The pace of rising interest rates is increasing due to Eurozone inflation hitting a new record of 5% in December according to the release of the latest data. Rising interest rates mean higher monthly payments for homeowners with a mortgage. As rates are still relatively low it could make sense to refinance your current mortgage. There can be various reasons to refi:

- Lower interest rates mean lower monthly repayments

- Capitalising on the current low rates by choosing a long dated fixed mortgage period which offers financial certainty, stability and peace of mind

- Choosing a different type of mortgage and/or extending/shortening the repayment period

Who...

It is that time of the year again when we reflect on the past year and provide an outlook for the property market in the year ahead, 2022. Its been a remarkable time which has seen property prices rise again. We are now almost two years into the pandemic with a new wave, the 4^th taking place with an alarming increase of Covid-19 infections in various Northern European countries. A new corona variant called Omicron in South Africa is reason for caution as it spreads faster and is potentially more dangerous. Lockdowns are again looking to be part of the solution to stop the spreading of the virus which potentially can slow down the economic recovery. However, the property market in Portugal never looked...

Pandemic or not, the Algarve is still one of the most popular holiday destinations in the World. You do not have to be rich to have a wonderful time here, there is something for all lifestyles. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic travel can be uncertain and often involves additional testing adding to cost. When you are on holiday with children it can be tricky if you have to stick to a budget. You will be buying them souvenirs, going out for dinner and from time to time taking them to a theme park. It is all part and parcel of a family holiday. Here are some tips to save money whether you are on a budget or not. The best tip which can literally save you hundreds of Euros before going on holiday, we have saved for last.

Every year in December we reflect on the past year and provide an outlook for the property market in the year ahead, 2021. It has been a year like no other, one that will stay on our minds forever. The by long-term historical standards relatively mild Covid-19 pandemic has led to many lost lives and enormous economic damage causing great uncertainty for people and businesses alike and is still ongoing. Contrary to our expectations the market held up remarkably well. We have seen some sharp reductions in asking prices of resale properties, but the majority of vendors left prices unchanged. There has been many cross currents this year. Some areas like Quinta do Lago and Vale do Lobo have seen an increase in transaction...

With the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus and subsequent economic fallout we are revising our already cautious annual outlook for resale property in the Algarve for 2020. With the lockdown of many countries around the world the global economy is expected to go into recession. For Europe a severe recession seems unavoidable. The lockdown of countries, the closing of schools and most businesses, the self-containment measures to stop the virus from spreading have brought normal day-to-day life to a standstill. As a result we expect a sharp drop in transaction volume of existing home sales and significant downside to property prices.

The...

Every year in December we reflect on the past year and provide an outlook for the property market in the year ahead, 2020. The past 12 months continued to see healthy demand for real estate for both permanent living and investment purposes albeit at a slower pace versus the year before. Less supply of existing properties in combination with relatively high prices, sharp downward revisions of economic growth early in the year and uncertainty regarding trade wars and Brexit are the culprits. Despite this property prices continued their upward trajectory by increasing 3% year-on-year, which was in line with the lower end of our expectations. There are reasons to be cautiously optimistic for the upcoming year.