Best English-speaking estate agents in Portugal (2026): area-by-area lists

How we built these lists

Each area list covers agencies that have an office in the area or actively sell there, work in English, market to international clients and hold an AMI licence (the licence every Portuguese estate agency needs from IMPIC, the regulator). We read each agency’s website, including the legal footer, and checked every licence number on the IMPIC public register between 24 September and 11 October 2026. Where a website doesn’t state something, such as the languages staff speak or whether the agency acts for buyers, the lists say so rather than guess.

Portugal Owners is listed first because it is our own free matching service; it is not an estate agency. No agency paid to be listed. The agencies are not ranked; on each area page they are grouped by type and listed alphabetically. If a fact is wrong or out of date, tell us through the contact page.

Not sure which to choose? Start here

Portugal Owners: free agent matching

Portugal Owners is an independent English-language guide, not an estate agency. Contacting one agency gets you one opinion, and an agency pitching for your listing has a reason to quote high. Tell us about the property once and we ask two or three agencies from this list that suit it for a price estimate, so you compare like with like. Buyers get the agencies and buyer’s agents that hold the kind of home they want, because Portugal has no shared listings system like the US MLS and each agency mainly shows its own stock. It’s free, no agency pays to be listed, and your details go to no agency until you choose. Tell us about your property.

Tradeoff: we don’t list, value or sell property ourselves, so viewings, pricing and the sale itself are handled by the agency you choose.

Who are the best estate agents in Portugal?

No body ranks estate agents in Portugal, and no agency is best everywhere. Network brands are run locally: an Engel & Völkers or RE/MAX office is a Portuguese company with its own AMI licence, its own staff and often its own commission rate. Which agency is best for you depends on your area and your price band.

To find the best estate agent in your area, open its list in the next section. The table below shows the brands and firms on several of our area lists, with the segment each states on its website.

Brand or firm	How it is set up in Portugal	Segment (as stated)	Areas on our lists	AMI licence
Engel & Völkers	Licence partners of the German group; one company can run several shops	Residential, investment, luxury	16: every area except Madeira	Different per partner, e.g. 15208 (Lisbon), 18136 (Cascais), 11972 (Albufeira and Carvoeiro)
RE/MAX and RE/MAX Collection	Independently owned franchises; “Collection” is the premium label	General residential; Collection offices premium	13: Lisbon, Cascais, Oeiras, Almada, Ericeira, Lagos, Portimão, Albufeira, Golden Triangle, Vilamoura, Tavira, Porto, Madeira	Different per office
ERA	Franchise offices	General residential, mid-market	10: Oeiras, Almada, Ericeira, Lagos, Portimão, Carvoeiro, Albufeira, Vilamoura, Tavira, Madeira	Different per office
Christie’s International Real Estate	Two unrelated affiliates	Prime, premium, new developments	8: Porta da Frente Christie’s in Lisbon, Cascais, Oeiras, Sintra and Comporta; LUXIMOS Christie’s in the Golden Triangle, Vilamoura and Porto	6335 (Porta da Frente); 9063 (LUXIMOS)
Portugal Sotheby’s International Realty	Brand licensees; each office is a different company	Luxury	7: Lisbon, Cascais and Estoril, Oeiras, Sintra, Porto, Madeira, Vilamoura	Different per office, e.g. 8671 (Lisboa), 23153 (Cascais), 7744 (Estoril)
Knight Frank	Associates, not branches	Premium and luxury, new developments	7: Quintela + Penalva in Lisbon, Cascais, Oeiras, Sintra, Comporta and Porto; Mapro in the Golden Triangle	6182 (Quintela + Penalva); 317 (Mapro)
Castelhana (a Dils company)	Lisbon-headquartered agency	Upper-middle to luxury, new developments	6: Lisbon, Cascais, Oeiras, Sintra, Porto, Comporta	3497 (Dils Portugal, 24280, also in its footer)
Century 21	Franchise offices	General residential	6: Lisbon, Almada, Lagos, Portimão, Albufeira, Madeira	Different per office
Keller Williams	Franchise “market centres”, agent-led	All segments or not stated	5: Lisbon, Cascais, Portimão, Albufeira, Madeira	Different per market centre
JLL	Residential team of a global property consultancy	Prime, new developments	4: Lisbon, Oeiras, Sintra, Porto	8654 and 479
Fine & Country	Separate companies under one brand	Upper and premium	4: Carvoeiro and Tavira (Fine & Country Algarve), Lagos (Ocean Country), Comporta	9767; 5653; 9146
Savills	Savills Portugal; QP Savills, an associated family firm	Full residential range; QP Savills luxury	3: Lisbon and Porto (Savills Portugal); Golden Triangle (QP Savills)	5446; 1252
Imojoy Real Estate	Multi-office Portuguese agency	Mid-market, broad price range	3: Oeiras, Sintra, Portimão	12689
Exclusive Algarve Villas	Algarve boutique	Luxury villas	3: Carvoeiro, Golden Triangle, Vilamoura	7516
Tagus Property	Independent with a Lisbon office	Houses, villas, quintas; a property-finder service in Comporta	3: Silver Coast, Tavira, Comporta	13266
Goldcrest	Buyer’s agent; offices in Lisbon, Porto and Lagoa	Buyer representation	13 areas, from Porto and Lisbon to Madeira and the Algarve	23310
Portugal Buyers	Buyer’s agent	Buyer representation, including a luxury service	8: Albufeira, Carvoeiro, Comporta, Golden Triangle, Porto, Silver Coast, Tavira, Vilamoura	26180
Algarve House Hunters	Buyer’s agent based in Tavira	Farmhouses to Golden Triangle villas	5: Lagos, Portimão, Golden Triangle, Vilamoura, Tavira	24272

Being on many lists means a brand is widespread, not that its office near you is the right one.

Area-by-area lists

Every list below is a separate page with a comparison table, a profile of each agency (office address, segment, languages, AMI licence) and a factual tradeoff line. The counts are the agency offices and buyer’s agents profiled on each page; some firms appear in more than one area.

Region	Area	Main list	Profiled	Luxury list	Buyer’s agents profiled
Lisbon coast	Lisbon	Lisbon estate agents	10 agencies + 3 buyer’s agents	Lisbon luxury (9)	Yes; see also Lisbon buyer’s agents
Lisbon coast	Oeiras & Carcavelos	Oeiras & Carcavelos estate agents	11 agencies	No	No (see Cascais)
Lisbon coast	Cascais & Estoril	Cascais & Estoril estate agents	13 agency offices + 3 buyer’s agents	Cascais luxury (10)	Yes
Lisbon coast	Sintra	Sintra estate agents	12 agencies	No	No
Lisbon coast	Ericeira & Mafra	Ericeira & Mafra estate agents	10 agencies	No	No
Silver Coast	Óbidos, Caldas da Rainha, Nazaré, Peniche & Alcobaça	Silver Coast estate agents	10 agencies + 3 buyer’s agents	No	Yes
Central Portugal	Coimbra	Coimbra estate agents	4 agencies + 2 buyer’s advisers	No	Yes
Lisbon coast	Almada & Costa da Caparica	Almada & Costa da Caparica estate agents	8 agencies	No	No (see Lisbon)
Algarve	Lagos & Praia da Luz	Lagos estate agents	15 agencies + 5 buyer’s agents	No	Yes
Algarve	Portimão & Alvor	Portimão & Alvor estate agents	12 agencies + 4 buyer’s agents	No	Yes
Algarve	Carvoeiro & Lagoa	Carvoeiro & Lagoa estate agents	11 agencies + 3 buyer’s agents	No	Yes
Algarve	Albufeira	Albufeira estate agents	11 agencies + 3 buyer’s agents	No	Yes
Algarve	Quinta do Lago, Vale do Lobo & Vilamoura	Golden Triangle estate agents	14 agencies + 3 buyer’s agents	Covered on the main list (€2m+ villas to resort flats)	Yes
Algarve	Vilamoura	Vilamoura estate agents	14 agencies + 3 buyer’s agents	No	Yes
Algarve	Tavira	Tavira estate agents	12 agencies + 4 buyer’s agents	No	Yes
Alentejo coast	Comporta & Melides	Comporta & Melides estate agents	10 agencies + 3 buyer’s agents	Luxury by default	Yes
Porto & the north	Porto, Matosinhos & Gaia	Porto estate agents	12 agencies + 3 buyer’s agents	No	Yes
Porto & the north	Braga	Braga estate agents	3 agencies + 1 buyer’s agent	No (see Porto)	Yes
Madeira	Madeira	Madeira estate agents	15 agencies + 2 buyer’s agents	No	Yes
Azores	São Miguel, Terceira, Faial & Pico	Azores estate agents	8 agencies + 2 buyer’s agents	No	Yes

For the whole Algarve on one page, including the networks with several offices across the region, see the Algarve list, and for buyer-side representation the Algarve buyer’s agents and the Lisbon buyer’s agents.

Across all 20 areas and the two buyer’s-agent lists that is more than 175 agency offices and buyer’s agents, once firms listed in several areas are counted once (re-counted 14 October 2026).

How do the international networks work in Portugal?

Most international brands in Portugal are franchises, licensees or associates. Each office is run by a Portuguese company with its own AMI licence, usually a different company from the same brand’s office in the next town, and your mediation contract is with that company, not with the brand. Two offices of the same brand can charge different commission and offer different service. A few details that matter when you sign:

• Engel & Völkers. In the Algarve, the Albufeira and Carvoeiro shops are run by the same licence partner (AMI 11972), while Lagos, Portimão and Vilamoura are each separate companies. The Lisbon licensee (AMI 15208) also runs the Restelo shop and covers Oeiras and Almada; the Cascais licensee (AMI 18136) runs the Estoril and Quinta da Marinha shops. The Sintra licensee (AMI 19061) also runs the Oeste shop on the Silver Coast.
• Sotheby’s. The Cascais (AMI 23153), Estoril (AMI 7744), Lisboa (AMI 8671) and Oeiras Restelo (AMI 8730) offices are four different companies, and Porto (AMI 10447), Madeira (AMI 12892) and Vilamoura (AMI 8904) are three more.
• Christie’s. Porta da Frente Christie’s (AMI 6335) covers Lisbon, Cascais, Oeiras, Sintra and Comporta and publishes an annual premium-market report based on asking prices, not sales. LUXIMOS Christie’s (AMI 9063) is headquartered in the Porto district, with its Central Algarve office at Semino, Quarteira.
• Knight Frank and Savills. Quintela + Penalva has offices in Lisbon and Estoril; Mapro is a single-office associate in Almancil. Savills Portugal has no Cascais office; QP Savills has offices in Quinta do Lago, Vale do Lobo and Loulé.
• RE/MAX, Keller Williams, Century 21 and ERA. Service depends heavily on the individual consultant. Some RE/MAX offices advertise a free service for buyers; that is help with a search, not exclusive representation of the buyer.

Other brands on our lists include Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices (AMI 8460) in Vilamoura and Almancil, Sweden’s Fastighetsbyrån in Lagos and Tavira, Chestertons and The Agency in Vilamoura, John Taylor in Comporta and iad Portugal, a network of self-employed agents, in Ericeira. BARNES appears only in our “not yet profiled” notes for Lisbon and Cascais.

Buyer’s agents in Portugal

In Portugal the agency advertising a home works for the seller, who pays it. A buyer’s agent is a licensed agency hired by the buyer, and the law bars an agency from being paid by both buyer and seller in the same deal (Lei 15/2013, article 17(2)(a)). Across our lists we have profiled 15 buyer’s agents that say they act only for buyers: eight on the Lisbon coast, nine in the Algarve (some cover both) and Pearls of Portugal, based in Porto, which covers Madeira. Three publish a price or rate: Lisbon Buyer’s Agent and Algarve Buyer’s Agent (two brands of the same company, Smiling Dolphin, AMI 13600) and Living Local, which charges 2% where no commission can be negotiated from the seller. We found none based in Oeiras, Sintra, Ericeira or Almada, although Living Local, from Cascais, says it covers the first three. See buyer’s agents in Portugal for what they do and cost, and the Lisbon and Algarve lists for profiles.

How to find an English-speaking estate agent (realtor) in Portugal

“Realtor” is an American word. Strictly, REALTOR is a membership mark of the US National Association of Realtors: it means a US agent who belongs to NAR and its code of ethics. Portugal has no equivalent title. The word you will see is mediador imobiliário (estate agency), and the licence that matters is the agency’s AMI number, held by the company or sole trader, not by each consultant.

The bigger differences are in how the market works:

What a US buyer expects	What happens in Portugal
An MLS that shows almost every home for sale	No national MLS. Each agency mainly shows its own stock, so search the portals and ask two or three agencies or a buyer’s agent
Your own agent, under a written buyer agreement (standard since 17 August 2024, per NAR)	The agent you call works for the seller. For someone on your side, hire a buyer’s agent and agree the fee in writing
Commission negotiated between the parties	The seller pays, commonly about 5% plus 23% VAT (22% in Madeira), at the deed
Dual agency allowed in some states	An agency cannot be paid by both buyer and seller in the same deal (Lei 15/2013, article 17(2)(a)), so ask any agent who pays them
A title company and escrow	Your own property lawyer checks the land registry and tax record; a deposit is paid at the promissory contract (CPCV)

See our guide for Americans using a Portuguese estate agent and buyer’s agents in Portugal.

To find an agent who will actually work with you in English:

1. Start from the area list. Each comparison table has a languages column. “Website in EN” means only that the website is in English; “EN, DE, NL” with no qualifier means the agency states its staff speak those languages.
2. Ask for a named consultant who writes and speaks English. A brand with an English website may still have an office that works mostly in Portuguese.
3. Ask for documents in two languages. The mediation contract and the CPCV are in Portuguese; ask for an English translation, and have your lawyer read the Portuguese.

How to check an AMI licence on IMPIC

The register is free, needs no login and is in Portuguese.

1. Find the AMI number. It must be on contracts and adverts (Lei 15/2013, article 13), and is usually in the website footer.
2. Open the register. On impic.pt, go to “Consultar”, then “Licença de mediação imobiliária” (the page is titled Empresas titulares de licença de mediação imobiliária).
3. Search. Enter the number in “Nº Licença” and press “Pesquisar”. You can also search by NIPC (company tax number), Denominação (company name), postcode or Concelho (municipality).
4. Compare the result with your contract. The register shows the licence number, NIPC, company name and registered address. The company name and NIPC should match the party on your contract. The address is the registered seat, which may not be the shop.
5. If nothing comes up, check the lists on the same menu of licences suspended or cancelled in the last year, and of firms established elsewhere in the European Economic Area. Then ask the agency before you sign.

Example: searching AMI 6182 on 14 October 2026 returned Quintela & Penalva Associados – Sociedade de Mediação Imobiliária, Lda, registered in Lisbon. That is the company behind the Quintela + Penalva | Knight Frank brand, so the contract should name it, not Knight Frank.

How to choose an estate agent in Portugal

1. Check the licence and the company. Every agency must hold an AMI licence from IMPIC. Search it on the register (steps above) and check that the company name matches your contract. With franchises, the brand on the shop and the company that signs are rarely the same name.
2. Agree the commission in writing. Commonly about 5% (roughly 3–6%) plus 23% VAT, paid by the seller at the deed, and negotiable. There is no legal rate. The mediation contract (contrato de mediação imobiliária) must state the commission, VAT, duration and whether it is exclusive (article 16). See estate agent commission.
3. Keep exclusivity short. An exclusive contract often buys a lower rate. Keep it to three to six months and note the date for giving notice not to renew. A contract with no stated duration lasts six months (article 16(3)).
4. Match the segment. A prime specialist may not be the best fit for a €250,000 resort flat, and a general franchise office may have few buyers for a €3m villa. The area lists state each agency’s segment in its own words.
5. Ask for recent completed sales, not listings. Asking prices sit well above prices paid: in Lisbon, idealista asking prices (€6,227/m², August 2026) are about 20% above the INE median paid (€5,192/m², 12 months to June 2026). An agent who sold in your street last year knows the real number.
6. Ask if they have sold for owners abroad. You can sign the CPCV (promissory contract) and the deed through a power of attorney (procuração). Ask whether the agency has completed sales where the owner never travelled.
7. Sort out the habitation licence now. From 1 October 2026 every deed must state whether the property has its planning title (habitation licence), or either party can seek to annul the sale (Decree-Law 108/2026, start date set by Decree-Law 155-B/2026). An agent should ask about unlicensed pools or extensions at the first meeting. See selling with unlicensed works.

What one percentage point of commission is worth:

Sale price	5% + 23% VAT	4% + 23% VAT	Difference
€300,000	€18,450	€14,760	€3,690
€500,000	€30,750	€24,600	€6,150
€900,000	€55,350	€44,280	€11,070

Commission and its VAT count as a sale expense that reduces your Portuguese capital gain, provided the invoice carries your NIF (tax number).

Questions to ask before you sign with an agent

Ask these at the first meeting and get the answers into the mediation contract. They follow Lei 15/2013 and the court decisions in our guides to agent commission and switching estate agent.

Question	Why it matters	A good answer
What is your AMI number, and which company signs my contract?	Franchise offices are separate companies, and the number must be on the contract (article 13)	A number that returns the same company name and NIPC on IMPIC
What is the commission, is VAT on top, and when is it due?	There is no legal rate; the contract must state it (article 16)	A written rate plus 23% VAT (22% in Madeira), due only at the deed
Is it exclusive, for how long, and how do I stop it renewing?	No stated duration means six months (article 16(3)); the standard model renews unless you give notice 10+ days before the end	Three to six months, with the notice period and method in writing
Is it simple or “absolute” exclusivity?	Simple exclusivity lets you sell to a buyer you find yourself (Supreme Court, 12 April 2023); wording that bars private sales can trigger commission	Simple exclusivity, or a written right to sell privately without commission
What do I owe for a buyer you introduce after the contract ends?	Commission can still be owed for a buyer the agency introduced during the term (Guimarães Court of Appeal, July 2024)	A named list of people shown the property, and a short, fixed tail period
What have you sold near me in the last 12 months, and for how much?	Asking prices sit well above prices paid	Completed sales with prices, not current listings
Will you charge the buyer as well?	An agency cannot be paid by both sides in the same deal (article 17(2)(a))	No
Who is my English-speaking contact, and will I get the contract in English?	Many agencies state only their website languages	A named consultant, and a translation alongside the Portuguese contract

For sellers who live abroad

If you are selling from abroad, before you instruct an agency:

• Get a realistic figure first. Our free price estimate and the selling calculator show what you may net after commission and Portuguese capital gains tax.
• Read selling as a non-resident for the full process: tax number, power of attorney, documents and deed.
• See costs of selling for every other cost, from the energy certificate to early mortgage repayment.
• Choose an agency with an English-speaking consultant who will report to you in writing, and agree how viewings, offers and keys will be handled while you are away.

How many homes sell in Portugal, and what does an agent cost on a typical one?

About 160,000 homes a year. INE counted 156,713 sales of homes in Portugal in the 12 months to June 2026, down 5.3% on 165,405 a year earlier. The median price paid rose 17.7%, from €1,923/m² to €2,264/m². So prices rose fast while the number of sales fell. These are INE’s latest local figures, published on 23 October 2026.

Area	Home sales, 12 months to June 2026	A year earlier	Median price paid (INE)
Portugal	156,713	165,405	€2,264/m²
Algarve	11,508	12,025	€3,338/m²

Worked example: a 100 m² home at the national median, so €226,400.

Who pays	What	Amount
Seller	Agent commission at 5% (€11,320) plus 23% VAT (€2,604)	€13,924
Seller	Each percentage point of commission, with VAT	€2,785
Non-resident buyer	IMT at 7.5% (€16,980), stamp duty at 0.8% (€1,811), Casa Pronta deed (€375)	€19,166
Resident buyer, main home	IMT (€5,390), stamp duty (€1,811), Casa Pronta deed (€375)	€7,576

The non-resident buyer pays €11,590 more in tax for the same home (Decree-Law 97/2026). Tax figures come from our IMT calculator.

Two more rules in Lei 15/2013 matter when you sign:

• When commission is due. The agency earns its fee when the deal is concluded, normally at the deed. It can fall due at the CPCV (promissory contract) only if the mediation contract says so (article 19(1)).
• A contract that breaks the rules is void. If the mediation contract leaves out what article 16 requires, such as the commission or the duration, it is void. Only the client, not the agency, can rely on that (article 16(5)).

Frequently asked questions

How much do estate agents charge in Portugal?

Commonly about 5% of the price plus 23% VAT, paid by the seller at the deed. There is no legal rate, and the fee is negotiable. On a €226,400 home, the national median for 100 m², that is €13,924. In Madeira VAT is 22%, so the same fee there would be €13,810.

Does the buyer pay the estate agent in Portugal?

No. The seller hires and pays the listing agency. An agency cannot be paid by both buyer and seller in the same deal (Lei 15/2013, article 17(2)(a)). A buyer who wants someone on their side hires a buyer’s agent and agrees that fee separately.

When do you pay the estate agent in Portugal?

At the deed (escritura), when the sale is concluded. Commission can fall due at the CPCV only if the mediation contract says so (Lei 15/2013, article 19(1)). Read that clause before you sign.

How many homes are sold in Portugal each year?

INE counted 156,713 home sales in the 12 months to June 2026, of which 11,508 were in the Algarve. The national median price paid was €2,264/m², up 17.7% in a year.

Key points

• There is no official ranking of estate agents in Portugal. Our area lists profile more than 175 agency offices and buyer’s agents across 20 areas, each AMI licence checked on IMPIC in September–October 2026; none paid to be listed.
• Engel & Völkers (16 areas), RE/MAX (13) and ERA (10) appear most often, but each office is a separate local company, so check the AMI number and company name on IMPIC.
• “Realtor” is a US term. Portugal has no MLS, the seller pays the commission, and only a buyer’s agent you hire works for you.
• Commission is commonly about 5% plus 23% VAT, paid by the seller and negotiable; keep exclusivity to three to six months and know your renewal notice date.
• From 1 October 2026 the deed must state whether a habitation licence exists, so settle any licensing gaps before you list.
• If you’d rather not compare agencies yourself, Portugal Owners suggests two or three that fit your property, free.