Portugal sees the largest increase in house transactions in Europe

Portugal stands out as the European country with the biggest increase in the growth of residential real estate transactions in the first half of 2025.

According to the study from the Era Group ‘Europe Market Survey 2024/5’ from 19 markets analysed, Portugal’s housing market is on track to post a 10% increase in transactions this year.

The forecast is based on the market’s dynamics seen in the first half of 2025 and the conditions of the mortgage credit available.

It is a trend reflected by data released by Portugal’s national statistics institute INE which shows a like-for-like increase 24.9% in the number of transactions.

In 2024, Portugal saw the fourth largest growth of transactions in the real estate sector in Europe. The 14.5% increase in Portugal was only surpassed by Turkey (+20%), the Czech Republic (+43%), and Luxembourg (+48%).

On the other hand, France, Austria, and Ireland saw a fall in transactions in 2024, mainly because of a scarcity of supply – which looks set to continue through 2025.

However, the value of the square metre in Portugal is well below the average (€3,558), while the average value of the square meter in Portugal was €1,777 in 2024. The five most expensive European markets in Europe are Switzerland (€11,400), Luxembourg (€8,488), the Netherlands (€4,445), Austria (€3,560) and France (€3,217).

On average, 75% of the EU population lives in urban areas, and this proportion has been steadily increasing in most countries. The study highlights Lisbon as part of this trend, with a square metre value of €4,340, in line with cities such as Prague and Vienna, and more expensive than Rome, Madrid or Brussels. The cities with the most expensive square metre are Bern, Luxembourg, and Paris.

Image: Wirestock freepix.