Having chosen a property, request that your Lawyer does a search at the local Land Registry/Conservatoria do Registo Predial,to check that the seller/vendedor has clear title of ownership and that no one else has rights, charges or mortgages over it. Also check that what is registered conforms exactly to what is actually built, as well as the area of land. Do not presume your Lawyer/Advogado will do searches for new roads, by- passes, motorways, runways etc. You must specifically request for a search of this type to be done.