The widespread recognition as a holiday destination has already put Portugal at the top of the list of destinations to visit or live in, this growing demand results in a booming real estate market, which is increasingly consolidating itself as an excellent investment option.
With a very diversified market, the Algarve presents itself as an excellent option, with projects for different tastes and budgets, here we can find offers from the simplest segment to the most selective ones, such as the well-known millionaire properties in the Golden Triangle.
In order to attract foreign investors to Portugal, in 2012 the Residence for Investment Authorization Program (ARI), also known as “Visa Gold” or “Golden Visa”, was created. Because it is a very simple program, with clear legal requirements and benefits, it has quickly become one of the most attractive programs for investors around the world.
With a strongly consolidated tourism, the Algarve region takes advantage of its wonderful climate, its beaches, golf courses and natural beauty to offer excellent returns in the real estate market that besides allowing expressive gains with the patrimonial valorization, still offer average remunerations 6% per year with tourism.
The Portuguese real estate market has a large presence of international investors, which significantly facilitates investment in the country that is already used to this scenario. With banks it would be no different, most of them grant credits daily to foreigners, being immensely familiar with this process, resulting in a much simpler acquisition.
The process of creating the taxpayer number (TIN) which is the Portuguese tax identification number and opening a bank account can be done in a few hours on the same day.
The percentage financed depends on the type of property and the purpose of the purchase. The so-called secondary housing properties, which are the most common option for foreigners, finance on average between 60% to 70% of the acquisition in up to 30 years with spreads in the order of 2% per year.
The feeling of security that we experience on a daily basis in Portugal is quite high which has a great impact on the choice of tourists and those who choose to come and live in the country. This point, associated with the very low cost of living and the climate, ends up being a unique and extremely attractive combination.
The freedom to be able to walk quietly on the streets, to stroll on beaches, squares and fields increasingly seduces foreigners, especially from countries most affected by violence such as Brazil, which has dominated the list of real estate acquisitions in the country.
The Portuguese economy has been experiencing a strong recovery in the last five years. A kind of “Portuguese Economic Miracle”. It is true that this is not a miracle, but the result of an austerity policy, with the advance payment of a large part of the debt with the Troika ¹, a drop in unemployment rates and a budget deficit below the limit, which led to the resumption of debt. civil construction and the (sustainable) explosion of tourism in the country, generating a virtuous circle of economic and social gains.
Investing in a solid economy with a strong currency, from a country that is part of the main global economic bloc is, and always will be, a good option to be considered when diversifying the investment portfolio.
Portugal has been in a strong economic recovery since 2015, the latter that led this period to be called by many the “Portuguese Economic Miracle”. However, this is not a miracle, it is just the result of a very intelligent and solid political and economic management.
Its guidelines are transparent and efficient, driven by tax benefits and residence permits in exchange for investments - a strategy applied by the right and deepened by the socialists - which has led to the growth of foreign presence in the country, especially in the real estate sector, where prices have skyrocketed and have continued to increase so far.
International tourism was another big bet for success, placing the country in the highest rankings of destinations in the world and now represents 15% of GDP and is responsible for the creation of thousands of jobs.
Last but not least, the investment in the technological sector that resulted in the installation of a Google operations center in Lisbon, among other companies in the segment, leading the capital to be called one of the “Silicon Valley of Europe”. From 2014 to 2016, 700 high-tech companies were created in Lisbon, which led the city to host one of the world's leading technology conferences, WebSummit.
