You see a property for €300,000 or €500,000 or €1 million. But is that how much it actually costs? Not quite. By the time the keys are in your hand, you’ll have paid a stack of taxes and fees on top of that headline price — and for some buyers those extras add more than €30,000 to the bill on a €300,000 property. The good news is that almost all of them are predictable, so you can budget for them …
Dreaming of owning a little slice of Portugal — maybe a sunny apartment overlooking the Algarve coast, a stone cottage in the Alentejo, or a city apartment in Lisbon? The good news is that getting a mortgage in Portugal is absolutely possible for foreigners. The process is more straightforward than you might think — as long as you understand how Portuguese banks work, what paperwork you’ll need, and what kind of deposit to expect. Since 2016, Portugalist has helped countless …
When you move to Portugal, sorting out your water supply is key, along with sorting out other utilities like electricity and gas and arranging home internet. In Portugal, water services are managed by local municipalities. This means you don’t get much choice with your provider; it depends on where you live. Each area has its own supplier, and information about your specific provider is available through your local municipality. For example, Aguas de Lisboa e Vale do Tejo looks after …
A major step in the Portuguese property buying process is putting down a deposit and signing the promissory contract. You’ve already made an offer, but the promissory contract confirms you want to go ahead with the sale. Although putting down a deposit is a normal part of the buying process in many countries, in Portugal this is a much bigger step as the promissory contract (Contrato de Promessa de Compra e Venda or just CPCV) makes it difficult for either …
If you’re planning a move to Portugal one thing you might be wondering is, “Will my mobile phone (or cell phone) work over there?” Your phone is such an important part of daily life nowadays. Whether it’s keeping in touch with family and friends, getting directions with maps, or quickly looking something up – your phone is likely always by your side. So of course you’ll want to be able to take it along during this big move. The good …
The last big step in the house buying process in Portugal is the signing of the Deed of Purchase and Sale or Escritura de Compra e Venda (commonly referred to as the escritura). This is the point where you hand over the final cheque or payment and in return, the sellers hand over the keys to the property. Although there will be a few small things to do afterwards, this is the last big hurdle in the buying process and …
Buying Property in Portugal · 2026 How to buy property in Portugal, step by step A practical 14-step walkthrough for first-time foreign buyers. From your first market research to keys in the door — what to do, in what order, and where to be careful. By James Cave, founder of Portugalist· Read this first Buying property in Portugal works differently to home If you’re coming from the UK, US, Canada or most of Northern Europe, the Portuguese buying process will …
If you’re familiar with Zillow or Realtor.com in the US—or Rightmove and Zoopla in the UK—your instinct is probably to look for “the one big website” that lists every property for sale. In Portugal, that doesn’t exist. There is no MLS system, and that means two things: Think of Portugal as a patchwork: different agents upload to different portals, some post only on their agency website, and a surprising number of rural owners still list only on classifieds. Below is …
Are you thinking about purchasing a property in Portugal but are confused about how much you’re able to borrow? Buying a property in Portugal can be confusing, but don’t worry: Portugalist is here to help. Use our mortgage calculator below to estimate: *This part of the process requires more information. A mortgage broker will get in touch to discuss your income and expenses in order to calculate how much you’re able to borrow. Why We Created This Calculator There are …
Brexit has left many people scratching their heads, especially those who dreamed of spending more time in Europe. It’s natural to have questions about how this change might affect your plans, particularly when it comes to buying property abroad. If you’ve been eyeing a lovely villa in the Algarve or an apartment in Lisbon, you might be wondering if it’s still possible to make that dream a reality. Well, we’ve got some good news for you! The Good News: You …