10/15/2026
Demand for rental properties priced below €600 is up to 42 times higher in certain areas. What the latest data reveal about property sales, mortgage lending and foreign buyers.
Affordable homes are becoming increasingly difficult to find, with the rental market experiencing the greatest pressure. The lower the asking rent, the greater the number of prospective tenants competing for each available property, as the supply of affordable housing fails to meet demand.
The problem is particularly acute in the Attica region, where demand pressure for properties renting for less than €600 per month is up to 42 times higher in certain areas than for properties with monthly rents exceeding €1,500.
Recent market analysis covering the period from January to August 2026 provides an overview of the relationship between supply and demand across different regions, neighbourhoods and price brackets.
Nationwide, each available rental property generates an average of 2.41 direct expressions of interest (leads) and 23.38 unique searches. In the residential sales market, the corresponding figures are considerably lower, at 0.79 expressions of interest and 11.68 searches per available property.
The strongest competition is concentrated in the most affordable rental segment. In the Northern Suburbs of Attica, each available property with a monthly rent below €600 attracts 21.1 expressions of interest and 281.7 searches. For properties renting for more than €1,500 per month, demand pressure is significantly lower, with the gap between the two price categories reaching as much as 42-fold.
A similar pattern can be observed in central Athens. Properties renting for up to €600 attract 3.9 expressions of interest and 20.8 searches per available home, while properties with monthly rents above €1,500 record just 0.6 expressions of interest and 4.3 searches. At neighbourhood level, Elefsina, Marousi, Irakleio, Pallini and Chalandri are among the areas experiencing the greatest pressure in the lower-priced rental segment.
Comparable trends are evident across the rest of Greece. In Thessaloniki, the strongest pressure is recorded outside the city centre. The wider Thessaloniki regional area registers 5.9 leads and 123.2 searches per property for rentals below €600, with neighbourhoods such as Echedoros, Agios Athanasios and Oreokastro standing out.
Elsewhere in Greece, demand pressure for affordable rentals is up to seven times higher than for more expensive properties. The Dodecanese Islands record 22.4 leads and 196.4 searches per available property. Areas experiencing particularly high demand include island destinations such as Zakynthos, Rhodes and Paros, alongside regional towns such as Thiva, Alexandria and Agrinio.
In the residential sales market, the greatest interest is concentrated on properties priced at up to €250,000. By contrast, demand relative to available supply weakens as prices exceed €550,000. The findings suggest that many prospective buyers are actively searching for homes but face difficulties completing purchases, with high property prices remaining one of the main obstacles.
Financing remains a crucial part of the equation. According to data from IMS-FC, mortgage loan disbursements totalled €1.835 billion during the January–August 2026 period, representing a 34.9% increase compared with the same period in 2025. Disbursements through the “My Home” housing programmes recorded an even sharper increase of 54.6%.
Despite the growth in mortgage lending, however, only 23% of property transactions in Greece are financed through mortgage loans, compared with 45% across Europe, according to the figures presented.
International interest in Greek real estate continues to strengthen. Demand from abroad has increased by 60.3% compared with 2020 and now accounts for 20.3% of total property demand, reaching its highest level over the 2020–2026 period.
The United States, Germany and the United Kingdom remain the leading countries of origin for international property seekers. Notably, five of the ten most popular destinations among international property seekers are located outside Athens and Thessaloniki: Halkidiki, the Cyclades, Kavala, Messinia and the Dodecanese Islands.
These trends highlight the growing importance of regional property markets and Greece's appeal to international buyers, while also underscoring the persistent shortage of affordable housing for domestic renters and prospective homeowners.
Source: https://www.tanea.gr/2026/09/24/economy/enoikia-sto-kokkino-i-zitisi-gia-ta-fthina-spitia/