The 7 things that buyers look for in a house in Portugal

If you are looking for a property in Portugal, sometimes it is not easy to find the right dream house or the perfect holiday home. There are many factors to consider when choosing a home, from the number of rooms to the balcony to the garage parking space – every detail counts. But which features are really decisive when buying a property in Portugal?

The company Decisões e Soluções (D&S) has been helped to list the 7 qualities that any house or apartment in Portugal should have – at least if they want to win over the Portuguese. These can be useful whether you’re thinking of buying a house in Portugal or selling or renting your house to a Portuguese person, so here are the 7 most desired features of a house:

1. Location

The location involves a number of factors: how good the neighbourhood is, how close it is to schools, hospitals and other services, or access to public transport. This is a very important aspect since it may serve to immediately reduce interest in a particular property before people have even visited it.

2. Sunlight

How much sun a property gets can be a crucial factor. The position of the place in relation to the rising sun or the natural light of the late afternoon can mean higher floors are more in demand than flats on the ground floor. The orientation of the house is also highly valued, whether it is south-facing or not, because it determines whether or not you need air conditioning or heating – in other words, whether you have to spend more or less money and how comfortable it is.

3. Distinctive characteristics

If the house or apartment offers extra features, such as a parking space in a garage, en suite bathrooms, storage room, fireplace, balcony, a communal room in the building for social functions, a garden or even a swimming pool, "no doubt it will be more appreciated," says D&S.

4. Conditions of the property

Properties that have walls with holes in them, poorly completed refurbishment work and a very poor general state of conservation are much more difficult to sell, according to the real estate agency.

5. A sensible layout

"If the house is distributed efficiently and logically, it gets extra points," says D&S, adding that it is necessary to avoid large corridors where valuable space is lost which could be used to knock through and extend the kitchen, for example.

6. Views from the house

When we look out the window of the house, it makes all the difference to see the façade of the building in front than the glittering sea on the horizon or a beautiful landscape. A nice view "can be a good asset to sell a house faster”.

7. Safety and security

Either because it is located in a region with a low rate of robberies and thefts, or because it has a good security system (such as a 24-hour security guard, alarm system or CCTV cameras), secure properties are the most sought after in the market.