Buyer's Market or Seller's Market? The Answer in 2026

Understanding whether the market favors buyers or sellers is essential when deciding how to negotiate, how quickly to act, and what level of flexibility to expect during a transaction.

The Indicators Point Clearly in One Direction

Three key figures from 2025 provide a clear picture of the market environment.

The average discount between asking prices and final transaction prices fell to 6.9%, its lowest level since 2022.

The average time required to sell a property remained below five months, marking a historic low for the third consecutive year.

At the same time, transaction volumes reached a record 165,000 homes sold.

Taken together, these indicators suggest a market that continues to favor sellers.

Important Nuances

Not all properties perform equally.

Well-positioned properties that offer the right location, condition, and pricing tend to attract buyers quickly and often generate limited room for negotiation.

Properties with pricing issues, location challenges, or other weaknesses may remain on the market longer and offer greater negotiating opportunities.

In practice, two markets often coexist at the same time.

What This Means for Buyers

Buyers should be prepared to move efficiently when a high-quality property becomes available.

Expecting discounts of 15% or 20% on well-positioned assets is generally unrealistic in the current environment.

Negotiation opportunities still exist, particularly on properties that have remained on the market for extended periods, but successful negotiations are usually supported by objective factors rather than by market conditions alone.

Our Perspective

The Portuguese market in 2026 continues to display many characteristics of a seller's market.

However, disciplined buyers who focus on property quality, pricing consistency, and local market dynamics can still identify opportunities and negotiate effectively when supported by a clear analysis of the asset.