Portuguese mortgage and credit market trends

Recent data regarding the Portuguese mortgage and credit market highlights shifts in loan types and the significant role of intermediaries.

In August, mortgage data showed a discrepancy between acquisition credit, which averaged 238,933 euros, and transferred credit, which averaged 155,434 euros. This gap is attributed to acquisition credit reflecting current market prices while transferred credit involves previously amortized loans. During this period, acquisition credits rose to 54.6% of operations, while transfers decreased to 39.8%.

A study by the European Federation of Financial Consultants and Intermediaries (FECIF) found that credit intermediaries facilitate 57% of mortgage lending in Portugal, ranking the country fourth among ten analyzed European markets. In the unsecured consumer credit sector, intermediaries account for 22% of the market, also placing Portugal fourth. The report noted challenges such as fragmented creditor integration and a lack of direct access to public databases, though Portugal was recognized for progress in process digitalization.