Frequently asked questions
You can edit text on your website by double clicking on a text box on your website. Alternatively, when you select a text box a settings menu will appear.
?
Real Estate Glossary
Navigating the real estate market requires clarity, rigor, and technical expertise. Whether purchasing your next home, maximizing the value of your assets, or managing a lease agreement, encountering legal, tax, and urban planning concepts is an integral part of the process.
To help you make informed and unambiguous decisions, we have compiled the industry's essential terms in this glossary, explained transparently and directly. We decode technical jargon to put expert knowledge right at your fingertips.
A
ADENE (Energy Agency)
National entity responsible for developing energy efficiency policies, supervising, and managing the Building Energy Certification System (SCE) in Portugal.
AIMI (Additional Municipal Property Tax)
Annual tax levied on urban residential properties and building plots when their total taxable value exceeds legally established thresholds.
APARTMENT
Autonomous unit forming part of a building and designated exclusively for independent residential use.
ASSIGNMENT OF CONTRACTUAL POSITION
Legal mechanism permitting the substitution of a party in a contract by a third party, transferring all associated rights and obligations.
AUTONOMOUS UNIT
Independent real estate unit, defined and with separate access to a public thoroughfare or common areas, possessing its own land registry entry and percentage share (permilagem) of common areas.
B
Paragraph
BUILDING ENVELOPE / FOOTPRINT POLYGON (Polígono de Implantação)
Perimeter defined in urban planning maps within which construction is permitted on a plot.
BUILDING PERMIT (Alvará de Licença de Construção)
Municipal authorization legally sanctioning construction, modification, or expansion works on a building, confirming compliance with urban planning regulations.
C
CEILING HEIGHT (Pé-Direito)
Vertical distance measured between finished floor level and finished ceiling of a room.
COMMON AREAS (Partes Comuns)
Structural elements and shared spaces of a horizontal property building belonging collectively to all unit owners (foundations, roofs, staircases, elevators).
COMPARATIVE MARKET ANALYSIS / CMA (Estudo de Mercado)
Comparative study of properties and transactions in the surrounding area to determine a well-founded market listing price for an asset.
CONDOMINIUM / CO-OWNERSHIP (Condomínio)
Set of privately owned autonomous units and shared common areas within a single building or building complex.
CONDOMINIUM ASSEMBLY (Assembleia de Condóminos)
Deliberative and administrative body of a condominium responsible for decisions regarding management, maintenance, and budget of common areas. Composed of all unit owners and an appointed administrator.
CONDOMINIUM OWNERS (Condóminos)
Owners of autonomous units in a horizontal property regime, co-responsible for managing and maintaining common areas.
D
DEPENDENT GROSS AREA (Área Bruta Dependente)
Covered and enclosed areas for exclusive residential use having an ancillary function relative to the main living space, such as garages, storage rooms, attics, enclosed balconies, and annexes.
DETACHED / SEMI-DETACHED HOUSE / VILLA (Moradia)
Single-family residential building (standalone, semi-detached, or terraced) with independent structure and private access.
DUPLEX
Residential unit with usable living space spread over two stacked floors connected by a private internal staircase.
E
ENERGY CERTIFICATE (Certificado Energético)
Mandatory document for property sales, purchases, or rentals rating energy efficiency (scale A+ to F) and recommending consumption optimization measures.
EVICTION ACTION (Ação de Despejo)
Judicial procedure initiated by the property owner to obtain the forced vacate of a property and termination of the lease contract due to tenant breach.
EXCLUSIVITY AGREEMENT (Contrato de Exclusividade)
Real estate brokerage agreement granting a single real estate firm exclusive rights to market and negotiate a property for a fixed period.
F
FOOTPRINT AREA (Área de Implantação)
Surface area of the land occupied by the building's ground-level footprint, including integrated balconies, porches, and fixed structures.
GROSS AREA (Área Bruta)
Total surface area of a unit or building, calculated along the outer perimeter of exterior walls and the centerline of dividing walls.
GROSS BUILDING AREA / GBA (Área Bruta de Construção - ABC)
Sum of private gross area and dependent gross area across all floors of a building, measured along the outer wall perimeters.
H
HOME AUTOMATION / DOMOTICS (Domótica)
Integrated technology for automated and remote control of residential equipment (lighting, climate control, security), optimizing efficiency and living comfort.
HOME STAGING
Set of aesthetic, functional, and visual preparation techniques applied to a property to accelerate commercialization at maximum market value.
HORIZONTAL PROPERTY REGIME (Propriedade Horizontal)
Legal system dividing a building into individually owned units alongside co-owned common areas.
HOUSING PERMIT / HABITATION LICENSE (Licença de Habitação)
Municipal document certifying that a building was inspected and fully complies with legal requirements for residential use.
HOUSING TECHNICAL FILE / FTH (Ficha Técnica de Habitação)
Descriptive document covering structural, technical, and material specifications of residential buildings constructed or altered after 2004, identifying project stakeholders and maintenance guidelines.
I
IMPROVEMENTS (Benfeitorias)
Works or alterations performed on a property to ensure preservation (necessary), enhance utility (useful), or increase aesthetic value (ornamental).
L
LAND REGISTRY OFFICE (Conservatória do Registo Predial)
Public service responsible for centralizing legal registration and ownership records of real estate properties.
LEASE / RENTAL AGREEMENT (Contrato de Arrendamento)
Legal document signed between landlord and tenant granting temporary property use in exchange for agreed rent payments.
LOAN FOR USE / COMODATO (Comodato)
Contract whereby one party temporarily and gratuitously grants the use of a real estate property to another, who agrees to return it within an agreed timeframe.
LOCAL ACCOMMODATION / AL (Alojamento Local)
Legal regime authorizing the temporary provision of short-term accommodation services in private residential units or houses for remuneration, outside traditional tourist establishment frameworks.
M
MORTGAGE (Hipoteca)
Real security interest created over real estate in favor of a lender to secure repayment of a bank loan.
MORTGAGE DISCHARGE CERTIFICATE (Distrate de Hipoteca)
Statement issued by a creditor financial institution confirming loan repayment and cancellation of the associated mortgage.
MORTGAGE RELEASE (Exoneração de Hipoteca)
Act of formally releasing encumbrances and bank guarantees on a property following debt clearance or transfer.
MUNICIPAL PROPERTY TAX (Imposto Municipal sobre Imóveis)
Annual local property tax levied by municipalities on the Tax Registration Value (VPT) of real estate located within the municipality.
N
NATIONAL LEASE BOARD / BNA (Balcão Nacional de Arrendamento)
Specialized judicial and administrative body handling Special Eviction Procedures (PED), facilitating property recovery in eviction cases.
NEW URBAN LEASE REGIME / NRAU (Novo Regime do Arrendamento Urbano)
National legal framework governing residential and non-residential lease markets in Portugal.
O
OFF-MARKET
Term describing properties promoted and negotiated confidentially without public listing on traditional portals or marketing channels.
P
PATIO / ADJOINING LAND (Logradouro)
Uncovered area adjacent to a unit or building reserved for the exclusive outdoor use of its occupants.
PERMANENT COMMERCIAL REGISTRY CERTIFICATE (Certidão Permanente de Registo Comercial)
Online access code issued by the Commercial Registry enabling real-time verification of a company's legal status, bylaws, and corporate representation.
PERMANENT LAND REGISTRY CERTIFICATE (Certidão Permanente do Registo Predial)
Official document issued by the Land Registry Office proving property ownership and detailing encumbrances, mortgages, or liens. Also known as Certidão de Teor.
PLOT RATIO / PLOT EXPLOITATION COEFFICIENT (Coeficiente de Aproveitamento - CA)
Urban planning ratio defined in municipal plans establishing maximum allowable construction area relative to total plot size.
PRIVATE GROSS AREA (Área Bruta Privativa)
Total surface area corresponding to the exclusive living or usable space of a property, measured along outer exterior walls and dividing wall axes.
PROMISSORY SALE AND PURCHASE AGREEMENT / CPCV (Contrato-Promessa de Compra e Venda)
Binding legal agreement prior to the final deed, setting deadlines, down payment (sinal), and conditions for completing the transaction.
PROPERTY EXCHANGE / SWAP (Permuta)
Legal agreement involving the direct swap of properties between two owners, with monetary adjustments if values differ.
PROPERTY LISTING / CANVASSING (Angariação Imobiliária)
Professional activity of prospecting and preparing real estate brokerage agreements to secure properties for commercialization.
PROPERTY TAX REGISTER (Caderneta Predial)
Official tax document issued by the Tax Authority certifying a property's tax status, identifying location, boundaries, ownership, areas, and Tax Registration Value (VPT).
PROPERTY TRANSFER TAX / IMT (Imposto Municipal sobre Transmissões Onerosas)
Municipal tax payable prior to the paid transfer of real estate property situated in Portugal.
PUBLIC DEED / TITLE DEED (Escritura Pública)
Official act executed before a notary or authorized official legally formalizing the transfer of property ownership.
R
REAL ESTATE AGENCY (Agência Imobiliária)
Fully licensed business entity operating in real estate brokerage, managing property purchase, sale, lease, and marketing operations.
REAL ESTATE APPRAISAL (Avaliação Imobiliária)
Independent technical analysis conducted by a CMVM-certified expert to determine the fair market value of real estate property.
REAL ESTATE APPRAISER (Avaliador Imobiliário)
Qualified expert accredited by regulatory authorities (such as CMVM) authorized to issue formal property appraisal reports.
REAL ESTATE BROKERAGE (Mediação Imobiliária)
Regulated commercial activity involving prospecting, connecting, and negotiating between parties to conclude real estate transactions.
REAL ESTATE BROKERAGE CONTRACT / CMI (Contrato de Mediação Imobiliária)
Formal contract by which an AMI-licensed company is mandated by a client to locate parties for a real estate transaction in exchange for agreed commission.
REAL ESTATE CONSULTANT (Consultor Imobiliário)
Professional specializing in advisory, guidance, and brokerage services for real estate purchase, sale, and lease transactions.
RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL (Direito de Preferência)
Statutory or contractual right giving certain entities (such as tenants or municipalities) priority to purchase a property under identical terms offered to third parties.
S
SECURITY DEPOSIT / CAUTION (Caução)
Financial guarantee provided at contract signing (typically in lease agreements) to safeguard performance of obligations or cover potential property damage.
SOLAR EXPOSURE (Exposição Solar)
Geographic orientation of a property relative to sunlight paths, crucial for natural light optimization and thermal performance.
STAMP DUTY (Imposto de Selo)
Tax levied on specified legal and financial acts, including property transfers and mortgage loan agreements.
SURFACE RIGHT (Direito de Superfície)
Real property right authorizing the construction or maintenance of a structure on land owned by another party, temporarily or perpetually.
T
TAX REGISTRATION VALUE / VPT (Valor Patrimonial Tributário)
Fiscal value assigned to a property by the Tax Authority for calculating property taxes such as IMI and IMT.
TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEY (Levantamento Topográfico)
Detailed measurement and graphic mapping of land terrain, boundaries, and physical features conducted by a qualified surveyor.
TOPONYMIC CERTIFICATE (Certidão Toponímica)
Formal statement issued by the competent municipality certifying the official address, street designation, door number, and parish of a property.
TOPONYMY (Toponímia)
Official naming of streets and door numbering assigned to a property address.
TYPOLOGY (Tipologia)
Standard classification of a residential property based on the number of bedrooms (e.g., T0/Studio, T1/1-Bed, T2/2-Bed, T3/3-Bed).
U
UNBUILT LAND AREA (Área do Terreno Livre)
Portion of land belonging to the property not occupied by permanent structures, encompassing gardens, courtyards, pathways, and leisure areas.
UNDERFLOOR HEATING / COOLING (Piso Radiante)
Concealed space heating or cooling system installed beneath flooring (electric or hydraulic).
USABLE AREA / NET AREA (Área Útil)
Sum of interior areas across all habitable rooms, measured along interior wall perimeters, excluding internal walls, partitions, and ducts.
USAGE LICENSE / OPERATING PERMIT (Licença de Utilização)
Municipal authorization defining the permitted legal function of a building or unit (residential, commercial, services, industrial).
USUCAPTION / ADVERSE POSSESSION (Usucapião)
Method of acquiring ownership rights based on continuous, peaceful, and open possession of property over a legally prescribed period.
V
VACANT PROPERTY (Casa Devoluta)
Urban building or residential unit unoccupied and without effective use for over one year.
Y
YIELD / RETURN ON INVESTMENT (Rentabilidade)
Percentage rate measuring the annual financial return generated by a property relative to its purchase cost or market value.
