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A Place in the Sun - Portugal

© Anne Duguid

With the euro now common currency in Western Europe, there has been a surge of interest in property speculation. In many cases houses were bought because of last minute disposal of all the "old money" tucked away in strong boxes and shoe boxes under the bed.

This has pushed up prices in many popular areas although the Algarve and Lisbon, always high-priced compared to the rest of Portugal, do not seem to have increased their property prices drastically.

There are gradually fewer older and cheaper homes and ruins requiring restoration and renovation - often a euphemism for really expensive rebuilding if you choose a historic property. But it is worth considering that it may well be cheaper in the long run to buy a habitable property you can at least live in while you make improvements gradually as money and time allow.

Perhaps you have planned and saved for years. Maybe you have been seduced by the charm of a perfect holiday. But beware. Buying a home in Portugal - as in any other country -demands thought and caution.

You would not buy a home in your own country without taking legal advice or using surveyors. Be sure to do the same if you are considering a home abroad. Make sure you have appointed a legal expert who knows all the ins and outs of buying property in Portugal and also one who can explain everything to you clearly in a way and a language you understand.

The past year has seen a surge of interest in buying a property in the sun, in a land where the wine is good, where the way of life is still civilsed. Not for nothing has Lisbon been described as a city with soul. It is this soul, alma which attracts so many foreigners as well as Portuguese speakers from other nations.

Property pages on the Internet have increased in number and in usefulness in leaps and bounds over this time. You can download details of properties of all shapes and sizes with ease. You can even download beautifully illustrated brochures. They are an excellent guide to what is on offer and a help when it comes to gauging prices. They give you a head start when you start your search.

But do not rely on all information being current. A really busy estate agent may lack time to update his website information as regularly as you would like.

David Hampshire has several information-packed books in his Survival Books imprint. Living and Working in Portugal and Buying a Home in Portugal are available now and a new Retirement in Portugal is due out soon. Although much information is shared between books, each has its own focus so choose the title that best fits your purpose.

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