Buying guide · before you sign
Documents and checks before you buy
The documents to get from the seller and the checks to make before the preliminary contract. It is the simplest way to buy with peace of mind.
Property documents
- An up-to-date Certidão do Registo Predial: who the owner is and whether there are any mortgages or charges
- Entry in the matriz (the property tax register) showing the property’s value
- Title deed: how the seller bought or inherited the home
- Occupancy licence and building permit
- Floor plan: it must match the home as it is today
Seller and residence documents
- Identity document and NIF of the seller (or sellers)
- Certificate showing there is no unpaid property tax (IPI) or council tax
- Residence rules: read them carefully, especially if you want to let the property
- Service charges paid and the accounts for the last year
- Latest electricity and water bills (Electra)
The checks
What to check, and why
- The seller really is the ownerThe name on the land registry must match the person signing. If there are several owners, they must all sign.
- The home is unencumberedNo mortgages, seizures or undeclared tenancies: everything shows up on the registry certidão.
- Everything is in orderPermits, floor area and floor plan must match. Any discrepancies must be put right before the deed, not after.
- No outstanding debtsUnpaid property tax and service charges can stay attached to the property: ask for the receipts.
- You can use it as you wishIf you plan to let to tourists, check that the residence rules allow it and that an alojamento local licence can be obtained.
Properties under construction
If you buy off-plan
In Cape Verde the law does not provide an automatic guarantee on money paid for a property yet to be built. Ask for a bank or insurance guarantee in the contract that refunds your money if the project is not completed.
It is better to pay in stages: a share on signing and the rest as the works progress, with the balance paid at the deed.
Materials, finishes, handover date and penalties for delays must be written into the contract.
The View offers a 5–6% return guaranteed by contract and bank guarantee (5% if you use the suite 4 weeks a year, 6% if you do not): ask us for the full details.
We help you check
Have a property in mind?
Send us the link or the description: we will tell you which documents to ask for and what to look at.
Indicative list, updated October 2026. For major purchases, have a lawyer in Cape Verde assist you.