Properties In Portugal: With Renovations At Heart

Sheets drying in Bairro Alto, Lisbon, Portugal

Renovations in Bairro Alto, Lisbon. New windows to be installed in this top floor apartment.

The Art of Renovation: Bridging Tradition and Innovation in Portugal

What happens when a trained archaeologist partners with a former music critic? At Mojo, this unique fusion of minds ignited a decade-long collaboration in housing renovation across Portugal.

The Visionary Behind Mojo

Julia Fridman, an archaeologist turned real estate entrepreneur, founded Mojo in 2015. Nestled near Lisbon's Jardim da Estrela, Mojo’s office exudes warmth and the energy of a beehive. Business conversations flow seamlessly in English, Portuguese, Hebrew, French, and Russian—a reflection of Mojo’s eclectic team, united by a shared love for Portuguese culture.

Julia foresaw Portugal’s real estate revival following the economic downturn of 2008–2012. Government incentives such as the Golden Visa paved the way for foreign investment, helping revitalize urban historic centers and breathe new life into abandoned rural properties.

With keen business acumen and a deep appreciation for Portugal’s identity, Mojo has since transformed countless ruins and apartments in historic neighborhoods into functional, well-designed homes fit for the 21st century. Renovation has increasingly become Mojo’s hallmark, drawing investors and buyers eager for property scouting, followed by transactions and transformations.

Alex Martins supervising renovations in a house in Estremoz, Alentejo. Read blog here.

The Perfect Partnership

To bring these visions to life, Julia needed a collaborator—someone creative, reliable, and ego-free. A person capable of leading and expanding a network of skilled local workers across all areas of construction. Someone who could manage workflows and budgets while overseeing interior design with impeccable taste and respect for cultural heritage.

Enter the “Sphinx,” Alex. With a slender frame, dark, slightly disheveled hair reminiscent of Boston’s rock band The Cars, Alex sits poised amidst the office buzz, his posture almost monk-like. Once a journalist and art critic documenting Lisbon’s music scene, Alex now orchestrates all of Mojo’s construction projects with the same ability to juggle multiple sites and interdisciplinary teams.

From Concept to Completion

From Bairro Alto to Alfama, his soft-spoken manner mirrors his problem-solving skills. He keeps projects on track, focused on quality and efficiency. His decade-long experience serves as the backbone of these often-complex renovations. With unshakable calm, he holds teams and workflows together.

Bairro Alto, Lisbon, Portugal

Rua da Atalaia

In Lisbon’s Bairro Alto, Alex surveys a top-floor apartment undergoing renovation. The space has already been stripped to its bare essentials, and new windows are being installed. Pointing to the house’s previously crooked structure, he highlights the sturdy wooden beams now reinforcing what had once been a wobbly frame—bent over decades of shifting climates and the passage of time. With renewed durability, this century-old home is ready to stand for another hundred years, perfectly insulated and soon to be furnished with contemporary design.

Renovation & Identity

Alex talks about the choice of construction materials in Portugal, such as the frequent use of marble in simple houses like this one. Originating from Estremoz in Alentejo, marble is a common feature in many historic homes and apartments across Portugal. Unlike in other parts of the world, where marble signifies ostentation, here it is not a symbol of social status.

Similarly, Portugal has extensively used stone in its housing developments throughout the 20th century, whereas countries like the UK relied heavily on concrete—making it a hallmark of London’s controversial Brutalist architecture.

Rua da Atalaia, then and now. Archive picture dates from the early 20th century. Courtesy of Lisboa de Antigamente Blog.

Rua da Atalaia, then and now. Photograph of the same street angle in February 2025.

A Century Ago, on Rua da Atalaia

Rua da Atalaia was once a street where Varinas—women carrying large baskets of fish on their heads—did business while their children played freely. Yet so little has changed. The housing facades look much the same, and sheets still sway in the wind.

While the Varinas have disappeared, Lisbon’s exquisite fish cuisine has since attracted worldwide foodie connoisseurs, feeding a steady, year-round stream of visitors. Tourists come to explore the charm of these historic, narrow streets of Bairro Alto and Alfama, with their array of independent cultural venues.

Rua da Atalaia, circa 1900. Archive, courtesy of Lisboa de Antigamente Blog. Varinas were women working hard, awake at the crack of dawn, selling their fishes and other goods on the streets of Lisbon.

Renovation Is Teamwork

The art of renovation is a collaborative endeavor, much like playing music. Many skilled hands contribute to the intricate rebirth of a home. In just a few weeks, this particular top-floor apartment on Rua da Atalaia will be ready to welcome, nurture, and protect its new inhabitants.

These transformations significantly enhance quality of life—improving energy efficiency, air circulation, and increasing daylight through newly revealed sources of light. As such, renovation extends the lifespan of century-old homes, carrying them into the future.

Around Rua da Atalaia in Bairro Alto. Renovations in top floor appartment by Mojo Properties.

A Different Approach to Development

Renovation isn’t the same as new construction. It seeks to adapt urban landscapes and communal spaces to contemporary needs while staying true to a country’s millennia-old history and cultural identity.

In Lisbon, the so-called ‘White City,’ heritage homes increasingly share streets with new developments. But what stories would these “new kids on the block” tell without the enduring, restored witnesses of the past?

Preserving History Through Renovation

Perhaps, at its core, renovation is an archaeological duty—a way to transmit historical narratives to future generations.

Julia’s Perspective on Renovation

“Renovation contributes to and preserves the patrimony of ancient European cities and their elaborate narratives. It is an act of continuity rather than disruption. It’s also a pragmatic choice in real estate. Luxury developments cater to only a handful of investors, whereas renovations allow, for instance, young self-employed women from California, the UK, or the Netherlands to access property that doubles as both a living and working space.”

Renovation Preserves Urban Coherence

It honors cultural identity, memories passed down through generations, and even the lines of poets. While industrial wastelands on Lisbon’s outskirts—such as those in Beato-Marvila—are being transformed by bold architectural statements like the Renzo Piano-designed Prata Riverside Village, housing renovation in historic centers offers a more nuanced form of integration.

A private house on offer with approved renovations in Campolide, Lisbon. Read our blog here.

Prata Riverside Village by Renzo Piano. Read our blog on Beato-Marvila here.

Restored Quintas for Eco-Projects

On another architectural front, restoring abandoned industrial farms known as Quintas enables a generation of entrepreneurs to leave expensive urban conglomerates and settle in nature-rich areas. In Portugal, this social movement has been gaining momentum since the pandemic.

Eco-projects help revitalize rural areas. In spring and summer, they become hubs for surfers and nature lovers who flock to Portugal’s seashores. The country’s population nearly doubles along its expansive coastline during the summer months.

Renovation: The Art of Savant Equilibrium

Renovation demands a delicate balance. What should be preserved, and what must change? What elements need strengthening, and what can safely be replaced? How can a nation’s identity be honored while addressing modern needs and aspirations? At the heart of every renovation lies the challenge of achieving essential transformations within the agreed budget and timeline.

“Portugal is amazing for property with renovation options. There are so many historical buildings in ruins—not just in Lisbon and Porto, but also in and around country towns. What we can do with these places is impressive. We work with architects who specialize in restoring old buildings. Rediscovering the original characteristics within modern features is incredible.” — Merinda Sadio, Mojo, Head of Sales

According to the EU’s statistical office, Eurostat, construction output remained stable in the Eurozone and grew by 0.4% in the EU in December compared to the previous month. Portugal recorded the third-highest increase in the monthly comparison (3.6%), according to an estimate released last week.

Principe Real prepping for Springtime. February 2025. Invest in West Lisbon, read blog here.

Renovation in Portugal: A Pragmatic Approach

Portugal is known for its high homeownership rates, yet it faces a shortage of new developments. Renovation emerges as a practical solution at the intersection of these two realities.

In 2020, 70% of the European Union’s population lived in owner-occupied homes, while 30% rented. Portugal closely mirrors this trend, with 77.3% of its population owning their homes and 22.7% opting to rent.

The country’s shifting demographics—driven by an influx of foreign investors and new residents—have heightened the demand for adaptable housing. Portugal has responded swiftly, renovating and reimagining traditional family homes to meet these evolving needs.

The Transformative Power of Renovation

How can a traditional rez-de-chaussée be brightened into an efficient, airy home office for a solo digital nomad? How can blind rooms be transformed into open-plan kitchen and living spaces, fostering better internal flow? Or how can the walls of a traditional top-floor flat be reimagined to create a spacious loft with high ceilings and abundant natural light?

Each project tells a story of transformation—an interplay of history and innovation, practicality and vision. Julia’s instinct for spotting properties in smaller cities—ones others might consider ruins—has shaped Mojo’s sustainable business model and renovation expertise over the past decade.

Construction and Renovations Rise 6.1%

Licenses issued for new construction and residential building renovations grew by 6.1% year-on-year as of November 2024, while the number of homes in licensed new constructions increased by 3.4%. Cement consumption also rose by 2.8%. Sources: AICCOPN, TPN

Mapping a Country’s Habitat

Together, Julia and Alex travel extensively across Portugal, working hands-on to ensure that each project meets the high renovation standards they champion. Whether big or small, every project is carefully aligned with allocated budgets, timelines, and deadlines.

In the car, Alex is usually on the phone coordinating with workers, while Julia—on speakerphone—manages her business, all while commenting on global politics with BBC International News playing in the background.

Short-Term Home Design

Once parked, you’ll likely find the duo in massive warehouses, hand-picking interior design pieces—another key part of Alex’s role. For every property entering the short-term rental market, thoughtful design is crucial to creating a welcoming space that instantly feels like home. New Demographics

With its mild climate, dramatic sunsets, and progressive policies shaping new demographics across generations, Portugal has embraced various state programs: the Golden Visa, the D7 Visa, and the now-defunct D8 Visa for Digital Nomads.

These initiatives attract talent, particularly in green tech, fintech, and creative industries. A wave of Californian stars investing in and relocating to Greater Lisbon has also inspired film directors, actors, and screenwriters to consider Portugal as their new home.

Lisbon's peaceful way of life keeps attracting more and more foreigners. February 2025.

Renovation Pairs Tradition to Innovation

Looking far into the future, the principle of renovation invites deeper reflection.

Walk through Lisbon, and you’ll be struck by the enduring elegance of houses built over a century ago. A signature of Portuguese architecture, their high and often ornate ceilings, large windows, long corridors, and original stone oven frames in the kitchen have seamlessly transitioned into the 21st century.

In contrast, homes built in Lisbon during the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s often tell a different story. Today, many of their facades bear deep cracks, their verandas are vulnerable to mold, and their exteriors show wear—tired rolling shutters, lower ceilings, and smaller windows revealing the architectural constraints of their time. This is not a critique of past trends but a testament to the lasting value of well-crafted, sustainable design—an argument championed by Álvaro Siza Vieira, the renowned Portuguese architect behind Porto’s iconic Faculty of Architecture.

“Tradition is important when it contains moments of change, when it is not just outward form and when it also implies an idea of what goes on inside a building—of conflicts and a potential for innovation. Otherwise, tradition just means being stuck in a rut.”

Rua da Atalaia. The windows on the top floor appartment were completed.

Invest in elegant, sustainable, and green Lisbon. Browse property options here.

Mojo Real Estate Solutions is an international team of property experts based in Lisbon since 2015. Are your dreaming of renovating a property to meet today’s sustainability standards, working with an architect? Mojo scouts and handpicks properties across all budgets, guiding each investor through the whole purchase process.

Looking for a flat to rent, an eco-project, or a home designed just for you? Mojo renovates, designs, and manages properties for both short-term and long-term rental markets, aiming for optimal yields for investors. 2025 is set to be a game-changer for property investment in Portugal.

Text or call us with any questions:

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