Ionian Islands

Chestertons Ionian represent some of the most prestigious beach-front properties, private estates and development land on the islands of Corfu, Paxos, Lefkada, Ithaca, Kefalonia and Zakynthos.

We only list select properties where we have a strong rapport with the owners and where we have in depth knowledge of the property, where upon we believe that the property is situated within a desired location and that it constitutes a certain style and quality that will be of interest to our clientele.

Unlike other estate agents operating in the region, we scrutinise our listings and do not take on every property that is brought to our attention, with the focus being on quality and not quantity.

We have a great deal of experience within this specific real estate sector and a strong knowledge of the marketplace. We feel that our historical sales, searches, projects managed & our testimonials provide clear evidence of our expertise.

Click here to find out more and to explore the Ionian Islands.

Office Location

Agios Stefanos, Sinies, 49081, Corfu

The Ionian Islands Team

CEO - Chestertons Ionian
Piers Williams

piers.williams@chestertons.com

Piers has worked for the past 18 years in Greek property and has been responsible for some of the most significant deals in the Ionian. He has a wealth of experience and knowledge in this market and uses this to great effect when advising his clients. Piers first ventured onto the island of Corfu at the age of 10 and has visited the island every year since, until eventually relocating to Corfu in 2002.

Head of Operations & Marketing – Chestertons Ionian
Emily Carlsson

emily.carlsson@chestertons.com
+30 694 44 31 555

I love what I do as it combines my love for travel, people, design and photography. On my first visit to Greece, I fell in love with its beauty, culture, crystal clear waters and incredible cuisine. Twenty years later, I continue to enjoy discovering the timeless Greek islands in every aspect. I have two decades of experience in the Luxury Villa Rental industry, including managing the Greek Portfolio of one of the worlds leading luxury villa rental companies. In 2009 I started my own business offering exclusive villa rentals in Greece and luxury safaris in southern Africa. I was a feature in a magazine’s cover story for HNWI as an entrepreneur offering “Unique Travel Experiences”. I thoroughly understand the importance of creating that ultimate holiday experience to ensure memories that will last a lifetime. Developing strong relationships is the foundation of everything I do professionally and personally. Originally from Zimbabwe educated in Switzerland, France and the United States. I have travelled the world as a personal consultant for discerning individuals wishing to gain a unique experience designed personally for them alone. I am always working towards redefining the concept of luxury villa rental to create the ultimate holiday experience. I am excited to be a part of the Chestertons Greece team and will be involved in both Sales and Rentals.

Testimonials

Lord and Lady Rothermere

His local knowledge and connections on the island were key in ensuring that everything ran smoothly. Most importantly we have found Piers to be an honest and trustworthy individual, who handled all matters on our behalf with the utmost discretion. We know that if we ever wanted to purchase a property on the island, he would be the best person to go to for this very reason. The fact that his contacts and knowledge are second to none is also a bonus.

Keith Black, CEO and Owner – Regatta Clothing

Piers was recommended by a close friend as the person to help us find a suitable seafront property in Corfu. He quickly grasped our brief, understanding our key requirements.The service provided was very personalized, confidential and discreet. We were impressed by his ability to conduct meetings with us, either in Corfu or in London. Piers was able to present to us several exclusive off market seafront opportunities and it quickly became clear his knowledge of the area and the market was second to none. He found us our ideal property, negotiated the deal for us and held our hands throughout the entire process.

After we acquired the property, Piers has been on hand to advise, acting in a pivotal role in coordinating our project for renovating the villa and enhancing the landscaping. He has also helped put key personnel in place to aid with the day to day running of the property.It is clear to us that Piers has excellent connections on the island and is well respected amongst the local community.Piers has made the entire process seamless and enjoyable.

I would not hesitate to highly recommend Piers and his way of conducting business to anyone considering buying a property in Corfu.

Simon Daglish, Deputy Managing Director, Commercial - ITV Plc

I have spent several years looking into buying land and building in North East Corfu and have now happily nearly finished our dream project.There are many pitfalls in Corfu and the opportunities to fall into them are numerous. But, the person who has been invaluable to me and has helped me to arrive at the right destination is Piers Williams from Ionian International, who knows the area extremely well.If you are seriously looking at real estate in North East Corfu, he is totally trustworthy, transparent and incredibly helpful. His knowledge of the area, the people and the environment for a foreign buyer is unrivalled. I would happily recommend him to anyone thinking of purchasing or building on Corfu.

Robert and Nancy Lamb, New York

We most wholeheartedly commend and recommend Piers Williams, based upon our association with him through a period of several years. He represented us and acted as our real estate agent in connection with the sale of property which we owned in Corfu, Greece. We found Piers to be unusually dedicated and resourceful in effecting the sale of our property.

It was an extraordinarily difficult period in Greece, both economically and in the real estate market. Piers was absolutely focused on finding a buyer and seeing the deal through, despite many unexpected obstacles. We encountered an unusual number of challenging difficulties during this transaction and were particularly impressed by Piers' positive approach to finding a solution at every juncture. If one strategy did not work, he found another path to deal with the issue at hand. He dealt with zoning issues; unexpected taxation and legal questions; governmental and regulatory frustrations; and a variety of personalities with a solution-oriented outlook, tact and diplomacy. We were struck by the team he assembled, and his flexibility in organizing them to resolve questions as they arose. We found him adept at dealing with local problems and always finding a solution to whatever issue presented itself. He was also at ease with dealing with people in all situations. We felt we could rely upon him to fully represent us in every way. In sum, we would recommend him most highly and unreservedly as a dedicated and highly reliable and effective professional.

Anonymous, Managing Partner of a leading Private Equity firm

Piers was recommended to us by varying local sources on the island as the best person to help us find a seafront villa. We found Piers to be most knowledgeable about the market and the manner in which he operated was very professional and tailored to our needs.

Piers is incredibly well connected on the island and he used these connections to find us a truly unique waterfront property. Throughout the viewings and acquisition, Piers was on hand to guide us through the process, and we found his ability to meet with us either in Corfu or London really helpful. Piers then generated the idea of acquiring the neighbouring property and successfully negotiated an off-market acquisition of this villa and land.
Piers introduced us to key personnel such as our lawyer and our builder and he continues to be on hand to offer advice and help where needed. He was instrumental in creating and orchestrating a clever planning concept which enabled us to create much more living space.

I would not hesitate to highly recommend Piers.

Rodney McMahon, Managing Director - Morgan Furniture

I first met Piers Williams in April 2006 when I arranged to view a property in Corfu, at very short notice, on Easter Saturday. Notwithstanding the difficult timing, he took a great deal of trouble to show us several properties up and down the North East and we made an offer the same day on the property which we had originally come to view. The transaction was very protracted owing to the size of the property, the complex title and various other factors to do with the owner. During all this time, Piers very patiently worked to disentangle the various impediments, negotiated with both the elderly owner and her lawyer, and gradually cleared the way to completion. This included arranging the removals for the vendor.

Since that time, Piers has kept in touch offering us opportunities for further investment on the Island as well as offering advice on strategy for the development of our properties. Specifically, he recommended an agent who negotiated the sale of our Athens flat in short order and on very good terms. He has demonstrated detailed knowledge of the property market in Greece and a wide knowledge of the characters and processes involved. In Greece, this requires the ability to work in a society which is very closed, transactions are rarely straightforward, and in which greater than usual political skill and patience is required. Piers has managed to retain a reputation for probity and to remain on good terms with everybody there.

Jörg Rockenhäuser, Managing Partner & Director - Permira Advisers Ltd.

My wife and I have known Piers for almost a decade now and he has on our behalf sourced, negotiated and acquired many different plots of land to help create a unique and private _location on top of a hill with exceptional views. We have been looking for the “right” _location on the island for 5 years. It was actually on the first day when we went out to explore sites with Piers that we found “our” place. I guess that is what made us stick to Piers ever since then.

Piers is very smart and operates in a discreet and professional manner. He can read his clients very well, so there is nothing like a “one size fits all” approach with him. What I always found most helpful, especially on an island like Corfu, is that he has a very good rapport with the local community which is absolutely key and helps sort out problems should they arise - he is certainly semi-local. Unlike most real estate agents, Piers is not purely transactional. He will stay close to help and advise years after he sold you the plot or property - and is always coming up with ideas on what could be done next.

I am happily recommending Piers to my friends or anyone wishing to buy land or property in North East Corfu.

Graham Simpson, Chairman Simpson Travel

I have known Piers Williams for the past 15 years and he has helped me expertly with my various property projects in Paxos, Greece. I have found Piers to be knowledgeable and experienced with luxury property throughout the Ionian. He is trustworthy, professional and has an excellent reputation. I would not hesitate in recommending him.

Hon. Claire Elizabeth Robinson (Portman)

I have known Piers since 2002 whom we met in Corfu and we became friends. In 2004 we decided to build a property in Corfu. Piers sourced us 3 different but adjoining plots of land which we then bought. During the acquisition process we granted Piers power of attorney to represent us and to sign the contracts at the notary. We then employed him as our Project Manager.

Over the years Piers has made some very good contacts on the Island of Corfu from builders, solicitors, architects, bank managers - all of whom hold him in high regard and he used these contacts to good effect in order to oversee the construction of our property from start to finish.

With the project of building our house I also gave Piers power of attorney for my bank account and to get all the legal papers done without us having to commute to the Island ourselves, which enabled him to pay the constructors throughout the build and enabled him to get the services connected ie water, electricity, telephone lines etc etc. So we had complete faith in him. Everything that we asked Piers to do -he did - and the build came in on time.

Further to this I am aware of numerous other projects and contracts that Piers has been involved with. In all of which he is held in high regard.

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In 2002 we established “North East Corfu Real Estate”, which as the name states, was area specific to the North East Coast of Corfu and focused on luxury property.

We were the only true property experts dedicated to this region and we were fortuitous enough to sell some of the most prestigious properties in the area, including some incredible sea front villas. In combination with villa sales we also sold many exceptional plots of land, a lot of which we went on to oversee for our clients by project managing the entire build process.

As the business grew, we started taking on instructions throughout the Ionian, which was when we changed our name to “Ionian International”.

Throughout we have prided ourselves in looking after our clients by offering a unique and bespoke service.

In February 2020 we became the first new international franchisee for Chestertons, signing up to create Chestertons Ionian. Chestertons Ionian will operate across Corfu, Kefalonia, Paxos, Zakynthos, Lefkada and Ithaca

Area Guides

Lefkada

Lefkada is the only Ionian island connected to the mainland via a causeway. There are 24 tiny islands in and around Lefkada and the island itself has many natural inlets and an international marina making it an ideal destination for sailing. The west coast boasts long sandy beaches and stunning scenery. This laid back and relaxed island is becoming increasingly popular, with several neighbouring private islands being acquired by the Emir of Qatar and Russian Oligarchs.

Buy in Lefkada

Corfu

Corfu attracts the most visitors and investors out of all the Ionian Islands. The historic and beautiful Venetian town of Corfu is a Unesco World Heritage site, which when combined with the International Airport, the International Marina and the fabled North East Coast of Corfu, makes Corfu the ideal place to invest. The prime area for luxury property is the North-East Coast, with its charming villages, attractive bays, exceptional swimming waters and water-front tavernas. This area is ideal for boating and is regularly frequented by royal families, which is testament to its beauty and uniqueness.

Buy in Corfu

Ithaca

The island of Odysseus is an incredibly naturally beautiful island. It is the second smallest and the most under-developed island in the Ionian. Life on the island is unhurried and tranquil and therefore has great appeal to the discerning investor.

Kefalonia

Kefalonia is the largest of the Ionians and is well known for its strikingly beautiful beaches. The North of the island has pretty waterside villages, where the village of Fiskardo is the Ionian’s yachting equivalent to St Tropez, with its wonderful harbour, brightly coloured buildings and excellent tavernas attracting many of the bigger yachts. This increasingly popular corner of the Ionian is becoming an appealing place to invest.

Buy in Kefalonia

Zakynthos

Zakynthos is the most southerly of the Ionian Islands, this beautiful island was nicknamed 'Flower of the East' by the Venetians. The west side is relatively mountainous and is largely uninhabited, while the east side has picturesque bays and long sandy beaches. The Peligoni Club located in the north has strong following and the area surrounding it has become a desirable place to invest.

Buy in Zakynthos

Paxos

Paxos is a small and chic island with a great atmosphere that feels like you’ve stepped back in time. As a result, it has become a desirable place to invest. Gaios, the island’s capital, is pretty with well-proportioned Venetian houses and a wonderful harbour, whilst Loggos and Lakka are charming seafront villages buzzing with boats and tavernas. The island is densely covered in olive and cypress trees and has some stunning bays and pebble beaches with emerald waters perfect for swimming and boating.

Buy in Paxos

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