Turnkey Landlord Operations · Nationwide
Property Management in Greece
Ktimatoemporiki's property management desk operates rental portfolios for absentee owners across Crete, Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, Thessaloniki and Halkidiki. Full turnkey: EOT/STR licensing, guest vetting and handling, tax compliance and quarterly reporting, off-season maintenance. Standard for our Golden Visa and diaspora clients — the operational layer that turns a residence into a yielding asset.
Crete management Athens management Mykonos & Santorini
Short-let (Airbnb) desk Long-let operations Tax & EOT compliance
Investment Property Golden Visa
Read the property management brief
Owning a Greek property as an absentee international owner requires an operational layer — someone on the ground handling tenants or guests, paying utilities, managing EOT/STR compliance, filing tax returns, maintaining pool and garden, coordinating repairs, and stopping problems before they become emergencies. Ktimatoemporiki has operated this desk for international owners since 1996, currently managing 200+ properties across Greece.
What's included in turnkey management
Standard scope: guest and tenant handling (vetting, contracts, check-in/-out, damage deposits); EOT/STR licensing (obtain, maintain, renew — mandatory for all short-lets); tax compliance (annual rental income declaration on Greek tax return, quarterly VAT if applicable, ENFIA payment); maintenance (routine pool, garden, utilities, appliances, HVAC service); emergency response (24/7 local liaison for burst pipes, break-ins, weather damage); quarterly financial reporting (income, expenses, net-to-owner statement in owner's preferred currency).
EOT/STR short-let licensing — mandatory since 2018
Every short-let property in Greece (Airbnb, Booking.com, VRBO) requires a STR registration — a Ministry of Tourism licence linked to the property's tax number (ATAK). Cost: €50–€100 one-off. Compliance: annual income declaration, guest registration through MyPropertyGreece portal. Non-compliance penalty €5,000+ per violation, and platform delisting. Ktimatoemporiki's management desk obtains the licence at onboarding and maintains it for the life of the mandate.
Tax compliance — the invisible workload
Greek rental income taxed 15% (first €12K), 35% (€12K–€35K), 45% above €35K — same rates for residents and non-residents. Property companies taxed differently (corporate rate 22%). Filing burden: annual E1 personal tax return, quarterly VAT if turnover exceeds threshold, ENFIA property tax payment (October each year), and STR income declaration reconciled against platform 1099-equivalents. Ktimatoemporiki coordinates with vetted CPAs who file on your behalf and provide English/German/French summary reporting.
Yield ranges by region — what management can realistically deliver
Crete (Chania, Rethymnon coastal villas): 7–10% gross annually short-let, 4–5% long-let. Athens (Kolonaki, Plaka, Koukaki, Riviera): 6–9% short-let, 4–5% long-let. Mykonos seaview villas: 10–14% gross short-let (peak seasonal). Santorini caldera-view: 10–14% gross short-let. Thessaloniki Center apartments: 5–7% long-let, 7–10% short-let (regulation tighter than Athens). Management fee 20–30% of gross rental typical, includes all operational scope above.
Off-season maintenance — the difference between a well-kept asset and a depreciating liability
Unmanaged coastal Greek properties degrade fast — humidity, salt air, absence-of-use damage. Standard off-season protocol: monthly inspection with photo report, HVAC/plumbing quarterly service, pool winterisation and reopening, garden year-round maintenance, security check (windows, alarms, no squatter indicators), pest control. Ktimatoemporiki's local property managers hold keys, respond to alarms, and coordinate contractors. Owner receives quarterly condition report.
Guest vetting & damage protection
Short-let risks scale with brand exposure — Mykonos and Santorini attract high-value guests with commensurate wear-and-tear risk. Ktimatoemporiki operates tiered vetting: platform review score minimum 4.5, ID verification, deposit hold (€500–€5,000 depending on property tier), pre-arrival damage inventory photo record. Damage claims processed through platform insurance where applicable; owner insurance policies coordinated for excess claims. Historical damage-to-revenue ratio across our portfolio: <0.8%.
Long-let vs short-let — how we choose
Short-let (Airbnb-style) suits: coastal / island properties with strong seasonal demand, city-centre or historic-district properties (Chania Old Town, Kolonaki, Fira). Yield-plus-flexibility trade-off. Long-let (12-month tenants) suits: suburban family stock (Panorama, Vouliagmeni, Voula, Piraeus), student markets (Thessaloniki near universities, Athens near universities), corporate-relocation stock. Yield lower but operationally simpler and revenue-predictable. Ktimatoemporiki models both scenarios at onboarding and re-evaluates annually.
What happens when your property is unoccupied
Unoccupied doesn't mean unmanaged. Standard caretaker service during owner absence and off-season: weekly walkthrough (winter), 2-3× weekly (summer), utility management (suspend/reactivate), mail forwarding, alarm response, contractor coordination for any repairs, quarterly deep-clean, exterior pest and pool maintenance. Some clients keep the property fully unoccupied (family/personal use only); others allow us to book premium last-minute short-lets during owner-absence windows.
Onboarding process & cost
Typical onboarding: (1) property condition audit and photo record; (2) EOT/STR licensing (if short-let); (3) tenant/guest platform setup and listing production (professional photography, copy in EN/DE/FR/EL); (4) tax registration coordination with vetted CPA; (5) key handover, alarm codes, contractor introductions. Fee structure: 20–25% of gross rental for short-let (includes all operational scope), 8–10% of gross rental for long-let, plus one-off onboarding fee €500–€1,500 depending on property tier. No hidden costs; full quarterly financial reporting.
Frequently asked questions
What is your management fee?
20–25% of gross rental income for short-let (Airbnb-style) mandates, 8–10% for long-let mandates. Includes all operational scope: guest/tenant handling, EOT/STR licensing, tax coordination, maintenance oversight, quarterly financial reporting. No hidden fees. One-off onboarding fee €500–€1,500 depending on property tier.
Do you handle the EOT/STR short-let licence?
Yes — full turnkey. We obtain, maintain and renew the licence for the life of the mandate. Cost included in onboarding fee. Compliance is mandatory since 2018; unlicensed short-letting is €5,000+ per violation and platform delisting.
What yield can I realistically expect from my property?
Depends on region and property tier. Broadly: Chania/Rethymnon coastal villas 7–10% gross short-let. Athens central apartments 6–9% short-let. Mykonos and Santorini seaview 10–14% gross short-let (peak seasonal). Thessaloniki 5–8% (long-let-heavier market). Ktimatoemporiki models expected yield during onboarding based on actual property specifics, not generic averages.
Who handles Greek tax filing?
We coordinate with vetted Greek CPAs (Certified Public Accountants) who file your annual rental income return, ENFIA property tax, and STR compliance. English/German/French summary reporting provided quarterly. Direct engagement between owner and CPA is optional (some owners prefer direct control). Typical annual CPA fee for a single-property foreign owner: €300–€800.
Do you cover all of Greece or specific regions?
We operate primary desks in Chania (Crete), Athens, Thessaloniki, and seasonal coverage on Mykonos, Santorini, Paros, Rhodes and Halkidiki. Ionian Islands (Corfu, Kefalonia, Lefkada, Zakynthos) covered through partner relationships. If your property is in a location outside our direct footprint, we assess feasibility at onboarding — sometimes we decline mandates we can't service to full standard.
How is guest damage handled?
Multi-layer protection: platform insurance (Airbnb AirCover, Booking Damage Protection) as first line; property owner insurance policy as second line; guest damage deposit (€500–€5,000 depending on property tier) as third line. Historical damage-to-revenue ratio across our managed portfolio is below 0.8%. Deposits released post-checkout within 7 days if no damage.
What happens if I want to use the property myself?
You block your own dates in our management calendar with 60 days notice for high-season (June–September) or 14 days notice for off-season. No fee. Owner-usage weeks reduce gross rental for that period. Some owners take 4–6 weeks/year for personal use; others let full-year. Both patterns work — we model expected annual yield accordingly.
Can you produce professional listing photography and copy?
Yes — included in onboarding fee. Professional photography (typically 40–60 photos, drone shots for premium properties), listing copy in EN/DE/FR/EL (leveraging Ktimatoemporiki's multilingual desk), Airbnb / Booking / VRBO account setup and pricing optimisation. Listing goes live within 2–3 weeks of onboarding sign-off.