It's been two weeks since the Portuguese government decided to take steps towards gradual deconfinement. Now we ask ourselves: "What now?"   Have we been able to resume real estate activity after two months of confinement? What will the visits to the properties be like without the usual client proximity? How are the deadlines for the construction works that had to stop? What are the consequences for those who have already paid a reservation or want to buy? To answer all these questions and many others, we shall try to make a small snapshot of our experience of the last fortnight at Casaiberia.   We cannot say that we have already reached pre-COVID19 figures, but we can say that the demand has not slowed down.    There is a lot of uncertainty in the market and these are, in a way, the most influential factors in the coming weeks for prices and real estate activity.   On the one hand, it is buyers waiting for bargains to come back to the market, and sellers wanting to keep the price announced earlier this year, when the Portuguese real estate market was on its way to reaching a new record for real estate transactions in the first quarter of the year. On the other hand, we now have a greater offer of new developments to be marketed in the Portuguese market, aimed at the medium and high range of purchasing clients. At the same time, a wave of old bad loans in the market is emerging, coming from the capital funds ventures that bought these portfolios in 2018 and 2019 in large quantities from the Portuguese banks.  To add to this we have the health crisis that has changed a lot, but we hope to have not changed everything for the bad, but also some good.     International and domestic demand for property in Portugal has not slowed down, as we have had much more demand in 2020 than in previous years. This is also due to the confinement of people and their interest in changing location, life and property.     It has already been written in several national and international articles that teleworking will revolutionise the way people view their property in the future, and this will certainly cause many transactions in that direction, as we experienced in recent weeks.    Visits to properties are also changing, and as such we are betting on the virtual visit to make a better selection for the client and limit visits to those properties of interest. We will invest in the promotion of the property with 360o images and virtual visits. In the long term we believe that the response of customers will be faster with regard to the final decision, because at this stage we are already experiencing a more objective attitude of the client that we believe will remain in the future.   Most of the works have maintained their deadlines, we have no indication from our partners up-to-date that there may be delays in the construction works. However, and knowing that we are still facing a health crisis, everything can change in the event  of a new wave of the outbreak.   To sum up our experience of the last 10 weeks: Casaibéria will continue to invest in the digitalization of its services to the client, in the training of its largest capital - its employees - all over the country. The same people who did an excellent job during this period, and managed to increase the offer of Casaibéria by 162 properties during the time that the country was brought to an halt. On March 16th, 2020 with 440 properties published on our website, we all started working from home, and on May 30th we have 602 properties on our website. This is called "strength, courage, dedication, will to win, 24/7 service to your customers, and identity". Thank you all who are a part of this achievement.    Text: Paulo Lopes Picture: Gerd Altmann by Pixabay 

Consultant Savills predicts that real estate investor trends will continue in the post-Covid-19 scenario and says buyers will continue to circumvent risks through diversification and prices.  Savills analyzed the key trends established to determine future global real estate investment activity in a series of articles and interviews released on May 18, 2020 under the Impacts research program. Savills International has studied the various critical social, environmental, demographic and technological aspects facing the global real estate sector more immediately.  The conclusions were:  Trade conflicts between the U.S. and China will influence cross-border activities for many years, regardless of U.S. leadership, thereby strengthening real estate investment opportunities in markets such as India,Vietnamand continental Europe.  According to Savills, the global life sciences sector received $2.5 billion in investments in the five years to 2019; this sector is expected to grow following Covid-19, with potential opportunities in new markets such as India, Spain,Australiaand Austria.  Low long-term interest rates will ensure that the real estate sector continues to be sought after as an asset class, with a discrepancy between capital reserves and low availability of high-quality stock, keeping competition high and yields low. According to Savills, while this year's current trade conflict between the U.S. and China is overshadowed by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, it has already accelerated changes in global trade patterns. As Chinese production dislocated, freeing up large tracts of land for commercial and residential use on the outskirts of major cities, other countries benefited. Among them is Vietnam, where exports of products to the U.S. increased nearly 36 percent in 2019, making it the fastest-growing U.S. trading partner last year, as did India, Malaysia, Thailand and South Korea, according to the consultant. Industrial leases in Ho Chi Minh City districts, for example, increased 54% by June 2019, making it an important production market. India has also seen an increase in the occupation of the light industry, particularly in the automotive sector, with Blackstone and Brookfield among several investors who have already invested large amounts of capital in their real estate market. In addition to Asia Pacific, Savills says other countries, mainly Austria, Belgium, France and the Netherlands, also increased their trade share last year, signaling possible strengthening opportunities for real estate investors in those locations in certain sectors.  In the long run, trade difficulties with the US may accelerate the formation of a regional free trade bloc; a Comprehensive Regional Economic Partnership consisting of 16 Indo-Pacific countries, including China, Australia, Japan, Indonesia and South Korea, which may well be signed this year, thus creating the world's largest free trade area. Savills believes this will increase wealth and stability, crucial elements for real estate investors.  Real estate sector associated with the life sciences sector will be one of the fastest growing targets for investments  Separately at Impacts, Savills points out that the real estate sector associated with the life sciences sector will be one of the fastest growing targets for investments, as companies in the sector seem poised to accelerate growth and become prevalent in more geographies. Savills notes that while the $2.5 trillion in venture capital investments (one of the main factors in future growth of the life sciences business and therefore meaning higher demand for real estate) have been focused on the U.S. and China over the past five years, countries that experienced particularly strong growth in 2019 include India (+ 180% aa) , Spain (+ 83% aa), Australia (+ 79% aa) and Austria (+ 453% aa *). These countries may not be on the radar of real estate investors yet for the life sciences sector, according to Savills, but they may potentially offer the opportunity to build a portfolio of investments around innovation clusters, including a diversity of real estate assets, from startup incubators, research and development facilities and even office buildings.  Simon Hope, Global Capital Markets Director at Savills, comments: "The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on investor strategies is much less than the role it is playing in accelerating some underlying structural trends that have been developing for years. This includes growing demand for e-commerce, the fragility of global distribution networks - affected today by factory closures but increasingly by climate change - and the strengthening of a major new trading bloc in Asia and Australasia. Real estate investors need to continue to adapt to this uncertainty. Careful asset selection, diversification and correct long-term risk pricing will characterize those that succeed. The potential opportunities highlighted by Impacts in new geographies, such as India, Vietnam, innovative European cities and fast-growing sectors such as life sciences, are just some of the potential moves that can fit that profile."  Paul Tostevin, Savills World Research Director and co-leader of the Impacts programme, adds: "In times of adversity, the real estate sector is perceived as a safe haven. With interest rates at minimum levels, there is still a lot of capital to be allocated, especially from institutional investors who need to look abroad to meet their allocations. The structural changes identified by Impacts bring opportunities: capitalizing on the disruption of e-commerce through retail redirection, opportunities for scientific advances and knowledge economics through a rapidly growing life sciences sector, and even opportunities under geopolitical changes through geographic changes arising from the U.S./China trade war. These are the previous critical points for Covid-19, but the recent pandemic means that some of these changes in the real estate sector may now have an extra boost behind them."  Source: https://www.savills.com/insight-and-opinion/savills-news/300152/savills-impacts-forecasts-real-estate-investor-trends-likely-to-outlast-covid-19   Picture: PublicDomainPictures by Pixabay 

" I know a country which in 30 years has gone from one of the worst in child mortality (80 per thousand) to the fourth lowest rate in the world (3 per thousand).Somewhere that in eight years became the second most important European register of bone marrow donors, which is essential in the fight against leukemic diseases. Who is a world leader in liver transplant and is in second place for kidney transplant.A country who is the world leader in the application of immediate implants and fixed dental prosthesis for toothless jaws.I know a country that has a company that has developed a software to become paperless while supporting the clinical registration in hospitals (Alert), and another that is one of the largest companies in the pharmacy computerization (Glint) and another that invented the first antiepileptic of Portuguese roots (Bial).I know a country that is the world leader in the renewable energy sector and the fourth largest producer of wind power in the world, which is also building the largest dams scheme (ten dams; EDP).I know a country that invented and developed the world's first-paid mobile phone payment system (PT), which is a world leader in identification software (NDrive), which has a company that fixes and detects the flaws of the NASA's computer system (Critical) and has the best business incubator in the world (Pedro Nunes Institute of the University of Coimbra)I know a country that puts shoes in the feet of a hundred million people around the world and produces the second most expensive footwear in the world, right after the Italian. And a country where innovative bed sheets are made, with different odors and anti-germ properties, in which circa 30 million Americans sleep in.I know a country that is the "state of art" in the plastic moulds and the world leader of energy transformers technology (Efacec) and that revolutionized the concept of toilet paper (Renova).I know a country that has one of the best ATM systems in the world and that has developed an innovative system of paying for highway tolls (Via Verde).I know a country that revolutionized the distribution sector, which wins awards for the construction of shopping centres in other countries (Sonae Sierra) and that leads the hard-discount sector in Poland (Jeronimo Martins).I know a country that manufactures the swimsuit that sprayed records at the Olympics in Beijing, which wore ten of the equestrian teams that participated in these Games; a country which is the world's largest producer of the world's kayaks, which has one of the best football teams in the World, its best coach on the planet (José Mourinho) and one of its best players (Cristiano Ronaldo).I know a country that has a Nobel Prize in Literature (José Saramago), one of the most notable interpreters of Mozart (Maria João Pires) and several internationally recognized painters and sculptors (Paula Rego, Júlio Pomar, Maria Helena Vieira da Silva, João Cutileiro ).The reader does not recognize in this country , the one that he/she lives in. This country is Portugal. It has all that is written above, a wonderful sun, a stunning light, fabulous beaches, great gastronomy. Welcome to this country you don't know: PORTUGAL." Text: Nicolau Santos Source: UP Magazine from TAP Image: António Francisco Calado by Pixabay; Bruno Madeira by Pixabay; Frank Nürnberger by Pixabay

Emigration is much more than a fad. Those who leave their homeland usually have a good reason to do so. It is true that routes abroad have become more comfortable today. If you move your life to another country, you have to pay attention to more things than you think. What does Emigration mean? For some people it's the dream of a lifetime that they want come true. Often the idea starts with the beginning of a restful life in a country with sun and the beach, and if possible still during working age.However, most of the changes abroad take place after retirement. It does not matter when, but how, as there is much to consider before the dream of a carefree life abroad can finally come true. Living abroad as a worker or a pensioner? Every year, more than 1.7 million Europeans move to live abroad. Which country should they choose? The question is whether the reason for emigration is a new job or simply the dolce vita of retirement.If you go to work abroad, you have to take into account different aspects then those who are in retirement. Depending on the country chosen for the new life, it may be necessary to apply for a visa or residence status. After all, it will not be a three weeks' holiday, but a move to another country. In Europe, the embassies of the respective countries usually have information on their websites. Getting ready for your new home is essential It doesn't matter where you want to emigrate to; you need patience with the authorities and money. There are member states that require a minimum personal balance of five digits in order to have financial security. Health and social security systems vary greatly outside the European Union. If you travel within the Schengen area, all you need is your country's social security insurance. International health insurance can be an asset. There are a number of private insurers that advise emigrants and expatriates on this issue. Get tips on fiscal responsibility before moving Inform yourself about the payment of taxes, because even if you live in another country you can be taxed in your country of origin. Those who remain registered in certain EU countries will also pay tax on all their income there; even if the money was earned abroad. For example, if you register as a resident in Portugal, only money earned here will be taxed by the Portuguese Tax Authority, namely property income. Which are the most popular countries for emigrants? The Expats Insider Report 2019 puts Taiwan in first place, choosing the security of the country as an important criterion for this result. Vietnam and Portugal are in second and third place. Here are the top ten according to Insider Report 2019: Taiwan Vietnam Portugal Mexico Spain Singapore Bahrain Ecuador Malaysia Czech Republic Emigration to a low cost life The most popular countries for retirees to move to are countries with low living costs and good medical care, as well as virtual and human social network. Among them: Portugal Spain Mexico Greece Slovenia Dominican Republic Poland Hungary Austria However, there are very important points to be taken into account. Guide yourself through this checklist: How much money do you have? Valid identity documents Clarification of the situation regarding the issuing of a visa and/or residence permit Obtain other necessary documents (birth certificate, etc.) Confirm foreign health insurance Whether the country of origin has a social security agreement with the country of destination Cancel unnecessary telephone and insurance contracts on time Educate yourself about fiscal responsibility Basic language course of the destination country or enough English Learn more about the health system Know more about the school system if applicable Getting advice on emigration from a state-approved body When it comes to moving abroad, minimize. The abundance of personal property becomes expensive. Get offers from different specialized removal companies to the destination country. You can turn to groups of expatriates of your nationality on social networks to give you some tips. The most important thing is to keep in touch with your country of origin, because sometimes dreams are just that and the reality in a foreign country as well as your experiences can make you want to return to your origins. You may also want to go back for your grandchildren or for a relative who needs your help, you never know...   Text: Paulo Lopes Picture: jacqueline macou by Pixabay 

The German residential real estate market has apparently already more than recovered from the Coronavirus’ shock. Several reasons ensure that a new record level is partly reached. Only the sellers are still hesitant. For example, the nationwide real estate agent Homeday speaks of a "clear, positive trend": In the past two weeks, there have been an average of 20 percent more viewing requests and even up to 38 percent more purchase requests than before the outbreak of the pandemic in Germany. "Demand for residential property greater than before the crisis" The relevant Google searches around the purchase of real estate have also reached a new record level in view of the past 12 months. The slump in demand as a result of the Coronavirus’ crisis has "long since been overcome". "For about three weeks now, we have seen that interest in buying is back and that demand for residential properties is even greater today than it was before the crisis," explains Homeday Managing Director Steffen Wicker. Germans are looking for security and bargains The experts cite three reasons for the positive development. On the one hand, private investors would increasingly rely on real estate in times of crisis. In April, 44 per cent of investors interested in real estate said they wanted to invest in a property because it promised more security than equities, in a consumer survey conducted by market research firm YouGov on behalf of Homeday. Another reason could be the hope of prospective buyers for a crisis-related "bargain" in the real estate market, the experts say. According to the study, 39 percent of prospective buyers expect property prices to come under pressure as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, 37 percent expect a better interest rate on their real estate loans in the wake of the crisis. Sellers of real estate still sceptical "But neither we nor other real estate experts are seeing a real fall in the price of real estate right now. From our point of view, this is not necessarily to be expected," says Wicker. "Everything stands and falls as the pandemic progresses. With a somewhat gloomy course still, we expect it to be stable so to only slightly lower prices for residential real estate in Germany." In addition to the high demand, price stability is currently being helped by a reduced number of residential properties that are coming onto the market for purchase compared to the previous year. Although this trend is now positive again, the number of advertisements newly published per calendar week in Germany is currently still around 20 percent below the previous year's level. Note: The basis for the calculation is the evaluation of all published purchase offers of private residential properties in Germany from more than 350 sources, including all major real estate portals.   Text: Paulo Lopes Picture:  FelixMittermeier by Pixabay 

In most western countries, including Portugal, residential Real Estate contributes substantially to the economic activity: in our country the volume of residential transactions reached around EUR 25,000 million in 2019, corresponding to 11.80% of the GDP for the same year (EUR 212,300 million).  It is also an important source of tax of significant amounts, normally, of secure and immediate collection. Note that in 2018 alone the Council Tax (IMI) was approximately one billion Euros, and the Transmission Tax (IMT) approximately one thousand seven hundred million Euros. This means a tax revenue in the property market of circa4% of the total tax revenue in Portugal.  We all know, though, that residential Real Estate is volatile, as history and other overcome crises in Portugal may teach us. The most important fact during this is that fluctuations in prices and residential investment have a direct impact on the macroeconomic environment of our country and on the solvency of families and financial institutions. In the West, the vulnerability of the housing market is an amplifying element of the economic contraction, sometimes this vulnerability was the fuse that gave rise to these movements.  On the other hand, a solid, stable, and balanced residential real estate market protects the economy from uncertainty and keeps the economy secure and firm. In the case of Portugal, this has been the case in recent years and has created the country's recent economic recovery.   The aspects mentioned above, and often published, about how important the real estate market is for the sustainability and economic security of the country, are oddly often ignored by us, forgotten, or undervalued by governments everywhere. "The residential real estate market and its good functioning is essential for the health of economies and for their resilience in the medium and long term".  Democratic governments have many tools to make the housing market work, supported and encouraged. One example should be that practiced in Germany: the individual who lets his/her or her house does not pay taxes on rental income, as he/she is providing housing space for society and others who may not have that possibility otherwise. At the same time, the owner of this property is preparing his or her well-being in the retirement phase by adding to his/her income based on the rents of their homes. If this model was followed in Portugal, it would create social housing space with adequate rents that is so needed by Portuguese society.  Text: Paulo Lopes  Picture: Raten-Kauf by Pixabay 

According to our website and studies already published by several Real Estate portals, during the last few weeks, THERE WILL BE A CHANGE IN THE PARADIGM OF THE SEARCH FOR REAL ESTATE FOR THE FAMILY. The current crisis will certainly profoundly and sustainably alter the real estate projects of the Portuguese, with new purchase criteria taking into account the difficulties experienced during this period of confinement.  After 2 months of confinement, some families are starting to walk in circles in apartments that are very small. With the inability to get outside, the lack of outdoor space is weighing heavily, especially with the arrival of spring.   The coronavirus outbreak has also changed our perspective of what we want for our family. This period has opened our eyes to the need to live better, in more space, even if we have to change careers and location to have a better quality of life and safety for ourselves and our own.    Some of the priority criteria that we think have changed are the following;   a) Outer space has become one of the most important criteria. One third of those who are now looking for accommodation want it to be quiet and close to nature. For 17%, the proximity of the dwelling to the workplace has become less important in their purchasing criteria. Perhaps this is a consequence of the increase in teleworking, to which many employees are getting used;   b) Indoor space is of greater importance when it comes to having space to work at home, and being able to breathe outdoors and exercise.   In cramped apartments in the city, the Portuguese have a desire for a country house. Although a mass exodus from cities is unlikely in the short term, outdoor dreams are driving internet users to search for homes.   Can we anticipate a massive departure from cities to the countryside after this experience? Perhaps not. For some, containment was the trigger to buy the house they had long dreamed of. For others, the containment phase may soon be forgotten and they will decide to stay put.    However, there will be a large percentage of people who will wait to see if prices go down before taking a stand.     Text: Paulo Lopes Picture: Nicole De Khors by Burst

Are you thinking of buying a property or maybe you own one and would like to sell it? Want to know how much this property is worth? No problem, it's quick and easy from home - at least more and more property valuation apps promise that.   The App Stores are full of digital helpers. Some of them are completely free, while others demand money for a valuation. But how effective are them? Can we really trust the result or just get confused?   Just add some photos and - BAM - your property's value shows ups!   However, in order to use such applications, it is usually necessary for users to provide various private data, such as name, email or telephone number, property registration and other data that we usually only provide to those we know. Afterwards, a photo of the property is uploaded and the value is displayed. However, the photos are not really decisive. They are only used for artificial intelligence to determine whether the object is an apartment or a house.   On the other hand, other information, such as the transmitted GPS data, comes to the surface, because, above all, it is the location that determines the value of a property, you are giving your postal address again to those you do not know. Manually, data such as dimension of the property, year of construction or number of rooms must be specified.   Do these applications provide serious information?   I believe that property valuation apps have to be looked at with caution. Since the valuations are based on some criteria and important parameters are missing here, which may lead to questionable results. The applications cannot therefore be used for a serious valuation, they can satisfy the spontaneous curiosity of anyone interested in a valuation of their property. But obviously this is not the purpose of digital helpers, they should give an indication..   So to get an approximate overview, applications for the valuation of a property are generally good, but they will not replace a detailed valuation made by a professional on site. Because experience and therefore a professional consultant usually should be the choice. Meta data alone will not enlighten us about the value of a property, because the consultant's experience to analyse the characteristics of the property, such as location, neighbourhood, conditions of the property, investments to be made, etc., are the database of the experience of the professional real estate agent and his team.    Text: Paulo Lopes  Picture: Gerd Altmann by Pixabay 

The German real estate market has been showing a cohesive structure throughout the Coronavirus crisis. The sale and rental prices of the houses have so far remained fairly stable during this period.  How does the Coronavirus crisis affect sale and rental prices for German homes?  So far,data on this matter has been available mainly about the period before the impact of the coronavirus crisis and the economic blockage associated with containment policies had not yet had its full effect, i.e. from the first quarter of 2020 or March. These data showed only a small impact of the crisis on market development.   This is also the trend shown in the April data that is now available, about the sale and rental prices of houses. April is the first month in which the crisis has been constantly present. This seems to confirm what experts have been predicting for some time: housing markets are much less frantic in their response to external shocks, such as the closing of the stock market, for example. On the contrary, the effects will be felt with some delay and also - as we can see at the moment - in a less severe way.   According to the Europace real estate financing platform, which holds around 15% of the real estate financing for private clients in Germany, the price increase for apartments as well as for existing houses and new construction slowed down in April. However, as in previous months, prices continued to rise, both in comparison with the same period last year.    Text: Translation of the online magazine article Manager Magazin; "So robust geht der Immobilien-Markt durch die Corona-Krise"  Sources: https://www.manager-magazin.de/finanzen/immobilien/so-robust-geht-der-immobilienmarkt-durch-die-corona-krise-a-1306942.html   

Think, choose and invest Buying a house is one of the most important decisions in citizen's life. The acquisition of a property may be for your own use or may be seen as a good investment. As far as profitability is concerned in the residential segment in prime areas, it can vary between 4% and 5%. The saying "New year, new life" already puts it out there; one way to take this expression to the word may be by investing in a new home, but in the current situation we may revisit the saying, changing it to:" Covid-19, new life". There are, however, some factors that must be taken into consideration when moving on to buy a house, so as to be able to save a few more euros and not run the risk of running into debt. On the other hand, the purchase of a house can also be a good source of income. Learn how to analyse all the aspects necessary to make the best choice for you. I advise you to: Think about the purchase price If you have a very low purchase budget, search for information and only then choose. One of the ways to find houses at lower prices is in the auctions carried out by the tax authorities, in properties taken by insolvency or bank repossessions. If you choose to buy more than one, be aware that there are advantageous financing conditions, which in some cases can be up to 100% finance. However, these properties may be in need of work or have other conditions that require further analysis. Above all, please inform yourself before buying. If your decision is to buy a house you can start saving in advance to get a good down payment. This will make it easier for you to obtain financing and thus pay back the loan in less time. With this measure you will also be able to pay lower installments, as well as save on interest. Don't take a bigger bite than you can chew Before moving on to buying a house, review your monthly budget and make an account of your monthly expenses, so that you know how much you can spare for the loan. Only buy the house if it is possible, to avoid unnecessary problems in the future. Apply the same scenario applies when choosing a house as you do when doing a relation of your monthly expenses. Do not buy a house that you cannot afford or that is too big for your needs. Opt for a space that is suitable for your household and that will not break your bank in the future. When choosing a house After putting all your ducks in a row and realizing that it is feasible to purchase a house, it is time to choose the house. Choose Casaibéria Mediação Imobiliária, which can help you find the property you want and also help you compare the conditions of bank financing, which may prove to be more advantageous for you. The location of the property may be beneficial when looking to save and invest in the purchase of a house, so I advise to look for areas where supply is lower than demand, i.e. where prices during the crisis have not dropped more than 10%. Considering that the purchase is made from an investment perspective, the yields (profit margins) which, as a rule, "are associated with small amounts, which are never less than 200 thousand euros", making it "difficult to find investments in direct real estate below this value", When comparing the weight of profit and savings, it is necessary to "try to understand, for example, what rent will generate an apartment of 100 thousand euros. If you get an annual rent of one thousand euros you are making a bad investment, because there are alternative investments that give you more income", however, "if you get a 10% return you are making a great investment, because the return doubles". This is because "the typical return on residential investment is between 4% and 5% in prime zones. If you get a return above that, you're clearly doing a good deal." Another analysis you should do is "to understand whether you are buying, in terms of square meters, below or above the price of the area. If it's above this is a bad deal, unless that apartment has some distinguishing feature, like a garden". As mentioned above, the real estate agent can help in an investment more suited to your financial and profitability interests. One of the cases is Insolvency, where you can buy and invest in a type of property or properties at a lower cost than the market values, because after this Covid-19 Crisis, there may be more offer of properties from insolvency, providing an ideal time to invest. Understand when to make a good investment The purchase by bidding will have a higher return than the Bank, where the real estate at auction, coming from insolvency and seizures, can and are already being purchased on the spot. Regardless of Covid-19, this business continues to attract many Portuguese and, when assets of great value appear, it also attracts foreigners and investment funds. The objectives are various, from purchase for second homes, rehabilitation for sale or rent and tourism. The return of investment to the sector will inflate prices. The identities confirm that the Portuguese are "applying their savings in real estate assets" and "seeking public auctions to make these investments", in an attempt to obtain higher returns compared to what the banks offer today. In other words, "It's a balancing process. The banks take fewer deposits, but recover credits". The Order of Solicitors and Enforcement Agents (OSAE), leads the number of investors to "believe that the market has gone from the normal speculator to the investor, people with a rapid capacity for debt or own funds". There has been "magnificent growth, above all expectations". According to LeiloSoc, it put 1200 properties on the market last year, with a total value of around 20 million euros. The greatest share (85%) was bought by Portuguese. Currently, the portfolios no longer have toxic assets, however 60% relate to insolvency of families and 40% to companies, where the trend is to reverse. A few weeks ago, LeiloSoc promoted an auction, which assets increased by 30%. "People are willing to buy". Sales to foreigners continue to exist, but "these are sales of premium real estate, where a group of investors is invited to analyze the assets that are usually buildings with tourist or commercial development, which are in insolvency process". In the previous year there were 56,573 bids, resulting in sales of 482 million euros. For Luís Lima, president of the real estate association APEMIP, "the auctions are a phenomenon of the time of crisis". He considers that "the profile of the buyer has changed, it is someone who is looking for a good deal". There's a health crisis at the moment, but it's not all bad news. In fact, the number of individual insolvencies has fallen and the number of companies has increased, so there may be the possibility of good investments in the future.   Text: José Costa    Sources:    Portail Citius ;     APEMIP ;       OSAE - Order of Solicitors and Execution Officers ;       APLARTE - Portuguese Association of Auctioneers ;   Picture: mastersenaiper by Pixabay 

The near non-existence of real estate transactions at the moment makes it difficult to forecast the evolution of real estate prices, but professionals are already noticing some strong indicators and trends of recovery. This, if the need for containment does not continue.   There is one point on which everyone agrees, the year 2020 will no longer be a record year as was predicted in the first two months. After two consecutive record years, 2020 will see a sharp drop in the number of transactions. Spring is one of the most important seasons of the year: 15 to 25% of annual sales usually occur between mid-March and late April.    After May 18, there may be a catch-up effect, but this delay cannot be absorbed. Completion of open sales will take several weeks and the summer may be quieter than usual, according to forecasts from notaries and lawyers. It will then be necessary to know what can be achieved and assess the real extent of the economic crisis, which will follow the health crisis.    In any case, even the most optimistic observers do not expect a full reboot, but we are convinced that by the end of 2020 the Real Estate market will return to figures similar to those of the end of 2019.   In a survey of real estate brokers operating in Portugal, the Portuguese Association of Real Estate Professionals and Companies (APEMIP) assessed the impact that COVID-19 had on this sector during the month of April.   The results of this survey are indicative of the reality that real estate brokers have gone through in the last month. 50% of the companies surveyed totally suspended their activity and in 45.8% this suspension was partial.   95.3% indicated a drop in turnover in April and a drop in demand of circa 92.5%. In addition, 62.7% of the companies revealed that the percentage of withdrawals by customers from ongoing transactions was 19.8%, even giving up on the purchase after signing the Promissory Contract of Sale and Purchase. "These figures show that activity was practically halted during the month of April. Soon official figures will be revealed that will confirm this reality: we were closed due to the national emergency lock-down plan, but we are aware and we are pleased with the effectiveness that the measures taken are having in slowing down the curve of the spread of the epidemic " says the President of APEMIP, Luís Lima, who is pleased with the reopening of the real estate mediation companies in this first phase of deconfinement.   We, Casaiberia, were open via teleworking and telephone during this period, so we only had a fall in demand of 34.6% and we believe in a market recovery by the end of 2020, at the same level as in the last quarter of 2019.     Text by: Paulo Lopes  Picture: Jörg Hertle by Pixabay 

When we travel the country from North to South and if we have the opportunity at each point to contact  with a local, we certainly will not leave that part of the country without getting to know about a charming story, a superb delicacy, an unforgettable landscape or a regional music. It is certain and known that everything seems to have already been said about our country, the famous "corner planted by the sea", full of sun, good people and friendly traditions. Owner of an unparalleled historical and cultural heritage, this country gathers the most beautiful mountains and the vastest plains, a unique coast and a very rich gastronomy. To know this nation is a unique privilege which once experienced will not be forgotten.  It is with pride and vanity that we listen to the reasons why our clients, coming from all corners of the world, intend to live here, be one of us, learn the language and get to know Fado. I fondly remember an experience that involved two French clients / friends who, after buying their beautiful villa - which they decided to call "A Casa" (portuguese for The House) - asked me for help in a route to get to know the Alentejo. In a journey all done on two wheels, the photos taken in each stop were sent to me as well as the description of the smells they felt, the taste of the traditional  dishes, the unmistakable wine and the Cante (folk lament) they heard in village taverns. This is an example of the soul that Portugal imprints on people... Those who visit it surrender to it, those who live there envy every compliment. This is also our role as real estate agents. To know how to welcome and guide those who come to us, full of dreams and eagerness to meet a new people. After this period that we are currently living, this sharing of ours will be even richer and more responsible. All over the world we hear news about Portugal and the way we have reacted to the pandemic and we will continue to do so, so that in the future, the new Portuguese legend will be the heroic way of how we have known to fight all fears. Portugal is waiting for you and its charms too!   Text: Lurdes Duarte Picture: Martine Auvray by Pixabay