Buying a new home

If you’re in the market to buy a new home, either as a first-time buyer, a move up the property ladder, or investing in a holiday home - you’ll likely wind up looking in lots of real estate agents’ windows in your search. Some may be old and in need of some TLC, some may be new. Both have their own appeal, and it depends if you are looking for a ‘doer-upper’ or something you can move straight into. Choices are many - terrace or semi? How many bedrooms? Bathrooms? Near neighbours or isolated? A lot of this is to do with personal preference, though a lot of choices might be dictated by the price.

Old or new home?

Depending on the age of the property, you will become aware different features, different building methods and designs. Older homes are likely to have very different designs than modern ones, where the kitchens, for instance, held a different value to those of today’s tastes or the numbers of bathrooms wasn’t important, as long as there was one! Older ones may lack any insulation, and where the interior walls could become significantly cooler than the air inside, it can lead to condensation, and mould and damp might become an issue.

Historic homes

Truly old homes often lack ductwork, perhaps because those technologies did not yet exist when they were built, and probably lack sufficient power outlets for today’s needs, have inefficient plumbing, or outdated wiring – all of which can all mean additional costs to add in. They may also boast old-school features which you may or may not be interested in, and tend to have smaller, more individual rooms, as opposed to spacious open floor plans in modern homes.

The repair costs for older homes can quickly escalate too – a hairline crack somewhere might grow into a fist-sized gap, so be sure to get a property survey, and although a survey in Portugal is not a legal requirement, nor insisted upon, it would be worth peace of mind to have one done. Something in particular to watch out for are the addition of illegal extensions or alterations to the original land registration.

New-construction homes

A newer build might be on an urbanisation or estate, with a ‘cookie-cutter’ style, where all homes started out looking the same until their owners put their own stamp on them.

You’re likely to notice some current trends in how they are designed and built, and might feature metallic roofs and curvy building elements for example, or today’s trend in colour choice. You may also see greater use of outdoor space, but you don’t necessarily want to be able to see over your neighbour’s fence, or them looking over yours while you do a bit of naked gardening, for example.

Other trends may also be apparent, such as smart technology and energy-efficient features - even a car charging point might be an essential requirement for you personally.

Pitfalls to be aware of

Don’t get caught in legal troubles, and ensure the property’s paperwork is in order. Seeking legal advice to help is important to keep you informed of any local laws and to ensure the property has a clear title. Make you know where the property boundaries fall – it may not seem important now, but will be a headache if you want to sell in the future. Skipping the verification of deeds and property anywhere might seem like a small thing, but it’s actually a big deal. The due diligence process is one of the most relevant steps of the property purchase journey. Ownership confirmation is crucial, and you need to be sure the seller actually owns the property and has the legal right to sell it. Hidden liabilities could include debts or any ongoing legal issues, and you should know about these upfront, not after you’ve signed the papers.

If buying an apartment or somewhere on an urbanisation, be alert to homeowners’ associations, as many new developments have upkeep managed by these - that’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it does mean paying extra fees and dealing with restrictions on how you can use your home.