Portugal’s Housing Puzzle — 700,000 Vacant Homes vs. 240,000 in Need
I came across this video today: Portugal’s Housing Crisis – Explained (https://youtu.be/y2DX7wRirRk?si=9yqrI_h_WI3phu1Z) and one number really jumped out: 👉 700,000 vacant homes across Portugal. That’s in contrast to an estimated 240,000 homes needed to meet current demand. Yet, construction capacity is limited to just 24,000 new units per year. This raises a few questions I’d love to explore with the community: • What portion of those 700,000 homes are realistically renovatable? • Are renovation and new construction driven by different companies or incentives? • What would make renovation financially attractive — for owners, investors, and municipalities? • Could policy or tax shifts unlock more of this idle housing stock? If we’re serious about solving the housing gap, it seems renovation must play a central role. I’d love to hear from others working in real estate, construction, or policy — what’s working, what’s stuck, and what could shift? Let’s unpack this together. https://youtu.be/y2DX7wRirRk?si=9yqrI_h_WI3phu1Z