A public guarantee program supports housing loans for young buyers up to age 35, covering up to 15% of the property value and backing the loan with the state as guarantor; contracts signed through the end of 2026 are eligible.

Approximately 70,000 young people have benefited from IMT and Stamp Tax exemptions on primary residence purchases, according to the minister.

Borrowers can secure 100% of the property's appraised value (instead of the typical 90%), expanding credit access for first-time buyers.

The official currency reference used for exchange rates is 1 US dollar equal to 0.8559 euros.

Banks may request additional top-ups based on size and loan portfolio; this is the third top-up after an initial 1.2 billion euros, bringing the total to about 1.826 billion euros.

The reinforced allocations indicate initial funds have largely been drawn down as the program enters its second year.

Including prior allocations, Caixa Geral de Depósitos leads with roughly 507 million euros in guaranteed credit capacity, followed by Banco BPI at about 349.5 million euros, Santander around 259.3 million euros, and Banco CTT about 35.5 million euros.

A September 2025 increase added 350 million euros, bringing total available guarantees to 1.55 billion euros, with a follow-up reinforcement announced.

The new reinforcement follows earlier requests after the September 2025 decision that raised the state’s personal guarantee by 350 million euros, totaling 1.55 billion euros.

The program initially allocated 1.2 billion euros in public guarantees; more than half had been used, prompting a 350 million euro addition.

The housing program has contributed to rising house prices despite credit support and falling rates.

Portugal’s housing crisis stems from a chronic shortage of affordable homes and intensified demand from wealthier buyers abroad, driving price and rent increases in major cities like Lisbon.