Picture it…
You wake up every morning, brew a fresh pot of coffee, step out onto your terrace, and this is what you see…
Imagine this was your view every morning…
You’re looking out over one of the most stunning beaches in northern Portugal. It’s literally steps from your door.
And your home sits within the North Coast Protected Landscape, which features wooden boardwalks that snake between sand dunes toward the mouth of a river…offering stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean on one side and a charming Portuguese river town on the other.
Now, here’s where it gets truly astounding…
This home costs €250,000. With a 70% mortgage at 3% interest over 30 years (mortgages like these are available to non-resident foreign buyers in Portugal), that’s just €734 per month.
This protected landscape is a short stroll away from the home above.
As I write, two members of my Real Estate Trend Alert team—one of my scouts Ciaran Madden and our RETA videographer/photographer Alan Kennedy—have boots on the ground in northern Portugal.
They’ve been there for almost a week now…and every day, they’ve been reporting back to me with incredible opportunities like the home above.
I asked Ciaran and Alan to scout northern Portugal because this region is on the cusp of reaching a new whole level.
In northern Portugal, you’ll find all the same things that make this country so appealing to the millions of tourists who visit every year—incredible food, stunning soft-sand beaches, rich history and culture. Yet this region has long been overlooked by investors, expats, and second home owners in favor of regions to the south like Lisbon and the Algarve.
Now that’s changing…
The vast coastal area north of Portugal’s second city, Porto, is in the early stages of a massive transformation. But because we’re early in this trend, you can still find amazing bargains here.
This is an incredible opportunity…
My RETA group has been digging into opportunities in northern Portugal for some time…for years in fact. But even then, I’ve still been astounded at what Ciaran and Alan have uncovered on this latest scouting trip.
The full details are coming very soon in a comprehensive scouting report for RETA members. This will include images, maps, listings, video walkthroughs of homes, contact information for agents, an important update on new short-term rental rules in Portugal, and much more.
(Not a RETA member? You can sign up here.)
Today, though, here’s a sample of just some of the listings that Ciaran and Alan have been sharing with me over the past week…starting with that condo I mentioned above. (Note, we haven’t done any due diligence on these properties.)
A True Beachfront Home for $268,000
The condo above sits on a small strip of land on the southern bank of the Cavado River.
On the northern bank, you’ll find the charming city of Esposende. To the south is the small coastal town of Apulia, part of the parish of Apulia e Fao. The town is known for the historic windmills that sit on its beach, many of which have now been converted into quirky second homes or short-term rentals.
The condo overlooks Ofir beach, considered among the most beautiful in northern Portugal. The beach is popular with surfers and swimmers alike. It’s also known for an unusual natural phenomenon…rocks that emerge out of the sea at low tide and form shapes known locally as the “Horses of Fao.”
Though the one-bed condo is a dated community, the home itself has been updated and you’d have a front row seat to that beach and the crashing Atlantic surf. This modernized condo boasts an open-plan kitchen/living area with stunning views, as does the bedroom. You really can’t get much closer to the beach than this…all for €250,000 ($268,000).
This first-line one-bed condo offers incredible views of the coast and Ofir beach. See the full listing here.
A Three-Bed Sea-View Apartment for $203,800
Just across the river, Esposende was once a fishing town, but today this community of just 10,000 people seems to have attracted an affluent crowd. Expansive multi-million-dollar villas line the road into the city.
Not that you need to spend millions to own here.
Sitting on the north side of the mouth of the Cavado River, this charming coastal community has a palm-tree lined boulevard running alongside the river that leads to the town’s own wind-swept beach.
Just 200 meters from this beach, my team found a three-bed, one-bath, 1,450-square-foot condo for sale. It has a large, bright living/dining room, a separate kitchen, and two terraces. The building has a garage with direct access to the building. And you can be on the beach in just a couple of minutes. It’s on the market for only €190,000 ($203,800).
Just a short walk to the beach (in the image above, the blue dot in the middle is the condo), this three-bed home is for sale for just over $200,000. See the listing here.
Homes in a Beautiful Coastal City for under $222,000
Just 30 minutes farther north of Esposende is the coastal city of Viana do Castelo. Set at the point where the River Lima enters the Atlantic, it was once an industrial town known for shipbuilding and fishing. But Viana do Castelo has been gentrifying fast.
Stroll along the streets of Viana do Castelo and you’ll find a glistening recently developed riverfront…a lovingly restored white-washed Old Town…and a laidback pace of life. Moreover, the food scene here is incredible, mostly based around fresh seafood. And just to the north and south of the city, you’ll find glorious wind-swept Atlantic beaches.
Right next to one of the beaches, is this one-bed, ocean-view condo. You’re literally steps from the sand!
It has a living room, fully equipped kitchen, and it comes with a parking space. The building also has a large communal terrace offering views of the sea. This apartment is currently rented until the end of 2024, with the option to extend that rental lease…so you could be making money from this from the time you sign the sales contract. It’s listed at €175,000 ($187,600).
This could be your morning coffee view from the one-bed apartment in Viana. See the full listing here.
If you’re looking for something larger in Viana do Castelo, this three-bed, two-bath apartment is currently on the market. Again, this has an ocean view along with a bright and spacious living room, kitchen, a storage room, and a private terrace and two balconies. There’s also a garage included.
It’s located in the Areosa neighborhood, which is just under a 10-minute drive from Viana’s Old Town. The listing price is €207,000 ($221,900).
A short drive from Viana’s Old Town, this bright and spacious apartment also has sea views. See the listing here.
I’m excited by what Ciaran and Alan have been finding in Northern Portugal…and what you’ve seen here today is just the tip of the iceberg. As he makes his way along the coast, Ciaran has been gathering listings, contact details, and on-the-ground insights, and Alan has been hard at work taking photos and videos.
We’re going put all their findings into a comprehensive report…along with my insights and analysis on everything they uncover…exclusively for RETA members. If you’re a RETA member, stay tuned to your Alerts, this scouting report will in your inbox soon.
(If want to get your hands on this in-depth report but you’re not yet a RETA member, you can join here.)
Questions and Feedback
Have a question or comment? Maybe something for Ciaran and Alan while they have boots on the ground in northern Portugal? Share it here. Here’s one I got from an Overseas Dream Home reader…
George P. asks: I heard that there are some limitations on obtaining a mortgage in Portugal. For instance, is it true that you can only get a mortgage to the age of 75? Are there any other limitations that we should be aware of?
Ronan says: Hi George, thanks for the question. The rules can vary from bank to bank. But for non-resident foreign buyers, mortgages are often restricted to people who are 75 years of age or younger. And the maximum period of the loan is 360 months, or 30 years.
Other restrictions to be aware include the requirement to take our life insurance when you get a mortgage. As you get older, this gets more challenging and more expensive. And the maximum amount that you can borrow is 80% of the purchase price.
However, those restrictions aside, you’ll find that Portuguese banks are quite willing to work with non-resident foreign buyers. The mortgage terms are also very appealing. Right now the interest rate on a 30-year mortgage averages around 3% to 4%. And those rates are expected to fall as the European Central Bank has indicated it plans to cut rates at least once more this year.
