Every buy-to-let investor looking for property overseas has to work out first what market they are aiming to serve. Some will look for property geared up to short family holidays, others to houses that will function well as residences for longer parts of the year. Nearby facilities will play a part too, with differing leisure, work, transport and other considerations needing to be taken into account.

In the case of Portugal, there is a similarity in many regards to Spain, both because of the shared Iberian locality with sunshine and sea, but also through the popularity with holidaymakers and the growing golf tourism market.