/
Portuguese coastal village with whitewashed houses on the cliffs, people around a table at golden hour
Our approach

From first call
to key handover.

Five steps, one dedicated advisor — the same voice throughout. Average lead time four to eight months, depending on region and mortgage route. Here in detail: what happens per step, what we need from you, and what you get back.

Step 01
Orientation
Week 1
Step 02
Shortlist
Week 2 – 4
Step 03
Viewing trip
Month 2
Step 04
Offer & financing
Month 3 – 5
Step 05
Keys & arrival
Month 4 – 8
Step 01

The orientation call.

A 30-minute conversation, no obligation. Online or in person.

We listen to your life — not to your budget. What do you do today, where would you like to live in five years, and which season do you miss most? From that we build a first profile: region, property type, priority (lifestyle / relocation / investment), time horizon.

By the end you know whether we are the right team, and whether Portugal is the right place. Sometimes it turns out otherwise. We are honest about that too.

Duration
30 min
Cost
Free
What you get
  • Personal profile print after the call
  • A dedicated advisor for the whole journey
  • An honest route — even if it doesn't end in Portugal
Rob · Bergen op Zoom
Rob · Bergen op Zoom
Step 02

Shortlist.

Based on your profile we build a list of six to ten properties, each with a clear rationale for why it's on the list.

Our advisors have visited every property personally. We screen legal status, structural condition, energy label and realistic market price. Not a copy-paste of the public portals — a curated selection, including 2–3 off-market properties when they fit your profile.

You receive a shared digital dossier where we can discuss the selection together, drop properties, and see our thinking on each one.

Duration
2 – 3 weeks
Properties
6 – 10
What you get
  • Curated shortlist with rationale per property
  • Digital dossier for comments and notes
  • Access to off-market properties where relevant
Selection · Alentejo
Selection · Alentejo
Step 03

Viewing trip.

Three to four days with your local advisor. We drive, we eat, we look.

No estate-agent office with coffee — we walk through neighbourhoods, grab bread at the local bakery, sit on terraces. This is where people realise whether a region fits them — and preferences often shift during these days.

Halfway through the trip you meet our Portuguese lawyer (Sandra) and, optionally, a mortgage advisor. On the last day we take stock.

Duration
3 – 4 days
Properties/day
2 – 3
What you get
  • Local advisor with own vehicle
  • Meeting with Portuguese lawyer (1 hour)
  • Written summary afterwards
Trip · Algarve
Trip · Algarve
Step 04

Offer & financing.

We negotiate in Portuguese, arrange NIF, bank account, mortgage and NHR/IFICI tax setup with our lawyers — all in parallel.

From the moment we select a property, three tracks run in parallel: the offer and negotiation (us), the legal due diligence (Sandra) and the mortgage or bank account (your bank contact). Weekly status update to keep it transparent.

The CPCV — the Portuguese preliminary purchase contract — is the central milestone. From then on the purchase is irreversible (barring force majeure).

Duration
8 – 12 weeks
Weekly
Status update
What we arrange
  • NIF (Portuguese tax number) application
  • Portuguese bank account
  • Mortgage application with at least 2 banks
  • NHR/IFICI tax application (where applicable)
  • Legal due diligence + CPCV contract
Melissa · advisor
Melissa · advisor
Step 05

Keys & arrival.

Notary (escritura), key handover — and, if you'd like, an arrival pack: utilities, cleaning and a bottle of wine on the table.

The escritura is a formal moment before the notary (notário). We attend in person, arrange the translation and make sure every signature lands in the right place. It takes about an hour.

After that you are the official owner. Many clients pick our arrival pack — we handle electricity and water in your name, cleaning, internet setup, and a welcome basket for your first evening.

Notary session
~1 hour
Arrival pack
Optional
Included in the arrival pack
  • Utilities transferred into your name
  • Cleaning before arrival
  • Internet application
  • Welcome basket with local produce
  • Three months of aftercare via your advisor
Arrival · Algarve
Arrival · Algarve
Questions about the process

The five questions
about the approach.

All legal, tax and financial questions live in the full FAQ. Here only the questions specific to how our process works.

What if I want to stop halfway?
−

Always possible, in writing. Up to the viewing trip it costs nothing. After that a reasonable hourly rate applies (~€90/h, max €2,500). Once an offer has been made and accepted, the full fee is due.

Can I suggest properties myself?
+
Does my advisor come along on the viewings?
+
How does communication work during the process?
+
What if I have questions after the purchase?
+

Ready for
step one?

A free 30-minute call, no obligation. We listen to your situation and sketch an honest route — even if that route doesn't end in Portugal.

Step 01
Request a call
→