The process of purchasing or selling any type of property or land is not as strictly regulated in Portugal as it is in Spain and France. However, the level of bureaucratic red tape and the Portuguese legal idiosyncrasies can make it a complex transaction. Therefore for those with little knowledge of the country, language, legal and administrative system, it is best to hire a local lawyer to act as a broker in your interest. Below are some basic tips and information related to buying property in Portugal. For more detailed information, please click here.
To buy a property in Portugal you will need a Fiscal Number from the Tax Office. However a Portuguese non-resident will need to designate a Portuguese Tax Representative to buy a property in Portugal. When buying property, expect the following costs:
- The Deposit (Entrada) is usually between 10% and 20% of the purchase price
- The Portuguese Government Property Tax (Imposto Municipal sobre Transmissões) varies according to location of property
- Notary Fees and Land & Property Registration Fees which vary according to the purchase price of the property
- Stamp Duty (Imposto de Selo) – generally 0.8% of the purchase price
- Estate Agency Fees - This is normally around 5% and is included in the sale price
- The costs of the mortgage (Credito Habitação)
Estate agents
There are many estate agencies in Lisbon. You can try the following:
- http://www.lucasfox.com
- http://www.homegain.com/
- http://www.viviun.com/Real_Estate/Portugal
- http://www.Primelocation.com/lisbon
- http://www.globespanproperty.com/
Solicitor fees
Estate Agency Fees are steep and normally around 5%. This is included in the sale price of the property.
Tax
The Portuguese Government Property Tax (Imposto Municipal sobre Transmissões) is also levied on buyers. It is generally 5% of the value for a property in the countryside, 6.5% for an urban property- in case such urban property is designated exclusively for the residence of the buyer, the local taxes varies at a rate up to 6% according to the property value, and 8% for a property purchased using an offshore account.
Update 8/09/2009
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