Vitor Oliveira/Flickr
“Practically unknown”, it has “empty buildings and waiting for someone to bring them back to life”. New index classifies it as one of the privileged expanding areas for investment — but the Silver Coast and Madeira are not forgotten.
Portugal has a prominent place in the first Real Estate Trend Alert (RETA) International Real Estate Index, which focuses on lesser-known and privileged expanding areas for investment over the next three decades and where demand for high-end properties is increasing.
Unlike most indices, which focus on major financial centers with high costs and low rental yields, RETA’s approach is oriented towards destinations that offer a good quality/price ratio, growth potential, strong attraction to leasing It is excellent quality of life.
Thus, Portugal gains prominence not through its usual suspects, such as Lisbon or Algarve — which are beginning to reach saturation — but rather through regions in the center and north, in particular.
“Practically unknown, waiting for life”
The municipality of Walk, in Viana do Castelo, occupies second place on the list and is the first European site to appear. A “virtually unknown” location, the authors say that it offers the best value found anywhere on the Portuguese coast — a perfect score, a 10, in relative value.
But the detailed examination goes beyond conventional market analyzes that rely solely on macroeconomic data. The index is the product of extensive on-the-ground research, with each destination being personally evaluated by RETA members.
The member who visited Caminha, about an hour from Porto and separated from Spain by a river, says he saw “shells of buildings empty and waiting for someone to bring them back to life”.
“I think Caminha is on the verge of a boom. The wealthier visitors and second home owners from Northern Europe and North America aren’t arriving yet, but I believe they will — and when they do, they will drive up prices,” she confesses.
“When I visited recently, I found a four-bedroom apartment in the city center for just €140,000. For 395 thousand euros, there was a large house of 3200 square meters with views of the river and Spain”, reads the report.
However, Caminha is not the only region in the Top 20 places to buy a house.
Silver and Madeira Coast
Located on the coast of Portugal, the Silver Coastwhich stretches from the north of Lisbon to Figueira da Foz — and is known as such thanks to the silvery glow that the sun gives to its Atlantic waters — appears in seventh place on the list.
The region is known for its extensive beaches with fine sand, but it’s not just beaches. Places such as Alcobaça, medieval Óbidos, surrounded by walls or Aveiro, “the Portuguese Venice” stand out.
The silver coast is followed by the island of Woodin 11th place.
The index categorizes destinations into 10 groups, culminating in a top 20 list that promises more than just incremental capital appreciation. Here she goes.
Top 20
The index highlights emerging trends such as Baja California Sur (Mexico)which occupies first place.
In fact, the coastal areas of Mexico, especially the Cabo San Lucas and the Riviera Maya (3rd)hold a prominent position due to their popularity among long-term remote workers — a trend accelerated by the pandemic.
Tied for 3rd place are Estepona, Costa del Sol (Spain) It is Rocha (Uruguay).
Here is the complete list:
- Los Cabos (Mexico)
- Caminha (Portugal)
- Mayan Riviera (Mexico); Estepona (Spain); Rocha (Uruguay)
- Estepona (Spain)
- Rocha (Uruguay)
- Panama City (Panama)
- Medellin (Colombia)
- Guanacaste (Costa Rica)
- Silver Coast (Portugal)
- Montpellier (France)
- Madeira (Portugal)
- Placencia (Belize)
- Punta Cana (Dominican Republic)
- Antibes/Juan-les-Pins (France)
- Montenegro
- Umbria (Italy)
- Loreto (Mexico)
- South Zone (Costa Rica)
- Kenmare (Ireland)
- Turkish Riviera (Türkiye)
According to the authors, these locations are becoming places of choice for professionals who have increasing flexibility to work from anywhere, increasing the demand for properties in locations that combine urban amenities with seaside living.
