According to the international consultant Athena Advisers, the medium and long term rental market in the premium residential segment in Lisbon has seen “very strong growth, driven by the demand of foreign families wishing to establish residence in Portugal”.
Athena Advisers' records found that over the last 15 months, 70 percent of the demand comes from foreign families who settle permanently in Portugal and 30 percent comes from digital nomads or expatriates for professional reasons who temporarily settle in Portugal. In terms of nationalities, the French lead the demand with 30 percent, followed by Americans and English with an equal percentage of 20 percent each, with the remaining 30 percent from other origins.
The motivations and profile of demand in each of these groups are very different according to the consultants. “Families want to know the dynamics of the city of Lisbon and the real estate market itself before investing in the purchase of a house, analysing the areas with the best offer of good international schools, services and facilities nearby. Nomads, on the other hand, are looking for temporary housing in an area that provides them with quality of life and a good balance between professional and social life”.
Marta Salgado, head of the Lease Department at Athena Advisers Portugal said: “For some years now, a growing number of people of foreign nationality have chosen Portugal, and in particular Lisbon, to live or work and the pandemic has further accentuated this trend due to the quality of life that our country offers.
“In this context, leasing appears as an excellent option, not only for digital nomads, but also for families who, coming from completely different cities and where the distances they cover in their daily lives are much greater, want to analyse the dynamics and style of city life, as well as getting to know the market in depth before moving on to buy a house.”
Originally from the UK, Daisy has been living and working in Portugal for more than 20 years. She has worked in PR, marketing and journalism, and has been the editor of The Portugal News since 2019. Jornalista 7920
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More foreigners been encouraged to Portugal and spoil the Portuguese way of life and culture . And not wanting to integrate with the Portuguese and set up their own set of beer swilling foreigners ie BRITS.
By J from Lisbon on 29 Oct 2021, 17:37
J raises a good point but there are 2 other issues as well; many foreigners will be offering rental prices which are not very attainable for locals. It makes little sense to be offering €800 to €1,300 per month for a tiny flat in Portugal, when local salaries are taken into consideration. The 2nd point is that it is never that simple mixing cultures, e.g. what will well educated professionals have in common with waiters and builders? What is actually happening in Portugal is a weird kind of apartheid where foreigners can afford a place to live while Portuguese citizens must live in hovels which are not fit for living.
By K from Algarve on 30 Oct 2021, 11:37
Agree. They should stay at home! We don't want them.
By Diana Krogh from Beiras on 30 Oct 2021, 12:06
This article, and indeed the comments, take an amazingly outdated view of what is " foreign". I suspect the writers us words like, Natural and Normal . And what exactly is Portuguese culture? Like all colonial powers, Portugal has absorbed cultures from all over the world.
Embrace difference, dont reject it.
By chris from Beiras on 31 Oct 2021, 11:01
There's nothing like spreading a little hatred and prejudice on a Sunday, is there?
Some interesting statistics, easily available online to anyone with about 30 seconds to spare: there are approximately 271 000 people of Portuguese origin resident in the UK [Statista; 2020 data], and there are approximately 46 000 people of UK origin resident in Portugal [Schengen visa info; 2020 data].
Given the relative sizes of the two countries' populations, it will take you less than another 30 seconds to work out that, proportionally, these two diasporas are almost exactly the same size.
Another interesting little fact: according to the UK Office for National Statistics, based on HMRC revenue data for the UK, the average EU worker [sadly now a lot less welcome due to the UK's own haters] pays more in tax and national insurance than the average indigenous UK worker. I very much doubt that the members of the Portuguese diaspora in the UK differ from this [and good on 'em for putting the effort in!!].
Doubtless, there are still hate-pedlars in the UK mindlessly spouting the exact same anti-immigrant sentiments against ill-perceived 'threats' to the British way of life at this very moment.
Perhaps all you haters should get together and form your own little hate-state somewhere — preferably well away from everyone else.
One last little observation: there's a very interesting use of grammar and syntax in the three preceding comments whose content and voracity I am taking issue with.
I would very much like to see the colour of the writers' passports!!
I suspect there's a severe case of drawbridge-pulling-up going on!
There is poverty in every country. Do something positive about it instead of denigrating others!!
By Kernowek from Porto on 31 Oct 2021, 15:08
I’m confused by the negative comments by some who do not want foreigners to come here? Your own ministry has studied the shrinking Portuguese population and this means the tax burden is shared by fewer and therefore must be higher. And why do 6 million Portuguese liver outside of the country ? The uncomfortable truth is that Portugal needs both people and outside money to prosper. Maybe there needs to be some temporary rent controls or subsidies to keep native Portuguese from being displaced, but we need to work together to find solutions rather than teach hatred . The whole world is in flux; migration will happen one way or another. Good political leadership requires an informed, educated public to make choices based on facts, not fear of others.
By Nom De Plume from Other on 31 Oct 2021, 21:19
Unfortunately , most of these foreign (non EU?) residents are driving the wrong way in the fast lane of premium property purchase as investors with high rents being paid by their wealthy tenants of often dubious background.
Roberto Cavaleiro
By Cavaleiro R from Other on 01 Nov 2021, 16:27
We no need foreign people in Portugal. We have many problems here for Portuguese people already.
Strangers bring money to spend, prices go up and it makes us more poor.
No more foreigners with Airbnb, you kill Portuguese culture and leave much pollution. Go away!
By Dre from Lisbon on 01 Nov 2021, 19:50
Diana Krogh. Oh, the irony of a British expat living in Portugal condemning foreigners. How some people have little or no self awareness
By Pete Styper from UK on 07 Jun 2022, 06:36