International clients

Buying or selling in Portugal.

Buy in Portugal or sell a property here while living abroad. Work directly with me, in English or Portuguese.

Talk to Mauro

Mauro Leitão · Portugal Sotheby’s International Realty

Buying in Portugal

Arrive with a shortlist. Not a blank page.

Agree the brief and identify the checks before you travel. Use your time in Portugal to compare and decide.

Explore buyer representation

Selling while living abroad

Your property here. Your decisions, wherever you are.

Arrange access, preparation and checks so the sale can move forward on clear terms while you are abroad.

Explore the approach to selling

Mauro Leitão · Private Broker

Your point of contact in Portugal.

Based at the Amoreiras office in Lisbon, I work directly with buyers and owners, from preparation through negotiation and coordination.

Portugal Sotheby’s International Realty provides a national and international network. With me, the relationship is personal and direct.

Meet Mauro

Three stages of the decision · Buying

Before the trip

Define objectives, budget, areas and criteria. Build the first shortlist and identify what still needs checking.

During viewings

Keep the schedule focused, compare alternatives and use time in person to confirm differences that cannot be resolved remotely.

After the choice

Support the negotiation and coordinate the next steps of the purchase, keeping clear what belongs to the property service and what requires another specialist.

Before buying: the NIF and official guidance

What I check before recommending a viewing

Information gathered remotely helps you compare and rule out options. It does not replace a physical viewing.

A shortlist with a clear rationale: Each property earns its place on the shortlist by meeting defined criteria: location, intended use, budget, condition, features and acceptable compromises — not simply because it appeared on a portal.
Property information before you travel: I request and organise the available property information early. Anything missing, inconsistent or requiring specialist validation is flagged rather than treated as a fact.
Media that shows what actually matters: Photography, video where available, and specific questions about condition, light, views, noise, access and any necessary works. Remote decisions need context, not flattering angles.
Micro-location, not just an area name: Two properties in the same area can differ materially by street, elevation, access, building type and immediate surroundings. That assessment happens before the shortlist is finalised.
A focused viewing schedule: When you travel to Portugal, the schedule starts with properties already discussed and compared. Time on the ground is for deciding, not for starting the search from scratch.

What is worth preparing on the buyer side

Identify financing, representation and tax questions early, before finding a property. These depend on the buyer’s circumstances.

Buying criteria: Budget, intended use, areas under consideration, timing, non-negotiable needs and the compromises that are genuinely acceptable.
Finance, if relevant: If the purchase depends on financing, borrowing capacity and the process should be discussed with a bank or authorised credit intermediary before you enter negotiations that depend on it.
Representation and signing: If you cannot be present at a particular stage, the appropriate form of representation should be agreed with a lawyer or another appropriately qualified legal professional for the act concerned.
Tax and residence position: What applies depends on your circumstances. I do not provide tax, immigration or residence advice; those questions should be addressed by appropriately qualified professionals.

Where to look

Portugal is not a single market.

Lisbon, Cascais & Estoril, Oeiras & Paço de Arcos, Sintra & Colares, Ericeira & Atlantic Coast and Comporta & Melides are not versions of the same market. The area pages show the differences that matter before a shortlist begins; outside these markets, I assess the specific case before defining the right way to represent the client.

Compare the areas

Specialist coordination

The right decision involves the right specialists

I coordinate the property process. Legal, tax, finance and immigration matters remain with qualified professionals, with clearly separate responsibilities.

Legal

Contracts, powers of attorney, registrations and legal review should be handled by a lawyer or another appropriately qualified legal professional.

Finance

Financing through a bank or authorised credit intermediary. I am not a credit intermediary and I do not predict lending decisions.

Tax, residence and relocation

Tax, residence and immigration questions require current specialist advice. Relocation support can be coordinated through partners where useful.

The property service does not replace legal, tax, financial or immigration advice.

Frequently asked

Before making a decision from abroad.

What can begin remotely and where the right specialists come in.

Can the buying process start before I am in Portugal?

Yes. The brief, first shortlist, area context, review of available documentation and viewing preparation can begin remotely. The aim is to use in-person time only where it adds value.

Do I need to be in Portugal at every stage?

Not necessarily. Whether a specific act can be handled remotely depends on the act itself and appropriate legal advice. My role is to organise the estate-agency process and coordinate with the right specialists, not to replace legal or tax advice.

Which specialists might be needed?

Depending on the case, you may need a lawyer or solicitor, tax advice, a bank or licensed credit intermediary, and other technical specialists. Where the decision requires a regulated competence, that part should be handled by the appropriately qualified professional.

Next step

A decision in Portugal can begin wherever you are.

Buying, selling or introducing a client? Tell me where you are based, your objective and what you need to clarify.

Talk to Mauro