Buying Property in Portugal

Buying property in Portugal from abroad: How Peter & Paula did it without the stress

After more than 40 years living in the United States, Peter and Paula decided they wanted to retire early somewhere that offered a welcoming atmosphere, nature and a slower pace of life.

They eventually found all of that in Portugal, but first they had to overcome the biggest hurdle of all: feeling confident enough to buy a home from thousands of kilometres away.

After all, buying property abroad is one of the biggest decisions many people will ever make.

Questions about the process, the legal requirements and whether you can trust the people helping you are completely normal.

For many international buyers, the biggest challenge isn't choosing a property; it's knowing who to trust. That was exactly how Peter and Paula felt.

Research gave them the confidence to make the move

Peter wasn't prepared to make such an important decision without doing his homework. In fact, he spent three years researching Portugal before deciding to buy.

During that time, he came across Portugal The Simple Life Podcast, hosted by our Sales Director Dylan Herholdt.

Episode after episode, Peter listened to the stories of people from around the world who had successfully relocated to Portugal. Their experiences gave him a realistic picture of what moving abroad actually involved, from choosing the right region to buying a home and settling into a new life.

The podcast introduced him not only to Portugal but also to Portugal Realty and the Simple Life Home Buyer system.

What impressed him most was seeing the level of support available to international buyers: "All the services that you provide for all the people here were just amazing."

Months later, while visiting Portugal, Peter and Paula finally met Dylan in person. Peter still remembers the moment.

"Interestingly enough, when we came here to Aveiro in October 2023, we saw you. I almost had a shock because I matched your picture with your face. 'Oh my God. He's the guy I was watching.'"

The first meeting with Dylan reinforced everything they had learned through years of research. Buying property overseas inevitably comes with uncertainty, but speaking to someone face-to-face who understood their goals and who had already helped hundreds of international buyers through the same journey gave them the confidence to move forward.

Reflecting on that experience, Peter said: "That initial meeting, first on the phone and then in person, was really a confidence builder."

Looking back, he believes those years of research, the podcast and meeting Dylan made all the difference: "There was already a good level of confidence that your company was a great company to work with."

For Peter and Paula, trust wasn't built overnight. It was earned over time through consistent information, real client stories and, ultimately, personal relationships. That confidence became the foundation for everything that followed.

Once Peter and Paula felt confident they had found the right team, they could finally focus on finding the right property.

Finding their dream retirement home in Portugal

At first, Peter thought he wanted a house. Paula quickly made her position clear: no more maintenance, no more gardens and definitely no more mowing grass. That shifted their search toward an apartment, ideally one with ocean views and a setting close to nature.

Dylan suggested visiting Vale Furado Beach & Nature Retreat Apartments, a new development on Portugal's Silver Coast, located between Nazaré and São Pedro de Moel.

Aerial view of São Pedro de Moel in Portugal

As they drove along the coastline and pine forest north of Nazaré, Peter and Paula immediately felt they had found something different.

The peaceful surroundings, the Atlantic Ocean and the area's natural beauty immediately stood out.

"As soon as we saw it, we were just like little kids at Christmas. It was like: 'This is it.'"

Standing in the apartment overlooking the Atlantic, Peter and Paula exchanged a glance and, as Peter put it, "we pinched each other".

In that moment, they both realised they had found exactly what they had spent years searching for.

Vale Furado Beach on Portugal's Silver Coast, just a short drive north of Nazaré and surrounded by pine forest and the Atlantic Ocean

Buying an off-plan property from abroad

One challenge remained. The apartment wasn't finished yet.

For many buyers, purchasing an off-plan property from another country is scary. Peter and Paula had the same concerns.

However, after visiting the site, they realised the building was already well advanced and could clearly visualise what their future home would become. Peter explained: "It was really a no-brainer for us."

Vale Furado Beach & Nature Retreat Apartments on Portugal's Silver Coast, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

Even so, buying from thousands of kilometres away required trust. They would soon be returning to the United States while construction continued in Portugal.

Knowing the Simple Life Home Buyer team was by their side every step of the way made all the difference.

What is the Simple Life Home Buyer programme?

One of the reasons Peter and Paula chose this specific apartment was that it included Portugal Realty's Simple Life Home Buyer programme, a complete property solution exclusive to Leisure Launch Group companies.

“Simple Life Home Buyer properties are specifically designed for international buyers who want expert guidance throughout every stage of purchasing their property in Portugal. Regardless of whether they plan to relocate, use it as a holiday home or as an investment property to generate income through rentals, every step is taken care of by our in-house team of property specialists."

For Peter and Paula, that meant having an experienced team on the ground coordinating every stage of the journey while they remained in the United States.

Whether it was receiving regular construction updates from their Client Navigator, Sandra Filipe, or setting up utilities, they had the confidence of knowing someone was always looking after their interests in Portugal.

While they returned to America, Sandra became their point of contact in Portugal. She kept them updated as construction progressed and coordinated everything needed before they arrived.

Peter says the biggest difference wasn't just finding the right property. It was having a trusted team looking after everything while they were still living in the United States.

"We couldn't have done it without the team at Portugal Realty, because we were in the States! We couldn't open this, couldn't do that, couldn't get the electricity going... Basically, the whole service for everything. You don't have to have any worries."

Walking into their new beach apartment on Portugal’s Silver Coast

Although Sandra regularly sent photographs and updates, nothing compared to arriving in Portugal and seeing their apartment for the first time.

Everything was exactly as they had hoped. Paula remembers the moment:

"As soon as we came in, everything was exactly as we'd seen." Peter's first reaction was equally simple: "It was just beautiful."

The apartment was finished. Their requests had been completed. Everything was ready. Years of planning, researching and waiting had finally become reality.

"We hear the waves every day"

Today, Peter and Paula are enjoying exactly the lifestyle they were looking for.

Their apartment overlooks the Atlantic Ocean and is surrounded by forest, nature and walking trails.

Instead of traffic, they wake up to the sound of the sea. As Peter says, "We hear the waves."

At Vale Furado Beach & Nature Retreat Apartments, waking up to the sound of the Atlantic has become part of everyday life.

"A lot of times we just sit here, don't do anything, and enjoy being in front of the ocean." For them, that's exactly what retirement was supposed to look like. The lifestyle Peter and Paula imagined during years of research is now their everyday reality.

Advice for anyone thinking about buying in Portugal

Having completed the journey themselves, Peter and Paula now encourage others to take their time and prepare properly.

Peter's advice is straightforward: "First of all, do a lot of research."

He also believes choosing the right people is just as important as choosing the right property.

"Find the right group of people." Reflecting on their own experience, he adds: "That takes 50 to 60 per cent of all the stress away."

Watch Peter and Paula's full story
Portugal The Simple Life Podcast - Season 4, Episode 39

▶ Explore more My Home in Portugal episodes

The next phase at Vale Furado is now available

Following the success of the first phase, Vale Furado II - Beach & Nature Retreat Apartments is now available for sale.

These apartments offer the same combination of ocean views and surrounding nature that first attracted Peter and Paula. And as a Simple Life Home Buyer property, buyers also benefit from the same personalised support and guidance throughout the process.

The first step to investing safely, just as Peter did, is to book a Free Property Consultation with our team at Portugal Realty: