Real estate careers in Madeira

The market in Madeira

Funchal prices rose 23.0% in a year to EUR 3,601 per sqm in Q1 2026, the strongest acceleration among Portugal's large municipalities (INE).

Madeira, an autonomous Atlantic region with its capital at Funchal, combines a year-round mild climate, strong tourism and a growing community of remote workers and retirees. INE put the regional median at EUR 2,863 per sqm in Q1 2026, and Funchal at EUR 3,601, up 23.0% in a year, the sharpest acceleration among Portugal's large municipalities. Asking prices are higher: idealista put the region at EUR 3,767 per sqm and Funchal at EUR 4,066 in September 2026, up 5.4% and 5.3% in a year. Sales volumes are falling, with regional transactions down 24.2% in Q1 2026 against a year earlier (INE). As an autonomous region, Madeira sets its own IMT bracket limits, so buyers should check the regional table rather than the mainland one.

Foreign buyers

Buyers with a tax address abroad made 10.0% of Madeira's home purchases in 2025 (329 of 3,303), down slightly from a peak of 10.7% in 2024, but they paid far more: an average of EUR 477,243 per home against EUR 272,968 for residents, according to INE data reported by DNoticias in April 2026. In Q1 2026, the foreign-domiciled median was EUR 3,295 per sqm against EUR 2,810 for domestic buyers (INE). On idealista search data for Q1 2026, British (17%), German (16%) and American (9%) users made up 42% of foreign demand for Madeira, and Funchal had the highest share of foreign home searches in Portugal at about 30%.

Main neighbourhoods

Funchal centre (Sé and Santa Maria Maior)São Martinho and the Lido hotel zone (Funchal)São Gonçalo and Monte (Funchal hills)Câmara de LobosCalhetaPonta do SolSanta Cruz (Caniço)MachicoSantana and the north coastPorto Santo

Agent licence

Real estate mediation can only be carried out in Portugal by a licensed mediation firm and under a contract (Law 15/2013, Article 3). Any provider established in Portugal, whether a company or an individual trading in their own name (empresário em nome individual), needs a licence from IMPIC, the licence number known as AMI. The law sets only two conditions: commercial good standing (idoneidade comercial) and civil liability insurance of at least EUR 150,000, or an equivalent financial guarantee. Good standing is lost, for example, after insolvency without a court-approved plan, or when a legal representative has a final prison sentence from the last five years for fraud, breach of trust, corruption or money laundering. When Law 15/2013 replaced the older regime it dropped the positive equity requirement and the proof of clean tax and social security status. IMPIC's fees are EUR 100 for the licence and EUR 265 for the annual regulation fee (prorated in the first year), and it must decide within 20 days, with tacit approval if it does not. Licences have no expiry date, but every January the holder must pay the annual fee and prove again that it meets the requirements (criminal record certificate for each legal representative, valid insurance and, for companies, the commercial registry code); for 2026 the payment deadline was 20 February 2026, and failing to pay or to prove the requirements leads to cancellation. Firms already licensed in another EEA country can register with IMPIC to set up in Portugal, or notify IMPIC within 60 days of a first occasional service. The full guide