How to buy a house in Cape Verde: step-by-step guide (2026)

Buying a house in Cape Verde is simpler than most people expect — provided you know what to expect at each stage. We work with buyers in Praia every day and the pattern is consistent: informed buyers close in one to three months; unprepared ones lose time, money and sometimes the property they wanted.

1. Choose the property and negotiate

One local particularity: part of the market never reaches the portals. Many deals happen through personal contacts. So besides browsing the published listings, tell an agency what you are looking for — there is often an unpublished portfolio.

Asking prices usually have some margin built in. An offer 5% to 10% below asking is the normal starting point.

2. The promissory contract and the deposit

Once agreed, both parties sign a promissory contract (CPCV). This is when you pay the deposit — typically 10% to 20% — and fix the deadline for the deed. As a rule, if the buyer walks away they lose the deposit; if the seller walks away they return it doubled.

Never pay a deposit before checking the property's paperwork. Which brings us to the most important step.

3. Verify the documents (do not skip this)

• Land registry certificate — proves ownership and reveals mortgages or liens;
• Tax record (matriz) — the property's registration with the tax office;
• Fiscal situation — whether previous years' property tax (IUP) is paid.

With older or inherited properties, outdated paperwork is common — unsettled inheritances, mismatched floor areas, unregistered extensions. None of this is necessarily a deal-breaker, but it must be fixed before the deed, by the seller. A local lawyer costs little compared to the risk removed.

4. The deed and registration

The public deed is signed before a notary, with payment of the balance. The property is then registered in your name at the land registry. Only registration fully protects your purchase — do it immediately.

What does it all cost?

• IUP transfer tax — typically 1.5% of the value;
• Notary and registration fees — scaled to the purchase value;
• Lawyer (optional but recommended).

Budget 3% to 5% on top of the purchase price in total. On a 10 million CVE apartment (about €90,700), that is 300–500 thousand CVE in costs.

Need financing?

Cape Verdean banks typically lend up to 70–80% of the appraised value over 25–30 years, with dedicated lines for the diaspora that accept foreign income — see our guide to mortgages in Cape Verde.

The three mistakes we see most

• Paying a deposit without seeing the land registry certificate;
• Buying on a private paper agreement without deed or registration;
• Forgetting transaction costs and running short at the deed.

Done properly, buying in Cape Verde is safe and straightforward. Browse available properties or talk to our team on WhatsApp — we support you from first contact to keys in hand.