Although the process of buying a property in Portugal is well-regulated, there are a number of things you need to be aware of when making your plans.
The dimensions of a property are often given in square feet/metres in Portugal – when comparing properties, make sure you check whether this includes outside areas such as patios or not.

Even if you are not planning to live in Portugal, you will need a Portuguese tax code and a correspondence address in Portugal – although this can just be a solicitor or estate agent’s office. You can get a tax code from the local tax office in the area where you are buying and you will automatically be given one if you open a Portuguese bank account – which may be necessary for a Portuguese mortgage.

Be aware of the differences between urban and rural properties. Additional documentation (known as Caderneta Rustica) is required for rural properties, providing a more detailed description of the exact scope of the property (some areas of Portugal are still very rural).

 

Glossary of Key Portugese Property Terms

Caderneta Perdial – Property Tax Document

Caderneta Rustica – Tax document providing an exact description of a property – rustic properties only

Certidao de Teor – Property Registration Document

Contrato Promessa de Compra e Verda – Preliminary contract of sale

Conservatoria do Registo Predial Notario – Land Registry

Escritura de Compra e Venda – Final deed of sale

IMOPPI – organisation to which all licensed Portuguese estate agents belong. Operates a professional code of conduct

Instituto dos Mercados de Obras Públicas e Particulares e do Imobiliário -see IMOPPI

IMT – Property Transfer Tax, payable at or before completion of sale

Imposto Municipal Sobre Transmissao Onerosa de Imoveis – see IMT

Licenca de Utilizacao – Usage License for a property

Mediador Autorizado – Licensed real estate agent

Notario – Notary Public – a solicitor responsible for conducting the sale of property

Numero Fiscal de Contribuinte – Portuguese tax code needed to purchase a property

Procurcao Publica – Power of Attorney – this can be issued by a Notario and allows an appointed representative to act for you in the purchase of a property

Registo – Property registration document

Rustica – A designation applied to properties in very rural areas.

 

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