Before you buy
Jemma and Alice from Fine & Country provided an excelent service, communications were key and they provided a stress free environment in what is a difficult time. Thank you and well done
Charlene Regan and Alice Madden at Fine & Country have been absolutely outstanding from start to finish. Charlene found us the right buyer in just three weeks and achieved an offer well over the asking price, which speaks volumes about her skill, judgement and understanding of the market. The marketing was also superb. The photos, video, drone footage and brochure produced by the Fine & Country team presented our home beautifully and really helped show it at its best. Once we accepted the offer, Alice was exceptional in keeping everything moving smoothly and swiftly. She liaised with both sets of solicitors, kept communication flowing between us and our buyer, anticipated potential issues and helped resolve anything that came up along the way. The whole experience felt professional, proactive and well managed throughout. We would have absolutely no hesitation in recommending Charlene, Alice and the Fine & Country team to anyone looking to sell their home.
Review for Fine & Country Cardiff – Deeply Unprofessional and Untrustworthy I strongly advise anyone considering buying a property through Fine & Country Cardiff to think twice. We dealt with Gemma, and the experience has been nothing short of appalling. From the beginning, the team were overly pushy and dismissive of our concerns. But once the sale was completed, their attitude turned outright negligent. Despite purchasing a high-value property marketed as a “smart home,” no one had the courtesy to hand over the keys in person. Instead, we were told they were “in the mailbox” and that was the end of their involvement. Upon arrival, we found the garage door was broken and unopenable. An engineer has since confirmed it must be completely replaced at a cost of £2,000. The bathroom sliding door is stuck, meaning steam from the shower floods into the room. And most critically, the entire smart home system is inaccessible. We were given login details linked to an email address that is not ours. After 10 days of calls, emails, and speaking to the U.S.-based provider, we still cannot even turn on the lights. Fine & Country Cardiff have made no effort to assist. No follow-up, no explanation, and certainly no responsibility taken. Their behaviour has been unprofessional, and completely lacking in basic courtesy. I rarely leave reviews, but this situation has caused serious stress and inconvenience. Avoid this agency at all costs. They disappear the moment the payment clears and leave you to deal with all the problems they never disclosed.
Quentin, after a careful discussion and exchange of ideas, understood exactly what we were looking. He then sent us examples of a range of properties from which we were able to refine our own definitions of exactly what we were looking for and what our budget would allow. A true professional in real estate and a pleasure to deal with.
Quentin has an excellent approach, great communication, expert knowledge, warm and empathetic whilst going through our property search with us. We cannot thank you enough and would highly recommend you to anyone starting their property search in Portugal. Kindest. Victoria
We recently sold our house with Fine & Country, using Jemma as our agent, and couldn't be more pleased with the experience. Jemma was professional & knowledgeable. She made the entire process feel seamless and stress-free, always keeping us updated and providing expert advice every step of the way. Our house sold quickly, and with the companies extensive advertising reach, we were able to complete the sale within just five months of listing.
I found Quentin an excellent communicator when my wife and I were researching properties in his area. We had chats via zoom calls and he had properties to view when we arrived from UK. Good service, humorous and professional.
I had the pleasure of partnering with Quentin during a visit in Portugal. Quentin was a true partner, coordinating the whole trip, taking into account every detail and aspect of the trip, accessible the whole time and very understanding. He was very present and attentive to my needs and expectations. I can only highly recommend Quentin.
We had limited experience with Quentin - because he is in Portugal and we are in Canada. We can say that Quentin is completely professional. He answered emails same day and always provided information we asked for. He took the time to do his job well and we will continue our dealings with him.
Efficient, proactive, ready to help, pleasant relationship, large inventory
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Belém is Lisbon's imperial waterfront, the launching point of the Age of Discovery and home to the UNESCO-listed Jerónimos Monastery, Belém Tower, MAAT and the original Pastéis de Belém. Between the Tagus riverside, the Presidential palace gardens and mature ambassadorial villas, this is where Lisbon's most restrained old-money addresses sit.
Three- and four-bedroom apartments in restored 19th-century buildings and carefully curated new development along Rua da Junqueira and Calçada da Ajuda, 140-260 m² with parking and private terraces.
Detached villas behind the Ajuda palace and in Restelo, typically 350-800 m² with walled gardens, a rare Lisbon combination of centre-proximity and family-villa footprint.
River-view top-floor duplexes with terraces framing the Jerónimos Monastery, the 25 de Abril bridge and the Cristo Rei monument across the Tagus.
Fine Luxury Property is a Lisbon brokerage with deep Belém market knowledge, from the riverside palácios to the Restelo villa corridor and the newer CCB-adjacent stock. Our multilingual estate agents operate in English, French, Portuguese and Spanish and understand the heritage-listing overlays that govern renovation inside the UNESCO buffer zone, working daily with the IGESPAR and the Câmara de Lisboa planning departments.
Belém's Jerónimos Monastery and Torre de Belém are both UNESCO World Heritage sites. Strict preservation overlays permanently cap development density, supporting scarcity pricing for existing stock inside the buffer zone.
The Tagus promenade from Algés to Cais do Sodré runs through Belém, passing MAAT, the CCB cultural centre, Jardim da Praça do Império and the new Berardo collection. It's Lisbon's best-curated 6 km walk.
The Palácio de Belém, official residence of the President, and adjacent ambassadorial residences give the parish an inherent security premium and a quieter, more formal character than Chiado or Príncipe Real.
Belém turns over less stock annually than any other prime Lisbon parish — typical listings on prime streets appear once every 3-5 years. Scarcity translates into reliable resale value and low depreciation risk.
Non-residents require a Portuguese NIF and euro bank account. We arrange both via a Lisbon fiscal representative within 48 hours, with mortgage pre-approval from Millennium BCP or BPI at 60-70% LTV for international buyers.
Properties within the UNESCO buffer zone or classified Património Arquitetónico carry IGESPAR restrictions on façades, interiors and fenestration. Our legal team audits the planning file before offer — critical for any renovation-led purchase.
The Contrato Promessa de Compra e Venda with a 10-20% deposit locks the deal. We verify the Caderneta Predial, Certidão Permanente and condominium reserve fund status before signing.
For 19th-century palácios and older Restelo villas we commission a full structural and systems survey, including damp-course and seismic reinforcement review, before completion.
Public deed signed before a notary in Lisbon, settlement of IMT (up to 7.5%), 0.8% stamp duty and registration fees. Title registers at the Conservatória do Registo Predial de Lisboa within 30 days.
UNESCO and IGESPAR overlays have permanently capped density around Jerónimos, Torre de Belém and the Praça do Império. New luxury stock is rare and controlled, underwriting long-term pricing for existing properties.
MAAT, CCB, Berardo Collection, the Ajuda National Palace and multiple ambassadorial residences cluster within 2 km, giving Belém a cultural-institutional gravity no other Lisbon parish matches.
Belém resists the tourist intensity of Alfama and Bairro Alto. Its daily rhythm is Presidential-gardens-and-coffee, not party-capital. This is the Lisbon address for buyers who want heritage without headlines.
Senior diplomatic, academic and cultural-sector relocations gravitate to Belém. Qualifying under NHR 2.0 / IFICI delivers 20% flat tax on Portuguese-source income for ten years — structurally supportive of the executive rental tier.
Inland Belém apartments start around €650,000 and rise to €1.4 million, roughly €6,500-€8,500 per square metre. River-view three-bedrooms along Rua da Junqueira and the Avenida da Índia trade at €8,500-€12,500/m², typically €1.2-€2.5 million. Restelo villas run €7,500-€11,500/m², with detached 400-600 m² family villas between €3 and €7 million. Prime riverfront penthouses reach €11,000-€16,000/m² and trade at €3-€8 million depending on terrace size and view.
Rua da Junqueira runs parallel to the Tagus and carries the most sought-after apartment stock with direct river views. The Restelo hill behind Belém, centred on Rua Gregório Lopes and Rua Tristão Vaz, is the premier villa corridor, formerly home to ambassadors and political figures. Calçada do Galvão and the streets around Jardim Vasco da Gama offer characterful mid-19th-century apartments. Avenida das Descobertas sits above the CCB cultural centre with long river panoramas.
Foreign buyers need a Portuguese NIF tax number and a euro bank account, both arranged inside a week through our Lisbon legal partners. The process runs NIF > offer > CPCV promissory contract with 10-20% deposit > due diligence > escritura before a notary. Heritage-zone properties require an additional IGESPAR planning review before any renovation scope is priced. NHR 2.0 / IFICI applicants should register tax residency in the year of relocation. Portugal's Golden Visa property route closed in October 2023.
Belém enjoys a mild Atlantic-Mediterranean climate with 280+ sunny days annually, summer highs around 28°C and winter averages of 14-16°C. The riverside attracts steady westerly breezes. Daily life centres on the Praça do Império gardens, the Pastéis de Belém queue, MAAT riverside walks, CCB concerts and Sunday strolls to the Torre de Belém. The Presidential parish character keeps tourist density lower than Alfama or Bairro Alto, particularly outside the immediate monastery zone.
Long-term residential lets in Belém yield 3.8-4.8% gross, reflecting premium purchase prices. Two-bedroom apartments let at €2,500-€3,500 per month, three-bedrooms at €3,500-€6,000. Furnished executive rentals to embassy, cultural-institution and NHR professionals push yields to 4.5-5.5%. Short-let AL licences in the heritage buffer zone are heavily restricted and new licences effectively frozen; buyers targeting short-let yields should verify existing AL transferability before offer.
Yes, and they are significant. Properties inside the UNESCO buffer zone around Jerónimos and Torre de Belém fall under IGESPAR jurisdiction, with restrictions on façade alterations, window types, roof materials and interior structural modification in graded buildings. The Câmara de Lisboa adds a second overlay on any property classified Património Arquitetónico. Restelo villas are generally less restricted. For any renovation-led purchase, we instruct a heritage-qualified architect to pre-check the scope before offer — this is not optional in Belém.
Budget 7.5-10% on top of the purchase price. IMT transfer tax follows a sliding scale up to 7.5% for urban residential above €1.1 million; a €2 million apartment incurs roughly €125,000 IMT. Stamp duty (IS) is 0.8%. Notary, land registry and legal fees total 1.5-2.5%. Annual IMI municipal tax runs 0.3-0.45% of VPT. AIMI wealth tax of 0.7-1% applies where total Portuguese property holdings exceed €600,000 for non-residents, relevant for most Belém buyers.
Serving international clients in Belém. Expertise in historic preservation, new developments, and investment properties across all neighborhoods.
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