The high tax-free threshold of 800,000 euros applicable to first-degree relatives keeps parental gifts in positive territory, in contrast to real estate sales, which showed signs of slowing down last April.
The continued momentum of parental gifts confirms that this is one of the most popular options for real estate transfers, due to the favorable tax regime that encourages parents and grandparents to transfer property to their children and grandchildren, thereby benefiting from a full tax exemption.
However, despite the slowdown in activity observed in April, data for the first four months of 2026 show that revenue from real estate transfer tax remains on an upward trajectory. Revenue amounted to 193.71 million euros, compared to 180.58 million euros in the corresponding period of 2025, marking a 7.27% increase.
Taxes on parental gifts and donations also showed an upward trend, totaling 80.57 million euros from January through April, up from 76.55 million euros a year earlier, representing a 5.3% increase. The picture remained virtually unchanged for inheritances, as taxes assessed during the four-month period totaled 61.86 million euros, compared to 61.45 million euros during the same period last year.
From real estate sales, inheritances, gifts, and parental gifts, a total of 274.29 million euros in taxes was collected during the four-month period.
The increase in real estate transactions is partly attributed to the fact that many taxpayers are rushing this year to carry out such transactions in order to avoid additional tax burdens that are very likely to arise next year, if the assessed values of real estate increase, leading to a rise in their taxable values and the corresponding taxes.
Breakdown of Revenue
According to data from the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (IAPR), the transfer tax assessed on real estate sales amounted to 162.83 million euros, compared to 149.76 million euros during the corresponding period in 2025, marking an increase of 8.73%. Changes in the tax on building lots and agricultural land were negligible, as the tax assessed in the first four months stood at 30.88 million euros, up from 30.82 million euros a year earlier.
On a monthly basis, however, the picture was less positive. In April 2026, the tax on real estate transfers assessed was lower than in the corresponding month of 2025.
Specifically, revenue stood at 44.33 million euros, down from 49.73 million euros in April 2025, marking a 10.86% decrease. For real estate sales, total tax revenue amounted to 37.30 million euros, compared to 39.92 million euros in April 2025, marking a 6.6% decline.
The decline was more pronounced in the transfer of plots of land and agricultural parcels, exceeding 28%, with the corresponding amounts from transfer taxes falling to 7.02 million euros this April from 9.81 million euros last year.
Parental gifts and donations on the rise
However, taxes related to donations, parental gifts, and inheritances showed an upward trend. In April, the total amounts assessed increased by 3%, reaching 20.18 million euros. Specifically, inheritance taxes and fees totaled 15.15 million euros, up from 15.08 million euros in the same month of 2025, marking a marginal increase of 0.5%. In contrast, taxes and fees on gifts, parental benefits, and other benefits amounted to 5.03 million euros, up from 4.52 million euros last year, marking an 11.3% increase.
Between January and April 2026, taxes on parental benefits and donations reached 80.57 million euros, compared to 76.55 million euros during the same period in 2025, an increase of 5.3%. Inheritance taxes amounted to 61.86 million euros, up from 61.45 million euros last year, marking a marginal increase of 0.8%.
Real estate worth 4.2 billion euros changed hands
Cumulatively in 2025, more than 223,000 transfer tax returns related to real estate sales were submitted electronically via the AADE’s myProperty platform, and based on the contracts posted in the Real Estate Transfer Value Registry, 41,743 properties changed hands, with a total value exceeding 4.2 billion euros.
The most expensive real estate transactions took place in: Glyfada, Vouliagmeni, Elliniko, Alimos, Kolonaki, Filothei, Spetses, and Kea.
The Municipality of Athens ranked first with 5,816 real estate transactions. Their total value reached 626 million euros. The average value of the 41,743 properties transferred in 2025 was 100,770 euros. Regarding the type of properties, the contracts that have been signed and posted in the Registry show that:
- 21,354 are apartments with a total value of 2.25 billion euros
-4,278 single-family homes with a total value of 451.11 million euros
-6,566 plots of land with a total value of 729.5 million euros
-3,394 are commercial properties worth 589.37 million euros, and:
-1,958 parking spaces valued at 23.8 million euros.
Audits by the AADE
The activity in the real estate market has also prompted the AADE to audit 4,820 cases involving real estate transfers, gifts, parental gifts, inheritances, and E9 tax returns, focusing on cases where tax exemptions have been granted or that involve properties outside the objective valuation system.
The following will be targeted:
*2,000 cases of taxpayers who received an exemption from transfer or inheritance taxes due to the purchase of a primary residence.
*320 cases of amended E9 tax returns that resulted in ENFIA credit balances.
*2,500 cases of taxpayers who filed tax returns for transfers, gifts, parental gifts, and inheritances involving real estate located in areas outside the objective property valuation system.