For non-Portuguese people, sometimes understanding the Portuguese can be a little tricky, but usually people fall in love with Portuguese hospitality and culture.

The revision of Portugal’s Legal Framework for Urban Development and Construction aims to make procedures clearer, more predictable and more consistent. Property owners, developers, investors and technical teams should begin preparing their projects for the new framework

A contract assignment in a PC (Promissory contract) may require IMT ( Municipal Property Transfer Tax) to be paid before the deed. Learn when the tax applies.

The difference between buying a house in Portugal being a resident or not depends on the purpose of the house. If you buy a house to live in Portugal, you are buying a permanent home and are a resident, but if you do not live in Portugal and you buy property there it will count as a second home. This affects the property taxes you’ll have to pay.

Article 17 of the IMT Code establishes that the purchase of properties intended exclusively for residential use by non-residents is subject to a fixed IMT rate of 7.5%, with no access to tax exemptions or reductions. However, the standard IMT rates may apply if the buyer becomes a tax resident in Portugal within two years of the acquisition or places the property under an affordable rental scheme in accordance with the legal requirements. In these cases, the buyer may request a refund of the difference in tax paid from the Portuguese Tax Authority.