We had travelled through Portugal before and knew the area north of Lisbon however the warmer climate of the south met our needs a little better.

After we had travelled through the Algarve region which we found crowded and spoilt by tourism we finally visited the Alentejo region, specifically the south-west Alentejo.

This is where we decided to settle and purchased a large block of land that by Dutch standards would be classed as extravagant, However we needed to purchase a large block in order to build our dream home under the Portugues building regulations as out side of the city there is usually a rule that you can only erect a structure of 2 meters squared per 1000 square meters of available land.

It's now been 3 years since our new house was built surrounded by nature with beautiful views and privacy from our neighbours.

We have had many experiences in the realization of our dream and about these i could write many pages but for each person these experiences differ as does the choice of location and land requirements.

What each potential purchaser of land here in Portugal must realise is that the laws are different to those in other countries, A notary in Portugal doesn't meddle with checking if with the transfer the regarding property is free of debts and if the seller is entitled to sell.

Buyers should never blindly trust the broker either in this respect as he may not always supply all the necessary information so a personal check of the local registry, taxes etc. should be carried out preferably through a lawyer.

If a personal check is not possible then you should look for someone who knows the in's and out's of the Portuguese system and is willing to act on your behalf.

We were very lucky in that the broker we chose was very trustworthy and he introduced us to a fellow dutchman a Mr Bert Snijder who also happened to be a real estate agent.

Through his Real estate business Alentejo Home Real estate Bert was able to assist us with the purchase and transfer of our land and co-ordinated the first building phase, He was very supportive and always there when needed we would also like to mention that his wife Marianne was also a great comfort to us.

Looking back and looking at the future there hasn't been a moment of regret of our decision to move to the Alentejo. The simplicity, cordiality and helpfulness of the Alentejanos makes life here very pleasant. Despite the fact that you are, you don't feel a foreigner here because you're completely accepted.

The Alentejo is synonymous for sun, space, nature and rest. Are there any negative sides? Of course there are for in no location in the world everything is ideal. For the purchase of the more luxury things, visit a contemporary theatre, concert and museum you must go to Lisbon. But a lively local folklore surrounds us here

The bureaucracy is sometimes tiring, but the people behind the desks are often so kind and patient. In short: ?Nosso rico Alentejo? (our rich Alentejo) is a place we can advise!

So if you are considering your retirement or are just looking for that little piece of paradise in the sun the why not consider the Alentejo region of Portugal and we would reccomend that you contact Bert Snijder who we are sure would be willing to assist you with all aspects of your visit to this wonderful place.