I really want to buy a traditional house or farm (no tacky new villas
please!) in an area of nothern Portugal called the Douro Valley. I
live in the United Kingdom and speak only a little Portuguese. How can
I go about finding out about what properties are on offer in this
region (and this region only!) and information and guidance on
possible restrictions, difficulties, etc in buying a house in this
area. I really want to get a sense for what properties are on the
market, how to keep track of properties as they come up for sale and
how expensive and elaborate the entire process of buying a house in
this region would be. Help!

Dear jenlemon: 
 
Wow, what a beautiful place this is! Thanks for pointing me to it. I
know where to go now for my next European vacation. =)
 
You wanted find a  place that lists properties on sale in the Douro
Valley region, as well as information on buying a property. After
doing an extensive online search, I have found answers to both of
these questions.
 
I have found two websites that lists properties on sale specifically
in the Duoro Valley. These are both purported to have frequent
updates. You may find pictures, descriptions, pricing, as well as
contact information for the properties. The first one I located is at
Goin2Travel.com:
&lt;a href=&quot;<a href="http://www.goin2travel.com/list/portugal.htm">http://www.goin2travel.com/list/portugal.htm</a>&quot;&gt;<a href="http://www.goin2travel.com/list/portugal.htm">http://www.goin2travel.com/list/portugal.htm</a>&lt;/a&gt;  
 
The second listings is from AllWorld-Vacation.com. It is located at
the following address:
&lt;a href=&quot;<a href="http://www.allworld-vacation.com/portugal2.htm#dourovalleyvillas">http://www.allworld-vacation.com/portugal2.htm#dourovalleyvillas</a>&quot;&gt;<a href="http://www.allworld-vacation.com/portugal2.htm#dourovalleyvillas">http://www.allworld-vacation.com/portugal2.htm#dourovalleyvillas</a>&lt;/a&gt; 
 
Note that although the second link describes its listings as &amp;quot;villas,&amp;quot;
there are farmhouse properties listed as well.
 
There is a guide to buying real estate properties in Portugal over at
Portugal-Estate.com. They are a real estate agency in Portugal. If you
are serious in buying real estate in Portugal, I highly recommend that
you higher the services of an agent. Nevertheless, their website
outlines the seven general steps to take in order to buy property in
Portugal. You can find that here:
&lt;a href=&quot;<a href="http://www.portugal-estate.com/real_estate.htm#7stepsbuy">http://www.portugal-estate.com/real_estate.htm#7stepsbuy</a>&quot;&gt;<a href="http://www.portugal-estate.com/real_estate.htm#7stepsbuy">http://www.portugal-estate.com/real_estate.htm#7stepsbuy</a>&lt;/a&gt; 
 
 
Search Terms Used: 
 
    portugal real estate 
    &lt;a href=&quot;<a href="://www.google.com/search?hl=en&amp;amp;q=portugal+real+estate&amp;amp;btnG=Google+Search">://www.google.com/search?hl=en&amp;amp;q=portugal+real+estate&amp;amp;btnG=Google+Search</a>&quot;&gt;<a href="://www.google.com/search?hl=en&amp;amp;q=portugal+real+estate&amp;amp;btnG=Google+Search">://www.google.com/search?hl=en&amp;amp;q=portugal+real+estate&amp;amp;btnG=Google+Search</a>&lt;/a&gt;
 
    douro valley listings 
    &lt;a href=&quot;<a href="://www.google.com/search?hl=en&amp;amp;q=douro+valley+listings">://www.google.com/search?hl=en&amp;amp;q=douro+valley+listings</a>&quot;&gt;<a href="://www.google.com/search?hl=en&amp;amp;q=douro+valley+listings">://www.google.com/search?hl=en&amp;amp;q=douro+valley+listings</a>&lt;/a&gt; 
 
 
I hope this is enough information to answer your question! As always,
if there is anything that needs clarifying, I would be more than happy
to assist you further! Pleae don't hesitate to ask. =) Good luck on
buying you new house!
 
Best Regards, 
blader-ga  

---

Request for Answer Clarification by jenlemon-ga on 02 May 2002 03:48 PDT

Hi Blader, 
 
Thanks for your help, but unfortunately the websites you found are
only listing properties for rent. If you click on a property and
scroll down the page you'll see prices which are all based on weekly
rental. Unfortunately I am solely interested in properties that are
'for sale' in this area.
 
I'm really after some good websites of real estate agents or something
similar with a good selection of properties available.
 
Thanks, 
 
Jenlemon  

---

Clarification of Answer by blader-ga on 02 May 2002 15:12 PDT

Dear jenlemon: 
 
First, my profuse apologies for not reading your question more
clearly. After doing a further search, I was unable to find any online
listings of properties For Sale in the Douro Valley region. In
addition, there does not appear to be any real estate agencies
specializing in the Douro Valley region. Most deal only with the
Algarve area of Portugal. However, there is yet hope. I have found
three real estate agencies in Portugal that is purported to cover the
entire country of Portugal. Unfortunately, none of these offer online
listings, but they all offer online request forms where you can
request information on the property you desire. I think your best bet
would be to check with them. I have linked to their websitesbelow:
 
"Portugal Real Estate" 
&lt;a href=&quot;<a href="http://www.cite.pt/">http://www.cite.pt/</a>&quot;&gt;<a href="http://www.cite.pt/">http://www.cite.pt/</a>&lt;/a&gt; 
 
OrangeTree Real Estate 
&lt;a href=&quot;<a href="http://www.orangetree.nl/">http://www.orangetree.nl/</a>&quot;&gt;<a href="http://www.orangetree.nl/">http://www.orangetree.nl/</a>&lt;/a&gt; 
 
Dunita Real Estate 
&lt;a href=&quot;<a href="http://www.dunita.net/Index-en.html">http://www.dunita.net/Index-en.html</a>&quot;&gt;<a href="http://www.dunita.net/Index-en.html">http://www.dunita.net/Index-en.html</a>&lt;/a&gt; 
 
 
Search Terms Used 
 
    estate properties OR property &amp;quot;douro valley &amp;quot; 
    &lt;a href=&quot;<a href="://www.google.com/search?q=estate++properties+OR+property+%22douro+valley+%22&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;as_qdr=all&amp;amp;start=60&amp;amp;sa=N">://www.google.com/search?q=estate++properties+OR+property+%22douro+valley+%22&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;as_qdr=all&amp;amp;start=60&amp;amp;sa=N</a>&quot;&gt;<a href="://www.google.com/search?q=estate++properties+OR+property+%22douro+valley+%22&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;as_qdr=all&amp;amp;start=60&amp;amp;sa=N">://www.google.com/search?q=estate++properties+OR+property+%22douro+valley+%22&amp;amp;hl=en&amp;amp;as_qdr=all&amp;amp;start=60&amp;amp;sa=N</a>&lt;/a&gt;
 
 
Again, my profuse apologies for not being to help you further. If you
need any other information on Portuguese real estate, I will be more
than happy to further here.
 
Best Regards, 
blader-ga  

This answer does not provide me with a specific response to my
question. I'm solely interested in the Douro Valley region of Portugal
(and not the Algarve or other areas) and want really after some good
websites of real estate agents or similar with a good selection of
properties for sale that I can get details (i.e. prices, photographs,
details of how many rooms, how many acres of land, etc) of online.
Estate agent websites with just a request form to fill out aren't of
interest to me.

Although blader did his/her best in looking for information for me,
there was unfortunately little in the responses that was able to
answer my question.  I have done very similar searches and come up
with the same results as the researcher, and was hoping that by
posting up my question on Google answers that someone could find
something that I hadn't managed to locate in my own searching.
The researcher did a good job, but ultimately the response did not
satisfactorily answer my question.

Hi,
executing a Google search with Portugal, Douro and the German word
"Immobilien" which means real estate, I found out the Portuguese word
for real estate: "mediacao imobiliaria". So I redid the search with
the Portuguese word and I found some Websites of Portuguese real
estate enterprises which you may not know until yet.

1. http://www.jmoliveira.com
This real estate enterprise seems to have some "quintas" (farms) in
the Douro Region for sale (They only have Portuguese descriptions of
their objects on their Website and I don't speek Portuguese, sorry).

2. http://plantea.clix.pt/imor-imobiliaria/indeng.html
IMOR is a real estate entreprise specialized on "the mediation of
immovable property in Douro region." (citation taken from their
homepage)

3: A list of real estate enterprises in the Douro region can be seen
at:
http://www.netindex.pt/links/REGIOES/DOURO_LITORAL/DIR2


I hope having been helpful and wish you to find the house you are
dreaming of.

romana-ga

Hi, Jenlemon. Here are a few sites to get you started: 

The European Union has a “Buying real estate in Portugal” page with
basic background information on prices, locations, living costs, fees,
taxes, and mortgages.
Real Estate Portugal - the guide to buying and selling property
http://www.real-estate-european-union.com/english/portugal.html

Another site, http://www.portugal-estate.com/, provides the seven
steps to buying property in Portugal. The owner of the site is an
authorized real estate agent soliciting business, but the steps apply
regardless of your agent.
Portugal Estate Real Estate Information
http://www.0portugal-estate.com/real_estate.htm#7stepsbuy

I also found information on “offshore company” ownership, which may be
to your financial benefit.
The Algarve Network - Real Estate Ownership
http://www.thealgarve.net/realestate/ownership.htm

And a bit more on mortgage options in Portugal. This company lists a
UK contact, so you might start there to learn more about the funding
of your Portugese farmhouse.
Mortgages in Portugal: Algarve Real Estate Agent - Article by Robert
M.L. Snapper
http://www.realestate-algarve.com/art_mortgages.htm

Begin your search is by finding a realtor.  
http://www.searchbeat.com/Regional/Europe/Portugal/BusinessandEconomy/RealEstate/

Good luck!

Zrica

Hi Zrica,

Thanks very much for your help and the URL's you provided! The link to
the EU's guide to buying real estate in Portugal was really useful.
Still no luck in finding any estate agents yet, everything on the web
seems to focus only on the Algarve.

Will keep trying though - thanks!!

Jenlemon

Jenlemon,

Here's another idea. Since real estate agents typically work with
mortgage professionals (the property has to be financed some way), why
not contact some of the UK-based banks that fund mortgages in
Portugal?

Banco Totta & Açores 
Branch in London: 
a.o. Simon Perks 
68 Cannon Street 
London EC4N 6AQ 
United Kingdom 
Tel: +44 (0) 71 2361515 
Fax: +44 (0) 71 2367717 
Web site: http://www.bancototta.co.uk 

Conti Financial Services 
a.o. Simon L. Conn 
204 Church Road 
Hove, BN3 2DJ
East Sussex 
United Kingdom 
Tel: +44 (0)1273 772811 
Fax: +44 (0)1273 725789 
E-Mail: enquiries@conti-financial.com 
Web Site: http://www.conti-financial.com 

Mortgages in Portugal
http://www.realestate-algarve.com/art_mortgages.htm

While these banks were listed on the site of a Algarve realtor, these
lenders they may have worked with realtors throughout the country and
may be able to give you the name of a reputable Duoro Valley agent.

Best,

Zrica