In a press release, Imovirtual reveals that it analysed “the behaviour of users in this category during the last twelve months, showing that the number of new users increased by 45.4% compared to the same period of the previous year, while the number of active users grew by 24% and the volume of sessions registered a 27.4% increase.”

In addition to a clear increase in demand, the data reveal a “significant change” in how tenants search for and contact advertisers. Currently, “47.8% of visits result in direct contact, when a year ago that percentage was 34.3%.” In other words, one in two visits ends with contact with the advertiser, which reveals a “much greater intention to rent than that recorded in 2025.”

The need for quick decision-making becomes even more evident when analysing the method of contact. Imovirtual reveals that "80% of users choose to call directly or view the advertiser's number, favouring immediate contact instead of more time-consuming interactions."

Sylvia Bozzo, Marketing Manager at Imovirtual, reveals that "those looking for a room today exhibit very different behaviour from those looking for a house. They are users who enter the platform with greater urgency, compare fewer options, and tend to contact the advertiser quickly. The data shows that we are facing a very immediate housing need, where the speed of response can be crucial to securing a solution."

Geographic search

In geographic terms, Lisbon "concentrates more than half of the national demand for rooms (51.6%), followed by Porto (18.9%). Among the other centres, Albufeira (4%), Ponta Delgada (3%), and Coimbra (2.5%) stand out, demonstrating that demand remains heavily concentrated in the main urban, university, and tourist centres."

The engagement of users searching for rooms online is also relevant, with the demand for rooms registering “an engagement rate between 94% and 98%”, demonstrating that those looking for rooms “consult photographs, carefully read descriptions and explore different ads before making a decision.”

Superior effectiveness

Data from Imovirtual also shows that “the search for rooms has a higher effectiveness than the search for houses.” In other words, the probability of a visit ending in a relevant contact is “5% higher”, which shows that those interested in renting a room have “a particularly high contact intention.”