Hi Nicholas,
We live in western Algarve at the moment, but are re locating to central Portugal.
Why not buy a ruin if you are able to restore it, will you do it yourself?
Portugal has its problems, like everywhere else, but we find it a great place to live, and the cost of living is cheaper than auk although not as cheap as it used to be.
The weather in the central region is cooler than Algarve of course, and more rain, but the summers are good, go for it!
Thank you
Albert