Katie Stein - Century 21 Forever Homes - Portugal

08/10/2026

The Guest Bedroom Phenomenon is real.

Friends who currently live an hour or two away? You see them twice a year.

Tell them you're moving to Portugal and suddenly all your friends, family and the mailman are blocking off two weeks in June and can't wait to stay with you!

If you're already doing the bedroom math — let's talk. 😄

📩 [email protected]
📞 +351 966 480 711
🌐 katiestein.century21.pt

07/10/2026

If you live in the Portimão area and have been meaning to work on your Portuguese — this starts next week.

Português Sem Fronteiras is a free weekly program through CLDS 5G covering language, communication, culture, and inclusion. Designed for people living here who want to actually be able to communicate here.

📅 Tuesdays 11:00–12:00 and Thursdays 17:00–18:00
📍 Rua Porta da Serra nº 35, Portimão
🗓 Starts 13 October
✅ Free — registration required

Contact: 934 037 492 or [email protected]

Learning the language changes how you experience living here. Worth knowing about.

06/10/2026

Still on the fence about buying in the Algarve? This one's for you.

Finding a long-term rental that actually works — unfurnished, pet-friendly, parking, A/C, upgraded interior, walkable location — is genuinely hard here. And when you do find it, you're not building anything. You're just paying.

I put together a breakdown of what the numbers actually look like: rental reality in this market, what prices have done over the last 5 years, and what the monthly math looks like when you compare renting vs. buying at today's rates.

These numbers are worth reflecting on.

I'm not a lawyer, mortgage adviser, financial planner, or tax specialist — but knowing the numbers is part of how I work. If you have questions or want to talk through what this looks like for your situation, my DMs are open.

📩 katiestein.century21.pt

02/10/2026

🤔 Still on the fence about buying in the Algarve?

No judgment. But that fence is getting less comfortable every year. 😅

At some point, waiting is the most expensive choice you make.

Next week I'm breaking down exactly what renting vs buying actually looks like in numbers right now in the Algarve. Stay tuned. 👀

📩 [email protected]
📱 +351 966 480 711

01/10/2026

🏗️ Starting today — something worth knowing if you're building your primary home in Portugal.

As of October 1, 2026 — today — applications are open for a partial VAT refund under Portugal's Construir Portugal programme.

Here's how it works:

If you're building your own primary residence in Portugal, you'll pay VAT at the standard 23% rate on your construction invoices. Once your occupancy permit is issued, you can apply to the Autoridade Tributária to claim back the 17% difference — bringing your effective rate down to 6%.

On a significant build that's a saving that can easily run into tens of thousands of euros.

The key conditions:

Property value must not exceed €660,982
Must be your primary and permanent residence — occupied within 6 months of completion
Must maintain it as primary residence for at least 12 months
Application must be submitted within 12 months of the occupancy permit
The AT then has 150 days to process the refund

Works must have been initiated between 25 September 2025 and 31 December 2029.

If you're already mid-build on your primary home in Portugal — today is the day to talk to your tax adviser about getting this on your radar.

📩 Send me a message with any questions
🌐 katiestein.century21.pt

⚠️ Not tax advice. Always consult a qualified Portuguese tax specialist for your personal situation. Source: Decreto-Lei n.º 97/2026, de 20 de maio.

30/09/2026

Remember those mystery buyers I teased back in July? 👀

The deed is signed and the keys are... ours. That's right, it was us! 🗝️

Our family is officially homeowners in two countries 🇺🇸🇵🇹 and this month marks one year since we packed up Las Vegas and stepped foot in Portugal for the very first time.

What followed the CPCV was a beautiful, chaotic whirlwind of a summer — international clients, the move, house projects, beach days, friends in town, festivals and play dates. One day after the deed was signed, school started back up!

This week I started Portuguese language classes... and at this rate I'm reviewing the alphabet and colors with my daughter. 😄

We are far from settled but we have a place to call our own — and we are absolutely loving the walkability of our new neighborhood and a school run that went from 30+ minutes to 10. That alone deserves a celebration.

First home project — before and after. Still more to come once we track down an extra tall ladder. We didn't plan the two-tone look but honestly... we're into it. 🙃 Oh, and the tree is a coat rack!

Socials didn't go quiet because I disappeared. Real life just took the lead — family, clients, a new home, a new school year. Priorities first, always. But there are plenty of adventures in Algarve real estate to share and it feels good to be back at it. 🌊

📩 [email protected]
🌐 katiestein.century21.pt

31/07/2026

🤝 My buyers are thrilled to be under contract on their future home!

It has been a pleasure working alongside fellow Century 21 agent André Rodrigues from one of our sister brokerages here in the Algarve. This is exactly the kind of co-operation that makes for happy buyers and sellers.

These buyers are great... can't wait to share who they are after deed signing 😉

21/07/2026

⏰ 10 days.

On August 1st, Portugal's mortgage rules change for non-resident buyers.

The maximum debt-to-income ratio drops from 50% to 45% — meaning less borrowing power, potentially overnight.

On a household income of €4,000/month:

Today: approved for approximately €445,000
After August 1st: approximately €400,000

That's €45,000 less buying power — on the same income, same property, same bank.

If you are in the process of buying or even just seriously considering it — the conversation to have is now, not after the 1st.

📩 Send me a message
📱 +351 966 480 711

⚠️ Figures illustrative only. I am not a credit intermediary — please consult a qualified mortgage specialist for your personal situation.

09/07/2026

🏡 New listing — Bayview Village, Boavista Golf & Spa, Lagos
Three 3+1 bedroom townhouses from €810,000. Move in ready. 251.90 m². Views over the Atlantic, golf course and Serra de Monchique.

Bayview residents get the full package — alarm system, dedicated fibre internet, landline, international TV, full building insurance, 24-hour security and an exclusive wellness centre not shared with the wider resort.

No rental restrictions. Pets welcome.

🔗 century21.pt/ref/C0531-00048

Katie Stein | Century 21 Forever Homes | AMI 24577

All information believed accurate but should be independently verified.

Bayview Village é uma vila residencial dentro do Boavista Golf & Spa, uma das comunidades turísticas mais consolidadas do Algarve, situada na costa entre Lagos e a Praia da Luz, com vistas sobre o Atlântico, o campo de golfe e a Serra de Monchique.**Três moradias geminadas T3+1 estão at...

08/07/2026

35 and under? The Portuguese Government has put some significant savings in place for your first home purchase here — and most people don't know about all of them.
Swipe through for the full breakdown. 👉

⚠️ Not tax or financial advice. Always consult a qualified Portuguese tax lawyer and mortgage specialist for your personal situation. Sources: Lei n.º 30-A/2024; Lei n.º 73-A/2025 (OE 2026); Decreto-Lei n.º 48-A/2024.

📩 Send me a message with any questions.