Photography: CMMafra
After Ericeira and Mafra had already come into focus as real estate hotspots in coastal regions, current market data from Imovirtual shows an even broader trend: across Portugal, Mafra is one of the fastest-growing real estate markets.
Between February and April 2026, demand for houses and apartments for purchase across Portugal increased by 150% compared to the previous year. Among non-urban municipalities and areas with diverse market profiles, Mafra recorded the strongest growth, with demand increasing by 2347%.
buyers value space, comfort and quality of life
Lisbon still records the district with the highest level of demand at 23.2%, followed by Porto with 21%. Compared to the previous year’s 19%, Porto achieved the strongest growth. At municipal level, Vila Nova de Gaia remains the most searched municipality. It is followed by Lisbon and Sintra. Porto stands out with a +214.6% increase in the number of searches compared to the previous year.
The data also shows strong interest in family apartments and houses. T3 and T4 properties account for the largest share of overall demand. T4 properties (four-bedroom homes) recorded the strongest year-on-year growth, rising by +306.9%. Demand for T2 (+252.5%) and T3 properties (+184.3%) also increased significantly. T1 properties recorded strong growth with +325,0 %, but only represent 1.6% of total demand.
Imovirtual concludes that buyers continue to value space, comfort, and quality of life, while increasingly choosing locations outside the traditionally most sought-after areas. “At the same time, this acceleration in demand makes the market more competitive and requires buyers to act more quickly and decisively,” says Sylvia Bozzo, Marketing Manager at Imovirtual.
The report once again highlights how Mafra and Ericeira have evolved from a coastal escape into one of Portugal’s most competitive housing markets.
Esta publicação também está disponível em | This article is also available in: Portuguese (Portugal)
