Greece: Since 2019, 260,000 families have lost their homes

According to Eurostatsince 2019 the share of Greek households living in own housingdecreased sharply. Housing crisis has become one of the main social problems of the country.

Now this is no longer a feeling, but dry statistics: Greece It is increasingly turning from a country of owners into a country of tenants. According to data cited by Greek media, from 2019 the share of households living in their own housing decreased by 6 percentage points. In terms of population, this is approximately 260 thousand households and more 616 thousand peoplewho no longer live in their own home.

Formally, the country still talks about “development”investment and growth. But for hundreds of thousands of families, this growth looks completely different: rent is becoming more expensive, bills are pressing, mortgages are becoming a heavy burden, and home ownership is increasingly turning from a normal goal into an almost unattainable luxury. The economy is, of course, growing. It’s just, as usual, not for those who pay for electricity, water, food and rent.

There are fewer owners

IN 2019 lived in their own housing 75.4% Greek households. TO 2025 this figure, according to the data presented, decreased to 69.4%. For comparison: the average for EU is about 68.5%. On paper it looks like “Rapprochement with Europe”. In reality, it’s like the loss of one of the main social pillars of the Greek family.

If we take as a basis the data of the last census, where there were 4,332,447 households And 10,270,093 peoplethen a decrease of 6 percentage points means approximately 259,946 households And 616,205 peoplewho no longer live in their own home.

Greece is leading where it would be better not to lead

The picture of housing and expenses for it looks like Greece heavy in almost all key indicators. According to Eurostatthe country is among the worst in EU by debt burden, rental costs, energy poverty and the share of income spent on housing.

• 41.8% of the population have overdue housing-related obligations: bills for electricity, water, telephone, rent or mortgage. Average for EU – near 9.2%.
• Rent in Greece grew by about 10% per year, while the average for EU is about 3.1%.
• 26.4% population spend more 40% your income for housing-related expenses.
• 18.1% residents are unable to keep their home warm enough—an energy poverty rate almost twice the national average EU.
• 26.1% population, according to the latest available data, could not rent housing due to financial reasons and were forced to live with relatives or friends.
• The average age at which young Greeks leave their parents’ home has reached 30.9 years. This is one of the highest figures in EU.
• On average, Greeks spend about 34.6% disposable income, while in EU this figure is about 18.9%.

In other words, the housing crisis in Greece – this is no longer a question of individual regions Athensexpensive islands or tourist areas. This is a systemic problem: a person works, pays taxes, pays bills, and then finds that the roof over his head has become the main consumer of his income.

Rent, Golden Visa and Airbnb

One of the pressure factors on the market was Golden Visashort-term rentals through Airbnb and the use of existing housing stock for investment and migration programs. As a result, a significant portion of apartments have left the regular rental market, where working families, students and young professionals could live.

This was especially painful in Athens, Thessalonikion the islands and in tourist areas. Apartments that were previously rented to local residents have become objects of investment, tourist rentals or simply a way to preserve capital. Money appears on the market, but does not always remain in the local economy: in many cases, income goes to owners living outside the country.

The simplest question remained without an honest answer: if the state wanted to attract investments through Golden Visa or support tourist rentals, why wasn’t a strict rule introduced – if you want an investment property, build new housing, and don’t squeeze local residents out of existing apartments?

This approach could provide jobs to builders, engineers, architects, materials suppliers and dozens of related professions. The money would actually go into the economy, and the old housing stock would remain more affordable for those who live and work in the country. But judging by the result, this was not beneficial for everyone. It turned out to be much more convenient to turn old apartments into investment goods, and leave the problems of tenants for later. Then, as usual, it came immediately.

Social cost of the crisis

The main tragedy of this story is not only in numbers. It is that housing ceases to be a basic social guarantee and turns into a constant source of fear. Young people stay with their parents until they are 31 years old. Families are postponing children. People choose between bills, rent, heating and groceries. And the government continues to talk about growth, which too often ends in the storefronts of banks, developers and tourism businesses.

Greece is experiencing a housing crisis worse than most countries Europe. And until the authorities admit that the problem cannot be solved with beautiful programs and temporary subsidies, the situation will only get worse. Because the market, left to its own devices, has already shown who it protects: not a family with a salary and children, but someone who can buy several apartments at once and calmly wait until rent rises in price again.

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