Perini Finance & Property §34i GewO · Mortgages in Spain & Portugal
Case report · Portugal-Festland

Financing a detached house in Braga – Family life in one of Portugal's most dynamic cities

A couple from Cologne, both working as software developers and entirely remotely, were planning a permanent move to Portugal. They were looking for a detached house with a garden, four bedrooms and two separate studies.

Key figures

At a glance

  • Purchase price: 640.000 €
  • Renovation: 78.000 €
  • Financing required: 448.000 €
  • Equity: 302.000 €

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.

A historic city looking to the future

Braga is one of Portugal's oldest cities and has at the same time developed into a modern economic and university location. The combination of a historic old town, high quality of life and good transport links to Porto makes Braga attractive for German-speaking buyers who want to move to Portugal permanently. Detached houses in the quiet residential areas around the city centre are in especially high demand.

Initial situation

A couple from Cologne, both working as software developers and entirely remotely, were planning a permanent move to Portugal. They were looking for a detached house with a garden, four bedrooms and two separate studies. The chosen house was in a well-kept residential area of Braga and offered a lot of potential, but was to be modernised technically and adapted to the requirements of a modern home-office everyday life.

Financing overview

  • Purchase price: 640.000 €
  • Additional costs: 32.000 €
  • Renovation: 78.000 €
  • Total investment: 750.000 €
  • Equity: 302.000 €
  • Financing required: 448.000 €

The challenge

The buyers deliberately wanted to keep part of their assets invested while retaining enough liquidity for the new start in Portugal. In addition, a capable digital infrastructure was indispensable, as both wanted to work permanently from Portugal.

Analysis

For a permanent move with remote work, different requirements are often central today than a few years ago. Alongside living comfort, network technology, functional work areas and a stable long-term financing structure play an important role.

With financing of 70 % of the purchase price, a balanced ratio emerged between the use of equity and financial flexibility. At the same time, all investments were fully taken into account from the start.

Financing solution

All planned measures were already included in the financing:

  • modern family kitchen
  • complete renewal of the bathrooms
  • structured network cabling throughout the house
  • two fully equipped home-office areas
  • energy-efficient air conditioning
  • electric shading
  • custom-made fitted wardrobes
  • modern LED lighting

All work was carried out immediately after the acquisition.

Outcome

Once the modernisation was complete, the house could be occupied without further building work. The buyers took up their professional activity seamlessly from Portugal and at the same time had sufficient financial reserves for their new chapter of life.

What other buyers can learn

Anyone moving permanently to Portugal and working remotely should calculate the actual investment requirement in full. Alongside the purchase price, acquisition costs and technical adaptations are often decisive factors for durable financing.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Can home-office conversions be part of the financing?
Yes. If the measures are planned and realistically calculated before the purchase, they can often be included in the overall financing.
Why is not all of the equity used?
Many buyers want to preserve their financial flexibility and not tie up all their assets in a property.
Which modernisations are especially common for detached houses in Braga?
Typical are new kitchens, bathrooms, air conditioning, network technology, shading, lighting and individual storage solutions.
Is Braga suitable for permanent living?
Yes. Braga offers excellent infrastructure, international connections, medical care, educational institutions and is one of the most dynamic places to live in northern Portugal.

Conclusion

A detached house in Braga offers ideal conditions for people who want to live and work in Portugal permanently. Anyone who plans the purchase price, additional costs and modernisation together early creates a reliable financing basis and can shape the new start without later surprises.

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Anonymised individual case, not a binding statement for other projects · Siegfried Perini, BAFA-notified for the cross-border activity of the owner Olga Nikushkina · §34i GewO · no tax or legal advice · no financing commitment; conditions depend on creditworthiness, loan-to-value and bank

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