Question 1

How long does it take to sell a house in Portugal?

Accepted Answer

It depends mostly on the asking price, not on the market. A correctly priced property in a prime Greater Lisbon area typically reaches a promissory contract within 30 to 90 days of listing. An overpriced property can sit for months and usually ends up selling for less than it would have with the right entry price — the listing ages and buyers read time-on-market as a sign that something is wrong. The first month draws the most viewings: that is when the listing is new to every buyer already searching in that area.

Question 2

Is it worth giving a real estate agency an exclusive mandate?

Accepted Answer

An exclusive mandate makes sense when the agency invests: professional photography, video, a written marketing plan, paid campaigns and regular reporting to the owner. Without exclusivity no agency invests seriously in a property that could be sold by someone else tomorrow — and the practical result is the same mediocre listing duplicated across five portals, often with different photos and different prices, which devalues the property in buyers' eyes. What you should demand in return is a written plan, a defined term and an exit clause if the plan is not delivered.

Question 3

What documents do I need to sell a house in Portugal?

Accepted Answer

The usual set: the property tax record (caderneta predial urbana, from the tax authority), the permanent land registry certificate, the municipal use licence, an energy certificate, the housing technical data sheet for properties built after March 2004, and the owners' identification. If there is a mortgage, you need the bank's redemption figure. In buildings under horizontal property, a declaration of no debt to the condominium is normally required at the deed.

Question 4

Is an energy certificate mandatory to sell or rent?

Accepted Answer

Yes. In Portugal an energy certificate is mandatory to sell or rent and must already exist when the property is advertised — the energy rating has to appear in the listing. It is issued by a qualified expert registered with ADENE and is valid for several years. Advertising without one is an administrative offence, and it will also hold up the deed.

Question 5

How is a home's market value assessed?

Accepted Answer

Through comparables: actual transactions of similar properties, in the same area, over recent months — not other listings, which show what sellers ask rather than what buyers paid. Each comparable is then adjusted for differences in floor area, storey, sun exposure, condition, parking, lift and view. The portal asking price is a starting point with negotiating room built in; market value is what closes. Always ask to see the valuation with the comparables in front of you, not just a number.

Question 6

Who pays the agency commission, the buyer or the seller?

Accepted Answer

In Portugal, in the vast majority of transactions the commission is paid by the seller, who is the party that hires the agency through the mediation contract. The buyer pays no commission to the agency representing the seller. Buyers do have their own costs: transfer tax (IMT), stamp duty, deed and registration fees, and any mortgage and bank valuation costs.

Question 7

What costs does a buyer face in Portugal, beyond the price?

Accepted Answer

The main ones are IMT (municipal property transfer tax, which varies with the price, the intended use and the location), stamp duty on the purchase, deed and land registry costs, and — with a mortgage — the bank valuation, stamp duty on the loan and bank fees. IMT rates and brackets are updated with each State Budget, so the actual figure should be confirmed at the time of purchase via the tax portal or your conveyancer. A practical rule used in the market is to set aside a buffer for acquisition costs on top of the price and the down payment.

Question 8

Do I need a lawyer to buy property in Portugal?

Accepted Answer

It is not legally required — the deed is executed before a notary, and solicitors and closing services can handle the whole process. Independent legal advice is strongly recommended, however, whenever the property has complications: undivided inheritances, unlicensed works, usufruct, sitting tenants, buildings undergoing legalisation, or when the buyer is not resident in Portugal. Checking beforehand always costs less than fixing a problem found after the deed.

Question 9

What is a CPCV (promissory contract of purchase and sale)?

Accepted Answer

It is the contract in which buyer and seller commit to completing the deed on already-fixed terms: price, deadline, payment schedule and the condition in which the property is handed over. It comes with a deposit. The Portuguese Civil Code rule is deliberately harsh: if the buyer walks away, the deposit is lost; if the seller walks away, the deposit is returned twofold. It is the document that protects both sides between agreement and deed — the period normally used to secure mortgage approval and gather paperwork.

Question 10

What is a CMI, the real estate mediation contract?

Accepted Answer

It is the written contract between owner and agency, required by Portuguese law. It must identify the agency and its AMI licence, the property and its registry status, the asking price, the agreed fee and when it falls due, the term, and the regime — exclusive or not. Without a signed CMI the agency has no right to a fee. It is also the document where what the agency commits to do should be written down, not only what it will be paid.

Question 11

What is an AMI licence and how do I check an agency has one?

Accepted Answer

AMI is the real estate mediation licence issued and supervised by IMPIC, the public body that regulates the sector in Portugal. Operating without one is illegal. The AMI number must appear on contracts, on the company website and in its advertising, and can be verified in IMPIC's public database. Checking the AMI before signing anything is the most basic piece of due diligence — and the most often skipped. Metastate operates under AMI 22076, held by METASTATE Unipessoal, Lda.

Question 12

Can I sell a house that still has a mortgage on it?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and it is very common. The loan is settled at the deed using part of the sale proceeds: you request the redemption figure from the bank, the bank issues the declaration and attends (or sends a proxy) to cancel the mortgage. What remains after settling the loan is what you receive. The one practical precaution is to request the redemption figure early, because some banks take days to issue it and that dictates when the deed can be scheduled.

Question 13

Can a foreigner buy property in Portugal?

Accepted Answer

Yes, with no nationality restrictions: citizens of any country, resident or not, can buy property in Portugal on equal terms. In practice two things are needed first: a NIF (Portuguese tax number) and, for most processes, a Portuguese bank account. Non-residents from outside the EU usually also need a tax representative in Portugal. Portuguese banks do lend to non-residents, typically at lower loan-to-value ratios than for residents.

Question 14

How do I get a NIF and a bank account in Portugal as a foreigner?

Accepted Answer

The NIF is requested from the tax authority, in person or through a representative with power of attorney — those resident outside the European Union must appoint a resident tax representative. With a NIF and ID, opening an account at a Portuguese bank is usually quick; some banks also require proof of address and source of funds. This is the step that most often delays international buyers, so it is worth handling before making offers rather than after.

Question 15

What commission does Metastate charge?

Accepted Answer

5% plus VAT on the sale price, due only once the deed is signed. No retainer, no upfront cost and no separate marketing fees: professional photography, video, the editorial dossier, paid campaigns and portal distribution are all included. There is no partial success — if the property does not sell, the owner pays nothing.

Question 16

Which areas of Portugal does Metastate cover?

Accepted Answer

Lisbon, Cascais, Sintra (with its own base at Quinta da Beloura), Oeiras, Estoril, Mafra, Ericeira and Comporta. The choice is deliberate: these are the territories where the team has its own comparables, active contacts and street-level knowledge. Outside them, Metastate would rather refer the client to colleagues with a local presence than take on a property it cannot serve properly.

Question 17

What does "one consultant per home" mean?

Accepted Answer

That each property has a single owner of the process, from first contact to handover, and that each consultant's portfolio is deliberately kept small. In the volume model, a consultant holding thirty listings can only truly attend to the two or three about to close; the rest sit on the portal and wait. The cost of our choice is taking on fewer properties; the benefit is that a seller always speaks to the same person, and that person knows the house.

Question 18

How do I contact Metastate?

Accepted Answer

By email to info@metastate.pt, by phone on +351 912 875 048, or through the form at metastate.pt/contacto. The team replies in Portuguese, English, Spanish and French, usually within the same business day. The office is at Beloura Business Center, Bloco 5, 2710-693 Sintra; office visits are by appointment.

Questions, answered.

Selling