Any Views On Portugal?

[Leyliner]

I have a good friend who's been earning a living renovating old properties in Spain (specifically Barcelona and other parts of Catalonia) over the last few years. He's now started to look further afield and has just returned very excited from a visit to Lisbon. He feels it's a similar opportunity to Barcelona four years ago.

He's already found a few possibilities and has asked if I'd like to invest with him. I've done this in the past with a Spanish project and it's done quite well, but we're both under no illusions that Spain will continue in the same vein over the next few years.

I was wondering if anyone else had any opinions regarding Lisbon? I'm just starting to do my own research on this and am particularly interested in what knock on effect there may be in Portugal if the Spanish market (and indeed it's whole economy) continues to deteriorate.

[MrCheese]

My wife is from Lisbon & I've been dabbling in property there for many years. Some things to consider.

Portuguese generally like new build flats over renovations - there are many stunning houses in Lisbon that no-one wants.

The economy is quite weird - the country is not exactly booming and the general population has a fairly low income. However, there is a sizable middle class of professionals who have money and will pay up for genuine quality.

Be aware of the implications of the new airport at Ota - its way outside the centre and its not clear that decent train links to the centre will be completed with the airport.

UK buyers tend to buy around Cascais/Estoril - not cheap areas.

If you are after UK buyers you should think about the Portuguese market relative to the UK market - in the Algarve a massive amount of purchasing has been done thru MEWing UK property which I don't think is sustainable.

You will find it easy to get decent builders for structural work but very difficult to find builders/decorators who are used to doing a really professional finish.

[Lewis]

My wife is from Lisbon & I've been dabbling in property there for many years. Some things to consider.

Portuguese generally like new build flats over renovations - there are many stunning houses in Lisbon that no-one wants.

The economy is quite weird - the country is not exactly booming and the general population has a fairly low income. However, there is a sizable middle class of professionals who have money and will pay up for genuine quality.

Be aware of the implications of the new airport at Ota - its way outside the centre and its not clear that decent train links to the centre will be completed with the airport.

UK buyers tend to buy around Cascais/Estoril - not cheap areas.

If you are after UK buyers you should think about the Portuguese market relative to the UK market - in the Algarve a massive amount of purchasing has been done thru MEWing UK property which I don't think is sustainable.

You will find it easy to get decent builders for structural work but very difficult to find builders/decorators who are used to doing a really professional finish.

Mr Cheese,

If I weren't such a Germanophile I might have easily become a "Portyphile?"

I love the whole area from Lisbon up to the Minho. Cascais would be a wonderful, yet pricey, place to spend my nether years. I currently have no contacts in Portugal and have a good friend desperate to make contact with an English speaking, estate agent who hasn't just set up to sell developments and has re-sales and fixer uppers on their books. Can you advise on one?

[needle]

Any Views On Portugal?, Particularly Lisbon

Yeah, keep an eye on your kids.

[derharper]

anyone interested in central Portugal to live or for investment, take a look at the gekkoportugal site which contains lots of very good info on the region, it also has property adverts on the site, may give you an idea what is available in central Portugal.

www.gekkoportugal.com

[Sebastien.lacroix]

As it was said before here in Portugal you will see many old but so charming houses, flats that no one wants for now. At least Portuguese people. They would rather buy something new. I live in Aveiro and I see so many beautiful, typical, charming houses that are on sale or that are inhabited. My friends are Portuguese and they prefer to buy new buildings. But I know that soon they will be demand for these properties, they are in the center of the city. Some of them could make fantastics lofts.

I decided to work as an independant real estate consultant in my living area. Aveiro, Porto, Espinho, Costa Nova, Vagos, Barra, Server De Vouga and I hope i will help foreigers to get the best deal at the time they buy.

I bought a Flat last year for myself and I took one month holiday to come to Portugal, to bike inside Aveiro, to visit about 3 to 4 flats per day from so many differents agencies, from builders, owners. An then, only after my personal market study, after about 40 visits I made my move and it was a great deal.

I just want to help other people do the same. Any questions email me :-)

Hope you will come to Portugal, enjoy the Potential in every thing and enjoy life here.

Take care.

Sebastien

[kojak]

Leyliner was just going through the forum and came across yours - any info you can send this way much appreciated !!

Hi Folks ,

Just new to this site so... Was wondering if any one has advice they can offer on getting builders/solicitors and all the other formalities required when entering into the property refurb maelstrom in Lisbon - am heading out in a week or so for the first time in @10yrs - loved it before so..

Any pointers to good online-sites and the issues that have came up before with the "system" of getting things up and running and how to avoid the pitfalls would be greatly appreciated !!

Ive got some building experience and would prob be on site quite a lot(minimum portugese lang. though)

Thanks to all

[Einstein71]

I like Lisbon. Its fairly low key in terms of weekend breaks etc but one of the finest cities I have visited.

What kind of prices are you looking at for say a city centre one bed apartment? is their a portuguese rightmove?

[omostra06]

best website to look at for prices of property is casa sapo.

http://casa.sapo.pt/Pesquisar_Imoveis.aspx...A=11&TW=153

just choose what type of property you want, price, location etc and it will show property listings from lots of local agents.

for general info on moving to Central Portugal try

http://www.gekkoportugal.com

[kojak]

I like Lisbon. Its fairly low key in terms of weekend breaks etc but one of the finest cities I have visited.

What kind of prices are you looking at for say a city centre one bed apartment? is their a portuguese rightmove?

[kojak]

I like Lisbon. Its fairly low key in terms of weekend breaks etc but one of the finest cities I have visited.

What kind of prices are you looking at for say a city centre one bed apartment? is their a portuguese rightmove?

Cheers for that !

[derharper]

Rental properties are available from

http://www.chavetejo.com

Edited March 19, 2009 by derharper

[ace100]

Good luck to you if you go for it. We moved to the Algarve last year and I think they are plenty of opportunities down here if you are prepared to invest the money and can find the right seller who is desperate. I had been looking at the market for 3 years before we moved and some of the properties for sale when I first looked are still for sale now, this might sound strange but people here are not in any rush and are quite happy to sit and wait for the price they want.

[Peter Hun]

Good luck to you if you go for it. We moved to the Algarve last year and I think they are plenty of opportunities down here if you are prepared to invest the money and can find the right seller who is desperate. I had been looking at the market for 3 years before we moved and some of the properties for sale when I first looked are still for sale now, this might sound strange but people here are not in any rush and are quite happy to sit and wait for the price they want.

Yes, after all the Portuguese are immortal and can wait for ever.

I think you will find that they can't sell, if they were not interested in selling they wouldn't put their property up.

[ace100]

Yes, after all the Portuguese are immortal and can wait for ever.

I think you will find that they can't sell, if they were not interested in selling they wouldn't put their property up.

I think I perhaps should have worded that a little different... Some of these people have had these houses in the family for many years, they are only lived in for a small amount of weeks each year and are true holiday homes here in the south. They are up for sale but the market is totally different to the UK in the fact that the average time properties take to sell is much greater (actually not too different at the moment) I am sure the closer you get to the cities the more the markets resemble what we know in England.

The apartments however are a different propostion and I see a lot of developments now that have come to a stand still, for how long who knows.

One thing that is excellent though is the buying / selling process. Once you agree a price contracts are drawn up by the estate agent that day and usually a 10% deposit is placed which is non refundable should the buyer pull out. likewise the seller is also liable for the same amount should they change their mind. also estate agents charge the seller 5% of the total sales price and look after the buyer a lot more. they will organise the utilities name change and local authority notification.

[sandiego]

Hi. I renovate homes here in San Diego California. I am moving to Lisbon this August for 6 months while my other have finishes her schooling. While i am there it would be great to pick up a fixer near Cascais. I like your input on the portuguese not wanting to buy renovated places. Great for the purchase but when it comes time to sell might have some probs..what is the RE climate as of current? are you still in the RE game? where in Port is your expertise?

Cheers,

As it was said before here in Portugal you will see many old but so charming houses, flats that no one wants for now. At least Portuguese people. They would rather buy something new. I live in Aveiro and I see so many beautiful, typical, charming houses that are on sale or that are inhabited. My friends are Portuguese and they prefer to buy new buildings. But I know that soon they will be demand for these properties, they are in the center of the city. Some of them could make fantastics lofts.

I decided to work as an independant real estate consultant in my living area. Aveiro, Porto, Espinho, Costa Nova, Vagos, Barra, Server De Vouga and I hope i will help foreigers to get the best deal at the time they buy.

I bought a Flat last year for myself and I took one month holiday to come to Portugal, to bike inside Aveiro, to visit about 3 to 4 flats per day from so many differents agencies, from builders, owners. An then, only after my personal market study, after about 40 visits I made my move and it was a great deal.

I just want to help other people do the same. Any questions email me :-)

Hope you will come to Portugal, enjoy the Potential in every thing and enjoy life here.

Take care.

Sebastien

[derharper]

interesting article on restoration of old properties

http://www.gekkoportugal.com/renovating-an...in-portugal.htm

[Estoril]

Hi everybody!

If you need informations about properties in Portugal, more exactly in Cascais and Estoril, I work as an independant real estate consultant and I have houses to sell from 200.000€ to 10.000.000€. Good and luxury houses. I also have some oportunities investements that can go up to 50 milions €.

If you need any help or informations, please contact me.

Best regards from Portugal