Key point
A lower service bill is useful only when you can do the work left with you. This comparison combines three transparent calculations with a responsibility sheet and a 90-day budget. The rates are illustrative contract inputs, not a market average. There is no measured claim about enquiries, time to sell or a completed transaction.
Set the assumptions before comparing the totals
The examples assume a mainland Portuguese service subject to 23% VAT, a 5% commission with no minimum in the first two rows, and IMOJA Online Sale at €499 including VAT for one property and one 90-day period. Use the rate, minimum, tax treatment and payment terms actually written in your proposal. The regional VAT treatment may differ.
€300,000 is a hypothetical price. €505,000 was the asking price displayed on IMOJA’s Santa Cruz listing on 7 October 2026; using it in a calculation does not mean the property sold at that price. The third row is entirely hypothetical and shows why a minimum fee matters.
| Scenario | Fee before VAT | VAT at 23% | Percentage fee total | Online Sale | Fee difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| €300,000 × 5%, no minimum | €15,000.00 | €3,450.00 | €18,450.00 | €499.00 | €17,951.00 |
| €505,000 × 5%, no minimum | €25,250.00 | €5,807.50 | €31,057.50 | €499.00 | €30,558.50 |
| €100,000 × 4%, hypothetical €5,000 minimum | €5,000.00 | €1,150.00 | €6,150.00 | €499.00 | €5,651.00 |
Reproduce the calculation and check the minimum
For the first row: €300,000 × 0.05 = €15,000; €15,000 × 0.23 = €3,450; €15,000 + €3,450 = €18,450. Subtracting €499 gives a service-fee difference of €17,951. It does not establish that the owner will receive €17,951 more from the sale: the accepted price and other expenses are still unknown.
When a proposal has a minimum, the assumed formula is max(price × rate, minimum) × (1 + VAT rate). At €100,000 and 4%, the percentage produces €4,000, so a hypothetical €5,000 minimum takes over. A minimum described as VAT-inclusive requires a different calculation. Do not add VAT twice.
Put the responsibilities beside the price
The €499 service covers advertising and enquiry work; the owner hosts viewings and makes the selling decisions. A competing agency proposal may include more or less work. Ask it to fill in the final column rather than assuming every percentage-based service has the same scope.
| Task | IMOJA Online Sale | What to confirm in another proposal |
|---|---|---|
| Accurate property facts and suitable photos | Owner provides; basic photo optimisation included | Who produces photos; price of any session |
| Portuguese and English listing | IMOJA prepares; owner approves | Languages, revisions and approval |
| Portal publication and initial enquiries | Six included channels; IMOJA handles initial enquiries | Named portals, duration and enquiry handling |
| Viewings | Owner hosts | Who attends; geography and availability |
| Offers | IMOJA forwards offers; owner decides | How offers and negotiation are handled |
| Completion coordination or independent advice | Outside the €499 scope | Exact support and separately billed work |
| Paid media, portal boosts, professional photos | Separate unless agreed in writing | Budget, approval and whether included |
Budget for 90 days, including an unsold property
The free initial review does not start a paid service. If you proceed, both written agreements are supplied before signing and payment. The €499 fee is paid for the agreed service even if no sale completes. The 90 days run from first publication, not from the initial enquiry.
One period costs €499. A separately accepted further 90-day period costs another €499, so the service-fee budget for those two periods would be €998. Renewal requires express written acceptance and the agreed payment; it is not automatic. A further period does not guarantee a sale.
Keep an additional row for any accepted extras. For example, €499 plus the advertised professional photography starting price of €250 plus an assumed 23% VAT would be €806.50. That is a starting-price illustration, not a photography quotation or a universal VAT treatment. Travel, legal work, tax, mortgage redemption and completion costs are not included in the fee comparison.
Check the work you can actually do
Use a diary, not a vague promise to be available. As an illustrative planning exercise, six viewings at 45 minutes plus 15 minutes of preparation each require six hours on site. Travel and rearrangements are additional. This is a planning assumption, not an observed viewing average or a sales forecast.
If you live abroad and nobody can open the property, the viewing row is unresolved even when the cost calculation looks attractive. Compare a service that organises attendance. If you can host viewings but want completion coordination, compare the separate support scope. Do not choose the €499 route solely because it is the smallest headline price.
- Name who can host viewings and when.
- Confirm whether your photos accurately show the current property.
- List document questions, occupied-room restrictions and access arrangements.
- Record the full cost, payment trigger, term and renewal rule for each proposal.
Turn the comparison into a useful initial request
Tell IMOJA the property location, current situation, whether photos exist and who can host viewings. Mention missing documents or a co-owner who lives elsewhere. These details let the team assess suitability before you sign or pay; sending a request is not a purchase, reservation or acceptance of a contract.
Keep the calculation and task sheet together. Once a real offer arrives, update the comparison using that offered price rather than the original asking price. Assess conditions, finance and completion timing separately from the service fee.
Request a free initial review for Online Sale
Compare selling options if you need another scope
Work through an example document-to-listing preparation file
Official sources
Rules and data can change. Check the latest version of each source and how it applies to your property and transaction.
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