When we first started looking for land in Portugal, we honestly didn’t know where to begin. The idea was there, we knew what we were looking for: nature, space, and a view that makes you pause for a moment. But once you start searching for building land, reality kicks in fast. Listings all look different, every plot comes with a different story and before you know it, you’re full of questions.
- Can you actually build here?
- What will the municipality allow?
- Is the paperwork in order?
- What’s a realistic offer?
- And many more…
We were excited, but also unsure. And that mix can be risky. Buying land in Portugal isn’t always straightforward, especially if you’re not familiar with permits, local rules, and how things really work behind the scenes.
The biggest question: can we build what we want?
One of the first things we learned is that a beautiful plot doesn’t automatically mean a buildable one. And “buildable” isn’t a feeling, it’s a legal reality. In Portugal, what you want to build and what you’re allowed to build can be two completely different things. A piece of land can have great access and an incredible view, but if the permissions don’t line up, you’re stuck with a dream that stays on paper. That uncertainty made the search overwhelming at times. Not because we didn’t enjoy it, but because one wrong decision could cost months of time, a lot of money, and a lot of energy.
The money question: what do you even offer?
Another challenge was understanding the market. When you’re buying land in Portugal, it’s often unclear what a fair offer looks like. Some prices leave room for negotiation, others don’t. Sometimes listings are realistic, sometimes they’re not. Without local context, it’s hard to judge. We kept asking ourselves: are we offering too much, or not enough? And what are we actually negotiating on? If you’ve been there, you know how quickly excitement can turn into disappointment.
Upgrade your team!
That’s when we decided not to do this alone. This is how we found Find a Land, a Portugal-based service that helps buyers find land and property, while also checking the legal and technical side before you commit.
From the first conversation with Diogo, our contact person, things felt different. He didn’t just talk about how a plot looked. He helped us look at land the way you need to when you actually want to build: asking the right questions, checking what matters, and being honest about what was realistic.
That didn’t take away the excitement. It made the process calmer and more enjoyable, because we stopped guessing. A real game changer!
How Find a Land helped us during the search
Working with Find a Land turned the search into a structured process. Instead of endlessly scrolling listings or getting attached to plots we couldn’t properly assess, we had focus. They helped us understand what could realistically be built, how the municipality might respond, and which documents needed attention. They also helped us understand pricing and make an offer that felt considered, not rushed or emotional.
Looking back, that guidance mattered more than we realized at the time. The land we chose became the foundation for everything that followed: permits, design, planning, and eventually building Yuna One and Yuna Two.
Why we’re sharing this
Since finishing Yuna, we’ve had many people reach out with the same questions we once had.
- How did you find the land?
- How did you know it was oké to build?
- What should we watch out for?
- We want this too, but where to start?
And the honest answer is simple: we didn’t figure it out on our own. We had help, Find a Land played a big role in making the land phase clear instead of chaotic.
That’s why we decided to work with them more closely. Not because it sounds good, but because we know how confusing the beginning can be, and how much impact good guidance makes at that stage.
Our conclusion
Buying land in Portugal can be an incredible experience. But enthusiasm alone isn’t enough, you need clarity, know the rules and what’s legally possible. For us, Find a Land made the process calmer, clearer, and far more enjoyable. That choice helped us build Yuna the way we wanted to, it’s something we’re happy to share, and hopefully we help more people with their journey.
Want to know more about Find a land? Send us a message or take a look at their website below.
