One country in particular, within the European Union, occupies a prominent place in an index it identifies the locations with the best potential back onreal estate investment.
The index of Real Estate Trend Alert (RETA)a real estate consultancy firm, focuses on lesser-known and rapidly expanding areas to identify possible investment opportunities over the next thirty years and in areas where demand for high-end freehold properties is increasing.
Unlike most real estate indices, which focus on major financial centers with high costs and not-so-attractive rental yields, RETA takes a destination-oriented approach that offers a good value for money, growth potentialstrong rental attractiveness and an excellent quality of life.
In its first edition, the index is clear: it is in Portugal that there are more interesting investment opportunities at European level. And not in Lisbon or the Algarve – now close to saturation levels – but, in particular, in the central and northern areas.
The best EU country to invest in the real estate market is Portugal
The municipality of Caminhaa Portuguese municipality of less than 20,000 inhabitants, in the district of Viana do Castelo, occupies the 2nd place in the ranking and she is the first European citizen to appear on the list. A location “practically unknown”, according to the authors of the report accompanying the publication of the index, which offers the best quality-price ratio on the Portuguese coast.
But the analysis goes beyond traditional market analyses, which are based exclusively on macroeconomic data. The index is the product of extensive field research, in which each destination is personally assessed by RETA members participating in the study.
The member who visited Caminha, about an hour from Porto and separated from Spain by a river – the Rio Coura -, says he saw “shells of empty buildings waiting for someone to bring them back to life”.
“I think Caminha is on the verge of a boom. Wealthier visitors and second home owners from Northern Europe and North America haven’t arrived here yet, but I believe they will arrive, and when they do, they will drive up prices”, explained the expert.
“During my recent visit, I found a four bedroom apartment in the city center for just 140,000 euros. For 395,000 euros there was a big house of 3,200 square meters overlooking the river and Spain”, reads the report.
But Caminha is not the only Portuguese location to appear in the top 20 places to buy a house for investment use.
Located on the coast of Portugal, the Silver Coast it extends from the north of Lisbon to Figueira da Foz. Its name is due to the silvery glow that the sun gives to its Atlantic waters. And he is in 7th place in the rankings.
The region is known for its long beaches of fine sand, but it’s not just the sea that makes the area special. Places like Alcobaça, the medieval walled Óbidos, or Aveiro, “Portuguese Venice”, complete the profile of a region that is (yet) yet to be discovered.
Scrolling through the ranking, in 11th place, we find Madeiraan archipelago of islands of volcanic origin located in the Atlantic Ocean, belonging to Portugal.
The top 20 best places to invest in the real estate market
The index identifies 20 locations with the highest appreciation potential of the capital invested in real estate.
Shining above all is the Mexico: Baja California Sur is in 1st place, while Riviera Maya takes 3rd, thanks above all to their popularity among smart working workers, mostly Americans, increased by the pandemic.
Here is the complete ranking:
- Los Cabos (Mexico)
- Caminha (Portugal)
- Riviera Maya (Mexico)
- Estepona (Spain)
- Rocha (Uruguay)
- Panama City (Panama)
- Medellín (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)
- Southern Zone (Costa Rica)
- Kenmare (Ireland)
- Turkish Riviera (Türkiye)
According to the authors of the analysis, these locations will be increasingly chosen by professionals who enjoy work flexibility, thus increasing the demand for properties in areas that manage to combine excellent quality of life and the services offered to citizens.
