Is Zillow Used in Portugal?

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Written by / Last updated on June 4, 2024

For Americans buying a new home in Portugal, whether residential or for investment, you might first think of using Zillow, the leading property portal in the U.S. and Canada, familiar for its extensive listings and user-friendly interface. However, this Zillow isn’t used in Portugal. Instead, Portugal has its own websites which cover the local real estate market.

Unlike the US, Portugal doesn’t have an MLS system. In practice, this means that there isn’t one website or database that lists every property for sale.

BuyProperty.com covers a lot of the market, and offers a number of helpful features such as highlighting distressed properties and showing potential yields for rental properties.

Idealista.pt is the most popular property website in Portugal (with Idealista.com covering Spain and Idealista.it covering Italy). It is the most popular property website in Portugal but, as mentioned, it’s not the only one, and you will have to visit multiple sites or use an aggregate website such as BuyProperty.com to see all of the properties available.

Even then, many agents don’t list all the properties they have for sale.

Besides Idealista and BuyProperty, here are some other property websites to look at:

  • ImoVirtual: With a wide selection of properties from the urban centers of Lisbon and Porto to the holiday havens of Madeira and the Algarve, ImoVirtual is a go-to for both residential and commercial spaces.
  • Green-Acres: Ideal for those looking beyond the city, focusing on properties all over Portugal, including rural and coastal gems in the Algarve and Madeira.
  • Casa.Sapo.pt: As one of Portugal’s leading real estate portals, Casa.Sapo.pt provides a broad spectrum of properties, including luxury options in Cascais and traditional homes in Porto.
  • Custo Justo: Similar to OLX, Custo Justo offers a classifieds platform with a strong real estate category across Portugal.
  • Pure Portugal: Specializes in rural properties and land, perfect for those eyeing the tranquil lifestyle of Portugal’s countryside, yet it also features coastal properties in regions like the Algarve.
  • BeEverywhere: Provides direct listings from owners, including properties in the Algarve, offering a direct line to sellers for a more personal buying experience.

Americans venturing into the Portuguese property market for the first time may also want to consider working with a buyer’s agent. While the term isn’t protected, as it is in the US, the concept here essentially means having an agent who acts as your concierge and guides you through the Portuguese property market.

Given the number of potential pitfalls, this is worth considering.

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