Behind every property purchase in Madeira are conversations, questions, searching and decisions. How do I guide you through the process, what happens before a viewing and after the keys are handed over, and why does our work together need trust and a clear understanding?
Sometimes our work together begins with an email. Sometimes it starts with a phone call, a video call or a meeting in Madeira. Some people know exactly what they want and are looking for a particular property. Others are simply wondering whether the island could become part of their lives.
Some people take several years to reach a decision. They follow different sources, read, return to the island and gradually build their own picture. Others decide within a few months. Everyone has their own pace and their own reasons.
At the beginning, above all, I listen.
I want to understand what brings you to Madeira, how you would like to use the property and what you expect from it. Whether you are looking for a home, somewhere to spend a few months each year, an investment or perhaps a base for the future. We talk about your budget, but also about everyday life. About commuting, the surrounding area, the weather and what you need to have close by.
Together, we talk through what you are looking forward to, as well as what may be more challenging than it first appears. Buying property in another country is a big step. Some ideas need the benefit of local experience; others need adjusting in the light of what really matters to you.
These conversations gradually give us an idea that can guide a meaningful search.
We may know each other long before we first meet
Perhaps you first read one of my articles. Watched an interview, joined a live stream or have been receiving my emails with news from Madeira for some time.
That is part of my work, too.
I share my experience, offer a closer look at island life and discuss the subjects that go hand in hand with buying property. I want you to have a chance to get to know Madeira beyond the beautiful photographs. To picture an ordinary day and make decisions with a deeper understanding of the place where you want to invest your money, and perhaps part of your life.
By the time we meet, we often already have something to build on.
The search is something we do together
As we work together, we exchange messages, make calls, discuss listings and plan viewings. Sometimes we need to clarify something quickly over the phone; at other times, we arrange a video call and take the time to go through the questions that have come up.
I look for properties according to what we have agreed, speak with colleagues and find out more about listings that might suit you. As I get to know your priorities, we can refine the selection.
And, of course, you may come across a property that catches your eye which I have not sent you. You might find it on a property portal, on social media or on another agency’s website.
When that happens, simply send me the link.
First, I check whether the property is actually available. Listings sometimes remain online even when they are no longer current. It is therefore important to establish the true position before we start planning the next steps.
I contact the selling side, find out the details and check the possibilities for working together. If the property is available and cooperation has been confirmed, we can continue together even if another estate agency is marketing it.
Agencies and agents in Madeira do work together. This allows our search to include listings beyond the agency I work with.
And this is where there is one important point I need to explain at the outset.
Why I need you to go through me for every property
If you would like me to represent you in negotiations, guide you through the buying process and support you after the purchase, it is important that I am the person who introduces you to that particular property.
That means sending me the link before you contact the selling agency or agent yourself, or arrange a viewing.
The reason is practical. We confirm cooperation with the selling agency in advance and agree to split the commission 50 : 50. One side brings the property, the other the buyer. My work is then paid for from the share received by the agency I work with. This allows me to guide you without charging you an additional fee.
For you to receive this support without paying for it separately, I must be recorded from the outset as the person who introduced you to the specific property.
If you contact the selling agency yourself, I cannot subsequently assume that it will involve me in the transaction and share the commission. Telling the agency afterwards that you have your own agent is generally not enough either. From its perspective, you approached it as a direct prospective buyer. If I am representing you, it expects me to make the first contact on your behalf.
In that situation, I therefore cannot provide the same level of representation without a separately agreed fee. That is why it is important to send me the link before you first approach the agency or agent.
I understand that, from a buyer’s point of view, sending an enquiry or arranging a viewing may seem like a small step. But it is fundamental to how we work together. That is why I explain it openly at the beginning, so that we do not have to deal with an uncomfortable misunderstanding later.
We can therefore search together. You can add your own suggestions to the properties I find for you. I then handle communication with the selling side from the outset.
From the first questions to collecting the keys
A viewing is just one part of the whole process. Much of the work takes place in emails, phone calls, obtaining documents, clarifying terms and coordinating the people involved in the purchase.
I help you understand the individual steps, prepare questions and get answers. I connect you with local specialists wherever legal, tax, building or other professional advice is needed. I keep communication coordinated so that you know what is happening and what comes next.
It also matters to me that you have the space to make your decision. Sometimes we need another viewing. Sometimes an additional document. And sometimes a conversation helps us realise that we need to adjust the search.
Signing the purchase contract also marks the start of your own experience of owning property in Madeira. Next come the handover, furnishing and practical questions. As agreed, I help you with these too, or point you towards a person or company who can take care of the matter.
Trust also needs a clear understanding
I bring my time, local contacts, experience and a great deal of personal commitment to our work together. For it all to work well, I need openness from you and an agreement that we will conduct the search together.
You do not have to be certain straight away. You can change your mind, reconsider an area or realise that you need more time. That is part of the search, too. It helps me when you tell me. I can then respond better to what you need at that moment.
When we communicate openly, I can better understand your decisions, know the context and build on everything we have already discussed.
This is what makes my work meaningful to me. Getting to know the people I work with, understanding their intentions and helping them take a step they will still feel confident about when the initial excitement gives way to everyday life.
I want you to feel able to ask about things that may seem obvious during our work together. To say when you do not understand something, when something does not feel right or when you need to slow down. With a decision this significant, even a seemingly small detail deserves attention.
I know from my own experience how many questions life in another country brings. Having someone on the ground you can call, who speaks your language and understands your plans, can make many things easier. That is the person I want to be for you.
And I am delighted when clients get in touch later, too. With a practical question, further plans or simply news of how they are getting on in Madeira, what they are dealing with and what they have already achieved. In those moments, I see how their own lives have grown out of our work together.
If you are thinking about a property in Madeira, write to me. You do not need to have chosen a house or set a precise date. We can start with a conversation about what brings you here and what matters to you.
