Portugal property still a big draw for foreigners despite 'golden visa' scandal

Lisbon

PORTUGAL'S property market continues to expand at double-digit rates, thanks to foreign buyers, including China's new wealthy, despite a corruption scandal over visas used to lure in rich non-Europeans.

More than one in five residences sold in Portugal last year was bought by a foreigner, according to provisional data by the Portuguese Real Estate Agents Association. Britons were in top place among the 23,000 buyers, followed by Chinese and French.