Portugal - it can't all be good?

Aside from looking too happy about living in Portugal when I talk to clients (or too tanned) I’m also conscious of not wanting to oversell life here.? Yes, it does have on average 300 days of sun per year, yes, the Portuguese people are lovely, warm and welcoming, yes, there is a tax residency scheme that allows me to pay nil tax on foreign sourced income and yes, my children enjoy life here far more than I could have ever dreamed.? We go camping, swim in the sea and the pool, go rock climbing, cycle outside in warm but not sweaty weather, hike in mountains and holiday in amazing eco-resorts.

But it isn’t all sun, sand, and sangria - there also some downsides.

Whilst the cost of living is significantly lower than either the UK or Hong Kong, two places I’m very familiar with and a lot of my clients come from, property prices are rising quickly.? On average, 13.2% in Portugal last year, and that’s despite the pandemic.

Government bureaucracy and dated private company systems create painfully slow processes, often with arduous paperwork to do anything; open a bank account, obtain a NIF (tax) number or make an application for a Visa for example.?

But, once you’ve got the paperwork out of the way, purchased your investment property, obtained the correct visa, it is plain sailing and life genuinely is at least as good as I’m claiming!

By the way, we will do everything for you, and I can even help you get bill payments and utilities set up, mobile phone and internet contracts organised, help with school selection and interviews, and of course get you a Golden Visa (if you need it, and not everyone does).

As always, if you need more information please contact me and remember to connect with me on LinkedIn, visit our website or send me a message:

Website: https://property-smith.com

WhatsApp: +852 6251 9786