ENGLISH-SPEAKING
ARCHITECTS IN GREECE
FOR FOREIGN BUYERS
BUILDING FROM ABROAD.
Buying land or building a home in Greece is not just a design decision.
It is a property decision, a permit decision, a budget decision, and often a lifestyle decision that may affect your family, retirement plans, or rental income for years.
We help foreign buyers understand what they are stepping into before they commit to land, property, design, or construction.
A GREEK ARCHITECTURE
STUDIO BUILT FOR
FOREIGN BUYERS.
They have already fallen in love with a plot.
They have already trusted a listing.
They have already spoken to a contractor.
They have already started imagining the villa, the pool, the guests, the summers, the retirement years.
Then the practical questions arrive.
What restrictions affect the design?
Will the permit path be simple or complicated?
Are there access, slope, archaeology, forestry, coastline, or utility issues?
Will the home work for personal use and rental income?
Is the budget realistic for the site?
ikies exists for that moment — before the wrong decision becomes expensive.
BUILDING IN GREECE
FROM ABROAD REQUIRES
MORE THAN DRAWINGS.
A real estate agent may know the market.
A lawyer may review ownership and contracts.
A contractor may comment on construction.
A neighbor may share what happened on their own project.
But none of that replaces architectural and permit-side review.
WHAT CAN REALISTICALLY BE BUILT HERE?
WHAT WILL GREEK PLANNING RULES ALLOW?
WHAT APPROVALS MAY BE REQUIRED?
WHAT SITE ISSUES COULD AFFECT COST?
WHAT SHOULD WAIT UNTIL MORE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE?
We work at the point where property, design, Greek building permits, and practical project decisions meet.
MEET YOUR
ARCHITECTS.
ikies is led by Michelle Kalogeraki and Yianni Moumouris, licensed architect engineers in Greece.
Together, we bring decades of architectural, technical, and site experience to clients who want to build, renovate, or invest in Greece without feeling lost in the process.
We work with foreign buyers, overseas owners, Greek diaspora families, and clients planning vacation homes that may also become rental villas.
Our role is not to make the process sound simpler than it is.
Our role is to help you understand what matters, what needs checking, what can be designed, and what should not be assumed.
MICHELLE KALOGERAKI
Licensed since 2007
Licensed architect engineer and co-founder of ikies, Michelle leads design strategy, client communication, and the early decisions that shape a successful project in Greece. Her background combines Greek architectural practice with native English communication and international residential experience.
YIANNI MOUMOURIS
Licensed since 1997
Licensed architect engineer and co-founder of ikies, Yianni brings deep experience in Greek construction, permits, site realities, and technical coordination. His role is to help the design move from idea to approval and from approval toward buildable decisions.
GREEK LOCAL KNOWLEDGE.
NATIVE ENGLISH COMMUNICATION.
CALIFORNIA-LEVEL DISCIPLINE.
ikies sits between two worlds.
We understand the Greek building system: permits, approvals, site realities, consultants, construction habits, island conditions, and the practical issues that can affect a project before it begins.
We also understand the expectations of foreign clients who are used to direct communication, organized information, thoughtful design, and careful documentation.
That combination matters.
A foreign buyer may not know which questions to ask. A local listing may not reveal the architectural risk. A contractor may give a number before the project is properly understood. A design created abroad may need adaptation before it can move through the Greek permit system.
We help bridge that gap.
Our background brings together native English communication, Greek licensing, local permit knowledge, and California high-end, code-intensive design experience — so your project is approached with both local understanding and international standards.
BEFORE YOU BUY,
BUILD, OR RENOVATE,
KNOW WHAT YOU ARE
REALLY WORKING WITH.
PROPERTY
EVALUATION
PLOT
FEASIBILITY
GREEK BUILDING
PERMITS
VACATION HOME
DESIGN
RENTAL VILLA
THINKING
CONSTRUCTION-STAGE
SUPPORT
FOR REAL ESTATE AGENTS,
LAWYERS, BUYER ADVISERS,
AND RELOCATION CONSULTANTS.
They may have a real estate agent helping them search, a lawyer reviewing documents, a buyer adviser comparing options, or a relocation consultant helping them plan a move.
We can support that process from the architectural side.
We do not replace the lawyer, agent, surveyor, or contractor.
We add the architectural and permit-side view that helps the buyer understand whether the property can realistically become the home, renovation, or rental villa they have in mind.
You can send a listing, survey, permit file, photos, or basic property information, and we will advise on the appropriate next step.
WE DESIGN HOMES
THAT FEEL GOOD
TO LIVE IN — AND
MAKE SENSE OVER TIME.
A well-designed Greek home should not feel like a generic villa placed on beautiful land.
It should belong to its setting.
It should understand the sun, wind, views, shade, privacy, outdoor living, materials, maintenance, and the quiet rituals of Mediterranean life.
For many of our clients, the home also needs to work when they are not there.
That means thinking early about rental appeal, guest comfort, photography, owner storage, maintenance, and long-term value.
We design for the way the home will actually be used — not just for the day the drawings are finished.
BUILT FOR CLIENTS
WHO ARE NOT IN GREECE
FULL-TIME.
VIDEO
CONSULTATIONS
DIGITAL DOCUMENT
REVIEW
WRITTEN FEEDBACK
WHEN NEEDED
REMOTE DESIGN
DECISIONS
LOCAL PROJECT
INSIGHT
EXPERIENCE ACROSS
GREECE AND BEYOND.
Our work has taken us through Greece, the Greek islands, the United States, Europe, and West Africa.
That international experience has shaped how we think about homes, clients, climate, construction, and communication.
But our focus today is specific: helping foreign buyers make better property, design, and permit decisions in Greece.
From Corfu to the Cyclades, Athens to the coast, old houses to new villas, our work is shaped by a simple belief: a home in Greece should be beautiful, buildable, and deeply connected to the life it is meant to support.
QUESTIONS FOREIGN BUYERS
OFTEN ASK BEFORE
WORKING WITH US.
Often, yes. A lawyer can review legal ownership, but an architect can help you understand buildability, design potential, site constraints, and permit-related risks before you buy.
Yes. Property Evaluation is often most useful before purchase, while you are still deciding whether a plot, house, or permit is worth pursuing.
Yes. Most of our clients are not in Greece full-time. We work through video consultations, digital document review, written feedback where appropriate, and remote design discussions.
Yes. We can work alongside your lawyer, agent, buyer adviser, or relocation consultant by reviewing the architectural, buildability, and permit-side issues of a property.
No. Legal ownership, contracts, taxes, inheritance, and residency questions should be reviewed by the right legal and financial professionals. We focus on architecture, property evaluation, buildability, design, and permit guidance.
Yes. We can act as the Greek architectural and permit-side guide, helping review whether a foreign concept can work with local rules, approvals, and site realities.
Yes. Many clients want a home for personal use that can also generate rental income. We consider rental appeal, guest comfort, privacy, bathrooms, storage, outdoor living, maintenance, and photography from the design stage.
No. We work with clients across Greece, including Greek islands, coastal areas, and selected mainland locations. The exact service depends on the property, project type, and required local approvals.
If you are looking at a property, start with Property Evaluation. If you already own land or a house and want to discuss design, permits, or renovation, book a consultation.
CONTINUE EXPLORING
PROPERTY
SOURCING
EVALUATE
PROPERTY
SERVICES
PROJECTS
RESIDENCES FOR SALE
ESSENTIAL
READS
PLANNING TO BUY,
BUILD, RENOVATE,
OR DEVELOP PROPERTY
IN GREECE?
If you are looking at a specific property, start with Property Evaluation.
If you already own land or a house and want to discuss design, permits, or renovation, book a consultation.
The goal is simple: understand the right next step before you commit time, money, or energy in the wrong direction.