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Aerial view of Figueira da Foz — FOZ VILLA Help Centre

Help Centre: frequently asked questions and real estate glossary for Portugal

The questions we are asked most and the Portuguese property terms explained from A to Z, all in one place.

Questions Glossary A–Z
✦
Ask Villas Our AI assistant — ask in any language.
How much is IMT? How does the CPCV work? Can I buy without visiting?

Buying a Property

01
Start by defining what you're looking for: the region, your budget and the kind of life you picture in that home. Then talk to our team — we listen first and show you properties afterwards. We select only the properties that genuinely make sense for you, saving you time and unnecessary viewings.
02
Beyond the price of the property itself, you should budget for IMT (Imposto Municipal sobre Transmissões, the property transfer tax), Imposto de Selo (stamp duty), land registration and, where applicable, mortgage arrangement fees. Our team explains every cost to you before you proceed, so there are no surprises.
03
Yes. Several Portuguese banks grant mortgages to non-residents, usually financing between 60% and 70% of the property's value. We work with trusted credit intermediaries who guide you through the whole process.
04
Villas is our intelligent search assistant — describe what you're looking for in plain language (for example, "a villa with a sea view up to 500,000 euros") and she turns your request into filters and shows you the matching properties, instantly.
05
Yes — in the Client Area you can save the properties you like most and compare them side by side (price, area, layout, location), so you can decide calmly without losing sight of anything.
06
Yes. Set the criteria that matter to you — area, layout, price — and you'll receive an alert by email or WhatsApp as soon as a new property or a price change appears that matches what you're looking for.

Selling a Property

07
There's no single answer — it depends on the location, the price and the condition of the property. What we do guarantee is a premium marketing strategy, a presence on the leading national and international portals, and a sharing network that significantly increases your property's visibility.
08
Typically: the Caderneta Predial (the property's tax register document), the Certidão do Registo Predial (land registry certificate), the Licença de Utilização (occupancy/use licence, or an exemption), the Ficha Técnica de Habitação (housing technical data sheet) and the Certificado Energético (energy performance certificate). Don't worry about gathering it all on your own — we help you deal with each document.
09
The commission is set out in the contract, transparently and before any work begins. We believe in a relationship built on trust — so there are never hidden costs or surprises when the deal closes.
10
Through the Client Area you have access to a dashboard showing viewings completed and scheduled, the number of views, enquiries and favourites, as well as how your listing is performing across the portals and social media — all in one place.
11
Your property is advertised on the FOZ VILLA website and also on the leading property portals (such as Idealista and Imovirtual), alongside our agency sharing network — to maximise its visibility.
12
It indicates that the property's price has recently been reduced from its original listing figure — a transparent way of flagging good opportunities to anyone following the market.

Property Valuations

13
Yes, always. Our valuation is free and comes with no obligation whatsoever. We visit the property, analyse the local market in real time and give you a fair-value report — whether or not you decide to sell with us.
14
We cross-reference data from real transactions in the area, the property's specific features (area, condition, view, location) and current demand in that market. The result is an honest figure — neither inflated nor undervalued.
15
Our valuation is a serious market-value benchmark, but for mortgage purposes the bank may require its own official valuation — the two figures are usually close.
16
Usually between 2 and 4 working days after the property visit, depending on how complex the case is.

Legal Process

17
It isn't required by law, but we always recommend the support of a lawyer (advogado) or solicitador (licensed conveyancer), especially in transactions involving foreign buyers or bank financing. We can recommend trusted partners if you need them.
18
The CPCV (Contrato de Promessa de Compra e Venda, the promissory purchase-and-sale contract) is not legally compulsory, but it is strongly recommended, as it protects both parties by formalising the conditions, deadlines and the deposit paid before the final deed.
19
It depends on who pulls out: if it's the buyer, they usually forfeit the deposit paid; if it's the seller, they must return double the deposit — unless the contract itself sets out a different arrangement.
20
Each year you pay IMI (Imposto Municipal sobre Imóveis, the annual municipal property tax), calculated on the property's rateable value (valor patrimonial) and the rate set by the local council. Our team helps you understand that approximate figure before you decide to buy.

Expats & Foreign Buyers

21
Yes. Foreign nationals and non-residents can buy property in Portugal without any restriction. We support you through the entire process — including obtaining a NIF (Número de Identificação Fiscal, the Portuguese tax number), opening a bank account and handling the legal formalities — in 5 languages.
22
We assist you in Portuguese, English, French, German and Spanish. Whatever the language, the expertise and the care we take in supporting you are exactly the same.
23
Yes. The NIF (Número de Identificação Fiscal, the Portuguese tax number) is required for any property transaction in Portugal. We help you arrange this and the other administrative formalities, so the process is straightforward even from a distance.
24
For international purchases, we recommend currency specialists experienced in property transfers, who tend to offer better rates than traditional banks — we can point you to trusted partners.
25
There are no general restrictions — citizens of any nationality can buy property in Portugal. Some administrative formalities vary depending on your country of origin, and we help you take care of everything.

About FOZ VILLA

26
We're present from north to south, from the mainland to the islands: Costa de Prata, Lisboa & Cascais, Porto & Douro, Algarve, Costa Vicentina, Madeira and Açores. Wherever there's a view worth valuing, chances are we're there.
27
We specialise in properties with a view — sea, river or mountain — and treat each one as a unique story, not just a listing. We combine premium marketing, service in 5 languages and an extensive sharing network to deliver real results.
28
You can reach us through the contact form, by WhatsApp or by email. We reply quickly — because we know every question of yours deserves a real answer, not silence.
29
It's your personal space at FOZ VILLA: save favourites, compare properties, receive alerts, track viewings and offers — and, if you're selling, access your property's dashboard.
30
Yes. You can schedule viewings with your consultant and follow, in the Client Area, every viewing already completed and those still booked.
31
Each FOZ VILLA consultant has their own page with their area of expertise, their property portfolio and a way to contact them directly — choose by the region you're interested in, or ask us for a suggestion.

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