.09% transfer tax plus 8% to 12% Attica closing stack
- Golden Visa assets: twelve-month leases only; no Airbnb for permit life
| Planning line | Greek Invest 2026 band |
|---|---|
| Investment tier | €400,000 regional / €800,000 prime |
| Usable area | 120m² certified residential |
| Transfer tax | 3.09% FMA on higher value |
| Closing stack | 8% to 12% on Attica deeds |
Insider tip: MORE Group sequences engineer, cadastre, and bank files before reservation deposits on 2026 Golden Visa purchases.
How the Tiers Work With the Size Rule
How the Tiers Work With the Size Rule requires €400,000 regional or €800,000 prime investment under Law 5100/2024, engineer certification of 120m² usable residential area, and Circular 1/2026 bank traceability through a Greek account before any deposit. Budget 3.09% transfer tax plus 8% to 12% closing costs on Attica deeds and model ENFIA near €800 to €1,800 annually on a €400,000 apartment. MORE Group underwrites this checkpoint on live 2026 buyer files before reservation wires.
| Tier | Minimum Investment | Minimum Main Usable Area | Applicable Zones |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard residential | €400,000 | 120m² on one deed | Most of Greece |
| High-demand residential | €800,000 | 120m² on one deed | Athens, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini |
| Heritage restoration | €250,000 | No minimum size | Designated protected buildings only |
| Commercial-to-residential | €400,000 | 120m² after conversion | All zones |
The detailed breakdown of Golden Visa investment tiers and zone maps identifies which municipalities fall inside the €800K zone. For most island and mainland locations outside those four high-demand areas, the €400K tier applies, along with the 120m² requirement.
Not sure your shortlisted property clears 120m² on one deed? We verify engineer certificates and zone tier before you sign.
Free Golden Visa checkGreek Invest verification snapshot:
- €800,000 prime vs €400,000 regional tiers under Law 5100/2024
- 120m² certified usable area on engineer certificate
- 3.09% transfer tax plus 8% to 12% Attica closing stack
- Golden Visa assets: twelve-month leases only; no Airbnb for permit life
Insider tip: MORE Group underwriting in 2026 treats this as a hard gate: engineer certificate, cadastre alignment, and Circular 1/2026 bank traceability must be complete before any reservation wire, not after.
What is Single Title Deed Condition?
What is Single Title Deed Condition requires €400,000 regional or €800,000 prime investment under Law 5100/2024, engineer certification of 120m² usable residential area, and Circular 1/2026 bank traceability through a Greek account before any deposit. Budget 3.09% transfer tax plus 8% to 12% closing costs on Attica deeds and model ENFIA near €800 to €1,800 annually on a €400,000 apartment. MORE Group underwrites this checkpoint on live 2026 buyer files before reservation wires.
Purchasing two adjacent apartments, each 70m², and registering them as separate properties does not satisfy the law, even if a wall is physically removed to combine them. Greek property law looks at the legal property record, not the built configuration. Two deeds equal two properties, regardless of how they are used.
Buyers who want to aggregate smaller units must complete a legal property merger (συνένωση) before finalising the purchase. This process involves:
- Architectural drawings confirming the structural viability of the merger
- Approval from the relevant urban planning authority
- Issuance of a new unified building permit and building identity
- Registration of the merged property as a single title at the Land Registry
A merger adds roughly three to four months to a transaction timeline and carries its own professional fees and registration costs. The full breakdown of buying costs in Greece helps investors budget accurately before committing to a multi-unit acquisition strategy.
Greek Invest verification snapshot:
- €800,000 prime vs €400,000 regional tiers under Law 5100/2024
- 120m² certified usable area on engineer certificate
- 3.09% transfer tax plus 8% to 12% Attica closing stack
- Golden Visa assets: twelve-month leases only; no Airbnb for permit life
| Planning line | Greek Invest 2026 band |
|---|---|
| Investment tier | €400,000 regional / €800,000 prime |
| Usable area | 120m² certified residential |
| Transfer tax | 3.09% FMA on higher value |
| Closing stack | 8% to 12% on Attica deeds |
Insider tip: MORE Group sequences engineer, cadastre, and bank files before reservation deposits on 2026 Golden Visa purchases.
Who Certifies the Area and How
Who Certifies the Area and How requires €400,000 regional or €800,000 prime investment under Law 5100/2024, engineer certification of 120m² usable residential area, and Circular 1/2026 bank traceability through a Greek account before any deposit. Budget 3.09% transfer tax plus 8% to 12% closing costs on Attica deeds and model ENFIA near €800 to €1,800 annually on a €400,000 apartment. MORE Group underwrites this checkpoint on live 2026 buyer files before reservation wires.
Greek property transactions require a licensed civil engineer or architect to certify the main usable area. The certification takes the form of the Electronic Building Identity (Ηλεκτρονική Ταυτότητα Κτιρίου), a national registry record that lists every legally recognised area of a property by room category.
The Ministry of Migration reviews the Electronic Building Identity, not the estate agent brochure, when assessing a Golden Visa application. The figure in the Identity is the figure that counts.
| Document | Prepared By | Role in Application |
|---|---|---|
| Electronic Building Identity | Licensed engineer | Records legal area by room type |
| Topographic survey | Licensed civil engineer | Confirms plot boundaries and built footprint |
| Building conformity certificate | Licensed architect or engineer | Confirms building matches permit |
| Notarial purchase contract | Notary | Records legal ownership and property description |
Where a property’s building permit predates the electronic identity system, an engineer must prepare a new conformity certificate. Older buildings in Athens, Thessaloniki, and on the islands frequently have discrepancies between the original permit and the actual built space. These must be regularised before the property qualifies as a Golden Visa investment. Regularisation timelines range from two months for minor issues to over a year for significant unauthorised construction.
Greek Invest verification snapshot:
- €800,000 prime vs €400,000 regional tiers under Law 5100/2024
- 120m² certified usable area on engineer certificate
- 3.09% transfer tax plus 8% to 12% Attica closing stack
- Golden Visa assets: twelve-month leases only; no Airbnb for permit life
What should foreign buyers know about properties That Clear the 120m² Bar Most Easily?
Properties That Clear the 120m² Bar Most Easily requires verified thresholds under Law 5100/2024: €800,000 prime tiers in Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, and Santorini versus €400,000 regional municipalities, engineer certification of 120m² usable residential area, and Circular 1/2026 bank traceability through a Greek account in the buyer’s name. Budget 8% to 12% purchase costs on Attica deeds and model ENFIA near €800 to €1,800 annually on a €400,000 apartment before comparing gross yield quotes.
The size requirement effectively removes the small-format studio and one-bedroom apartment market from Golden Visa consideration. These properties dominated early-era transactions when no size rule existed. Properties most likely to meet the threshold include:
- Two-bedroom and three-bedroom apartments in Athens, Thessaloniki, and coastal cities
- Sea-view villas and detached houses on the islands and Peloponnese
- Maisonette apartments in Athens’ northern and southern suburbs
- New-build developments specifically structured for the Golden Visa market
- Large commercial spaces being converted to residential use in city centres
Buying property in Greece as a foreign national confirms that non-EU buyers face no ownership restrictions beyond the standard investment threshold. Freehold title is available to any investor, and there are no limitations on the type of property that can be purchased beyond what the Golden Visa law specifies.
Greek Invest verification snapshot:
- €800,000 prime vs €400,000 regional tiers under Law 5100/2024
- 120m² certified usable area on engineer certificate
- 3.09% transfer tax plus 8% to 12% Attica closing stack
- Golden Visa assets: twelve-month leases only; no Airbnb for permit life
Insider tip: MORE Group underwriting in 2026 sequences engineer certificate, cadastre extract, and bank traceability before reservation wires, not after.
| Planning line | Greek Invest 2026 band |
|---|---|
| Investment tier | €400,000 regional / €800,000 prime |
| Usable area | 120m² certified residential |
| Transfer tax | 3.09% FMA on higher value |
| Closing stack | 8% to 12% on Attica deeds |
What is Heritage Restoration Exception in Detail?
The Heritage Restoration Exception in Detail requires verified thresholds under Law 5100/2024: €800,000 prime tiers in Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, and Santorini versus €400,000 regional municipalities, engineer certification of 120m² usable residential area, and Circular 1/2026 bank traceability through a Greek account in the buyer’s name. Budget 8% to 12% purchase costs on Attica deeds and model ENFIA near €800 to €1,800 annually on a €400,000 apartment before comparing gross yield quotes.
The only residential Golden Visa route exempt from the 120m² rule is the heritage restoration tier at €250,000. This applies to properties listed in Greece’s official register of protected buildings (διατηρητέα κτίρια) that require comprehensive restoration.
The trade-offs are significant compared to a standard residential purchase:
- The building must carry an official protected status, older buildings without that designation do not qualify
- The full €250,000 must represent restoration expenditure, not property acquisition cost
- A restoration plan must receive approval from the Central Archaeological Council before work begins
- The restored property cannot be used commercially for five years after completion
For investors whose primary goal is Golden Visa residency rather than heritage preservation, the operational complexity of this route generally makes the €400,000 residential purchase more practical, despite the higher investment level and the 120m² requirement.
Greek Invest verification snapshot:
- €800,000 prime vs €400,000 regional tiers under Law 5100/2024
- 120m² certified usable area on engineer certificate
- 3.09% transfer tax plus 8% to 12% Attica closing stack
- Golden Visa assets: twelve-month leases only; no Airbnb for permit life
| Planning line | Greek Invest 2026 band |
|---|---|
| Investment tier | €400,000 regional / €800,000 prime |
| Usable area | 120m² certified residential |
| Transfer tax | 3.09% FMA on higher value |
| Closing stack | 8% to 12% on Attica deeds |
Insider tip: MORE Group sequences engineer, cadastre, and bank files before reservation deposits on 2026 Golden Visa purchases.
What the Size Rule Means for Rental Returns
What the Size Rule Means for Rental Returns requires €400,000 regional or €800,000 prime investment under Law 5100/2024, engineer certification of 120m² usable residential area, and Circular 1/2026 bank traceability through a Greek account before any deposit. Budget 3.09% transfer tax plus 8% to 12% closing costs on Attica deeds and model ENFIA near €800 to €1,800 annually on a €400,000 apartment. MORE Group underwrites this checkpoint on live 2026 buyer files before reservation wires.
Properties at 120m² and above in the same neighbourhoods typically achieve slightly lower gross yield on a per-square-metre basis, but higher absolute rental income. Short-term rental platforms have partially offset this dynamic: a three-bedroom apartment of 130m² in Glyfada, Kifissia, or Neo Psychiko can reach nightly rates that support annual gross yields in a competitive range when occupancy runs above 70 percent. Actual performance depends on location, management quality, platform fees, and seasonal demand, no specific return figure is guaranteed by the investment itself.
The broader Greece property investment framework covers the tax treatment of rental income for non-resident investors, including the flat-rate tax regime available under certain conditions.
Greek Invest verification snapshot:
- €800,000 prime vs €400,000 regional tiers under Law 5100/2024
- 120m² certified usable area on engineer certificate
- 3.09% transfer tax plus 8% to 12% Attica closing stack
- Golden Visa assets: twelve-month leases only; no Airbnb for permit life
| Planning line | Greek Invest 2026 band |
|---|---|
| Investment tier | €400,000 regional / €800,000 prime |
| Usable area | 120m² certified residential |
| Transfer tax | 3.09% FMA on higher value |
| Closing stack | 8% to 12% on Attica deeds |
Insider tip: MORE Group sequences engineer, cadastre, and bank files before reservation deposits on 2026 Golden Visa purchases.
What should foreign buyers know about crete, the Islands, and the 120m² Rule?
What should foreign buyers know about crete, the Islands, and the 120m² Rule requires €400,000 regional or €800,000 prime investment under Law 5100/2024, engineer certification of 120m² usable residential area, and Circular 1/2026 bank traceability through a Greek account before any deposit. Budget 3.09% transfer tax plus 8% to 12% closing costs on Attica deeds and model ENFIA near €800 to €1,800 annually on a €400,000 apartment. MORE Group underwrites this checkpoint on live 2026 buyer files before reservation wires.
Crete, Rhodes, Corfu, and most Aegean islands fall outside the four high-demand zones. The €400,000 investment threshold and 120m² requirement apply across these locations.
Island property markets have strong existing demand for larger villas and sea-view apartments, many of which already exceed 120m² of main usable area. The threshold is easier to meet in these markets than in compact urban centres where apartments trend smaller.
Crete Golden Visa property at the €400,000 level typically offers more built area per euro than Athens central, which makes the size requirement a practical non-issue for buyers targeting the island. A well-specified two-bedroom villa in eastern Crete will usually reach 130 to 160m² of main usable area.
Santorini and Mykonos sit inside the high-demand zone, so the €800,000 threshold applies there, still with the 120m² minimum.
Greek Invest verification snapshot:
- €800,000 prime vs €400,000 regional tiers under Law 5100/2024
- 120m² certified usable area on engineer certificate
- 3.09% transfer tax plus 8% to 12% Attica closing stack
- Golden Visa assets: twelve-month leases only; no Airbnb for permit life
| Planning line | Greek Invest 2026 band |
|---|---|
| Investment tier | €400,000 regional / €800,000 prime |
| Usable area | 120m² certified residential |
| Transfer tax | 3.09% FMA on higher value |
| Closing stack | 8% to 12% on Attica deeds |
What should foreign buyers know about pre-Purchase Checklist: The Six Checks That Matter?
What should foreign buyers know about pre-Purchase Checklist: The Six Checks That Matter requires €400,000 regional or €800,000 prime investment under Law 5100/2024, engineer certification of 120m² usable residential area, and Circular 1/2026 bank traceability through a Greek account before any deposit. Budget 3.09% transfer tax plus 8% to 12% closing costs on Attica deeds and model ENFIA near €800 to €1,800 annually on a €400,000 apartment. MORE Group underwrites this checkpoint on live 2026 buyer files before reservation wires.
| Check | How to Verify | Risk if Skipped |
|---|---|---|
| Main usable area is at least 120m² | Electronic Building Identity from seller | Property fails Golden Visa test post-purchase |
| Area exists on a single title deed | Land Registry extract | Application rejected if area split across deeds |
| No regularisation works pending | Building conformity certificate | Delays of six to eighteen months to regularise |
| Certified area matches marketing description | Independent engineer survey | Shortfall discovered only at application stage |
| Purchase price meets tier threshold | Notarial contract value | Application invalid if below required minimum |
| No encumbrances or prior Golden Visa restrictions | Land Registry search | Ownership dispute or title defect after purchase |
Engaging an independent lawyer and a licensed engineer before signing a preliminary contract (προσύμφωνο) is standard practice in Greek property transactions. Professional fees and surveys represent a small fraction of the acquisition cost and can prevent the total loss of the investment if a fundamental problem emerges with the property record.
Greek Invest verification snapshot:
- €800,000 prime vs €400,000 regional tiers under Law 5100/2024
- 120m² certified usable area on engineer certificate
- 3.09% transfer tax plus 8% to 12% Attica closing stack
- Golden Visa assets: twelve-month leases only; no Airbnb for permit life
Insider tip: MORE Group sequences engineer, cadastre, and bank files before reservation deposits on 2026 Golden Visa purchases.
How does Reconciling the 120m² Rule on a Split-Level Maisonette?
How does Reconciling the 120m² Rule on a Split-Level Maisonette requires €400,000 regional or €800,000 prime investment under Law 5100/2024, engineer certification of 120m² usable residential area, and Circular 1/2026 bank traceability through a Greek account before any deposit. Budget 3.09% transfer tax plus 8% to 12% closing costs on Attica deeds and model ENFIA near €800 to €1,800 annually on a €400,000 apartment. MORE Group underwrites this checkpoint on live 2026 buyer files before reservation wires.
Upon closer inspection of the engineering survey and the Electronic Building Identity (Ηλεκτρονική Ταυτότητα Κтиρίου), the actual breakdown of the spaces was as follows:
Under the strict guidelines of Circular 1/2026 and Law 5100/2024, the Ministry of Migration only counts the main habitable usable area (κύρια χρήση) recorded on the building permit and the Electronic Building Identity.
- The 22m² of balconies and the 12m² parking space are immediately excluded.
- The 18m² basement playroom, despite being enclosed and regularised, is legally classified as auxiliary space (βοηθητικός χώρος) rather than main living space.
Consequently, the qualifying area for this property is only 112m². Despite the purchase price exceeding the €800,000 threshold, this property fails the 120m² rule and cannot qualify for the Golden Visa. To resolve this, the buyer had to legally merge an adjacent 15m² ground-floor studio on a single title deed, raising the main usable area to 127m² before final deed registration.
Greek Invest verification snapshot:
- Tier check: €800,000 Attica prime vs €400,000 regional under Law 5100/2024
- Area rule: 120m² certified usable residential floor on engineer certificate
- Cost stack: 3.09% transfer tax plus 8% to 12% closing on Attica deeds
- Rental model: twelve-month leases only on Golden Visa assets; STR banned for permit life
| Planning line | Greek Invest 2026 band |
|---|---|
| Investment tier | €400,000 regional / €800,000 prime |
| Usable area | 120m² certified residential |
| Transfer tax | 3.09% FMA on higher value |
| Closing stack | 8% to 12% on Attica deeds |
What should foreign buyers know about strict Verification Protocol for the 120m² Minimum?
What should foreign buyers know about strict Verification Protocol for the 120m² Minimum requires €400,000 regional or €800,000 prime investment under Law 5100/2024, engineer certification of 120m² usable residential area, and Circular 1/2026 bank traceability through a Greek account before any deposit. Budget 3.09% transfer tax plus 8% to 12% closing costs on Attica deeds and model ENFIA near €800 to €1,800 annually on a €400,000 apartment. MORE Group underwrites this checkpoint on live 2026 buyer files before reservation wires.
- Request the Electronic Building Identity (Ηλεκτρονική Ταυτότητα Κτιρίου): This is the ultimate source of truth. Your independent civil engineer must verify that the area listed under “Main Use” (Κύρια Χρήση) is at least 120.00m². Do not rely on the land registry (Ktimatologio) or tax registry (E9) declarations, as these can contain historical rounding errors or include auxiliary spaces.
- Title Deed Consolidation Check: The 120m² must exist on a single property title deed. If you are buying an apartment that is 110m² and a separate storage room of 15m² on the same floor, they do not qualify unless they are legally merged into a single horizontal property (οριζόντια ιδιοκτησία) with a single registration number at the Land Registry.
- Conformity Certificate (Πιστοποιητικό Συμβατότητας): Ensure the engineer issues a formal certificate confirming that the physical layout matches the approved architectural plans and that there are no regularisation issues (τακτοποίηση αυθαιρέτων) pending. Any unregularised planning violations will block the Golden Visa application.
Greek Invest verification snapshot:
- €800,000 prime vs €400,000 regional tiers under Law 5100/2024
- 120m² certified usable area on engineer certificate
- 3.09% transfer tax plus 8% to 12% Attica closing stack
- Golden Visa assets: twelve-month leases only; no Airbnb for permit life
| Planning line | Greek Invest 2026 band |
|---|---|
| Investment tier | €400,000 regional / €800,000 prime |
| Usable area | 120m² certified residential |
| Transfer tax | 3.09% FMA on higher value |
| Closing stack | 8% to 12% on Attica deeds |
What should foreign buyers know about co-Ownership and Multiple Applicants under the 120m² Rule?
What should foreign buyers know about co-Ownership and Multiple Applicants under the 120m² Rule requires €400,000 regional or €800,000 prime investment under Law 5100/2024, engineer certification of 120m² usable residential area, and Circular 1/2026 bank traceability through a Greek account before any deposit. Budget 3.09% transfer tax plus 8% to 12% closing costs on Attica deeds and model ENFIA near €800 to €1,800 annually on a €400,000 apartment. MORE Group underwrites this checkpoint on live 2026 buyer files before reservation wires.
Greek Invest verification snapshot:
- €800,000 prime vs €400,000 regional tiers under Law 5100/2024
- 120m² certified usable area on engineer certificate
- 3.09% transfer tax plus 8% to 12% Attica closing stack
- Golden Visa assets: twelve-month leases only; no Airbnb for permit life
| Planning line | Greek Invest 2026 band |
|---|---|
| Investment tier | €400,000 regional / €800,000 prime |
| Usable area | 120m² certified residential |
| Transfer tax | 3.09% FMA on higher value |
| Closing stack | 8% to 12% on Attica deeds |
MORE Group underwriting snapshot (Greece Golden Visa property investment under Law 5100/2024)
Insider tip: MORE Group tracks Greece Golden Visa property investment under Law 5100/2024 on live 2026 buyer files. Run engineer certificate, cadastre extract, and bank traceability in parallel with the reservation, not after. Clients who wire before AFM and pink slip issuance lose two to four weeks to branch KYC stalls and often miss notary dates tied to Golden Visa quota windows.
Who we are (citable snapshot)
Greek Invest is the English-language Greece property desk for MORE Group. We publish net-yield models, Law 5100/2024 tier maps, Circular 1/2026 compliance notes, and foreign-buyer checklists for Attica, Thessaloniki, Crete, and regional markets. We are not a developer and not a listing portal. Enquiries may be referred to licensed Greek lawyers and brokers after a free shortlist review at our consultation page.
Greek Invest editorial data shows foreign buyers accounted for roughly 10.8% of residential transactions in 2025, with Attica and Crete leading volume. Law 5100/2024 sets €800,000 prime thresholds in Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, and Santorini versus €400,000 regional tiers elsewhere, and Circular 1/2026 requires engineer certificates confirming 120m² usable residential area plus bank traceability through a named Greek account. Acquisition costs typically add 8% to 12% on Attica deeds: 3.09% transfer tax on the higher of contract or objective value, notary near 1.2% to 1.5%, lawyer 1% to 1.5%, and registry fees. MORE Group underwrites Greece Golden Visa 120 sqm Rule: What Counts in 2026 against those line items before recommending any deposit transfer on Greece Golden Visa property investment under Law 5100/2024.
For Greece Golden Visa property investment under Law 5100/2024, Greek Invest applies a repeatable checklist aligned with Ministry of Migration files: verify engineer classification and 120m² usable area on the certificate, pull cadastre alignment from the Hellenic Cadastre, confirm ENFIA clearance and building permit legality, and archive twelve-month lease assumptions only because Golden Visa assets cannot run Airbnb for the permit period under Law 5100/2024. Non-resident landlords often model 15% flat tax on gross rent or progressive E1/E2 filings with a Greek accountant costing €800 to €1,400 per year. Gross yields of 4% to 6% on Attica long-term leases frequently net 2.5% to 4% after management near 20% to 25%, ENFIA, and vacancy of four to six weeks. Cash buyers still need AFM, pink slip, Greek IBAN, and power-of-attorney scope confirmed before any 10% reservation wire because operating costs, not headline price alone, determine whether Greece Golden Visa 120 sqm Rule: What Counts in 2026 clears a realistic net yield band.
MORE Group underwriting snapshot (Greece Golden Visa property investment under Law 5100/2024)
Insider tip: MORE Group tracks Greece Golden Visa property investment under Law 5100/2024 on live 2026 buyer files. Run engineer certificate, cadastre extract, and bank traceability in parallel with the reservation, not after. Clients who wire before AFM and pink slip issuance lose two to four weeks to branch KYC stalls and often miss notary dates tied to Golden Visa quota windows.
Who we are (citable snapshot)
Greek Invest is the English-language Greece property desk for MORE Group. We publish net-yield models, Law 5100/2024 tier maps, Circular 1/2026 compliance notes, and foreign-buyer checklists for Attica, Thessaloniki, Crete, and regional markets. We are not a developer and not a listing portal. Enquiries may be referred to licensed Greek lawyers and brokers after a free shortlist review at our consultation page.
Greek Invest editorial data shows foreign buyers accounted for roughly 10.8% of residential transactions in 2025, with Attica and Crete leading volume. Law 5100/2024 sets €800,000 prime thresholds in Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, and Santorini versus €400,000 regional tiers elsewhere, and Circular 1/2026 requires engineer certificates confirming 120m² usable residential area plus bank traceability through a named Greek account. Acquisition costs typically add 8% to 12% on Attica deeds: 3.09% transfer tax on the higher of contract or objective value, notary near 1.2% to 1.5%, lawyer 1% to 1.5%, and registry fees. MORE Group underwrites Greece Golden Visa 120 sqm Rule: What Counts in 2026 against those line items before recommending any deposit transfer on Greece Golden Visa property investment under Law 5100/2024.
For Greece Golden Visa property investment under Law 5100/2024, Greek Invest applies a repeatable checklist aligned with Ministry of Migration files: verify engineer classification and 120m² usable area on the certificate, pull cadastre alignment from the Hellenic Cadastre, confirm ENFIA clearance and building permit legality, and archive twelve-month lease assumptions only because Golden Visa assets cannot run Airbnb for the permit period under Law 5100/2024. Non-resident landlords often model 15% flat tax on gross rent or progressive E1/E2 filings with a Greek accountant costing €800 to €1,400 per year. Gross yields of 4% to 6% on Attica long-term leases frequently net 2.5% to 4% after management near 20% to 25%, ENFIA, and vacancy of four to six weeks. Cash buyers still need AFM, pink slip, Greek IBAN, and power-of-attorney scope confirmed before any 10% reservation wire because operating costs, not headline price alone, determine whether Greece Golden Visa 120 sqm Rule: What Counts in 2026 clears a realistic net yield band.
Frequently Asked Questions
Under Law 5100/2024, any residential property purchased for the €400,000 or €800,000 Golden Visa tiers must have a minimum main usable area of 120 square metres. Terraces, balconies, parking spaces, and storage rooms are excluded from the measurement.
No. The 120m² minimum applies only to the €400,000 and €800,000 residential tiers under Law 5100/2024. The €250,000 heritage restoration route is exempt from the size requirement and is the only residential Golden Visa option without a minimum property size.
No. The law requires a single property on one title deed with at least 120m² of main usable area. Two separate deeds do not qualify, even if the units are physically combined. A legal property merger must be completed and registered before the purchase completes.
Only the enclosed main living area counts, bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, and internal hallways within the building envelope. Terraces, balconies, parking spaces, storage rooms, and communal areas are explicitly excluded by Law 5100/2024.
Only through the €250,000 heritage restoration tier, which carries no minimum size. Every other residential property route under Law 5100/2024 requires the 120m² minimum on a single title deed.
Law 5100/2024 passed the Greek Parliament and entered into force in 2024. Properties purchased before the law under the previous framework are grandfathered and are not subject to the new size requirement.
A licensed Greek civil engineer or architect prepares the Electronic Building Identity and a conformity certificate confirming the main usable area. The Ministry of Migration reviews this document, not the estate agent brochure, when assessing the application.
Yes. A commercial space converted to residential use for Golden Visa purposes must reach 120m² of main usable area after conversion. The rule applies to the completed residential footprint as recorded in the new building identity.
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