In Portugal, it is a legal requirement that all estate agents are professionally licensed and qualified. When ever you are considering using an agent, you should ask to see their certificate of qualification; their licence should also be displayed. It is always best to choose and agent who is a of one of the professional associations, such as the Associação de Mediadores Imobiliários (AMI), Sociedade de Mediação Imobiliária or the Associação dos Mediadores do Algarve (AMA). For added security, you may also wish to find an agent who is a member of an international body, such as the European Federation of Estate Agents.

Although they must be licences and qualified, estate agents in Portugal do not need to be regulated. You need to be aware that they do not need to have professional indemnity insurance and the vast majority are not covered by consumer protection laws.

If you are looking to buy a property in a touristy area, be aware that there are a few ‘cowboy’ agents working. They should be avoided like the plague, and remember, no matter what promises they make you, if they are not registered and licensed, don’t go near them!

Before you view any properties through an agent, they may ask you to sign a document. This is perfectly normal, and should be a document stating that they are the ones who introduced you to the property – this is simply to protect their commission, should you go on to obtain the details through some other means, and then purchase the property. This means you can’t try to arrange a sale directly with the owner to avoid paying estate agent fees.

When it comes to agent fees, there are no laws currently in Portugal; however the general commission fee when selling tends to be between 5-10%. This is usually reflected in the price; if the commission is going to cost the seller around £3000, then they will put their house on the market for an extra £3000 to cover it. It is advisable to check any extra fees or charges that you may have to pay before you put in an offer.

Once your offer has been accepted and the time comes to pay a deposit, it is vital that you ensure the money is going into a separate account to the agent, preferably a bonded account. Not every Portuguese agent will have indemnity insurance, and those that do are only covered for a small amount of money.

Ensuring you have a good estate agent really is the key to successfully purchasing property in Portugal. They will be the ones who you trust to find and show you properties which match your criteria. They will also be responsible for introducing you to the local area and highlighting the benefits each property has to offer.