Real estate agents in Portugal: why use them to set up your business?

Every day, I see a large number of questions on the Facebook group “Amoureux du Portugal” and on the Facebook page “Vivre au Portugal”, about buying property in Portugal: research, formalities, paperwork, location… Buying property, whether in your native country or in another country, involves a lot of steps and can be scary. In a foreign country, it’s inevitably a little more complicated, because the procedures are different and you may have little or no command of the language. So it’s a good idea to enlist the help of a real estate agent in Portugal to help you avoid making any mistakes in your property purchase. It’s an important moment in your life, and often a major financial commitment .

How do you go about buying property in Portugal? Dominique, real estate advisor for Villa Feria, who will be profiled in this article, tells us more about the importance of being accompanied when buying property in Portugal.

Dominique, more than a real estate agent in Portugal: who is she?

Dominique was born in France of Portuguese parents, and holds dual French and Portuguese nationality. She stayed in France until her baccalaureate, and at the age of 19, from one day to the next, moved to Portugal to study in the famous university town of Coimbra. Dominique spoke Portuguese very well, as her parents had always made a point of teaching her Portuguese: through private lessons and practice at home.

Dominique, 18, in Paris

Dominique studied psychology/human resources in Coimbra for 5 years. At the end of her studies, Dominique, a city girl at heart, decided not to return to France but to settle in a bigger city, and opted for the dynamic Portuguese capital: Lisbon.

Dominique, during her studies in Coimbra

Dominique first settled in Estoril (25 min from Lisbon), then moved closer to Lisbon, to Almada on the margem sul (South Lisbon) and for the past 11 years she has been in Charneca da Caparica, still on the margem sul (South Lisbon).

Based near Lisbon, Dominique first worked in Human Resources, then spent 12 years in the marketing department of a French multinational. A job that enabled her to keep a linguistic link with France, the country of her childhood and adolescence.

At the end of 12 years in Lisbon, in the marketing department of this company, Dominique felt that she had done her homework and missed the human contact. For her, relationships are very important. She no longer felt fulfilled.

One morning, she saw a job advertisement that caught her eye: a position as a property hunter in Portugal for the Portuguese and French-speaking target groups at Villa Feria, a start-up company on a human scale, a far cry from the large multinational she had been working for until then.

With no previous real estate experience, this job spoke to Dominique: customer contact, personalized service, listening to customers… all this appealed to her. Although she was new to the real estate business, her enthusiasm, knowledge of Lisbon and the surrounding region, and her dual French-Portuguese nationality gave her a perfect cultural knowledge of both countries and a perfect command of both languages… won over Greg Henriques, the founder of Villa Feria. The job was for her! For 2 years now, Dominique has been helping French and Portuguese speakers settle into their new homes in Lisbon and southern Lisbon.

Dominique, today. Property hunter at Villa Feria

Why settle in “margem sul” (southern Lisbon)?

For Dominique, “margem sul” is the perfect compromise between city life and country living. You benefit from all the advantages of Lisbon: access to all the infrastructure, shops, cultural areas, airports, trains, 2h30-3h00 access to the main European capitals by plane, but also to the Algarve and Porto by car… But on top of all that, you enjoy the peaceful side of nature with the ocean, pine trees, birds, beaches, golf courses, beach restaurants… An ideal mix, don’t you think?

Located just a few kilometers from the capital, the cost of living in southern Lisbon will inevitably be a little higher than if you were to move to northern Portugal or the Alentejo, but it will still be reasonable. If you’d like more information on the cost of living in Portugal, I urge you to read one of my previous articles: Cost of living in Portugal: what budget do you need?

Lisbon South has been very popular in recent years, and even more so since covid-19, as this area, close to Lisbon, offers outdoor spaces that many people have not had during repeated confinements. So, Portuguese and foreigners alike are opting for this area to find their haven of peace.

The choice is wide in Lisbon South: there are apartments in gated residences with garden areas and swimming pools, as well as detached houses with gardens, golf courses, golden sandy beaches…

Margem Sul House

Why choose a property hunter rather than a real estate agent in Portugal?

Dominique stresses the importance of distinguishing between the professions of real estate agent and property hunter. The main differences are as follows:

Property hunter

• A property hunter works for the buyer, looking for the ideal property for the buyer.
• They have few clients, with personalized follow-up and support from A to Z.
• The property hunter is completely impartial when it comes to the properties on offer. He is not commissioned by any agency. They follow the buyer’s criteria and search all the agencies for properties that match their criteria.
• The property hunter will listen to you, discuss your criteria with you at length, tell you if your search is feasible in the city you’re looking for, and won’t waste time visiting properties that don’t match your needs.
• The property hunter will also help you with the formalities involved in buying and settling in: negotiating the price of the property, notarizing the deed, installing water and electricity… Steps that can prove complicated, especially if you don’t speak Portuguese.
• The property hunter, also considered a “coach”, is remunerated by sharing the commission with the agency that commissioned the property, so he or she doesn’t cost the buyer any extra.

Real estate agent

• A real estate agent works for the seller. He will try to sell the properties for which he has been mandated by his agency.
• You run the risk of visiting properties that don’t perfectly match your requirements, as these will be the agency’s properties.

Comparative table real estate agent vs. real estate hunter

Dominique’s 5 tips for a successful property purchase in Portugal

Tip 1

When it comes to choosing a region, it’s essential to take the time to discover the area you’re considering. For a successful move, you need to spend at least 1 whole week in the region/city you want to visit, and get lost in its streets. To be sure of your choice of location.

Tip 2

Don’t start buying without being ready. Ready to change country and culture, but also ready to buy: see what is done with the house/apartment in France (or other country you are in), see about your loan in France or Portugal: amounts, advantages… (for loans in Portugal, Villa Feria, thanks to its bank contacts, can assist the buyer) ..

Tip 3

Confide in your property hunter. The more transparently you share your needs and preferences with him/her, the more likely he/she will be able to find the right property for you.

Tip 4

Limit the number of visits. In general, visiting more than 5 properties creates confusion, doubt and fatigue. Take the time with your property hunter to select only those properties that are likely to really interest you.

Tip 5

Always make a second visit with your property hunter before going to the signing, so that you can make any last-minute checks.

Margem sul

In conclusion

Buying a property in Portugal is a fantastic project, but it’s much simpler to be accompanied by a real estate agent in Portugal or a property hunter, who will be more on the buyer’s side and will be able to guide you from A to Z. Are you ready to take the plunge and move to Portugal?

To help you further in your relocation project, here are a few additional articles that may be of interest to you in connection with today’s article:

Let’s move to Lisbon South!

Costa da Caparica: close to Lisbon and the ocean

Moving to the Lisbon region

Real estate in Portugal: 10 things to know before buying

Moving to Portugal: the 10 commandments

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