Selling property online or using a full-service agency: which fits you?

Online still means regulated

Under Portuguese law, finding a buyer or other party to a property transaction and promoting the property through advertising are real-estate mediation activities. Providing these services through a website or dashboard does not remove the licensing, insurance, contract or disclosure requirements.

An online plan where the owner hosts viewings should therefore be presented as a defined service through a licensed agency, not as an unregulated advertising shortcut.

Compare the division of work

IMOJA Online Sale provides a defined service for 90 days at a fixed fee under a non-exclusive agreement. It includes listing preparation, publication on the agreed portals, enquiry handling, updates in My IMOJA and a document checklist. The owner supplies suitable photographs, hosts viewings and may appoint other agencies.

With Full-Service Sale, IMOJA handles more of the work under the mediation agreement, including professional photography, hosted or coordinated viewings, active negotiation and completion coordination within the agreed scope.

• Online Sale: non-exclusive, fixed VAT-included price for a defined 90-day service
• Full-Service Sale: percentage-based remuneration under the written mediation agreement
• Both routes: one Property File, recorded enquiries, offers and team communication
• Neither route: a promise that a buyer or completed sale is guaranteed

When Online Sale may fit

Online Sale is usually most practical when the seller is near the property, can host viewings and is comfortable managing availability directly.

It can also suit a vacant or straightforward property where the owner wants professional portal listings and one place to manage enquiries, while handling the tasks at the property themselves.

When Full-Service Sale may fit

Full-Service Sale may be more suitable when the owner lives abroad, access is difficult, tenants or several owners are involved, or the seller wants the agency to host viewings and take a more active role in negotiations.

The word ‘online’ should not decide the choice. Compare the work, responsibilities, contract term, fee and level of owner involvement.

Questions to answer before signing

The contract and service summary should clearly explain what you are paying for before you pay or sign.

• Which portals and services are included?
• Who supplies photographs, plans and property information?
• Who answers enquiries and who conducts viewings?
• How are offers recorded and relayed?
• What happens after the agreed term?
• Is VAT included and can an earlier fee be credited on upgrade?
• What work is guaranteed, and what result is not guaranteed?

Understand withdrawal rights for online contracts

Where the statutory withdrawal right applies, a consumer generally has 14 days to withdraw from a distance service contract. Applicability depends on the facts and how the contract was concluded.

If a consumer expressly asks work to begin during that period, the request and required acknowledgement should be recorded. A proportionate amount may become payable for work actually performed if the consumer later withdraws. Complete performance and any loss of the right require the prescribed express consent and acknowledgement.

Ask a Portuguese legal professional to review the final contract and explain how withdrawal rights apply to your situation. This article provides general information and does not determine your individual rights.