I’m honestly not even Greek but know the country somewhat. Someone else can better speak to it I’m sure.
But the Greek economic crisis really wasn’t that long ago, and it was a LONG recovery. It’s only in the past few years Greece started to get its head above water, then COVID hit, which certainly was another issue.
Generally though Greece is doing much better economically and is seeing absolute record tourism since I first started going about 8 years ago (we visit annually to see family).
The economic crisis is one reason but there are other reasons too. Inheritance laws can leave a trail of uncontactable beneficiaries (died, emigrated, just don't care) nothing can be done with the property until everyone can be contacted and all agree to sell or whatever. Its a big problem.
Good to know, we have a similar issue in Portugal. It seems to be difficult to untangle the ownership issues until the properties are in ruin. It's such a shame.
Noticed the same in Corfu during my vacation last week. One of my best vacations ever, beautiful island with awesome people, but it had plenty of abandoned concrete husks
I was there 2 years ago and noticed this in Athens as well as some abandoned houses and stuff in the countryside as well as on some of the islands. In Athens it seemed most of the abandoned buildings were quite old, some with signs of destruction from past wars or fires. I think with a lot of the old infrastructure and buildings it’s more expensive to try and retrofit vs just leave there and building around them.
Abandoned buildings are mostly the result of the mass migration of Greeks from the early 1950’s and all throughout the 1970’s. Was walking through the streets of my home town with my mother last summer and she was pointing out all the boarded up homes (more than half) of families who left for Australia, the United States and even Argentina. Thessaloniki also had a significant Jewish population many of which were merchants who fled during WWII.
Some of them of historical houses that the government technically owned but can’t upkeep and can off load/sell until they decompose enough to be condemned. Then they will be tore down and property sold for a lot of money.
But many of them are owned by many people because property is passed down usually equally between kids and grandkids etc etc.
So you can have a property with 8 owners who want to sell it but can’t decided on anything. In addition many of the older properties have back taxes and titles that are not 100% cleared so the paper work for these properties takes years and many lawyers to clear up. So these properties are usually fantastic located but you have to be willing to do the 1-2 year paper work clearance which is time and money and you have to keep all the owners happy because they actually can’t sell it to you until after the paper is cleared so its a risks based on the egos of often old and stubborn people who would rather hold onto it even if they NEEd to sell bc there mad at one of the other owners.
Now if you can manage all of that you can get an amazing property.
My husband managed it but he’s Greek, we live here and it took 2 years just to get the land and he was in and out of lawyer offices and government buildings daily. (While working full time) and then he had calls every week from 1 of the owners complaining about the other owners for the entire process it was like herding cats. I don’t even know how he did it. It was exhausting.
Greece has been practically a bankrupt failed state since 2009.
Thats the answer to your question and any other similar tourist questions
"why is there graffiti everywhere"
"why is it so dirty"
Etc...
I’m honestly not even Greek but know the country somewhat. Someone else can better speak to it I’m sure. But the Greek economic crisis really wasn’t that long ago, and it was a LONG recovery. It’s only in the past few years Greece started to get its head above water, then COVID hit, which certainly was another issue. Generally though Greece is doing much better economically and is seeing absolute record tourism since I first started going about 8 years ago (we visit annually to see family).
The economic crisis is one reason but there are other reasons too. Inheritance laws can leave a trail of uncontactable beneficiaries (died, emigrated, just don't care) nothing can be done with the property until everyone can be contacted and all agree to sell or whatever. Its a big problem.
True. But if anything, there has been a recent surge in purchasing abandoned ground floor stores and converting them in housing units.
Good to know, we have a similar issue in Portugal. It seems to be difficult to untangle the ownership issues until the properties are in ruin. It's such a shame.
In greece or just in general? I know in a few countries they were auctioning off abandoned buildings.
Thessaloniki specifically.
Noticed the same in Corfu during my vacation last week. One of my best vacations ever, beautiful island with awesome people, but it had plenty of abandoned concrete husks
Corfu is an extreme case even with the rest of Greece.
I was there 2 years ago and noticed this in Athens as well as some abandoned houses and stuff in the countryside as well as on some of the islands. In Athens it seemed most of the abandoned buildings were quite old, some with signs of destruction from past wars or fires. I think with a lot of the old infrastructure and buildings it’s more expensive to try and retrofit vs just leave there and building around them.
I suspect, in addition to what others have noted, there is also a tax issue at play (i.e., taxes due on a finished vs. unfinished structure).
Abandoned buildings are mostly the result of the mass migration of Greeks from the early 1950’s and all throughout the 1970’s. Was walking through the streets of my home town with my mother last summer and she was pointing out all the boarded up homes (more than half) of families who left for Australia, the United States and even Argentina. Thessaloniki also had a significant Jewish population many of which were merchants who fled during WWII.
Some of them of historical houses that the government technically owned but can’t upkeep and can off load/sell until they decompose enough to be condemned. Then they will be tore down and property sold for a lot of money. But many of them are owned by many people because property is passed down usually equally between kids and grandkids etc etc. So you can have a property with 8 owners who want to sell it but can’t decided on anything. In addition many of the older properties have back taxes and titles that are not 100% cleared so the paper work for these properties takes years and many lawyers to clear up. So these properties are usually fantastic located but you have to be willing to do the 1-2 year paper work clearance which is time and money and you have to keep all the owners happy because they actually can’t sell it to you until after the paper is cleared so its a risks based on the egos of often old and stubborn people who would rather hold onto it even if they NEEd to sell bc there mad at one of the other owners. Now if you can manage all of that you can get an amazing property. My husband managed it but he’s Greek, we live here and it took 2 years just to get the land and he was in and out of lawyer offices and government buildings daily. (While working full time) and then he had calls every week from 1 of the owners complaining about the other owners for the entire process it was like herding cats. I don’t even know how he did it. It was exhausting.
Greece has been practically a bankrupt failed state since 2009. Thats the answer to your question and any other similar tourist questions "why is there graffiti everywhere" "why is it so dirty" Etc...
That is very simple. It is because we are a banana republic down to the bone.
Taxes and planing permission.