GUIDES

Guides to decide with confidence

Clear explanations of mortgages, rates and the process, without the jargon.

Before buying

The effort rate is the share of your monthly income that goes to repaying credit. The Bank of Portugal sets a reference cap of 45%; in…

25 March 20262 min read

Before buying

The ideal is to set aside the equivalent of 6 to 12 months of the household's fixed expenses. It's the reserve that avoids turning to…

25 March 20261 min read

Before buying

Start with the 50/30/20 rule: half for needs, 30% for lifestyle, 20% for savings. It's a simple starting point before moving on to a loan.

25 March 20261 min read

Why FINOVA

A credit intermediary is a Bank of Portugal-authorised firm that bridges you and several banks, to find and compare credit offers.

25 March 20261 min read

Why FINOVA

We're paid by the financial institutions, as a credit intermediary authorised by the Bank of Portugal — after completion, by the bank you…

25 March 20261 min read

Why FINOVA

The decision is always yours. Our job is to lay the offers side by side, in comparable terms, and explain the costs and implications of…

25 March 20261 min read

Why FINOVA

A mortgage takes care, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. We organise the documents, check the file before it goes out, and handle the…

25 March 20261 min read

Why FINOVA

Yes. FINOVA is a credit intermediary registered and supervised by the Bank of Portugal, and handles your data under the GDPR, only for your…

25 March 20261 min read

Why FINOVA

Three reasons: we compare and negotiate across several banks, we follow the decision closely, and we're paid by the bank, after completion.

25 March 20261 min read