Vila Baleira champions renovating its traditional houses over new-build

The historic centre still has houses with Marseille-tile roofs and decorative finishes.

Heritage with market value

A renovated old house can fetch prices comparable to new-build.

The challenge of finding skilled labour

Restoring traditional finishes calls for trades that are becoming ever scarcer.

A boost that is also symbolic

Restoring these houses helps set Vila Baleira apart from other destinations.

A town centre that resisted decline

Unlike other historic centres in Madeira, Vila Baleira's old town did not suffer mass depopulation during the decades of heaviest emigration, which meant much of its original urban fabric survived. Several families have kept ownership of their houses across generations, though not always with the necessary upkeep. This is why a relatively large stock of old properties is available today for renovation. Local architects see this continuity as an advantage over other destinations where heritage was lost before it could be protected.

Buyers looking for character

Estate agents on the island are seeing a type of buyer, both domestic and foreign, willing to pay more for a house with original features than for a new-build home with no history. These buyers particularly value high ceilings, wooden floors and the facade details typical of the old town. Demand is concentrated mainly in the streets closest to the centre and the seafront. This interest has encouraged several owners to begin work they had been putting off for years.

Trades on the verge of disappearing

Restoring a Marseille-tile roof detail or an original piece of joinery calls for skills such as stonemasonry and traditional carpentry, with ever fewer professionals still active in Porto Santo. Several developers have had to bring in craftsmen from Madeira to complete specific jobs, which adds to costs and lengthens project timelines. Vocational schools in the region have begun considering specific training in restoring island heritage. Without a new generation of tradespeople, developers warn, this bottleneck could get worse in the coming years.

An identity against homogenisation

For local officials, restoring these houses is not just about aesthetics but a way of setting Vila Baleira apart from other tourist destinations in the region that have opted for a more standardised model. The council has expressed its intention to support these initiatives within its remit, though direct incentives remain limited. Residents of the old town welcome the trend, though they are asking that rising values not end up pricing out those who have lived there for generations. Striking a balance between conservation and accessibility remains, according to experts, the main challenge of this process.