Pedro Correia Real EstateBuying or selling: an advisor on your side of the table
On a €400,000 sale, a 5% commission plus 23% VAT is €24,600. Commission is negotiable, exclusivity is negotiable, and the asking price decides more than either. Most owners sign the first agreement put in front of them. I sit on your side before you sign anything and stay there until the deed.
When you sell
- Sell, keep or rent? The numbers for each, net of tax and costs, from the same model I use on my own 15 apartments. Sometimes the right answer is not to sell yet.
- Price. Comparable sales from the land registry and portal history, so you can tell a realistic valuation from one chosen to win the listing.
- Preparation. What to repair and what not to, energy certificate, land registry and tax documents updated, condomínio declaration requested early.
- Choosing the agent. A shortlist of licensed agencies that fit your property and market, what to ask them, and how their proposals compare.
- Terms. Commission, exclusivity, duration and exit clauses explained before you sign the mediation contract, with what is usually negotiable.
- Offers. A second opinion on every offer the agent brings: price, conditions, deposit and timing.
- To the deed. Certificates, deadlines and your lawyer's checklist kept in order.
When you buy
- Yield check. The rent or nightly rate the property can support, running costs, IMI and tax, net yield. Before you fall for the view.
- Red flags. Licence status for short-term rental, building and condomínio issues, empty-house IMI history, what to ask the seller's agent.
- Offer and terms. Where the price should be and which conditions to put in the promissory contract with your lawyer.
- The right people. Licensed agents, lawyers, banks and AL operators I have worked with, in Portugal, Ireland, the Netherlands and Dubai.
Why an advisor, not an agent
An agent is paid by the deal. I am not paid by the deal at all: this advice is free, whatever you decide. That is the only way the advice "don't sell yet" or "walk away from this one" can be honest.
What I don't do
I do not advertise properties, run viewings, or look for buyers, sellers or tenants for anyone. Those are licensed activities in Portugal and go to a licensed agency, which you contract directly.
Start
Ask for the free audit and tick "sell" or "buy". The report includes the likely price range. The advice is free; see how I charge.
FAQ
Are you an estate agent?
No. I do not hold an AMI licence and I do not find buyers, sellers or tenants for anyone. When a sale or purchase needs an agent, I recommend a licensed one, help you agree the terms, and stay on your side until the deed.
Who pays you?
Nobody. This advice is free. I take no commission from the sale and no referral fee from the agent, ever, so my advice does not depend on which agent you choose or what price you accept. I earn from owners who later hire me to manage a property or advise on it, at the prices on the How I charge page.
Why not just go straight to an agent?
You can. The agent is paid when the deal closes, by the seller, at a percentage. That is a fine incentive to close, not to get you the best price, the right terms or the right timing. I have bought and sold my own apartments for years; I tell you what I would do with my own money.
Do I still need a lawyer?
Yes. Your lawyer drafts and reviews the promissory contract and the deed. I make sure the documents, certificates and deadlines are in order before they need them.