Discovering High-Return Real Estate Areas in Attica

What do Agia Barbara, Tavros, Lagonisi, and Attiki Square have in common? According to experts, they are among the most promising areas for real estate investments—even if they don’t belong to the ‘top names’ of the market. This new geography of returns in Attica took center stage at the Premium Real Estate Forum. Dimitris Melachroinoss, CEO of Spitogatos, presented data showing that areas with the highest returns on real estate aren’t necessarily the prominent or traditionally popular ones. Instead, neighborhoods and suburbs previously flying under the radar now stand out. Among these are Agia Barbara, Aigaleo, Nea Filadelfeia, Lavrio, Oropos, Markopoulo, Lagonisi, Marathon, Koropi, areas around Patision Street, Attiki Square, Victoria, Sepolia, Gazi, Metaxourgeio, Botanikos, Agios Ioannis Rentis, Tavros, Palia Kokkinia, Vironas, Zografou, Anoixi, and Agios Stefanos. In answering what makes a neighborhood ‘hot,’ beyond known factors like infrastructure or urban renovations, Antonis Fiorakis, CEO of Protio, emphasized an unexpected but highly effective indicator: focus. As he explained, when a popular restaurant or bar opens in a neighborhood, it acts as a catalyst for changing its public image. The presence of a trendy meeting spot can elevate the area’s perception and indirectly boost demand for housing or investment. On the other hand, Vasilis Axarlis, CEO of Ellika Real Estate, highlighted coastal zones beyond Varkiza, such as Lagonisi, Saronida, and Sounio, arguing they hold strong development potential due to large housing complexes, good accessibility, and growing investor interest. During the same forum, another interesting trend emerged regarding the increasing participation of Greek citizens in auction processes. The specialized platform Landea reported record property transfers via this method, attributed to greater transparency, easier access to information, and opportunities sought by many individuals and investors. For June, over 4,500 auctions are scheduled, including 2,382 residential properties, 943 commercial spaces, 505 warehouses and parking spots, and 727 housing complexes and farmlands. All this occurs during a period when the Bank of Greece records a 6.8% increase in apartment prices in Q1 2025 compared to the same quarter last year. However, this percentage lags behind seller expectations reflected on the Spitogatos network. According to the platform, the average asking price for homes rose by 8.8% during the same period, creating a two-speed market image. This difference between actual and asking prices partly stems from increased demand fueled by the My Home II program, which boosted purchasing mobility mainly among younger demographics but also created some distortions in pricing, raising seller expectations beyond demand capabilities. In short, the real estate market in Attica isn’t slowing down. Instead, it’s redefining itself as investors, big and small, seek high returns not just in central or traditional upscale suburbs but in dynamic neighborhoods with character and potential.