1. Preparing a Property for Sale in Portugal

Before Bringing the Property to Market

Selling a property begins long before publishing a listing.

Before marketing, viewings, or negotiations take place, the property must be both commercially prepared and legally validated.

The purpose of this stage is to remove any obstacles that could delay or jeopardise the sale once a serious buyer appears.

Well-prepared properties sell faster — and with far greater certainty.

What Happens at This Stage

This initial phase focuses on organising the technical and legal foundations required to place the property on the market.

It typically includes:

• gathering all mandatory documentation;

• verifying ownership and registry records;

• confirming existing charges or liabilities;

• reviewing the condominium situation;

• obtaining or renewing the Energy Certificate;

• checking whether an active mortgage exists;

• requesting mortgage discharge (Distrate) when applicable.

The objective is simple: ensure the property can be sold without legal or administrative barriers.

Why This Matters

Most sales delays do not occur during negotiation — they happen after a buyer has already been found.

Common issues include:

• mortgages still registered against the property;

• missing or outdated documents;

• inconsistencies between official records;

• undisclosed condominium debts;

• absence of legally required certificates.

Addressing these matters early prevents lost buyers and last-minute price renegotiations.

Clara and Rui’s Story

Clara and Rui decided to sell their apartment after purchasing a new home.

Initially, they believed listing the property online would be enough, leaving documentation for later.

During preparation with TeamQASA, they discovered an active mortgage still registered and an expired Energy Certificate.

By resolving these issues before launching the property to market, they avoided delays when the first serious buyer emerged.

The transaction progressed smoothly — something that rarely happens when this stage is overlooked.

Documents & Definitions

Permanent Land Registry Certificate (Certidão Permanente do Registo Predial)
Legal document confirming ownership and identifying mortgages or other registered charges affecting the property.

Property Tax Certificate (Caderneta Predial Urbana)
Tax authority document containing the property’s fiscal details and official taxable value (VPT — Taxable Asset Value).

Energy Certificate (Certificado Energético)
Mandatory document assessing the property’s energy efficiency, legally required for advertising and selling real estate.

Usage Licence (Licença de Utilização)
Municipal authorisation confirming the property is approved for residential or other permitted use.

Condominium Charges Statement (Declaração de Encargos do Condomínio)
Document issued by the building administrator confirming existing debts and approved future expenses.

Mortgage Discharge (Distrate Bancário)
Document issued by the bank confirming cancellation of the mortgage once the associated loan has been settled.

Common Mistakes

• listing the property without complete documentation;

• overlooking registered charges;

• leaving the Energy Certificate until the last minute;

• discovering legal issues after accepting an offer;

• assuming the bank will automatically handle mortgage discharge.

Did You Know?

Many property transactions collapse just weeks before completion because documentation issues are only discovered after an offer has been accepted.

Preparing the property properly before listing dramatically reduces this risk.