bettinakozlowski
American looking for information about Portugal
Forum posts
35
Contacts
1
About me
American, Married
Lives in Tavira, Faro
Speaks English, French, German, a little Italian, Spanish and Polish
Registration: 13 January 2022
Voting in Portugal as an Expat by JohnnyPT
[color=#1d7ec0][large][b]Portuguese local elections 2021[/b][/large][/color]In portuguese local elections (municipal elections), representatives for the three local government bodies are chosen: - Parish Councils ("[b]Juntas de ...
@SimCityAT yeah, you're right! Read More
Voting in Portugal as an Expat by JohnnyPT
[color=#1d7ec0][large][b]Portuguese local elections 2021[/b][/large][/color]In portuguese local elections (municipal elections), representatives for the three local government bodies are chosen: - Parish Councils ("[b]Juntas de ...
@JohnnyPTyes I have signed up in Berlin.:) Thank you very much, Johnny PT. Waiting for my ballot- also for the chance to rectify one out of 13 boxes to tick off when you apply....###@@@@ Read More
Voting in Portugal as an Expat by JohnnyPT
[color=#1d7ec0][large][b]Portuguese local elections 2021[/b][/large][/color]In portuguese local elections (municipal elections), representatives for the three local government bodies are chosen: - Parish Councils ("[b]Juntas de ...
@SimCityATIf I weren't an EU citizen, I doubt I would request any voting materials for the EU election...:) Read More
Voting in Portugal as an Expat by JohnnyPT
[color=#1d7ec0][large][b]Portuguese local elections 2021[/b][/large][/color]In portuguese local elections (municipal elections), representatives for the three local government bodies are chosen: - Parish Councils ("[b]Juntas de ...
@SimCityATI am GERMAN and American...:) Read More
Voting in Portugal as an Expat by JohnnyPT
[color=#1d7ec0][large][b]Portuguese local elections 2021[/b][/large][/color]In portuguese local elections (municipal elections), representatives for the three local government bodies are chosen: - Parish Councils ("[b]Juntas de ...
@JohnnyPTHello, Johnny PT. Thanks for your reply and info, as always. So I cannot vote in Portugal without being registered here first and registration stopped 60 days before the elections. However, the Portuguese site mentioned that for foreigners ... Read More
Voting in Portugal as an Expat by JohnnyPT
[color=#1d7ec0][large][b]Portuguese local elections 2021[/b][/large][/color]In portuguese local elections (municipal elections), representatives for the three local government bodies are chosen: - Parish Councils ("[b]Juntas de ...
Your post is very timely, as I did not yet receive the voting ballot from my country of citizenship and doubt it will arrive here. However, the priod for signing up for the voter rolls- registo- in Portugal is alreday past. Are you saying I can ... Read More
SEF APPOINTMENT by michaeleb
I have a question regarding the SEF appointment. If the appointment is for the purpose of confirming financial record documents, health insurance documents, proof of income documents, NIF registration, and residency location documents, what is the ...
@JohnnyPTNo appointments for family reunification available anywhere right now for the foreseeable future - months! we have to go back to the embassy in our last country of residence to apply for one Read More
SEF APPOINTMENT by michaeleb
I have a question regarding the SEF appointment. If the appointment is for the purpose of confirming financial record documents, health insurance documents, proof of income documents, NIF registration, and residency location documents, what is the ...
@abayo41just be aware that some freguesias have specific requirements- mine - which is Porto Massarelos -— required the presence of twolocal residents at the appontment who can attest to you living there! As we were new and no neighbors had ... Read More
👉 The Portugal Expat Lounge 👈 by Mickael
Hello everyone and hope you are well. I would like to introduce to you our new free expression thread: The Portugal Expat Lounge.Here you can talk about everything you want. Talk about your passion (sport, movies, arts, dancing, etc…), what ...
@nz7521137 no thank you to “zero hedge” as a respectable news source you’re entitled to your alternative facts, though :) Read More
👉 The Portugal Expat Lounge 👈 by Mickael
Hello everyone and hope you are well. I would like to introduce to you our new free expression thread: The Portugal Expat Lounge.Here you can talk about everything you want. Talk about your passion (sport, movies, arts, dancing, etc…), what ...
@nz7521137 those who have “different views” on the role that humanity plays tend to think their own research or that of 0.001% by industry-hack pseudo-scientists outweighs the 97% of realscientists’ work. Read More
Advice on Best banks in Portugal by kiransidhar
Any suggestions on the best bank that might be right for an expat? My son who bought the property in Madiera managed to open a bank account with Santander purely based on his NIF, UK address and financial /income statement. I as his father who was ...
@belliou ca tombe bien, car c’est ma nouvelle banque et BPI de Almancil a ouvert mon compte à distance, même si nous allons vivre à Porto!That's good, because it's my new bank and BPI of Almancil opened my account remotely, ... Read More
trouble with lawyer in a real estate transaction by bettinakozlowski
Dear all,We were about to purchase a condo in Porto in two weeks, we signed the promissory, but the vendor told us on the day he received the promissory he sold to someone else. We are now told by the lawyer we owe 60% of the 1,5% of "agreed" ...
@nz7521137Well...good for you. The 10% payment is usually part of the Promissory Note, btw, so may be that is what is what you signed. I'm here because I have a problem with a lawyer Read More
trouble with lawyer in a real estate transaction by bettinakozlowski
Dear all,We were about to purchase a condo in Porto in two weeks, we signed the promissory, but the vendor told us on the day he received the promissory he sold to someone else. We are now told by the lawyer we owe 60% of the 1,5% of "agreed" ...
Thank you so much for your response, Johnny! I have to stress that this lawyer is NOT Portuguese, but practices in Portugal. Several Portuguese real estate people have expressed their sympathy for my predicament and said this and that in terms of ... Read More
trouble with lawyer in a real estate transaction by bettinakozlowski
Dear all,We were about to purchase a condo in Porto in two weeks, we signed the promissory, but the vendor told us on the day he received the promissory he sold to someone else. We are now told by the lawyer we owe 60% of the 1,5% of "agreed" ...
What was the agreement with the lawyer? Do you have the wording? What did the agreement say? A transaction hasn't taken place and drafting a promissory is mostly a copy and paste job. -@Rob EvansIn an email to him I said that 1,5% "is acceptable" to ... Read More
trouble with lawyer in a real estate transaction by bettinakozlowski
Dear all,We were about to purchase a condo in Porto in two weeks, we signed the promissory, but the vendor told us on the day he received the promissory he sold to someone else. We are now told by the lawyer we owe 60% of the 1,5% of "agreed" ...
Its called a promissory and it's a pre-contract - basically a blue print for a final deed.A reserva de Imovel has no legal value anyway- it just means that that particular real estate agent cannot show your property, not others. Otherwise, I ... Read More
trouble with lawyer in a real estate transaction by bettinakozlowski
Dear all,We were about to purchase a condo in Porto in two weeks, we signed the promissory, but the vendor told us on the day he received the promissory he sold to someone else. We are now told by the lawyer we owe 60% of the 1,5% of "agreed" ...
Hi Rob,The real estate agent represented the seller- we found the lawyer on our own. She would call us periodically to express worries about the wait for the CPCV. The lawyer always said: "Relax. Don't give in to pressure." Read More
trouble with lawyer in a real estate transaction
Dear all,We were about to purchase a condo in Porto in two weeks, we signed the promissory, but the vendor told us on the day he received the promissory he sold to someone else. We are now told by the lawyer we owe 60% of the 1,5% of "agreed" ... Read More
Documents to be aware of when buying a Property in Portugal by JohnnyPT
Documents that you need to be aware of when buying a Property in Portugal. These documents should be made available to you by the owner/seller, before signing anything in any Real Estate Transaction / "Escritura de Compra-Venda no ...
@marclarsson50 be very careful to hire the right lawyer- we just lost a place AFTER having already signed a promissory or pre contract / instead of signing it, the seller let us know he sold to someone else.Since my lawyer insisted on waiting until ... Read More
Reasons for leaving Portugal by nz7521137
At the moment there is a huge hype about moving to Portugal and many people from around the world are making a more permanent move towards Portugal. Stories about these people are making the headlines or are published on YouTube and the like. ...
@juliajonesjy because the post asked why people are leaving Portugal and I amjust now moving to Portugal. Read More
Reasons for leaving Portugal by nz7521137
At the moment there is a huge hype about moving to Portugal and many people from around the world are making a more permanent move towards Portugal. Stories about these people are making the headlines or are published on YouTube and the like. ...
@nz7521137 omg we cannot wait to get out of France - after five years, my best memory will be of the health.Care system! Happy to move to Portugal! Read More
Good & bad experiences with real estate agencies/agents by JohnnyPT
Feel free to make your personal inputs here, alerting or giving suggestions to other people who are going at this moment to what you went through when looking for a house in Portugal :)
I’m dealing with the exact same situation, so I’m looking forward to the replies -:) however, I have hired a Portuguese/German lawyer to guide us through every step of the process. It’s not cheap, but comparable to what a buyer ... Read More
Accommodation in Portugal: scams you should look out for by Bhavna
Hi, Committing to renting or buying accommodation when youre new to or have not moved to Portugal just yet is always a stressful endeavour. Would you like to help us in putting together a handbook of what to look out for when house hunting in ...
@marc639 this sounds absolutely crazy and I can’t imagine you won’t get your money back?i am in the process of buying an apartment, too, in Porto - but all payments will be approved and supervised by my lawyer - do you have a lawyer?at ... Read More
Private Healthcare System in Portugal by JohnnyPT
In addition to the National Healthcare System: https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=902977 you also have the option of the [b]Private Healthcare System (PHS)[/b]. Each Insurance Company provides its Health Insurance solutions by targeting ...
Thank you, Johnny! This means I need a interim “international insurance”- ugh :) I am so happy to have read all the good posts here which have led me to a company (hopefully) that allows normal pre existing conditions. Read More
Private Healthcare System in Portugal by JohnnyPT
In addition to the National Healthcare System: https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=902977 you also have the option of the [b]Private Healthcare System (PHS)[/b]. Each Insurance Company provides its Health Insurance solutions by targeting ...
@JohnnyPT Hello Johnny and all, thank you and our members for all the valuable info about the private health insurance plans available in Portugal. My question is: Is it worth it subscribing to an interim international health care plan such as ... Read More
Landlord not returning deposit? by ctomac
Hello everybody,We seem to have a problem with the previous landlord - she has not returned our deposit one month after we moved out and gave the keys to her RE agent. Also, she is not responding to our emails requesting clarifications - whether ...
@nz7521137 agreed - I am a landlord in Berlin and my tenants are students or starter- job professionals. I would, as a future tenant in Lisboa, never rent a place without a handover report- check for potential humidity damage, burns or scratches ... Read More
How to learn European Portuguese by JohnnyPT
Why Portuguese ?Learning Portuguese does take a lot of work, I admit it is a challenge (especially grammar and pronunciation), but there are a lot of benefits to being able to speak Portuguese as well. It will empower you and can also be fun and ...
@JohnnyPT I always learn new facts from you, thank you! Read More
SHIPPING A DOG TO PORTUGAL by maxwmitchell1997
We are in the process of planning our relocating to Portugal. Any suggestions on transporting pets there? We have a Scottish Terrier of about 12 lbs. Max & Lana
I would probably fly with him. You need a valid rabies vaccine for entry. Make sure you get it early enough before your departure. Read More
Informations for an article - Portugal by Estelle Beauland
Hello, I am looking for some information for an article about death abroad. How do the administrative issues work, the repatriation, and also the traditions and customs of the host country. I am waiting for your answers! Thank you :)
I don’t know but when I was a journalist, I did my own research, found my own sources and revealed what publication this article was destined for. Just me. Read More
Buying property in portugal now by sdanders43
Hi,We are coming to Portugal in September and we are considering buying a property on the silver coast that we can rent until we retire in 5 years. I was looking for opinions about the real estate market in Portugal right now.I am feeling like ...
I don’t understand the reasoning why property prices should come down anywhere in Europe, but least of all in Portugal, with the Golden Visa and NHR status driving so much immigration. May be the fact that Golden Visa applicants are no ... Read More
Rescinding rental contract by ctomac
Hello,I have a question regarding the timeline for rescinding a rental contract. I've been looking for information online about this, and I understand that at least 1/3 of the term of the initial (or renewal) duration of the contract should have ...
@JohnnyPT agree 100% - that’s why there is a retraction period of two weeks after you’ve signed a rental contract - without giving a reason, you can cancel a signed lease before moving in. If you want a one month cancellation you ... Read More
Rescinding rental contract by ctomac
Hello,I have a question regarding the timeline for rescinding a rental contract. I've been looking for information online about this, and I understand that at least 1/3 of the term of the initial (or renewal) duration of the contract should have ...
@ctomac yeah and in the US you can be evicted after one month’s rent not paid within two weeks after your due date, whereas in Europe, in the countries I’m very familiar with, I’d you don’t pay rent you get tu stay for ... Read More
Rescinding rental contract by ctomac
Hello,I have a question regarding the timeline for rescinding a rental contract. I've been looking for information online about this, and I understand that at least 1/3 of the term of the initial (or renewal) duration of the contract should have ...
@ctomac As a landlord in another country, I can assure you you can’t just cancel any time you want to after you move in. I think 3-year contracts are strange, but you signed it, so the landlord believes you did so in good faith as ... Read More
Coming in March next year in Portugal ... by Guest9357974
Hi everybody,I am from Jordan and I live now with my wife and daughter in Germany since 2015.I am retired since 2013. I have been working in UNESCO in Paris, France from 2004 till 2013. Before that I worked in UNESCO field Offices in Tunis and ...
@Khaled A.H. I live in the South of France and have studied Italian for about three years - in a relaxed way.I speak Spanish, too. However, I think it’s only polite to learn the language of the country of your residence. A little bit of ... Read More
Help Ukraine by JohnnyPT
[large]:heart: [b]Help Ukraine :heart:[/b][/large] [b]Wehelpukraine.org[/b] https://wehelpukraine.org/ This is a global online platform created in Portugal to help Ukrainians, that serves as a meeting point for those who need help and those who ...
Thank you, Johnny. Your contributions here are invaluable! Read More
Help Ukraine by JohnnyPT
[large]:heart: [b]Help Ukraine :heart:[/b][/large] [b]Wehelpukraine.org[/b] https://wehelpukraine.org/ This is a global online platform created in Portugal to help Ukrainians, that serves as a meeting point for those who need help and those who ...
This is fantastic, thank you! Read More