Interest in buying property in Portugal has risen sharply. According to Imovirtual, demand for home purchases increased by 150.4% year-on-year between February and April 2026. It is important to note that this refers to buyer search activity and demand indicators, not the number of completed transactions. Even so, such a sharp increase shows that the market remains highly competitive, with buyers reacting faster to new listings.

🏙️ March was the most active month. It accounted for 38.4% of total quarterly demand, with annual growth reaching 173.5%. In February, demand increased by 162.6%, while in April it rose by 113%. This means that buyer activity remained strong throughout the entire three-month period, even though the pace of growth slowed slightly toward the end.

📊 Key demand indicators:

— total increase in homebuying demand in February-April: +150.4% year-on-year;
— March was the peak month: 38.4% of quarterly demand;
— Lisbon remained the leader by share of searches: 23.2%;
— Porto ranked second: 21%;
— in the Porto district, the number of searches increased by 170.8% year-on-year.

🏘️ The main takeaway from this data is that demand is no longer concentrated only around Lisbon. The capital remains the largest market, but Porto and its metropolitan area are rapidly strengthening their positions. Vila Nova de Gaia stands out in particular: the municipality ranked first by share of demand among cities, accounting for 5.37% of the national total. It was followed by Lisbon with 4.97% and Sintra with 4.28%.

💶 Rising interest is also accompanied by higher price expectations. According to Imovirtual, the average price increased by 3.2% year-on-year, from €291,750 to €301,014. In some municipalities, growth was significantly stronger: in Vila Nova de Gaia, the average price rose by 48.2%, in Braga by 38.7%, and in Porto by 27%.

🏡 The structure of demand is also changing. Buyers are increasingly looking for larger homes. T3 and T4 properties, meaning homes with three and four bedrooms, have become among the most sought-after formats. This confirms a shift toward family housing, where space, comfort, separate rooms, and quality of life matter more than just the entry price.

📌 What this means for the market:

— competition for liquid properties in Lisbon, Porto, and nearby suburbs is likely to remain high;
— family apartments and houses with 3-4 bedrooms are receiving additional demand;
— alternative locations near major cities are becoming increasingly attractive;
— buyers need to make decisions faster, especially when a property has a fair price and a strong location.

💼 For investors, these figures look positive but should be interpreted carefully. The 150.4% increase shows a sharp rise in interest in buying property, but search demand does not always translate directly into completed deals. In practice, the strongest-performing properties will be those that combine three factors: a clear location, a realistic price, and a format suitable for real living or long-term rental.

👉 You can find property in Portugal based on current demand and price dynamics on our website.