Buying Real Estate
From the first title search to the escritura and registration — including your NIF, fiscal representation, and the promissory contract that most buyers sign without advice.
Explore real estate →Sintra Coast, Portugal
Own a piece of Portugal.
Australian legal counsel for buying property and acquiring businesses in Portugal — handled end to end, in both jurisdictions.
Buying in Portugal from Australia means two legal systems, two languages, and a process most people meet only once in their lives. We have practised in both for over twenty years.
- 22+
- Years in practice
- Two
- Jurisdictions — Portugal & New South Wales
- First
- Portuguese Bar lawyer admitted in Australia
- EN / PT
- Bilingual counsel & Notary Public
What we do
Two things, done properly.
We are not a general practice in Portugal. We handle two transaction types, and we handle all of each one.
Acquiring a Business
Due diligence, deal structure, employment liabilities and licensing. We tell you what you are actually buying, before you commit to it.
Explore acquisitions →Where we work
Six regions, six very different markets.
Price is the least of it. What separates these markets is title history, licensing regime and how quickly you can sell again.
-
Cascais
Lisbon coast
Established coastal prestige, thirty minutes from Lisbon. Deep rental demand against genuinely tight supply.
-
Douro
North
Quintas and terraced vineyards. Scarce stock, long holding periods, and appellation rights that travel with the land.
-
Sintra
Greater Lisbon
Heritage estates inside a UNESCO landscape. Restoration consent is usually the deciding factor, not price.
-
Algarve
South
The most liquid resort market in the country. Construction licensing and coastal setbacks decide what a plot is worth.
-
Porto
North
Urban rehabilitation with real yield. Works in the historic centre carry their own permitting regime and timelines.
-
Alentejo
Interior
Land, cork and agritourism at scale. Rural title and boundary history are the diligence that actually matters here.
How it works
Four stages. You will know where you stand at each one.
Most Australian buyers first hear the words NIF, CPCV and escritura after they have already committed money. That is the wrong order.
- 01
Consultation
We establish what you are buying, where, and through which structure — personally, jointly, or through a company. Before any money moves.
- 02
Due diligence & NIF
Title, encumbrances, licensing and planning checked on the ground in Portugal. We obtain your NIF and act as your fiscal representative.
- 03
Promissory contract
The CPCV binds you and puts your deposit at risk. We negotiate its terms, set the conditions precedent, and make sure your funds are held correctly.
- 04
Deed & registration
Signing the escritura, settling IMT and stamp duty, and registering your title. By power of attorney if you cannot travel — most of our clients don't.
The principal
Duarte Bazaliza
Principal Solicitor · Notary Public · Dual-qualified
The first lawyer from the Portuguese Bar admitted to practise in Australia, and the first to establish a Portuguese-led firm in Sydney. Two law degrees — Civil and Common Law. Twenty-two years across property, business and cross-border matters, and a Public Notary in Australia.
Other Australian firms engage him for advice on Portuguese law. You are dealing with him directly.
Read his full background →Tell us what you're buying. We'll tell you what it takes.
A first consultation costs nothing and usually takes thirty minutes. We will be straight with you about whether it is worth proceeding.