Latest news and stories about real estate in Lisbon, Lisboa, Portugal for expats and residents.
Foreign property buyers in Lisbon paid 47 percent more on average for homes than domestic buyers, according to recent real estate transaction data. Median home prices across the capital rose 18.4 percent year-on-year despite a decrease in overall sales volumes. Greater Lisbon remains the most expensive real estate market in Portugal, reaching an average of €4,030 per square metre.
Housing and Infrastructure Minister Miguel Pinto Luz announced that the government is open to reviewing rental legislation with the Socialist Party (Partido Socialista or PS), while Social Democratic Party (Partido Social Democrata or PSD) Vice-President Alexandre Poço confirmed readiness to negotiate complementary housing solutions across party lines. The opening follows calls from President António José Seguro for a broad cross-party agreement between the PSD-led government and opposition parties. Speaking in Lisbon, Seguro warned that the country faces a severe housing shortage that requires political cooperation rather than impasse as nationwide debates and protests intensify.
António José Martins Seguro (born March 11, 1962, in Penamacor) is a lawyer, political scientist, and the current President of the Portuguese Republic, inaugurated on March 9, 2026 after winning the two-round presidential election in January–February 2026.
Career: He led Socialist Youth (1990–1994), served as MEP (1999–2001), was Minister Adjunct to PM António Guterres (2001–2002), and led the PS parliamentary group (2004–2005). Elected PS Secretary-General in 2011 with 68%, he led the opposition during Portugal's bailout era. In 2014, António Costa defeated him in party primaries by a landslide, prompting Seguro's resignation and a decade-long retreat from politics. He returned in 2025, launching the movement UPortugal and announcing his presidential candidacy in June. He received official PS backing in October 2025 and won the presidency in February 2026.
Political philosophy: Seguro positions himself as representing a "modern and moderate" left, advocating financial responsibility while opposing austerity. As President, he has emphasized institutional trust, efficient governance, and a collaborative relationship with the government while maintaining rigorous constitutional oversight.
The Social Democratic Party ('Partido Social Democrata' or 'PSD') is a liberal-conservative political party in Portugal that is the leading partner of the The Democratic Alliance (AD) which is the country's ruling party, with Prime Minister Luís Montenegro.
The Social Democratic Party, despite its name, occupies the centre-right of Portugal's political spectrum. Luís Montenegro, who became Prime Minister in April 2024, leads Portugal's current minority government. The PSD has been one of Portugal's two dominant parties since 1974, having formed nine governments including four with absolute majorities. Montenegro, a former party leader from 1996-1999, was elected with the highest approval rating among party leaders at 10.7 points out of 20.
The Democratic Alliance is a centre-right coalition that includes the smaller CDS – People's Party, a Christian democratic party that has historically been the PSD's coalition partner. Together, they govern without a parliamentary majority, requiring case-by-case support from opposition parties to pass legislation.
Socialist Party (PS)
Portugal's other traditional major party suffered a historic collapse in the 2025 election, dropping from 78 to 58 seats and falling to third place for the first time in democratic history. The party was led by Pedro Nuno Santos from January 2024 until his resignation following the May 2025 defeat. José Luís Carneiro, a 53-year-old former Minister of Internal Administration known for his moderate positioning within the party, was elected unopposed as the new Secretary-General with 95% of votes in June 2025. The Socialist Party governed Portugal from 2015 to 2024, including an absolute majority from 2022 to 2024 under António Costa, who resigned in November 2023 amid a corruption investigation. The PS previously led the innovative "Geringonça" (contraption) coalition government from 2015-2019, a minority government supported by the Left Bloc and Portuguese Communist Party that reversed austerity measures and presided over economic recovery.
Data from the National Statistics Institute (Instituto Nacional de Estatística or INE) shows that the median house price in Portugal reached 2,337 euros per square meter in the first quarter of 2026. This represents an increase of nearly 20 percent compared to the same period last year. Market analysts note that foreign investment continues to drive prices upward, particularly in the Lisbon region.
The INE housing price index (Índice de Preços da Habitação) tracks changes in residential property transaction prices across Portugal, published quarterly by the National Statistics Institute (INE). It covers both new and existing dwellings and breaks data down by region, property type, and buyer nationality.
The index is a key reference for policymakers debating housing affordability measures, for lenders assessing mortgage risk, and for buyers and investors tracking market trends. It has shown sustained price growth since 2015, with particularly sharp increases in Lisbon, Porto, and the Algarve driven by international demand, tourism, and housing shortages.
Related INE publications include monthly housing transaction data, rental indices, and construction statistics. Together, they provide the most comprehensive picture of Portugal's property market.
Portugal’s house prices have risen faster than the EU average since 2020, and recent reports list Portugal among the countries with the largest price increases over that period. That stronger price growth has worsened affordability in Lisbon and Porto in particular, so prospective buyers and renters should check local indices and mortgage costs before deciding.
The Socialist Party (Partido Socialista or PS) has accused the government of acting as an 'inverted real estate agent' by selling state-owned properties below market value. The PS is seeking parliamentary explanations from the Minister of Housing and the president of Estamo, the public company responsible for managing state assets. The government maintains that all sales were based on independent external appraisals, with final prices exceeding initial base values by nearly 22%.
Health cards are private membership or discount schemes sold by companies that offer access to consultations, tests or reduced fees at private clinics; they are not the public health service. The Socialist Party (Partido Socialista or PS) has proposed regulation to increase transparency and protect consumers from misleading marketing or unexpected charges.
Estamo (Estamo, Participações Imobiliárias, S.A.) is a state-owned company responsible for managing and selling real estate assets belonging to the Portuguese government. It acts as a real estate vehicle to monetize public property, often through public tenders or direct sales to private investors.
Savills data cited by Dinheiro Vivo and ECO shows Lisbon’s luxury residential market rose about 4.4% last year and could increase between roughly 4% and 5.9% in 2026. The consultancy ranks Lisbon among the top five global cities with high appreciation potential next year, alongside Seoul, Tokyo, Madrid and Cape Town. Buyers, investors and landlords in the capital should factor continued price growth into purchase timing and rental pricing decisions.
