Houses, places and the Portuguese property market, written by us

Monte, herdade, quinta: the vocabulary, the architecture and the checks that matter before buying a farmhouse in the Alentejo, from the land register to the cork oaks.

What the habitation licence is, how the law changed in 2024 and again in October 2026, and what to check when a Portuguese house is older than 1951.

Tax residence, not nationality, now sets the transfer tax. NIF, fiscal representative, mortgages, money trail and powers of attorney for buyers from abroad.

IMT, stamp duty, deed, registration, mortgage costs, IMI: what a purchase in Portugal costs beyond the price, with a worked example at 2026 rates.

Before buying a quinta or a plot in Portugal, check the land registry and BUPi. What changed in 2026, what it costs now, and what to verify on the ground.

National monuments, public and municipal interest: what a heritage classification changes when you buy a listed building in Portugal, from pre-emption to tax.

The 2026 IMT brackets, the new 7.5% rate for non-residents, stamp duty, IMI and AIMI, with worked examples. What you pay to buy, own and sell property in Portugal.

What a CPCV is, what it must contain, how the deposit works under Portuguese law, and how buyers reduce risk before the moment their intent becomes binding.

From the NIF to the deed: how buying property in Portugal works in 2026, where the real decisions are made, and what changed this year for non-resident buyers.

Granite, schist, lime and timber, and the licensing rules revised in 2026: what to check before renovating a house in Portugal, from the survey to the tax side.

What the caderneta predial is, how to obtain it free online, how to read its codes and values, and what it says, and does not say, about an old house in Portugal.

A village is not one property but many. Titles, heritage protection, planning, rural tourism and tax: what to check before buying a village in Portugal.