Greece's independent
buyer's search agent.

What exactly does Pelagos Private Office do?

We are an independent buyer's search agent. We find, research and advise on exceptional properties in Greece on behalf of serious international buyers — working exclusively for the buyer, never the vendor. We also coordinate the legal, tax and relocation process: introducing trusted lawyers, accountants, currency brokers and relocation specialists at the right moment.

How much does Pelagos charge buyers?

Pelagos acts exclusively for buyers and is paid exclusively by buyers — never by a vendor, developer or seller-side agent. Each mandate combines a retainer, payable on engagement, with a success fee payable on completion, deducted from the retainer already paid. The Discovery Programme (from £2,500) provides comprehensive personal advisory and is fully credited against any transaction fee when you complete. Full details are set out in our Fees & Terms.

Can foreigners buy property in Greece?

Yes. EU and EEA nationals face no restrictions. Non-EU nationals can also purchase freely across most of Greece. Non-EU buyers purchasing qualifying property — from €250,000 for restoration projects up to €800,000 in prime zones — qualify for the Greek Golden Visa, granting EU residency rights for buyer and immediate family.

How do you find properties that are not publicly listed?

Through personal relationships built over many years with Greek property families, local agents and developers who trust Pelagos to bring the right calibre of buyer. These relationships cannot be replicated by browsing portals. They are the core of what we offer — and they are why over 60% of the finest Greek luxury properties trade without ever being publicly listed.

What areas of Greece do you cover?

Our primary markets are north-east Corfu, the Athens Riviera (Vouliagmeni to Glyfada), Mykonos, Santorini, Paxos, Kefalonia and the broader Ionian and Aegean islands. Through our partner network we also cover the Balearics, Spain, Italy, Dubai, Cyprus and Montenegro.

How confidential is the service?

Completely. Your brief is held by Marcus and shared with no one without your explicit consent. We do not use CRM systems or shared databases. No transaction is ever published or announced publicly. All partner agents sign legal confidentiality agreements before receiving any client information. You may request removal of your information at any time.

How is Pelagos different from a local Greek estate agent?

A local Greek estate agent is instructed by and paid by the seller. Their legal and commercial obligation is to the vendor. Pelagos works exclusively for the buyer — our interests are 100% aligned with yours. We have no listings to push, no vendor relationships to protect, and no incentive other than finding you exactly the right property at the right price.

What is the Greek Golden Visa and how does it work?

The Greek Golden Visa grants EU residency through a tiered real estate investment: €250,000 for converting commercial property to residential use or restoring a listed building, anywhere in Greece; €400,000 for a single property of at least 120 sqm; or €800,000 for property in Athens, Thessaloniki, or islands with more than 3,100 inhabitants (which includes Corfu, Mykonos and Santorini). Residency is granted to the buyer, their spouse, children under 21, and both sets of parents. There is no requirement to live in Greece. Permits are typically issued within 90-120 days of a complete application, the visa renews every five years conditional on retaining the property, and citizenship may be applied for after seven years of residency.

What does the legal process for buying property in Greece actually involve?

A Greek property purchase requires a Greek tax registration number (AFM), a Greek bank account, and an independent local lawyer — always your own, never the seller's — to conduct title and planning due diligence. A notary is legally required to complete the transaction. Transfer tax of approximately 3.09% of the assessed property value is payable on completion. Total transaction costs — including legal fees, notary fees and agency fees — typically run to 8–10% of the purchase price. For properties in designated border-zone areas (which includes Corfu), non-EU buyers require an additional administrative approval, which an experienced local lawyer will handle as a matter of course.

How long does it take to buy a property in Greece?

From accepted offer to completion, a straightforward Greek property purchase with clean title typically takes 8–12 weeks. Properties with more complex title history — multiple inherited owners, unregistered boundary changes, or planning irregularities — can take longer, sometimes 4–6 months. A property search engagement, from first conversation to offer accepted, depends entirely on your brief and market conditions; for off-market properties in established markets it is rarely less than 2–3 months and sometimes considerably longer. We would always rather give you an honest timeline than a fast one that slips.

What are the taxes and ongoing costs of owning property in Greece?

Beyond the 3.09% transfer tax on purchase, Greek property owners pay an annual property tax (ENFIA), which varies by location, size and assessed value — for most quality residential properties it runs from a few hundred to a few thousand euros per year. Rental income is taxed progressively under Greek income tax rules. Greece offers a non-domicile tax regime for new tax residents, allowing foreign income to be taxed at a flat annual rate, and a separate flat 7% regime on foreign pension income for qualifying retirees. Both have specific application conditions and timing windows worth addressing with a Greek tax adviser before relocating.

What does "off-market" mean and why does it matter?

Off-market means a property is available to buy but has not been publicly advertised on portals or through open-market listings. In Greece, a meaningful share of the most desirable coastal and island properties — particularly those held by long-standing families — are sold through introductions and word of mouth before they ever reach public marketing. A buyer with access to only the public market sees only a fraction of what is genuinely available. Our network of local relationships across Corfu, Paxos, Athens, Mykonos and Greece's finest island and coastal destinations's premium markets gives clients access to this private market, which is one of the most valuable things a buyer's search agent provides.

What does it mean that you work exclusively for the buyer?

It means our only obligation — legal, financial and professional — is to you, the buyer. We have no relationship with or obligation to any seller, and we earn nothing from a seller, a portal or a developer. A local estate agent, however helpful they appear, is working for the seller and is paid by the seller. This creates a structural conflict of interest that affects every piece of advice they give you, even when they are acting in good faith. We exist specifically to sit on your side of that transaction — finding the right property, assessing it honestly including its weaknesses, negotiating on your behalf, and coordinating the legal process with your interests as the only priority.

Do I need to visit Greece before buying?

Not necessarily before engaging us, but yes before committing to a purchase. Our Discovery Programme is specifically designed to make your first visit as productive as possible — rather than arriving with a vague brief and spending time working out what you want, you arrive with a clear strategy, a shortlist of locations and a set of properties already identified. Most serious buyers find that one well-prepared visit to Greece with Pelagos produces more clarity than months of independent browsing. For buyers who have already visited and formed a clear view, we can begin the search immediately. We also conduct detailed initial assessments on your behalf — including aerial and maritime viewings of coastal properties — so your time on the ground is spent on the strongest candidates only.

Can you help with renovation or restoration projects?

Yes, and we find that some of the most rewarding acquisitions our clients make are properties requiring restoration rather than those sold in perfect condition. Greece has a significant stock of traditional stone houses, Venetian-era buildings and historic villas that can be transformed into exceptional homes — often in locations where nothing new will ever be built. We can identify restoration opportunities, introduce architects and project managers with specific experience in Greek traditional construction, and help clients understand the planning environment and timelines involved. The Greek Golden Visa also includes a specific tier for heritage and restoration properties at the €250,000 threshold, which can make this category particularly compelling for non-EU buyers.

What happens after I complete — can you help with management, rentals or staffing?

We can introduce you to the right people for all of it. Property management in Greece varies considerably in quality — the difference between a well-run villa and a poorly managed one becomes apparent very quickly, particularly for owners who are not in residence year-round. We maintain trusted relationships with a small number of property management companies whose standards match what our clients expect. For those interested in generating rental income, we can introduce specialist luxury rental agencies and advise on realistic yield expectations by location and property type. For staffing — housekeeping, caretaking, seasonal staff — we make introductions through our established local networks. Our involvement after completion is always at your discretion and there is no obligation to use any of these introductions.

Do you work with buyers relocating permanently or only holiday home buyers?

Both, and the distinction matters less than you might expect — many clients begin as holiday home buyers and find that Greece becomes something more permanent over time. We work with buyers across the full spectrum: those acquiring a second home they will use for six to ten weeks a year; those planning a significant relocation with family, schools and a change of professional base; and those establishing a Greek residency primarily for tax or visa purposes while continuing to live elsewhere. Each situation has different implications for location, property type, legal structuring and tax planning, and we tailor the search and advisory accordingly. What they share is seriousness of intent and a desire to do it properly — which is the common thread in every client relationship we take on.

How many clients do you work with at any one time?

We deliberately limit the number of active client briefs we hold at any one time. The reason is simple: the moment two clients are searching in the same location at a similar price point, a conflict of interest exists — and we will not allow that to happen. Every client of Pelagos has our complete and undivided loyalty throughout their search. That commitment would be impossible to uphold if we were managing dozens of overlapping briefs simultaneously. Our selectiveness is not a constraint. It is the foundation of the trust our clients place in us.

Can you help if I want to sell my Greek property?

Yes. We provide an honest, independent assessment of your property's value in the current Greek market — without obligation and without agenda. Where instructing a selling agent is the right approach, we introduce vetted specialists whose standards and client profile match yours. Where a discreet, off-market sale through our own private network is preferable — avoiding public listings, photography and open viewings entirely — we can manage that process directly, introducing qualified buyers confidentially and on your terms. We work for you in this context exactly as we do when buying: with complete loyalty to your interests and no conflict with the other side of the transaction.

How do I know if I'm ready to engage Pelagos?

Three things matter more than anything else: a genuine intention to buy within a reasonable timeframe, a realistic budget relative to the locations you are interested in (prime Corfu and Paxos waterfront begins at €1.5 million; Mykonos and the Athens Riviera at similar levels), and an openness to being advised rather than simply validated. We are not the right firm for someone who has already decided on a specific property from a portal listing and wants help with paperwork. We are the right firm for someone who wants to understand the real market, access what is not publicly listed, and have a single trusted person managing every aspect of the process on their behalf. If that describes you, the best first step is simply to get in touch. The first conversation is always informal, always confidential, and always with Marcus directly.