The Hunt
They Wanted to Live in Greece Full Time. But What Would They Find for $300,000?
A couple from Miami set their sights on Pangrati, a vibrant neighborhood in Athens, and looked for a home with a view of the historic city. Here’s what they found.
After a two-year pandemic delay, the time had come for Nick Hados and his husband, Ken Cook, to find an apartment where they could retire. The couple, who live in Little Havana in Miami, had fallen in love with Athens, spending their vacations there in a tiny pied-à-terre they had owned since 2016. But by early 2022, they wanted something big enough to live in full time.
The right apartment would also be their ticket to Greek residency. As American citizens, they couldn’t move to a country in the European Union, which limits tourist visas to 90 days. But if they spent 250,000 euros, or about $267,000, in cash on Greek real estate, they would qualify for a five-year renewable visa, known as the golden visa, so they could live in the country year round. (Beginning in May, buyers will have to invest €500,000 in some parts of the country, including Athens, to qualify for the visa.)
“We love traveling, and we want to be somewhere where we can pop to Rome or London or wherever,” said Mr. Cook, 58, a retired corporate quality director. “We said, ‘OK, let’s do this.’”
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The couple had grown attached to Athens, a vibrant city steeped in history, and one that felt family-centric, embracing everyone from the very young to the very old. Wander down a narrow, meandering street and you’re as likely to encounter a Byzantine church as you are to pass a family out to dinner at 10 p.m. or a couple dancing in a neighborhood park. The country was particularly meaningful for Mr. Hados, 59, who is of Greek descent and speaks the language.
“It’s just chock full of creativity here. There’s a lot of young people, a lot of energy,” said Mr. Hados, an architect. “In Miami, old people, they don’t go out, but here, they go out. People of all ages are walking around all hours of the day or night.”
The couple also saw Greece as a place to retire affordably, with a lower cost of living. As retired Greek residents, they could spend less on taxes, food, healthcare and other living expenses. The couple set their sights on Pangrati, a trendy neighborhood in central Athens favored by artists and full of restaurants, cafes, parks and civic gems like the National Gallery of Athens. The hilly neighborhood also offered streets with fantastic city views, and Mr. Hados wanted an apartment with a view of the Acropolis and the Parthenon.
“It is like having a view of the Eiffel Tower,” he said. “It is Greece.”
But what’s a view without room to enjoy it? So they added outdoor space to their list of must-haves. Whatever apartment they chose had to be within walking distance of the city’s historic sites. And it had to cost no less than €250,000 to assure them a golden visa.
In Athens, unlike in the United States, real estate agents do not have exclusive listings, and many homes are sold by the owners. So the couple did not work with a real estate agent. Instead, they scoured various real estate listing sites.
In January 2022, they sold a commercial property in Miami, securing the funds to pay for an apartment. With the money in hand and their options narrowed to a few finalists they found online, Mr. Hados flew to Greece in February in search of their ideal home.
Among their options:
No. 1
A Light and Airy Living Room
At almost 1,600 square feet, this four-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bathroom apartment in Pangrati took up an entire floor of the building and had two entrances, so part of the apartment could be used as an in-law suite for guests. With wood floors and an open, light-filled living room, the apartment had a nice layout and felt spacious. The balcony, however, was narrow, with only a small, partial Acropolis view. The apartment, which they found on a real estate listing site, had an asking price of €270,000, or about $290,000.
No. 2
A Terrace Fit for a Crowd
This three-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bathroom Pangrati apartment was almost 1,300 square feet, with gorgeous green marble floors. It had a wide, inviting terrace that, at roughly 330 square feet, provided ample space for entertaining. Because the apartment was on the top floor, the terrace got plenty of sunlight and the couple would never be disturbed by upstairs neighbors. But there was no Acropolis view. They found the apartment on a real estate listing website, with an asking price of €285,000, or about $306,000.
No. 3
A Breathtaking View
The couple found this top-floor apartment in Pangrati on xe.gr, a website that Mr. Hados described as the Craigslist of Athens. It was for sale by the owner and, at 1,000 square feet, was considerably smaller than the other two apartments, and fairly dark. Along the trim were scenes from Greek mythology, hand painted by the previous owners. The apartment had two bedrooms, one and a half bathrooms and a cramped, awkward layout with a foyer that wasted space. It was on the top floor of the building, with a 750-square-foot terrace that ran the length of the apartment and wrapped around the side. One end of the terrace had a spectacular, unobstructed view of the Parthenon atop the Acropolis; so did both bedrooms. The apartment was listed for €290,000 or roughly $300,300.
Find out what happened next by answering these two questions:
Which Would You Choose?
A Light and Airy Living Room
A Terrace Fit for a Crowd
A Breathtaking View
Which Did They Buy?
A Light and Airy Living Room
A Terrace Fit for a Crowd
A Breathtaking View