Lisbon Expat Realtor

31/03/2026

Thinking of buying a beautiful plot of rural land and building your dream home in Portugal?
READ THIS FIRST! Make sure you do your due diligence and fully understand what you're buying, what you'll be allowed to do with the land, and what steps you'll need to take (along with associated costs and timelines) to make your dream a reality.

Descubra tudo sobre como comprar um terrenos antes de compromissos. Evite erros comuns e escolha o lugar ideal para o seu projeto de vida.

24/03/2026

I was shocked to learn that around one third of Portugal’s rural properties are stuck in inheritance disputes—left in legal limbo, unable to be sold, rented, or even properly maintained.

The consequences are huge:
➡️ Land goes unmanaged, increasing the risk of wildfires
➡️ Homes sit empty while there’s a housing shortage
➡️ Families remain locked in long, unresolved conflicts

The government has now approved new measures to break these deadlocks, including faster ways to resolve disputes (even outside the courts), so properties can finally be used, sold, or rented.

And the scale of the problem is staggering:
🏠 Around 250,000 habitable homes are sitting empty
🔧 Another 130,000 could be used with repairs
➡️ That’s roughly 550,000 homes not on the market

At a time when housing is one of the country’s biggest challenges, this feels like a critical step. The real test now is whether these changes will actually unlock these properties and make a difference on the ground.

Portugal doesn’t just need more houses—it needs to use the ones it already has.

The Council of Ministers approved, in general, a set of changes to the tenancy laws aimed at overcoming the impasse in resolving undivided inheritances and speeding up residential evictions.

24/02/2026

Lisbon leads the way in revoking inactive AirBnB licences

Lisbon City Council has cancelled around 40% of local accommodation (AL) registrations after owners failed to provide mandatory liability insurance. In total, 6,765 licences were revoked out of roughly 19,000, mostly “ghost” registrations that were not actually operating.

Lisbon is the first municipality in Portugal to complete this clean-up of inactive AL records. According to Associação do Alojamento Local em Portugal, many licences had inflated official numbers without corresponding to real activity, often due to unused registrations, property sales, or applications made during past regulatory changes.

Since March 2025, AL owners must present liability insurance covering damages to guests and neighbours. Failure to comply can lead to licence cancellation.

Nationwide, this verification process could reduce active registrations from about 126,000 to around 90,000, with up to 36,000 licences potentially cancelled by summer. Around 150 municipalities have already notified non-compliant owners.

Regionally, the Algarve still leads in supply with over 45,000 units, followed by the North (27,000) and the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (25,000).

Saiba como a Câmara Municipal de Lisboa eliminou registos de Alojamentos Locais inativos. Entenda as implicações desta decisão.

15/01/2026

Housing crisis? Industrialisation may be the missing piece.

Portugal needs homes faster than traditional construction can deliver them. Enter ZETHAUS, a new architectural team from dstgroup that’s bringing industrialised building to the forefront.

By shifting construction from the site to the factory, ZETHAUS delivers high-quality homes in 20–60% less time, with predictable costs, less waste and lower environmental impact — without sacrificing architectural design. Their modular system, developed with Norman Foster and ARUP, allows flexible, beautiful buildings assembled on site in hours, not months.

Despite challenges like slow licensing and outdated regulations, momentum is growing. ZETHAUS has already won its first public housing tender and is gaining international recognition.

As their architects put it: industrialisation isn’t a trend — it’s an unavoidable part of the solution to the housing crisis.

Portugal está, hoje, mergulhado numa crise de acesso à habitação. Os altos impostos, atrasos nos licenciamentos e falta de mão de obra são alguns dos fatores que travam a construção de casas ao ritmo necessário para responder à elevada procura.

07/01/2026

Here are some great tips from seasoned Realtor Mac Rogers on the top 11 home improvements that can negatively impact the resale value of your home as well as your enjoyment of it.

Are you making costly home design mistakes without even realizing it? In this video, I’m breaking down 11 home design features you’ll regret in 2025 — from o...

10/11/2025

HOT PROPERTY in CENTRAL LISBON
2 Bedroom Art Deco gem FOR SALE in prime area of Central Lisbon (Bairro Azul, Avenidas Novas)

Tucked away in a quiet, tree-lined avenue next to Parque Eduardo VII, is this bright, modern T2 apartment on the first floor of a 1930s Art Deco building that was fully refurbished to a high standard in 2019.

Key Features:

103 m² | 2 Bedrooms | 2 Bathrooms | 1st Floor with Elevator

South-facing living room with plenty of natural light

Marquise terrace +private storeroom

Fully fitted kitchen with modern Bosch appliances

Master bedroom with en-suite and built-in wardrobes

Air conditioning/heating, double glazing, energy-efficient systems

Elegant Art Deco building with modern safety features

Central location: steps from Parque Eduardo VII, Marquês de Pombal, Avenida da Liberdade, public transport, and shopping/dining/entertainment

A practical, modern apartment with classic charm in a highly sought-after area. Perfect for living or investment.

Price: €712,000

To book your visit, contact either myself or my colleague Lara Joaquim - Consultora Imobiliária.

LISTING LINK
https://remax.pt/en/imoveis/venda-apartamento-t2-lisboa-avenidas-novas/121961977-49

02/09/2025

Portugal’s commercial real estate market is off to a strong start in 2025.

According to CBRE, investment volumes are already running high, boosted by major deals in retail and hospitality – the leading sectors for the third year in a row.

✅ 2024 marked a recovery, but activity was back-loaded. This year is different: momentum started early, showing strong confidence in Portugal’s stability.
✅ CBRE had forecast €2.5B in investment for 2025 (+8% YoY), but the pace suggests that will be exceeded by a wide margin.
✅ International investors in commercial real estate remain key, driving over 75% of activity in the past decade.
✅ For the first time, Portugal ranks among Europe’s top investment destinations.

The Portuguese real estate market is showing remarkable strength this year. In the first half of 2025, investment in commercial property grew by an impressive 78 percent compared to the same period in 2024, reaching 1.23 billion euros. 

16/07/2025

It’s encouraging to see the IHRU (Institute of Habitation and Urban Regeneration) taking steps to investigate why so many habitable properties remain empty in Lisbon and Porto - cities currently grappling with severe housing shortages.

While building new homes is important, Portugal could make a big difference right now by tackling known issues: long delays in renovation licensing and the slow resolution of estate matters after a death.

Addressing these bottlenecks would unlock thousands of homes much faster than waiting for new construction. Let’s fix what’s already within reach.

The IHRU recommends delving deeper into the reasons that contribute to the "persistence of vacant properties with habitable conditions."

13/07/2025

Income Tax Rates in Portugal are due to be decreased for 2025, pending a final vote in the Assembly of the Republic, to be submitted to the President of the Republic for approval, and, if enacted, will be published in the Official Gazette.

On 10 July, the Government proposed lowering IRS rates in 2025. The measure was approved with votes in favour from the PSD, CDS-PP, Chega and IL.

03/07/2025

When it come to condominium maintenance, things are slowly moving in the right direction.
Currently the law states that a condo building façade must be maintained at least every 8 years. However, there is no mandatory inspection to ensure this happens and, consequently, driving around Lisbon, you'll notice many condo buildings in dire need of updating, repairs and a coat of paint.
APEGAC (Portuguese Business Association of Condominium Management and Administration) is calling for mandatory building inspections—just like we inspect cars—to ensure the safety of everyone living and working in them.
Regular maintenance would help prevent serious issues, protect lives, and safeguard property values.
Let’s hope strong regulations are put in place soon to make this a reality.

The Portuguese Association of Condominium Management and Administration Companies (APEGAC) has defended the importance of moving forward with a mandatory inspection regime for buildings, similar to that applied to vehicles, with the aim of ensuring "uniform levels of safety and efficiency in buildin...

26/06/2025

France's love affair with Portugal continues...

With €16.6B in FDI and 1,200+ French subsidiaries operating in Portugal, France is now the #3 foreign investor — and may soon reclaim the #2 spot! Major players like BPCE (Novobanco), Faurecia, Engie, Alstom, and Vinci are leading the charge across sectors from green energy to digital innovation.

Portugal is also home to 50,000–60,000 French nationals, creating vibrant communities and deeper cultural ties. With 38 of France’s CAC 40 companies active in the country and over 104,000 people employed, France is now Portugal’s largest foreign employer.

From electric vehicles to wind energy and fintech to infrastructure, this partnership is powering growth on both sides.

A Model for Foreign Investment