# How long did it take?



## omostra06 (Sep 11, 2007)

Just wondering if any members want to share their experiances about how long it took from getting the idea to move to Portugal to finally arriving to live in the country.

Personaly my experiance was quite quick, we were already in Portugal having spent a couple of years travelling around, ( i think we visited 22 countries in that time) we thought we really should buy a little property somewhere on mainland europe as a sort of base to travel from, aswell as giving us a project to rebuild/restore to keep us entertained.

we had spent approx 6 months expolring Portugal, liked the central region around Tomar, near the Castelo do Bode lake, viewed a few potential properties and then bought the worse one in the best location.

I do know of others that have spent years planning the move before they managed to relocate to Portugal, when i owned the estate agency we had some clients that had been viewing properties for 4 or more years, seeing hundreds of properties on their countless trips.
others of course bought on their first visit to the country.

what about you?


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## somanyhands (Apr 9, 2011)

I did a 'reccie' visit early Feb 2010, to check out areas and schools, followed by a visit mid Feb, with hubby and kids, to find a rental. Rental contract started May 2010 and we moved over, after a couple of short trips (and various relatives staying in empty apartment for a week before we came) in mid July 2010!

We knew we wanted to go somewhere. We had wanted to leave the UK for many, many years but a trip to visit family who'd emigrated to Oz had been the final straw. We couldn't do Oz so plumped for Portugal (because, at the time, hubby's sister had lived here for 8 years. Typically, she's back in UK now! Poor her!)

Anyway, from decision (Feb) to moving - 5 months. Not bad for completely changing our lives, eh?

Sent from my iPad using the ExpatForum app


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## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

Although I've visited and owned properties before in Portugal over the last 40+ years, when we decided to make a permanent move (not to a region I'd been to before) we visited bought and moved within 5 months.


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## PETERFC (Apr 3, 2009)

*Reply*

Hi Derek and all

Well my story started September 2007 almost to the day 4 years ago. I put a post on a Forum asking for advice as to where to stay for a week. I got three replies of which one was from a couple in Gois. It was this one i decided to try after all i could always go somewhere else if i didn't like it. But like it i did, each day i went out in all directions to see what i could of the country in my time here. After a week it was Gois that i wanted to spend more time in. 

It didn't take long to decide that Gois was to be the place for me or at least for a holiday home. The mistake i made was to assume that my wife was all for a holiday home as well as i was. The reply i got was that she wanted a divorce, well i didn't see that coming. So for the next few years i spent my time coming over and during that time over 20 trips to view property. I did find my place in the sun. 

That is it simply put but i have a blog where i go into more detail. Also i take part from time to time on a English Radio program. There is so much to do so for those reading this and thinks about making a move to Portugal " Go for it you are a long time Dead "

Peter


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