Foreign buyers snap up Portugal’s most expensive properties, demonstrating future investment opportunity.
During the first quarter of 2022, foreigner buyers were found to be purchasing the most expensive properties in Portugal, indicating that the Portuguese economy is being viewed as a highly desirable and safe investment opportunity going forward. Even with the global challenges today – the increase in construction and fuel costs, the impact of inflation and the uncertainty and complexity of the Ukraine/Russia conflict – the real estate market in Portugal is expected to lead through 2022 and beyond.
According to Portugal’s National Statistics Institute (INE), housing prices rose by 12.9% in the first quarter of 2022, which shows a 1.3% growth year-over-year. Price increases were most pronounced for second-hand homes (13.6%) as opposed to new builds (10.9%). Between January and March, 43,544 homes were traded; 25.8% more than in the same period in 2021. Of these, 37,840 homes were purchased by families (86.9% of the total).
The real estate sector has already proved its resilience and attractiveness, facing, with distinction, different economic cycles over the last two decades and showing that it has the ability to reinvent itself. This bodes well for real estate investors adopting a medium to long term view and looking for good projects with upside such as Saratoga’s Alta do Juncal project in Porto.
700,000 foreigners now live in Portugal
In 2021, for the sixth consecutive year, Portugal again saw an increase in the resident foreign population. Brazilians remain the main foreign community residing in the country, representing 29.8% of the total last year, the highest figure since 2012. This is followed by the United Kingdom, India and China as well as others from Latin America. Americans and South Africans are showing growth potential as well as those from other parts of Africa.
Additionally, tax advantages arising from Portugal’s NHR regime is driving a sustained growth of foreign citizens from European Union countries. As such, Portugal is now among the top ten countries in the world that attracts the most millionaires.
This year, around 88,000 millionaires are expected to move to a new country, with Portugal expected to receive 1,300 new millionaires, putting the country in sixth position in the countries that attract the most millionaires. HNWIs are extremely mobile, and their movements usually are early indicators of future trends in countries. Countries that attract wealthy individuals and families tend to be robust, with low crime rates, competitive tax rates and attractive business opportunities. Many are now looking at Portugal’s Golden Visa program and the various options including fund products and real estate solutions.