WHEN buying a piece of real estate in Portugal, there are lots of factors to consider. Of course, you may want to retain the services of an English-speaking Portuguese lawyer. The advantages of having one are enormous. First, he or she can understand the native language of the potential buyer which is English of course. Second, the lawyer is adept not only with Portuguese culture but also with the real estate laws in the country concerning foreign ownership of real estate and taxes that accompany owning one. Typically, the government will only require from you the annual income tax of the property and the monthly garbage collection tax to be deducted by the local government.

The first tax payment is usually made during the transfer of the title of the property which is of course during the closing of the sale. If you don’t have a personal lawyer, then you can select from a list of reputable lawyers which is readily available from the Internet or even at the local town hall where you intend to buy real estate here. Bringing a lawyer on board means that you will pay him or her three percent of the total cost of the property. When you hire the services of a realtor, make sure to get one that is licensed by the government. Unlike in other countries where accreditation of real estate brokers are usually undertaken by a national association, the one in Portugal is being undertaken by the government itself. When you want to buy a home here, do you intend to construct a swimming pool? Or do you want to buy a vacant lot? These and other concerns are the job of the real estate agent that you’ve hired.

Together with you or your lawyer, the real estate agent will embark on a property hunting trip and scout pieces of real estate one after the other. You must also explicitly tell the real estate agent on whether you want to buy a villa or merely a condominium unit. If you want to buy a vacant lot, then you must seek permission later on for a building license from the town hall where the property is located. But whether you’ll be purchasing a vacant lot or not, it is important that you have the proper documents at hand.

Just like Spain which is of course located in the same Iberian peninsula, Portugal enjoys a relatively warmer summer than the rest of Europe with maximum temperature of about 18 degrees Celsius. This climate makes for an ideal place for other Western Europeans like the British to live in. Some buy real estate here to retire here; others come only every summer. To make an extra income, these summer retreats are usually leased out to travelers. But don’t just come here during summer and eventually buy a piece of real estate. Live here during the winter too for even just a couple of days. Portugal is usually stripped of tourists during winter and activities are usually confined in the mountainous regions where skiing and other wintry sports abound.