Changing estate agents in Portugal: what to check before you switch

Work out what you want the next agent to do differently

A quiet week is frustrating. So is receiving the same advice to lower the price without an explanation. Before switching, ask for a short account of what has actually happened: where the home is advertised, which enquiries led to viewings, what buyers said and whether any offers remain open.

Those answers make the next conversation more useful. If people visit but reject the location, a different logo on the listing will not change the location. If enquiries go unanswered or the photographs hide the best room, you have a specific service problem to discuss. Write down what you expect to improve before comparing agencies.

Find the end date and the notice clause

Open the signed agreement and any amendments. Note its start and end dates, whether it renews automatically, the notice required to prevent renewal and the agreed method of sending that notice. Do not assume a telephone conversation or taking down an advert ends the contract.

Portuguese law requires a written mediation agreement and, where exclusivity is agreed, an explanation of its effects. Read that clause before allowing another agency to advertise the property.

Preventing the next renewal and ending an agreement early are different requests. For an early departure, ask the current agency to set out the proposed end date and terms in writing. If those terms are disputed, have a Portuguese lawyer or solicitador review them before committing to a second contract.

Check the position of buyers already introduced

An earlier viewing can matter even if the buyer returns after you change agencies. Make a dated record of introductions, viewings, offers and ongoing discussions. Ask the outgoing agency to identify any transactions or amounts it considers unresolved and to explain its basis in writing.

For exclusive agreements, Article 19 provides for remuneration in certain cases where the transaction fails for a reason attributable to the owner. A change of agency alone is not enough to determine whether a fee is due.

If the same buyer approaches the new agent, disclose the earlier contact. Do not let two separate negotiations develop around the same person without explaining the history. A disputed commission needs a review of the agreement and evidence; a general online answer cannot settle it.

Agree a practical handover

Once the end date and terms are settled, deal with the things a buyer will still see. Conflicting prices and old contact details make the sale harder to follow. Arrange the changeover rather than assuming every advert disappears at once.

• Agree when the old adverts and any sale board will be removed.
• Arrange the return of keys and original documents, with a record of what was handed back.
• Confirm whether you may reuse the photographs, floor plan and video, or need new material.
• Keep the history of price changes and the relevant viewing feedback.
• Tell the new agency about pending offers and agreed appointments before it starts.

Compare the work, as well as the fee

Ask the next agency to explain what will change: the photographs, price positioning, response to enquiries, viewing arrangements or follow-up. Check its AMI licence in the IMPIC register. Request the proposed agreement before deciding, so you can compare the price, VAT, minimum fee, payment timing and what happens if the property does not sell.

Also be honest about the work you want to do yourself. At IMOJA, Online Sale costs €499 including VAT for one property over 90 days from first publication. You supply the photographs and host the viewings. The service fee is payable even if no sale is completed. This covers less work than a service where the agency also arranges photography and hosts viewings.

A new non-exclusive service does not override an existing exclusive agreement. Resolve the first contract before deciding when the new service should begin.

What to have ready for the next conversation

Prepare the signed agreement, the current advert, the price history and a short account of enquiries and viewings. Add your preferred sale timetable and what you need the next team to take over. Share contract documents through an appropriate private channel, rather than attaching them to a public listing.

With that information, an agency can discuss a concrete plan. The useful question is not simply whether it can sell your home. It is what it will do differently, who will do the work and how you will know whether the approach is working.