When you decide to put your property on sale, several questions immediately arise that require a professional and rigorous response. One of these concerns relates to the documentation necessary to proceed with your idea. What papers do I need? Where do I get each one? Will they be valid and up to date? Although they may differ according to the type of property in question, we present the most common list of necessary documents for apartments and villas:  Tax certificate Registry certificate  Floor plan(s) Habitation licence  Energy Certificate  Technical certificate (when the property is later 03/2004)  To ensure that this process takes place with the greatest security and reliability, collect all the elements described above and, together with one of our specialized professionals, analyse each one of them, because these documents allow to identify your property and validate all the elements necessary, for the deed signing (owners, mortgages, licensing, etc.).  Contact Casaiberia, make an appointment with one of the Consultants and put the sale of your property in good hands. 

The impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic Crisis on real estate is unknown, but the impact is expected to be as brief or as long as the event that caused it. This means that after the peak phase of the Pandemic there will be a recovery that does not go beyond the time that it lasted. Pedro Seabra Partner of Explorer Investment states in the following way "the impact is expected to be temporary". We at Casaibéria understand it the same way. The specialists, at European level, have been confirming this position, reiterated by Pedro Seabra in an interview to the magazine Vida Imobiliária, in several interviews and channels. For now, the impact is still not felt in the way it has been published in some newspapers, as there are businesses coming from the previous months that are still taking place. However, the limitation of mobility and physical proximity to customers will be felt in the results over the next few weeks. As well as in the progress of the works or in the time of approval of ongoing projects. All these are factors that will be decisive in the coming months, we will have to take into account the need to unbureaucratize some of the processes, by the national authorities, because we know today that this year's summer will not be used for holidays, but for a quick recovery of business and the lost economy. We, Casaibéria, consider that we are prepared for the reconquest of the interests and well-being of our customers. We will be part of this future front line of recovery of the national economy, through hard work, which will contribute to the well-being of our population, so that we can all achieve better results, on behalf of Portugal and the Portuguese. We also want to be realistic, we know that the number of transactions will be much smaller in the next two months. There will even be a stop of transactions for some time, due to lack of visits, postponement of decisions, contracts, deeds, etc. We believe that the impact will be temporary, as Pedro Seabra says, and that the world will continue to revolve. People still want to have their corner, their property where they can live and watch their children and grandchildren grow up. Above all, there is still a lot of money looking to be put on the real estate market, because the property is something physical and, as a rule, it doesn't lose value. We are sure that the pressure of demand on supply is maintained and we also know that much can change in two or three months. Nobody has a crystal ball to know what will happen next. We are confident that the willingness to invest and the pressure in the real estate market will be reborn when people return to mobility and confidence. In every crisis, real estate has been a safe haven, compared to other financial products, and this time it will be no different. This is perhaps the greatest opportunity the bank has to clean its image of the scandals of the last decade, and thus prove to taxpayers, the reason and the reasons why it was worth rescuing it, as Filipe Alves says in his chronicle to the Economic Journal, in an opinion article very well prepared where he ends with a phrase that may well be one of the keys to this whole problem, "There must be courage and vision for this, by politicians, supervisors and bankers". Paulo Lopes (Managing Partner Casaibéria)    

"Recent years have seen in Portugal an exponential growth in the number of renewable energy parks, responding to political and economic pressures to achieve ambitious targets for the production of energy through renewable sources. At a general level, this development has been based on consensual statements - mitigation of climate change, reduction of external energy dependence  - but at a local and situated level conflicts become visible (visual destruction of the landscape, harmful impacts on rural ecosystems, tourist activities, health).   With the Paris Agreement, the world has committed itself to a future with low carbon emissions. The European Union has already set ambitious climate targets and, in order to achieve our long-term decarbonisation objectives, renewable energies must supply at least 55% to 75% of our energy needs by 2050. These figures are clearly a challenge, but I think they are achievable.     Renewable energies are key to long-term climate change mitigation and will play an increasingly important role in improving the Union's overall energy security. Nevertheless, we are likely to continue to need fossil fuels for some time to come, even if our dependence on them has already started to decrease. In addition to geopolitical risks, fossil fuels carry disproportionate external costs for society, costs that translate into damage to health and the environment.     Despite a sustained reduction in oil prices, which may now affect the competitiveness costs of renewable energies, the long-term outlook for these energies is very favourable. The costs of renewable energy technologies are becoming increasingly competitive. In many places, renewable energies are already competing at market prices with fossil fuel based technologies. In addition, if energy prices better reproduced the environmental impacts associated with its production and use, such as emissions to air, water and climate change, the competitiveness of renewable energies would clearly outstrip that of conventional technologies.     The year 2019 closed with two months of high renewable productivity, and November was marked by another record of the electricity generating centres in mainland Portugal, which achieved an unprecedented daily output of 103.1 Gigawatt-hours (GWh). In December, Portugal again broke the record for 100% renewable consumption: on the 18th, it began an uninterrupted period of 131 hours, corresponding to 5.5 days, in which renewable production was sufficient to supply consumption.     "According to Pedro Amaral Jorge, president of APREN, by defining a 10-year strategy with quantified objectives for the renewable electricity sector, the Portuguese government "creates the necessary conditions to attract the suitable investments and financing to the national economy, towards a cheaper, more equitable electricity service with active citizen participation.    This article is primarily aimed at exploring the conflicts surrounding renewable energies in Portugal, at a time when strong political, viral and economic pressures have promoted their expansion in order to achieve ambitious targets for "INVESTMENT" in the near future.         Text: José Costa   BIBLIOGRAPHY:  CE – Comissão Europeia (2007), Eurobarómetro 65.3 Energy Technologies: Knowledge, Perception, Measures. Bruxelas: CE.  DGEG – Direção Geral de Energia e Geologia (2010), Renováveis: estatísticas rápidas n.º 68. Lisboa: DGEG.  www.renergy.ics.ul.pt.  Renewable Energy: The Key to Investment for a Low Carbon Future in Europe 

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of The World Health Organisation (WHO), dispensed advice on how people can look after their health.  He said this will not only help people in the long-term, but it will also help to fight Covid-19 if they get it.  In his opening remarks at the briefing in Geneva, Switzerland, he included the following health tips:    Eat a healthy and nutritious diet, which helps your immune system to function properly.  Limit your alcohol consumption, and avoid sugary drinks.  Do not smoke, he said. Smoking damages in your lungs can increase your risk of developing severe disease, if you become infected with Covid-19.  It is recommended 30 minutes of physical activity, per day for adults, and one hour per day for children.  If allowed, go outside for a walk or a run, while keeping a safe distance from others.  If you cannot leave the house, find an exercise video online, dance to music, do some yoga, or walk up and down the stairs.  If you're working at home, make sure you do not sit in the same position for long periods. Get up and take a three-minute break every 30 minutes.  It is normal to feel stressed, confused and scared during this pandemic. Talking to people you know and trust can help.  "Supporting other people in your community can help you as much as it does them. Check in on neighbours, family and friends. Compassion is a medicine," said Dr Tedros.  "Listen to music, read a book or play a game. And try not to read or watch too much news if it makes you anxious. Get your information from reliable sources once or twice a day."  In the same set of remarks, Dr Tedros said: "One of the things we are learning is that although older people are the hardest hit, younger people are not spared.”    Text: Rainer Beck Sources: WHO

March 2020 will mark the end of a cycle of real estate expansion in Portugal. This Covid-19 pandemic is likely to force an abrupt interruption of the real estate market, and thus change the rules of the game rather severely.  The failure to carry out deeds and/or closed or virtually closed deals, the failure to make profits from these same deals may lead to the closure of some real estate companies, as well as lead some, or even many, consultants to abandon the activity.  This abrupt stoppage in the real estate market may, or even should, lead investors to refer to their activity expecting a significant correction in the prices of the assets to be acquired, which will also be inevitable.  At the level of the international market, and in an interview with the Diário Económico this week, APPII states, and I quote, "The Portuguese Association of Real Estate Promoters and Investors (APPII) believes that the effect of the coronavirus outbreak on the real estate sector will have a negative impact on attracting foreign investment.  This is not at all our vision for this market, given that we have been in contact with foreign investors who have told us that they have not given up on our market, they are only expecting the duration of this crisis, as well as the correction that the market will make in terms of price.  In terms of the economic conjuncture, the vision of three of the largest European banks, Deutsche Bank, Santander and Lloyds Bank, is that the downturn will be very abrupt and very rapid, however, the recovery will come about in the same way, acute and fast.  Generally speaking, the markets have been reacting positively since the beginning of this week, after heavy falls last week leading even to the closure of some sessions, and after the announced incentives to the economy by the ECB, as well as the Central Banks and IMF.  "Despite the turbulence imposed by the coronavirus crisis, the agency says that maintaining a stable outlook for the national rating "reflects the assessment of DBRS Morningstar around several of Portugal's main rating indicators," highlighting some positive elements that make the Portuguese economy better prepared to face the present scenario. "The Portuguese economy - having diversified in recent years to have higher quality exports and increased private sector investment - is in a stronger position than in the previous crisis and better able to support a balanced growth", he specifies".    Text: Vitor Ferreira  Sources: Jornal de Negócios and Diário Económico 

Portugal has been elected the world best destination for the third year in a row, which comes as no surprise to us. Here you can find everything from small charming villages, rich with heritage and genuine Portuguese cuisine, to large metropolitan cities, with Michelin star restaurants and active nightlife. With its world-renowned beaches, excellent gastronomy, top quality wines and one of the best climates in Europe, Portugal attracts people from all over the world, seeking better life quality, both for body and mind. The high international interest for the Portuguese property market has led to a significant increase in new properties built with higher quality standards and resourcing modern technology solutions. Despite an increase in pricing as a result of the high demand, Portugal's property market is most advantageous compared to most European countries, due to a lower price per sqm. Whether you are interested in living here permanently, acquiring a vacation home or purchasing a property for investment purposes, we are here to help you find what you are searching for and guide you throughout the process, to ensure a smooth and efficient purchase. Most of the non resident property owners look to profit of their property through holiday rentals. It is a great opportunity to generate a good return of investment, due to the increasing amount of tourists every year and generous pricing during high season.    For property owners in Algarve, we recommend that you contact Mancini Properties for a trustworthy and quality rental service throughout the whole process. To contact them please visit their website via this link, Mancini Rental Service in Portugal.

Preparing your house for sale can give you more work than you might think, since the special attention in decorating until have to do minor repairs. This preparation is crucial both for the pictures, that will be used in the sale of your house, as for subsequent viewings. To eliminate the sense of visual chaos, we advise you to: Keep it clean and tidy: No doubt this is a very important factor! To those who see your house for the first time, whether in pictures or during the viewing, is to avoid any distractions that prevent the buyer from focus on the details that really matter. Keep every room in the house tidy, put away personal objects, organize bookshelves, and pay attention to details such as fluff up your cushions and straighten your curtains. Small cosmetic improvements: To put your house on the market, must take into account if you need some improvement, for example, a new paint job. Discuss this matter with your consultant, in order to understand whether this type of investment will be favorable or not. Decoration: Personal tastes aside, when it's time to sell your home, try to keep a more neutral decoration during the photo shoot and the visitors, allowing the purchaser to imagine the house as his own. Pets: In addition to the personal preferences, you must pay particular attention to the allergic issues, which may make it difficult to make the viewing. For this reason, during a viewing, if you have pets, keep them in a single room, avoiding that your pet becomes the center of attention, instead of the house. Lighting: During the viewing, the consultant will open all the blinds and turn on most of the lights in order to promote your home. For this reason, replace blown bulbs, and in the case of shutters or blinds that don't work correctly, fix them. Garden, pool or outside spaces: Take in consideration that this space should be arranged and taken care of, which any decor and garden equipment must be in good condition.

Investment in housing increased by 42% in Lisbon alone. The Residential investment was the main target, concentrating 84% of the transactions registered with more than 11,700 operations. Investment in housing increased by 42%, compared to 2.85 billion euros invested in 2017. Commercial real estate and services accounted for 21% in volume, also showing a positive evolution compared to 2017. The land transaction was also dynamic, moving more than 100 million euros in 2018. The Investment has expanded to all the parishes of Lisbon, starting with Avenidas Novas and Santa Maria Maior with the largest investment volume, each with a volume of transactions of approximately 750 million euros, followed by Santo António with 688.5 million euros of investment. The most representative of the investment in 2018 are Arroios with 519 million euros, Estrela 415 million euros and Freguesia da Misericórdia with 410 million euros. In total, this set of parishes accounts for 60% of the total amount transacted in the Lisbon ARU, but there is a growing dispersion of investment in more and more Lisbon areas, having doubled (from 6 to 12) the number of parishes where the investment exceeds 200 million euros. Source: Diário Imobiliário

The Catalan real estate fund, MK Premium, entered Portugal in 2018, investing about seven million euros in real estate in Lisbon, Porto and Gaia to date. Plans for this year point to a doubling in investment, according to a statement made by the company to the national press. The company says it expects to double its economic investment in the acquisition of real estate in Lisbon and Porto, up to 15 million euros. The real estate asset management company acquired a total of 80 properties last year (44% more than in 2017), including nine residential buildings in the first year in Portugal, which is expected to multiply in the coming months. Source: Jornal de Negócios