Real-estate agent: check AMI before your offer

A real-estate agent can make a purchase easier. It can also create risk if the buyer pays a reservation, signs an offer or sends mortgage documents before checking who is authorised, who represents whom and what happens if the deal does not move forward.

Before transferring money or signing a quick form, treat the agency as another part of your due diligence.

Check the AMI licence before the offer

In Portugal, real-estate mediation is regulated and depends on authorisation. The buyer does not need to investigate everything alone, but should ask for the legal company name, NIF and AMI number before making a formal offer or transferring a reservation amount.

The official search lets you look up mediation companies by name, licence number, NIF, municipality or district. Keep a screenshot or PDF of the result on the day you move forward. If the commercial brand is well known, also confirm which legal company issues receipts, contracts and messages.

Understand who the agent represents

Often the agency was hired by the seller. That is not wrong, but it changes expectations. The agent may help with information and coordination, but the buyer should understand whether they are only receiving operational support or have signed their own buyer-side mediation contract.

That difference matters for commission, exclusivity and responsibilities. If you are asked to sign a mediation document, read it as a contract, not a simple form. Confirm:

• which property or search it covers;
• whether there is exclusivity;
• what remuneration is stated;
• when it can become due;
• whether there are advances;
• which accessory services are included.

Do not pay a reservation without written terms

A reservation can help organise the negotiation, but it is sensitive. Before paying, connect this decision with the guide on property reservations: who receives the money, what it is for, whether it becomes part of the deposit, when it is refunded and what happens if documents, mortgage approval, bank valuation or CPCV agreement are missing.

If the amount is temporarily held by the agency, ask for a receipt and clear wording. The document should identify the buyer, seller, property, mediation company, amount, destination account, reason for the payment, reservation deadline, refund conditions and expected next step.

Avoid vague wording such as "removed from the market" without saying until when and under what conditions. Also avoid paying into personal accounts or entities that do not appear in the file.

If the agency helps with the mortgage, check registration

Some agencies also refer buyers for mortgages or work with credit intermediaries. That can save time, but it does not replace checking the bank, the pre-approval, the FINE and the CPCV.

When someone collects financial documents, presents credit proposals or handles pre-contractual mortgage steps, ask for the credit-intermediary entity, category, Banco de Portugal registration number, lenders it works with and service price, if any.

Do not send tax returns, bank statements, proof of funds or sensitive personal data through an informal chain. Confirm who receives the documents, for what purpose and through which secure channel.

Before moving forward, align offer, CPCV and money

The biggest mistake is treating the agency as a shortcut around checks. The offer should align with the property documents, price, timeline, financing condition, reservation treatment and future CPCV wording.

If the purchase depends on a mortgage, do not let commercial pressure replace a clear clause. If it depends on seller documents, do not pay as if everything is confirmed. If you signed any buyer-side contract, check whether commission or a refundable advance could apply.

Next step

Before paying a reservation, ask the agency for the written offer and payment terms. Then check the AMI licence, any credit-intermediary registration and the clauses you want reflected in the CPCV.