What are the best mortgage brokers for buying property in Portugal?

A good broker can find you a loan, but a great broker will find you the best deal possible. They'll walk you through the whole process and make sure you're getting the right loan for your situation. 

In Portugal, the real estate market has evolved, and there are many mortgage brokers from which you can choose. Most of them are real experts in Portuguese bureaucracy and have many years of experience. 

To ensure a smooth process, they have strong relationships with different banks and financial institutions, and a network of excellent lawyers and accountants.  

Homevest is best for digital experience, with a comprehensive, user-friendly platform. Combined with Reorganiza's expertise in Portuguese mortgages, the process becomes smoother for international buyers. But more details on this later.

Continue reading to find the best mortgage broker for you. 

1. Portugal Mortgage 

Portugal Mortgage is one of the largest and oldest mortgage brokers in Portugal, and it caters to foreign investors. They partner with 11 banks and cover the whole country.  

The first step with them is a free online meeting where you can tell them what you're looking for and discuss your situation. After that, they'll send you a checklist of all the needed documents to secure a mortgage.   

Pros

• One-stop shop for all your needs regarding real estate, mortgage, and insurance
• Strong knowledge of international accounting and taxes
• Their services are free

Cons

• Service only in English or Portuguese

2. Homevest 

The Homevest platform assists applicants in sourcing the right documents required for bank review. It makes sure all necessary paperwork is easy to find and access in one place.

Homevest has partnered with Reorganiza, a digital mortgage broker renowned in the Portuguese market, to broaden client access to a broader range of banks and offer expert advice from leading mortgage and insurance brokers. 

This partnership perfectly combines Homevest's digital experience with Reorganiza’s expertise in the Portuguese property and mortgage markets, making the whole process smoother for international buyers.  

Pros

• Works with leading banks in Portugal, such as Santander, Bankinter, CGD, ABANCA, among others
• Offers a free service with no hidden fees or charges
• Easy to compare mortgages online
• Provides service in 8 languages (Portuguese, English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Romanian, Swedish)

Cons

• Self serve onboarding

3. Habeno

Habeno is an online mortgage broker from Sweden that offers services in Portugal and Spain. 

They work with leading banks on the market, and you can apply for a free pre-approval in as little as two minutes on their website.

The broker offers a free and paid tier called Habeno Plus that gets you a personal mortgage advisor. This service costs 1% of the borrowed amount.

Pros

• Free and non-binding pre-approval online 
• Fast turnaround (two minutes)
• Offers services in many languages (English, Spanish, German, French, Dutch, Polish, Swedish, and Portuguese)

Cons

• For the best service, you need to pay for Habeno Plus and Habeno Legal (if you don't have a lawyer already)

4. Mortgage Direct Portugal

Mortgage Direct entered the Portuguese market in 2015 and have a team of experienced mortgage advisers who specialize in finding you the best mortgage. 

Their full range of mortgage solutions includes holiday homes, construction, primary residence, investment, commercial mortgages, and bridging finance. 

Pros

• Offer a range of mortgage products
• Special products for high-net-worth individuals
• No fee for any mortgage advice
• Their approval rate is 98%

Cons

• Administration fee of €695
• Fee upon approval of 0.6% of the mortgage amount with a minimum of €1,000

5. Idealista

Idealista is a well-known online real estate platform operating in Portugal, Spain, and other European countries. 

Apart from finding a listed property on their website, you can get a quick quote for your mortgage. 

For more than ten years, they've been helping hundreds of thousands of people find their mortgage. 

Pros

• Their services are free
• Specialized in mortgages for non-residents
• Works with major banks and lenders (CGD, Millennium, Novo Banco)
• Instant quote online

Cons

• Impersonal service

6. Credilink

Credilink operates in mainland Portugal and on the island of Madeira and provides a personalized and independent advisory service for all types of mortgages, including investing, construction, equity release, and mortgage transfer.

Pros

• Completely free service
• The company works with all major lenders in Portugal
• Most suitable for non-residents, foreigners already living in Portugal, and expats who want to return to the country

Cons

• No pre-approval or quote online
• Not much information on the website

7. Quinta Finance

Quinta Finance is an established mortgage broker with over 25 years of experience. Their service is completely free, and you can get a detailed mortgage proposal document directly from their website. 

Pros

• They offer a range of mortgages and loans
• A qualified team of professionals speaking multiple languages

Cons

• Their website has some outdated information

8. Ideal Homes Portugal

Ideal Homes Portugal is a real estate agency founded in 2012. It specializes in the Algarve. Apart from selling property, they operate like any other independent mortgage broker, which is common in Portugal. 

If you find a property on their website, the whole process is done in-house and can be smoother than going through other venues to secure a loan. 

Pros

• If you're buying in the Algarve, they're the experts
• Relationship with all key Portuguese lending banks 

Cons

• It operates only in the Algarve

Comparison of the 8 best mortgage brokers in Portugal

Here, you can see the main costs of these 8 mortgage brokers when getting a 200,000 EUR mortgage:

Wrap up

Finding a good mortgage broker in Portugal doesn't have to be daunting or challenging. To simplify your search, we've listed the top mortgage brokers in the country. 

Which one you choose depends on your personal preferences and needs, but remember that Homevest offers a complete and user-friendly platform that makes securing a mortgage from abroad much more straightforward. 

Methodology

We chose these Portuguese mortgage brokers because they offer a mix of value and speed. 

Their teams speak multiple languages, have a vast network of banks and lenders, and offer a free or paid service that does all the heavy lifting for you.

Of course, the feedback from their past and existing customers is also extremely important, and we have considered that.  

Frequently asked questions

What should I consider when choosing a mortgage broker for buying a property in Portugal from abroad?

Consider their reputation as well as what reviews say about them. Ensure they have an extensive network of lenders and are familiar with Portuguese real estate laws and regulations. 

Of course, you're not bound by the quotes they give you and can inquire elsewhere to get a second opinion. 

How much does a mortgage broker cost?

Most mortgage brokers earn income through commissions. This means the lender and/or borrower pay them upon securing the loan. Many brokers opt to get paid only by the lender, meaning their services are at no cost to you. 

But if they do have fees for borrowers, they're typically from 0.5 to 2 percent of the loan amount. For a 400,000 EUR mortgage, a 0.5% fee would be 2,000 EUR, a 1% fee would be 4,000 EUR and a 2% fee would be 8,000 EUR. 

Will I find better offers than going directly to the bank?

Mortgage brokers often have access to a wide network of lenders, including banks, allowing them to compare all or almost all offers on the Portuguese market in a flash. Banks also often offer brokers better terms to make sure they bring them future clients.

Even if you go through this process with every individual bank, there's no guarantee they'll give you a better offer than a broker will.

Sources used and checked in May 2024:

1. Portugal Mortgage
2. Habeno
3. Mortgage Direct
4. Idealista
5. Credilink
6. Quinta Finance
7. Ideal Home Portugal

We recommend obtaining professional or specialist advice before taking or refraining from any action based on the content in this article. The information in this article does not constitute legal, tax, or other professional advice from Homevest Limited. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. We make no representations, warranties, or guarantees, whether express or implied, that the content in this article is accurate, complete, or up to date.