France, Brazil and Switzerland lead foreign demand for property in Portugal

Portugal’s real estate market is continuing to attract demand from international buyers, especially from those countries that have large Portuguese ex-pat communities like France and Switzerland.

According to data from Imovirtual, a leading online real estate agency platform in Portugal, in 1Q of 2025 demand for properties from international markets continues to be buoyant, particularly in the rental segment and among young people.

Data shows the demand for real estate is mainly being driven overseas emigres and foreign investors.

France and Brazil stand out as the most representative countries of origin, with an average of 16% and 15% of international demand, respectively. Switzerland (11%) and Spain (10%) also show considerable interest, highlighting the performance of the Portuguese community and investment profiles in these markets.

The most active age group in international demand is 25-34, representing about 31% of searches, followed by the 35-44 age group, with 23%. These trends underscore that housing remains a priority for the most economically active age groups, with the rental market gaining relevance among the youngest.

In relation to searches on the website, 67.83% were looking to buy and 32.12% were looking to rent.

The most sought-after types of properties by foreigners are 2-bedroom apartments, with 32.38% of online views, followed by 3-bedroom apartments (22.56%) and 1-bedroom apartments (19.08%), indicating a preference for houses with balanced interior sizes. The distribution remains practically unchanged when national demand is taken into account.