Case report · Mainland Portugal

Financing an apartment in Aveiro – Modern living between canals and the Atlantic

A working couple from Hamburg — she a project manager, he a mechanical engineer — worked mostly remotely and wanted to move to Portugal permanently. They were looking for a modern apartment with a generous balcony, a lift and an additional room as a home office.

In short

What was this case about?

A working couple from Hamburg — she a project manager, he a mechanical engineer — worked mostly remotely and wanted to move to Portugal permanently. They were looking for a modern apartment with a generous balcony, a lift and an additional room as a home office.

Can home-office adaptations be part of the financing?

As a rule the Portuguese bank does not co-finance modernisation — it belongs in the overall plan: equity or raising capital against German property.

Why is not all of the equity used?

Many buyers want to preserve financial reserves and not tie up all their assets in a property.

Who arranged this?

Perini Finance & Property — German-speaking, operating under the §34i GewO licence held by Olga Nikushkina, Portugal through a locally licensed intermediary; 15 to 20 banks approached per case. First call free; on completion 1 % of the loan amount.

Key figures

€515,000 flat, €350,200 loan, €59,250 of works

  • Purchase price: 515.000 €
  • Renovation: 59.250 €
  • Financing required: 350.200 €
  • Equity: 249.800 €

Anonymised case figure · not a binding statement for other projects · §34i GewO

Typical, anonymised case. Names, places and individual financing figures have been adjusted to protect privacy. The process reflects a typical advisory situation for non-resident financing in Portugal.

Property for sale in Aveiro: quality of life in one of Portugal's most innovative cities

Aveiro is often called the "Venice of Portugal" because of its canals but has long since established itself as a modern economic and university location too. Its proximity to the Atlantic coast, excellent infrastructure and comparatively short distances make the city attractive for German-speaking buyers who want to move their permanent centre of life to Portugal. High-quality apartments in central locations in particular are in high demand.

Remote-working couple from Hamburg move to Aveiro

A working couple from Hamburg — she a project manager, he a mechanical engineer — worked mostly remotely and wanted to move to Portugal permanently. They were looking for a modern apartment with a generous balcony, a lift and an additional room as a home office. The suitable property was in a newer residential quarter of Aveiro but was to be individually adapted to their own needs before moving in.

€600,000 total, €25,750 in purchase costs

  • Purchase price: 515.000 €
  • Additional costs: 25.750 €
  • Renovation: 59.250 €
  • Total investment: 600.000 €
  • Equity: 249.800 €
  • Financing required: 350.200 €

Works done before moving in, cash kept for the start

The buyers had equity from savings and the sale of a smaller apartment. At the same time, they wanted to keep enough liquidity for the new start in Portugal and complete all modernisation before moving in.

68 % financed, own funds put to work deliberately

For a permanent move abroad in particular, a complete view of the investment is sensible. Alongside the purchase price, acquisition costs and all planned adaptations should be taken into account so the property meets personal requirements from day one.

With financing of around 68 % of the purchase price, a balanced financing solution emerged. The equity was used in a targeted way without unnecessarily restricting financial flexibility.

Kitchen, bathroom and home office from own funds

The overall plan covered all intended modernisation measures — from equity, not the bank loan:

  • installation of a high-quality open-plan kitchen
  • modernisation of the bathroom
  • fit-out of a fully equipped home office
  • energy-efficient air conditioning
  • custom-made fitted wardrobes
  • electric shading of the balcony
  • structured network cabling and modern media technology

All work was completed immediately after the property acquisition.

Moved in with no second build phase, working from Portugal

The apartment could be occupied without a further building phase. The buyers took up their professional activity directly from Portugal and at the same time had sufficient financial reserves for the further building of their life in Aveiro.

Count price, fees and refurbishment together

For modern apartments too, complete financing planning is worthwhile. Anyone who calculates the purchase price, additional costs and individual modernisation together creates planning certainty and avoids later additional financing.

FAQ

Frequently asked

Can home-office adaptations be part of the financing?
As a rule the Portuguese bank does not co-finance modernisation — it belongs in the overall plan: equity or raising capital against German property.
Why is not all of the equity used?
Many buyers want to preserve financial reserves and not tie up all their assets in a property.
Which modernisations are especially in demand for apartments in Aveiro?
Kitchens, bathrooms, air conditioning, network cabling, lighting, shading and individual storage solutions are frequently modernised.
Is Aveiro suitable as a permanent residence?
Yes. Aveiro offers excellent infrastructure, a lively university city, good transport links, proximity to the Atlantic and a high quality of life for owner-occupiers.

Aveiro apartment: an overall plan for a permanent move to Portugal

An apartment in Aveiro combines modern city life with a high quality of living and good access to the Atlantic coast. Anyone who aligns the overall plan with the entire investment and considers modernisation from the start creates a durable basis for a permanent centre of life in Portugal.

From this theme

More cases on this theme

Theme

Financing purchase and renovation together

All cases on this theme at a glance.

Mallorca

Practical case Mallorca: Charming finca near Santanyí

Modernisation planned in from the start

Mallorca

Practical case Mallorca: Family house in Alcúdia

When the sale of the previous property is part of the financing

Mallorca

Practical case Mallorca: Finca with guesthouse in Deià

Two generations realise their dream together

Your contact

A similar situation in Portugal? Let's talk.

Every financing in Portugal is an individual case. In a free initial consultation I will tell you honestly what is feasible and which bank fits.

Book a free consultation

Anonymised individual case, not a binding statement for other projects · Brokerage under the §34i GewO licence held by Olga Nikushkina (D-W-132-ZUCB-95); Siegfried Perini registered as directly involved person (§11a GewO) · no tax or legal advice · no financing commitment; conditions depend on creditworthiness, loan-to-value and bank

Read on
Region

Mainland Portugal overview

Market analysis, loan-to-value and conditions for the region.

Calculator

Estimate your financing

Roughly calculate budget, costs and instalment.

Checklist

Purchase checklist

Step by step to buying property in Spain and Portugal.

Similar cases by region and price band

Cases with a comparable region and price band — for context, not a promise of the same outcome.

Mainland Portugal · 560,000 €

House in Évora — chemists after their careers

A couple of chemists move to the Alentejo after their careers. Anonymised Portugal case — non-resident financing. §34i.

Mainland Portugal · 470,000 €

Terraced house in Coimbra — teachers in retirement

A teacher couple retire to the university city of Coimbra. Anonymised Portugal case — non-resident financing. §34i.

Mainland Portugal · 640,000 €

House in Braga — developers working fully remote

A developer couple work fully remote and move to Braga. Anonymised Portugal case — non-resident financing. §34i.

Mainland Portugal · 690,000 €

Apartment in Porto — after years of mobile work

After years of mobile work, a permanent move to Porto. Anonymised Portugal case — non-resident financing. §34i.