Realtor, Lawyer and Notary: who do you actually need?
Buying a home in Portugal is exciting — but it can also feel overwhelming, especially if you are moving from abroad. The process involves several professionals who each play a different role. Some guide you, some protect you, and one makes the purchase official.
At Ver e Ouvir, we help international buyers understand these roles clearly so you can make confident decisions and avoid common pitfalls.
Below is a practical explanation of the realtor, lawyer and notary — what they do, whether they are mandatory, and how Ver e Ouvir supports you at each stage.
Please note that this Blog does not address the role of other professionals, such as a tax advisor, a financial advisor, or a structural/building surveyor.
Who do you really need? Here is the summary.
Mandatory: Notary
Recommended but not mandatory: Lawyer (Advocado and/or Solicitador)
Commonly involved: Real Estate Agent (Realtor)
1. The Real Estate Agent (Agente Imobiliário): your market guide – not mandatory but almost always involved
A real estate agent or realtor is usually the first person who you meet in your property search. Their job is to help you explore neighbourhoods, present homes, and negotiate with sellers.
What the agent normally does:
- Shows you properties and organises viewings
- Communicates with sellers and other agencies
- Provides basic documentation
- Helps negotiate price and timing
Important to know is that real estate agents in Portugal generally represent the seller, not the buyer. Their objective is to sell the property, even if they are helpful and friendly for you as a buyer.
Involving a real estate agent is not mandatory! You can buy directly from a private owner although most properties are listed with agencies.
How Ver e Ouvir helps
We do not sell properties, so we have no interest in you choosing one property over another. Instead, we help you:
- understand which real estate portals to search
- prepare smart viewing strategies
- communicate effectively with multiple agents
- ask the right questions during viewings
We act as your independent sounding board — seeing (Ver) and listening (Ouvir) on your behalf.
2. The Lawyer (Advogado and/or Solicitador): your legal safeguard – not mandatory but essential and recommended in some circumstances
A lawyer in Portugal protects your legal interests — something no other professional in the process can do.
Why do you need a lawyer? Portugal has many beautiful older homes — but also many irregularities. Incorrect registrations, missing licences, or unpaid taxes are more common than many newcomers realise. So, a lawyer is your protection against buying a problem.
What the lawyer does:
- A lawyer handles full legal due diligence:
- Confirms ownership and registration
- Checks for debts, mortgages, and tax issues
- Verifies building licences and legality of renovations
- Reviews the promissory contract (CPCV)
- Reviews the final deed (Escritura)
- Could manage deposits securely through a client account
- Could represent you if you’re abroad
Involing a lawyer is not legally mandatory! However, in specific cases where legal problems are on the horizon, recommended, especially for international buyers.
A lawyer in Portugal could be a advogado or a solicitador. What is the difference?
Although both are legal professionals, their roles, responsibilities, and level of authority are not the same. Understanding the distinction is important when buying property or dealing with legal matters in Portugal.
An advogado is a fully qualified lawyer, comparable to an attorney or barrister in other countries. They complete a full law degree, professional training, and are registered with the Ordem dos Advogados (Portuguese Bar Association).
An advogado can:
- Provide legal advice
- Perform full legal due diligence
- Interpret and analyse complex legal documents
- Represent you in court
- Draft or review contracts
- Protect your interests in a transaction
- Negotiate on your behalf
- Handle the legal side of buying property
- Give binding legal opinions
In property transactions, the advogado is the professional who ensures the property is legally compliant and that your rights are protected.
A solicitador is also a certified legal professional but focused on procedures and administrative tasks. They are registered with the Câmara dos Solicitadores (the Portuguese Chamber of Solicitors).
A solicitador can do a lot of the tasks the advcogado can do but a solicitador cannot:
- Provide full and all legal opinions
- Perform the same level of legal due diligence as a lawyer
- Represent clients in complex legal disputes
How Ver e Ouvir Helps
We are not a law firm — but we help you:
- understand what your lawyer should check and against which expected costs (which are normally different for advogados and solicitadores)
- choose a suitable lawyer for your situation
- ensure you get clear communication and avoid misunderstandings
- stay informed throughout the due-diligence process
We don’t replace legal services — we make sure you know what to expect and help monitor the process with you.
3. The Notary (Notário): the official gatekeeper – mandatory
A notary is the only professional who is legally required for a property purchase.
What the notary does:
- Confirms the identity of buyer and seller
- Oversees the signing of the deed (Escritura)
- Verifies that all formal documents are present
- Ensures the transaction is legally valid
- Sends details to the tax authority
Vital for international buyers is to understand that the notary does not check if the property is legal. But yes, a notary is mandatory because without a notary, the purchase can simply not be completed.
Ver e Ouvir can assist you with:
- scheduling the notary
- ensuring the required documents are ready
- coordinating with your lawyer, bank, and realtor
- preparing you for what happens during the deed
Our job is to make the final stage smooth and stress-free.
In summary: buying property in Portugal is not difficult — if you know how the system works. The challenge is that many steps are unfamiliar to international buyers and the market is fragmented across agencies, portals, and regions.
That’s where Ver e Ouvir comes in.
We help by:
- guiding your search across the major property portals
- preparing you for viewings and joining when needed
- explaining documents in clear, everyday language
- coordinating communication between realtor, lawyer, bank, solicitor, and notary
- protecting your interests by helping you ask the right questions
- ensuring nothing falls through the cracks
We don’t replace the professionals involved — we make sure their work connects smoothly so that your move to Portugal is informed, safe, and well supported.