Proof of this is that advertisements for houses to rent on idealista received, on average, 32 contacts in the second quarter of 2024, before being removed from the market. However, the data analysis carried out by idealista also shows that the number of contacts per advertisement decreased by 29% compared to the same period in 2023, when, on average, 45 contacts were received for each house to rent advertised.

“This data indicates that demand for advertisements for houses to rent remains high, despite the reduction in the second quarter of the year”, explains Ruben Marques, spokesperson for idealista. This is because this reduction “does not indicate that there are fewer families looking for a house to rent, but rather that there are more properties available on the market”, he explains. It is worth noting that the supply of properties for rent increased by 67% in the second quarter of 2024, according to data from idealista.

“However, the prices of houses for rent remain high and out of reach for most Portuguese people”, he also highlights.

The Portuguese city that recorded the highest number of contacts per advertisement for houses for rent was Portalegre, in Alentejo, with an average of 58 interactions in the second quarter of this year. Next in line is Setúbal (46), followed by Santarém (45), Bragança (41), Viseu (40), Évora (39), Leiria (39), Ponta Delgada (38), Vila Real (36) and Faro (34).

With an average of less than 30 contacts per rental advertisement, the cities of Castelo Branco (29), Lisbon (28), Coimbra (26), Aveiro (26), Braga (25) and Beja (24) follow. The cities that received the fewest contacts, on average, were Guarda (18), Viana do Castelo (19), Porto (21) and Funchal (23).

With the increase in supply on the rental market, the demand for houses became more distributed. This helps to explain why the average number of contacts per advertisement for houses to rent fell in 12 district capitals in the last twelve months.

Porto was the city where the average number of contacts per advertisement for houses to rent fell the most (-40%). Next come Coimbra (-38%), Viana do Castelo (-35%), Faro (-35%), Lisbon (-32%), Braga (-27%), Évora (-27%), Leiria (-17%), Aveiro (-15%), Santarém (-13%), Castelo Branco (-11%) and Bragança (-3%).

In terms of upward trends, advertisements for houses to rent in Portalegre received, on average, 47% more contacts. Next come Vila Real (15% more contacts), Funchal (12%), Guarda (8%), Viseu (8%), Beja (2%), Ponta Delgada (2%) and Setúbal (1%).