Estate Agents in Portugal
In the south of Portugal there are so many British (and some German/Dutch) estate agents (mediador autorizado/ imobiliario), the choice is rather bewildering, and whilst there are some Portuguese agents too, the array of English-speaking agencies is decidedly overpowering. The showrooms are like those in the UK, and the range of services they offer tends to cover sales, purchase or rental of property, plus letting and management. Some of the more experienced agents can also offer guidance and contacts for the financial side of the process, plus conveyancing services. Fees to the agent are only paid by the vendor, at about 5% of asking price, plus IVA (VAT).
All legally-operating agents (whether foreign or Portuguese) in Portugal must be government registered, and have an official AMI (Associacao de Mediadores Imobiliarios) number displayed. Ask to see one.
The UK Portuguese Chamber of Commerce, in London , has a website with a list of licensed agents: www.imoppi.pt . On the right-hand menu click on 'mediacao imobiliaria' . On the left-hand menu click on 'empresas licenciadas'. Click on 'por regiao' and then you can click on the map of Portugal any areas of interest. The search will bring up companies in that area; click 'sim ' (yes) to see their details. The Chamber can supply details of the companies' telephone/fax/email, on request. Contact them either by telephone on 020-7494-1844, or by email at info@portuguese-chamber.org.uk.
In Portugal AFPOP, the Foreign Property Owners Association also has a list of AMI members, and in the UK, reputable agents should be members of the Federation of Overseas Property Developers, Agents and Consultants.
Portuguese Estate Agents
Away from the south, you will be dealing almost exclusively with Portuguese estate agents who will have varying levels of English. Some will have a good knowledge of English or French, others less so. It will be even more vital for you to have a working knowledge of Portuguese, or have someone with you who can help out, to avoid possible lapses in communication which could ultimately prove costly. Apart from this, the process involved is the same as anywhere, except agents may not be as pro-active as you might otherwise be used to. The range of properties, plans and photos on display may be quite small and you may have to push to get things rolling. There is often more inside the shop but, according to one purchaser who bought in central Portugal , 'you would not know they were for sale unless you ask! Don't just look in the window'.
However, positive comments on using estate agents are clear from most people you speak to:
'Our experience with estate agents has been very good. Most of the work is done by the lawyer so your own contact with Portuguese officials is minimal. Once we had selected a property, the estate agent helped us through the process.'
'We used a local estate agent to form a short list of six properties. We then viewed them and reduced the short list to two. We also used estate agents' websites to get info on the buying process.'
UK Estate Agents
In the UK there are some agents who are specialists in Portuguese property. Some also offer advice on the purchase process, and can guide you towards the financial aspects too. However, many companies simply act as agents for their Portuguese counterparts, introducing customers to them. Whilst it may be very useful to have an English-speaking, UK- based representative to deal with, you may be charged a hefty commission for the service. Check in advance what the fees are likely to be and what these cover, then, if you can, compare this with what you might pay should you go direct with someone based in Portugal. The difference may be surprising, and may warrant a trip to Portugal and the search for someone to act for you over there.
