4. Viewings & Negotiation When Selling Property in Portugal

When Interest Turns Into Offers

Once the property is on the market, the process moves into direct interaction between buyers and the property itself.

Viewings confirm whether the interest generated through marketing translates into genuine buying intent.

This is also the stage where negotiations begin and the first offers typically emerge.

The objective shifts from visibility to conversion.

What Happens at This Stage

During this phase, potential buyers engage directly with the property.

This usually includes:

• scheduling and managing property viewings;

• presenting the property to interested buyers;

• collecting market feedback;

• assessing genuine purchase interest;

• receiving offers;

• negotiating price and contractual terms;

• verifying buyers’ financial capacity;

• potential execution of a reservation agreement.

At this point, the seller begins to understand how the market is truly responding to the property.

Why This Matters

Not every viewing represents a qualified buyer.

Without proper filtering, sellers may face:

• offers from buyers without financing capacity;

• prolonged negotiations that go nowhere;

• missed opportunities with serious buyers;

• excessive exposure without real progress toward sale.

Successful negotiation depends not only on price, but on correctly assessing the strength and reliability of each offer.

Clara and Rui’s Story

After the first weeks on the market, Clara and Rui received several viewing requests.

An early offer appeared attractive, but the buyer had not yet secured mortgage approval.

With guidance from TeamQASA, they chose to verify financial capability before accepting terms.

A few days later, another buyer emerged with confirmed mortgage pre-approval and clear intent to proceed.

Prioritising certainty over speed saved them weeks of uncertainty.

Documents & Definitions

Property Viewing (Visita Imobiliária)
In-person presentation of the property allowing buyers to assess layout, condition, and surrounding environment.

Purchase Offer (Proposta de Compra)
Formal expression of interest outlining the buyer’s proposed price and acquisition conditions.

Buyer Financial Qualification
Verification of a buyer’s financial capacity, typically through mortgage pre-approval or proof of funds.

Property Reservation (Reserva de Imóvel)
Deposit paid to temporarily remove the property from the market while preparing the promissory contract.

Common Mistakes

• accepting all viewings without qualification;

• negotiating based solely on price;

• removing the property from the market too early;

• ignoring warning signs of uncertain financing;

• assuming a verbal offer represents real commitment.

Did You Know?

Many property sales collapse after weeks of negotiation simply because the buyer never had the financial capacity to complete the purchase.

Validating the buyer is just as important as finding one.