Buying a Property

Every property search begins with understanding exactly what you are looking for. Our team takes the time to understand your lifestyle, preferred location, property requirements, budget and long-term objectives.

Whether you are searching for a permanent residence, holiday home, investment property or a combination of these, we use this insight to create a tailored search strategy focused on finding the right opportunities for you.

Before progressing your property search, it is important to establish who will own the property and how the acquisition will be structured.

For many buyers, purchasing in your own name is the simplest approach.

For others, buying through your own company or Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) may be appropriate.

Each approach has different legal, tax, financial and also administrative considerations. Your Portuguese lawyer and tax adviser can explain the options and help you determine the most appropriate structure for your circumstances.

With your requirements clearly established, we draw on our extensive local network and knowledge of the Algarve property market to identify suitable opportunities.

Alongside properties available on the open market, our private contacts and trusted partners provide access to exclusive and off-market opportunities that may not be publicly advertised. We carefully select properties that genuinely match your brief, saving you time and ensuring your search remains focused.

Once suitable properties have been identified, we arrange private viewings around your schedule, providing a discreet and personalised experience throughout.

Our team will accompany you during viewings, providing local insight and practical guidance on each property and its surroundings. Where appropriate, we can also arrange additional visits, introductions to relevant specialists and further information to help you make a confident decision.

When you have found the right property, we will advise you on the appropriate offer and negotiate directly with the seller or their representative on your behalf.

Our knowledge of the local market, together with our understanding of your objectives, allows us to negotiate carefully and professionally while protecting your interests.

Once you have chosen your property and the terms are agreed, we will prepare the Letter of Intent (LOI) summarising the agreed conditions for the buyer and the seller.

The LOI is not legally binding, but outlines a framework for the lawyers representing each party.

Your local lawyer will then review all property documentation and carry out a comprehensive due diligence process, ensuring every legal and administrative aspect has been thoroughly verified.

Following successful completion of the due diligence, your lawyer will prepare the Promissory Contract (“Contrato Promessa de Compra e Venda” or CPCV). This legally binding agreement confirms the agreed terms of the sale, providing both parties with confidence and security before the transaction proceeds to completion.

Once the Promissory Contract has been signed, a deposit of typically 10% of the agreed purchase price is transferred. This is usually managed securely through your lawyer’s client account, providing peace of mind and ensuring the transaction is handled in accordance with Portuguese legal practice.

If the buyer withdraws, the deposit is forfeited. If the seller withdraws, they must return double the deposit.

The purchase is completed with the signing of the Final Deed (“Escritura”) before a Portuguese notary on the agreed completion date. This is the moment legal ownership of the property is formally transferred to you.

Should you be unable to attend in person, your appointed legal representative can complete the transaction on your behalf under a valid Power of Attorney, allowing the purchase to proceed seamlessly wherever you are in the world.

Following the transfer of the remaining balance of the purchase price, together with any applicable taxes and completion costs, the acquisition is legally finalised. At this stage, you become the official owner of your new property in Portugal.

After completion, your lawyer will register your ownership with the Portuguese Land Registry (“Registo Predial”), ensuring your legal title is formally recorded.

They will also typically arrange the transfer of utility accounts and assist with any remaining administrative formalities, allowing you to settle into your new home effortlessly.

From your initial enquiry through to completion and beyond, Full Time Property is committed to making your property purchase as seamless, transparent and enjoyable as possible.

Every purchase begins with understanding your objectives and the most appropriate structure for your acquisition. We take the time to understand your preferred location, property requirements, budget and intended use, together with any specific corporate or investment considerations.

This allows us to tailor the search and ensure that any corporate-owned property opportunities presented are aligned with your requirements.

We draw on our extensive local network, private contacts and knowledge of the Algarve market to identify suitable opportunities.

Where appropriate, this includes properties held through corporate structures and carefully selected off-market opportunities. We focus on finding properties that meet your requirements while ensuring you have a clear understanding of the ownership structure from the outset.

Once suitable opportunities have been identified, we arrange private viewings around your schedule.

Our team will accompany you throughout, providing local knowledge and practical guidance on the property, its location and the wider opportunity. We can also arrange further visits and introductions to relevant specialists where required.

When you have identified the right property, we will advise on the appropriate offer and negotiate directly with the seller or their representative on your behalf.

Where the property is held within a corporate structure, the offer will relate to the proposed acquisition of the company and its underlying assets. We will ensure the agreed commercial terms are clearly understood before the transaction progresses to the legal and corporate due diligence stage.

Once the offer has been agreed, your appointed lawyer will undertake comprehensive due diligence on both the property and the company that owns it.

This includes reviewing the company’s ownership, corporate records, liabilities, financial obligations, warranties, legal standing and any ongoing or historic legal matters, alongside the standard legal checks relating to the property itself.

Full Time Property will coordinate with all relevant parties throughout this stage, helping to ensure the process progresses efficiently.

Once the legal and corporate investigations have been completed, your lawyer will review the findings with you and confirm that the relevant checks have been satisfactorily addressed.

Any outstanding queries, liabilities, warranties or conditions will be identified and resolved before the transaction moves to the contractual stage. This provides clarity and confidence before you commit to the acquisition.

Your lawyer will prepare the Share Purchase Agreement, setting out the agreed terms of the transaction, the respective obligations of the buyer and seller and any conditions that must be satisfied before completion.

Once the agreement has been reviewed and approved, it is signed by both parties, formally securing the agreed terms of the transaction.

Following execution of the Share Purchase Agreement, the agreed deposit – typically 10% of the purchase price – is paid to the seller through the appropriate lawyer’s client account.

The share transfer will take place under the jurisdiction of the company’s registered domicile. Depending on the circumstances, it may also be completed under Portuguese law or another relevant jurisdiction connected to the parties. Your legal advisers will ensure that the transfer complies with all applicable legal requirements.

Once all conditions outlined in the Share Purchase Agreement have been fulfilled, completion can take place.

The remaining balance of the purchase price is transferred to the seller, usually through the respective lawyers’ client accounts. At this point, the agreed corporate transaction is completed and responsibility for the company passes to the buyer.

Following completion, the company’s management will formally register the transfer of shares from the seller to the buyer.

This final administrative step confirms the buyer as the new legal owner of the company and, consequently, the property held within it. The process is typically straightforward and can often be completed in English.

From your initial enquiry through to completion and beyond, Full Time Property remains your dedicated point of contact, coordinating with trusted legal and financial professionals to make the acquisition as seamless, transparent and discreet as possible.