The desire to live with safety and quality of life led Mônica Rodrigues and Dhones Markes Batista de Sousa to leave Brazil for Portugal around four years ago. There, they launched a YouTube channel dedicated to sharing their experience of living in Portuguese territory — Vivendo em Portugal — which now has nearly 50,000 followers. Their journey is filled with stories, and moving to a new country was far from easy. “The first major challenge was finding a rental property,” and then they faced an even bigger obstacle: “The delay by the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) in issuing documentation,” the couple shared in an interview with idealista/news. And they were not the only immigrants facing these issues.

They received so many requests for help with renting homes and obtaining residency permits in Portugal through their channel that they realized there was an opportunity to work in their professional fields. She, a real estate agent with 15 years of experience in the Brazilian market, and he, a lawyer, decided to open the real estate agency Vivendo em Portugal Imóveis in early May, in Vagos, Aveiro district — the northern town that welcomed them from day one.

"It is essential to invest in the urgent restructuring of AIMA, ensuring more efficiency, transparency, and speed in granting residence permits."

Now, the couple is dedicated to supporting other Brazilian families (as well as Portuguese and people of other nationalities) in buying and renting homes in Portugal. They also offer a complementary legal advisory service to help other immigrants obtain residence permits in the country — a process that has “faced significant challenges, especially in terms of delays and a lack of clarity in procedures,” says Dhones Batista de Sousa.

For all these reasons, the founders of Vivendo em Portugal Imóveis (in partnership with former client Cristiane Leiva da Silva) have a clear message for the new Government: “It is essential to invest in the urgent restructuring of AIMA, ensuring more efficiency, transparency, and speed in granting residence permits. Moreover, it would be important to create housing policies that benefit both residents and newcomers, promoting fair access to housing and a healthy integration environment for all,” they add in the interview with idealista/news.

What motivated you to move to Portugal? What challenges did you face upon arrival (finding a home, job, residency...)?

Mônica Rodrigues [MR]: Although we had a relatively stable life in Brazil, we felt something was missing — we were seeking a more balanced quality of life, safety, and the opportunity to explore new cultures and experiences. Portugal emerged as a natural choice: a country with cultural affinities, a mild climate, and a gateway to exploring Europe.

Upon arrival, our first major challenge was renting a home. Finding a rental, especially without a local income history, proved more difficult than expected. Then came the documentation process. Fortunately, Dhones is a lawyer and had already prepared by thoroughly studying the legal procedures for obtaining residency. This greatly helped in terms of knowledge, but did not spare us from bureaucratic delays — the biggest hurdle was, without a doubt, AIMA’s delay in issuing documentation, which required patience and resilience.

"Initially, our focus was the Brazilian public who wanted to live in Portugal (...) However, the results exceeded our expectations: we ended up reaching people from many countries, including Portuguese nationals."

How did the idea to create the YouTube channel Vivendo em Portugal come about around four years ago? Are you active on other social media platforms?

MR: Even before leaving Brazil, we had the idea to create a YouTube channel. We knew that upon arriving in Portugal, it was unlikely we’d be able to work immediately in our professional fields — especially considering the initial adaptation challenges.

Initially, the purpose of Vivendo em Portugal was simple: to share our experience of living in Portugal from our perspective, showing the daily reality, the charm, and the difficulties of starting from scratch. Over time, the channel gained visibility, and we began to receive many questions and requests related to our fields of expertise. That’s when we realized there was a big opportunity to combine content with service delivery — always with responsibility and a close connection to our audience.

Today, the channel has nearly 50,000 subscribers and continues to grow organically. In addition to YouTube, we’re also active on Instagram and TikTok, where we maintain more direct contact with our followers and share tips, behind-the-scenes content, and aspects of our daily life.

What were your main goals and target audience? Are you satisfied with the results?

MR: Initially, our focus was on Brazilians who wanted to live in Portugal, sharing practical information and our personal experience. However, the results exceeded our expectations: we ended up reaching people from various countries — including Portuguese nationals — who now seek us out as clients through the channel and social media. We are definitely very satisfied with the impact we’ve made.

What are the differences and similarities between the Portuguese and Brazilian real estate markets?

MR: In Brazil, the real estate consultant profession requires a specific technical course of about two years, after which the professional receives registration with the CRECI [Regional Council for Real Estate Brokers in Brazil] — equivalent to the AMI license [Real Estate Mediation License] in Portugal. In Portugal, this formal requirement does not exist, which makes entering the profession easier, but also makes partnerships between consultants more difficult. Another major difference is property acquisition: in Brazil, property owners value real estate agencies and insist on listing with professionals. Here, the process tends to be more reserved and slower.

As for similarities, both markets increasingly value professionalism, legal knowledge, and transparency in the buying and selling process, especially when dealing with foreigners.

"Most of our clients are Brazilian, but we also serve many Portuguese and foreigners from the U.S., U.K., Ireland, and even Japan."

Why did you decide to launch the real estate agency Vivendo em Portugal Imóveis? How is the business doing (renting and buying)?

MR: After four years operating online, mainly with relocation rental services, former clients we helped settle in Portugal started coming back to buy property with us. With rising demand from both foreigners and Portuguese, we saw the need to take the next step — we founded Vivendo em Portugal Imóveis with a physical office to better serve families. The company has grown steadily, with strong results in both rentals and sales, and with the aim of honoring the country that welcomed us.

Choosing the town of Vagos wasn’t by chance? Why did you set up your agency in this town in Aveiro district?

MR: We’ve lived in Vagos for about four years and have developed a strong bond with the town. We’ve always valued life in smaller communities — we lived that way in Brazil too — and we appreciate the close contact with the community. That’s why we chose to establish our agency here, as a way to give back the hospitality we received and contribute to the local development of a place we now call home.

Who are your main clients in terms of segment and nationality? What are they mostly looking for (rent/buy, price, location…)?

MR: Most of our clients are Brazilian, but we also serve many Portuguese and foreigners from the U.S., U.K., Ireland, and even Japan. Initially, the focus was on rentals, especially for newcomers to the country, but today we’ve shifted much of our work to the sales market. We operate nationwide, both in property search and through partnerships with other real estate agencies across the country.

In addition to real estate services, you also offer legal assistance to immigrants seeking visas and documents. Why did you decide to take this step?

Dhones Markes Batista de Sousa [DS]: Initially, I helped with the real estate side, and many clients also came to us with questions about documentation. At the time, we referred them to partner lawyers, until I decided to make use of my legal training in Brazil and registered with the Portuguese Bar Association through the reciprocity agreement that was in place until 2023. Since then, I’ve officially worked as a lawyer here, offering specialized legal advice in immigration to complement our work in real estate, while also developing this service independently.

"There is an urgent need to reform the appointment systems, ensure greater transparency, and increase investment in human and technological resources by AIMA."

How do you assess the process of obtaining residence visas in Portugal? What has your experience with AIMA been like so far? What changes are needed to streamline the processes?

DS: The process of obtaining visas and residence permits in Portugal has faced significant challenges, especially with delays and a lack of clarity in procedures. The creation of AIMA raised expectations for improvements, but so far we’ve seen prolonged delays, poor communication, and a lack of effective responses to immigrants' requests. This directly impacts people’s lives and the family and professional planning of those who wish to live legally in the country.

As a lawyer, I’ve closely followed cases of clients who meet all legal requirements but still face unjustified obstacles to obtaining or renewing their documentation. There is an urgent need to reform appointment systems, improve transparency, and increase investment in human and technological resources by AIMA to ensure a dignified, efficient public service that aligns with the fundamental rights of immigrants.

How do you assess the current state of the real estate market in Portugal?

MR: The real estate market in Portugal has shown steady growth in recent years. However, with the end of the possibility of regularization through the expression of interest, we noticed a sharp drop in rental demand, which led to a slight decline in prices, followed by a stabilization phase. This perception is based on our direct experience in the sector, particularly in serving foreigners looking to start their lives in the country. Despite these fluctuations, the market remains dynamic and full of opportunities, especially in the buying segment.

"It would be important to create housing policies that benefit both residents and newcomers."

What message would you send to the future Government?

DS: To pay closer attention to the reality of immigrants and the direct impact that delays in legal processes have on the lives of thousands of families. It is crucial to invest in the urgent restructuring of AIMA, ensuring more efficiency, transparency, and speed in granting residence permits. Additionally, it would be important to create housing policies that benefit both residents and newcomers, promoting fair access to housing and a healthy integration environment for all.

What are your future plans for Vivendo em Portugal Imóveis?

MR: Right now, our focus is on consolidating the company’s presence in the region where we opened our first physical office. We want to grow responsibly, maintaining the hybrid model we know well — combining in-person service with online work, which continues to be a powerful and far-reaching tool. In the medium to long term, we dream of opening new branches, always with our feet firmly on the ground and trusting in the potential that Portugal still has to offer.