The Ideal Homes Portugal Team

“I’m now approaching my twelfth year working in the property industry. In that time I’ve met and worked with some of the most successful people in the business and helped hundreds of people find their ideal home in the sun. Seven years ago I decided to start my own company, Ideal Homes. I wanted to build a strong client focused service that is unsurpassed in its field, for going the extra mile. My team of passionate individuals were all specifically recruited for sharing my vision and enthusiasm for providing unrivalled service. So far it has proved to be a fulfilling and exciting venture and with that in mind we can’t wait to meet you and welcome you into the Ideal Homes family.”   chris@idealhomesportugal.com

I am originally from Sheffield. Worked as a Customer Service Manager for a large retail chain for most of my career. I moved to the Algarve 11 years ago ready for a change. It was supposed to be a 2 year career break, but I loved it so much I found myself a wonderful husband and 3 beautiful dogs. This is now home and my life is working in real estate in the lovely Algarvian sunshine.

I was raised in South Africa and studied cosmetology. Directly upon graduating I followed my natural business instincts and started my own business, which I managed successfully for 4 years. On deciding to leave South Africa, I sold my business and relocated to the UK where I took a management post within the hospitality industry. After this I moved to Portugal to invest in real estate and take on a management role within the media industry. In 2014, I joined Ideal Homes where I matched my keen interest in finance and real estate with my work. At Ideal Homes, I focus on assisting clients in navigating the local buying process and securing mortgage financing for their property investments. I am fluent in English, Portuguese and Afrikaans.

I have been loving life in Portugal since relocating from London to the Algarve in 2015! I soon adapted to my new life in the sunshine, and haven’t looked back since! I’ve been part of team Ideal Homes since early 2016, and was impressed with our company’s ethos from the get-go. Over the years I’ve enjoyed playing my part in continually developing the extra special service we are able to offer to our homeowners and rental clients, and expanding to over 100 rental properties that we take care of across the Algarve so far. I love my role as Head of Aftersales and Rentals, and each day is different, but some of my favourite parts are all of the wonderful people I get to speak with from all over the world and ensuring they are feeling confident in their investment or holiday home here in Portugal, assisting them to furnish their beautiful properties, being on-site watching everything come together, and helping my team constantly come up with new exciting ideas for marketing and growing our property portfolio.  Our homeowners are at the heart of my role every day, as I take huge pride in achieving them fantastic results, and bringing clients from across the globe to enjoy wonderful holidays in their properties, who then return year after year!

After spending over twelve years on the Costa del Sol, it was time for a change. Although the weather is not much different here in the Algarve, the people and more laid back lifestyle are and this suited me perfectly. I joined the Ideal Homes team back in 2017 and was introduced into the world of digital marketing. With ten years of sales and customer service experience, jumping into the digital deep end was a challenge that I dived straight into. Nearly four years down the line and I could not have picked a better team to work with on a daily basis, they are here to help you every step of the way through your property purchsae!   

I was born and raised in South Africa and moved to Algarve in 2018 with my husband. Living in such a beautiful part of the world is amazing. I have a human resources and customer services background. Since moving to Portugal I have worked in marketing with an emphasis on social media and content.I write book reviews for fun for a local newspaper. I like to make sure clients are always up to date with the latest in the real estate world.

Hi my name is Elliot and I grew up in a small town in Worcestershire called Tenbury Wells in the UK. I have worked alongside Chris since 2006 when I moved back to Europe from Australia where I started my real estate career in 2000 and lived there in Sydney for 12 years. Coming back to Europe in 2006 the market was booming and I quickly was offered a position with a large International real estate company based in Marbella and was positioned on the Portugal team as we marketed property in 20 different countries. This is what started my love of Portugal and I always aspired to moving to the Algarve to sell property on the ground. This opportunity came around in 2011 when I was asked to move to the Algarve to live the dream and work for a company here, although I had sold property remotely in the Algarve I had never actually been to the Algarve. But I happily handed in my resignation packed up my car and drove to the Algarve and have never looked back. Six years on and I have a beautiful Portugese wife and two gorgeous baby girls both born here in Portugal. Portugal is definitely the hidden gem of Europe and a wonderful safe place to bring up a family or retire too, I can highly recommend this beautiful part of the world that has become my new home.    

I have lived in the Algarve now for over 30 years after coming here originally just for a summer job. I fell in love with the place and never left, there are worse places to be in the world. Originally I was involved in the marketing of major golf and property developments but got tired of being office bound. I have worked for Ideal Homes for 3 years in the sales department and I absolutely love it. Who wouldn’t want to spend their time meeting interesting people, travelling around the Algarve and showing beautiful properties? Ideal Homes is an exceptional company to work for – great vision, great team, great service.  

My story - I purchased a property in the Algarve in 2000, perched up high in the hills above the historic beautiful town of Loule. My aim was a holiday home to use in the winter and a rental investment for the summer months.  I fell in love with the Algarve and then decided to move out to Portugal in 2007 full time. My passion for the Algarve grew even more, then I was offered an opportunity to work in real estate in Tavira, East Algarve. Something I jumped at as I have always had a passion to work in property, something so different from my UK background working in exhibitions along with working in areas on TV presenting with shopping channels like QVC and various others.  I am now in my 6th year of working at Ideal Homes. My satisfaction in my work comes from meeting so many happy clients who allow me to help them find that dream home here in the sun! We are a family at Ideal Homes International and we will go that little bit further in making dreams come true! If you are thinking about buying a perfect holiday home in the sun, that special villa situated on one of the many championship Golf Courses or a villa/penthouse apartment with spectacular sea views to wake up to every morning, why not try us? allow Ideal Homes to help you find that perfect property. The Algarve is easily accessible with flights from all around the globe not just the UK and Europe with flights into Faro and Lisbon. The wonderful lifestyle, fantastic beaches, abundance of glorious weather, great food and local produce and the cost of living, what's not to like? Along with the golf, tennis, sea, sunshine, great food, delicious wines and hidden gems, falling in love with the lifestyle and the country is so easy!   I look forward to meeting you soon along with the TEAM!

I was born and raised in Cameroon. After my A levels, I took on a 2 years professional course in HRM and later decided to travel to Cyprus to further my studies in Business Admin. I later moved to Portugal in 2015 when I was expecting my son and have since then fallen in love with the country and the Portuguese people. I speak English, French and Portuguese. I spent my first couple of years in the Northern part of Portugal, Coimbra, and the first time I visited the Algarve, I decided it was the place for me - it was love at first sight. The beautiful Atlantic beaches, very low crime waves, no hustle and bustle like in the big cities i'd been to within and out of the country, no language barrier as almost everyone speaks English and/or French or some other foreign language, good weather all year round and so on...Who wouldn't fall in love with the Algarve? My family and friends living in other parts of Europe visit me regularly and I visit them as well but, to be honest there's no place like the Algarve and they agree with that. At Ideal Homes, we prioritize customer satisfaction by understanding the needs and wants of our clients and making sure that we meet their expectations. Also, knowing that I can play a role in helping you bring your dream to reality is one of my motivations working with Ideal Homes. Ideal Homes is your go to real estate company if you are looking to relocate, invest or even just to buy a holiday home overseas. We look forward to helping you find a place in the sun.                

I was born and raised in the United States, and moved to Portugal with my family after graduating high school in 1991, so I've watched Portugal grow and develop over the last couple of decades! Having lived in various parts of the country, I decided my forever home in Portugal would be the Algarve. Beautiful beaches and a laid back lifestyle are only the start of the many reasons why I love the Algarve so much. I joined Ideal Homes because I love sharing my knowledge about the country and helping people settle into a wonderful new lifestyle!

I am originally from West Yorkshire in the north of England, where I worked as a wedding stylist for over 10 years. I have been visiting Portugal for many years. In 2011, I went travelling to Australia and Thailand and realised that my dream was to one day live in a sunny country close to the beach. I have visited many places around the world, but Portugal has always held a piece of my heart. In 2012 after travelling I decided to move to London and enjoy the big city life. I made the decision in 2016 to take a 6 month sabbatical from my job in London. I filled my car up and set off on my adventure driving through Spain and Portugal. I love my life here, it was the best decision I made. The sunshine, laid back lifestyle and great friends I have made over the years. I spend my work days talking to other people about this amazing little sunshine paradise, helping them to find there own dream holiday home or investment . I am very lucky and happy to call Portugal my home.  

I was born in the UK but from a very young age I have lived in a number of different countries including Borneo, Abu Dhabi, Cyprus, the UK and now have been drawn to the beautiful beaches and lifestyle of the Algarve, Portugal. I come from a background of travel and was a flight attendant until recently. I am now part of the wonderful Ideal Homes Team. Knowing that I can be part of your journey in making your dreams come true with a property in the sun and sharing my knowledge of living in the sun is what truly puts a smile on my face.

My name is Jose but all my friends and family call me Joe. I am extremely grateful to be married to a beautiful Portuguese lady named Bernadette and am a father to two amazing children. My eldest is Diego, he is 19 years old and I would describe him as very active, strong-willed (like most 19 year olds) and confident. My youngest Lorenzo, is 14 and would be best described as being a caring, friendly and shy young man. I chose to move to the Algarve because I believed it would give me a strong peace of mind, provide a better future for my family and as English is widely spoken, we felt it was a perfect match for all of us. I would like to say I chose Portugal over the UK mainly because of the amazing weather and safety but the food and wine had me hooked from the start. In seriousness though, Portugal has been voted the third safest country in the world again and as I come from South Africa, this was of major importance to my wife and I. After six years of ‘thinking’ about moving, unfortunately I was made redundant due to the current pandemic and to make things worse, my wifes company closed down also. All of this happened within the space of two days so it really hit home that we needed to make a major decision, and quickly.  Within the space of six weeks we had managed to sell all of our possessions, purchase flights for an extortion price of 25,000 rand per ticket - These were normally 8,000 rand prior to the pandemic so we really had to commit to our decision to get out the country as we were paying 3 times the normal rate - and next thing we were on plane with nothing but the clothes on our back and our bags.  If you´re thinking of making the move, do it, follow your instinct. You really never know what is just around the corner. Rather than procrastinating for six years like I did, get in touch within myself or anyone from the Ideal Homes team and they can show you how you really can enjoy a better quality of life. 

After many years living in the Costa Del Sol and helping people achieve their dream of owning a holiday home in Spain I had the chance to move to Portugal and continue my passion for property. Whilst working in Portugal I was given the opportunity to move to Spain's Costa Blanca. I relocated my Family (including three children) to Murcia and I've not looked back since.   I like to establish and build portfolios for clients by creating meaningful relationships and understanding the individual needs of each client. I understand, for most, the thought of buying a holiday home outside your country of origin may be daunting. I'm here to demystify the process and make the experience a pleasurable one.

Hi, my name is Fernando and I grew up in a city called Orihuela located in the Costa Blanca. I have travelled and worked around Europe to learn a new language and gain new experiences. I lived in the UK for a few years until 2013 when I decided to come back to the Costa Blanca where I start my real estate career and I am very happy I did! I absolutely love the job, the Costa Blanca is a cheap place to live, to retire or to spend your holidays and has a lot to offer with lng sandy beaches, golf courses and 320 days per year of sun. Since I started working in this business, I have met so many people and made lots of friends who are now living their dream and I was able to help them to make it come true. I am very happy to be part of an international real estate company like Ideal Homes and it is an absolute pleasure to be in their team.  

In a reversal of normal circumstance I waited until my children were old enough and then I left home! Initially settling in Costa de Sol in Spain I spent 5 wonderful years there which is where I initially met and worked with Chris, the CEO here at Ideal Homes. I decided on a change of scenery and moved to the Algarve at Chris's suggestion and have never had any regrets! Over the past 10 years I have predominantely worked with Chris in Real Estate for Ideal Homes. I have participated in numerous roles within the company from touring our clients and selling property, attending exhibitions, became the Listings Manager and am now currently in the office communicating with interested parties on the phone and by email. I have a great love of Portugal and have immersed myself into the culture and mindset of the way of life. I am happily married - I met my husband at Ideal Homes - a true romance! - and own a 3 bed house in Armacao de Pera which we share with our beloved dog and cat (and my husband's 1965 Vespa! ). My sister lives close by in Albufeira, my brother in Spain and we all enjoy the fact we can return to the UK on a regular basis with the large portfolio of direct flights from Faro, Lisbon and Seville. People I meet are sometimes surprised by the very diversity enjoyed not only by the Portuguese population but by the international expatriate community based in the Algarve. From my experience it is one of the best and easiest places to assimilate into the gentle laid back way of life! I look forward to meeting you and hopefully passing on my passion and respect for my beloved adopted country. 

I was born and raised in Algarve, and for me this is the best place to live in Portugal, we have 9 to 10 months of sunny days, nice weather, beautiful beaches, beautiful places to visit, we barely have traffic, it's really the best! Growing up, I discovered that I really enjoy being in contact with people, help whenever it's needed and I also love to organize things. I worked in some clothing stores, and my favourite part of it was to bring what the client wants, and needs.  This year, I wanted to make some changes in my life, try different things, and that is what brought me to Ideal Homes. Here, I can be all of that and more! I am really grateful that I found such an amazing team to work with.

Hello, my name is Bruno Santos. I was born in Lisbon but grew up in a town on the outskirts called Carregado. After travelling around Italy I decided to return to Portugal in 1999, but to the Algarve where my family was from, and like many Portuguese came to the Algarve every year for the so desired vacations, Due to my ease of communication, I decided to work directly with clients. having several years of experience in hotels and restaurants. In 2006 I decided to try the real estate, having spent 4 years in a real estate in Alvor, having abandoned due to the restrictions of the company. I decided to go back to hotels and restaurants. having some invitations to go back to the real estate, only in 2017 when I was presented the Ideal Homes project decided to go back to real estate. I am passionate about Portugal and mainly for the Algarve. I used to tell my clients in hotels and restaurants, "Be careful don't stay for more than 15 days, or else you may not leave Portugal, you will be in love like everyone else." I speak portuguese and english.

My name is Catarina Carvão Sardinha Magarreiro. I am Portuguese and lived in Belgium for 23 years with my husband and my son working as a Beautician. Ten years ago we decide to return to Portugal to be closer to the family. Here in Portugal I continued to work as as a Beautician and I also worked for 6 years in a food disorders clinic in Alvor. Recently I felt the desire to follow a new professional orientation and believing I had the necessary qualities I joined the team at Ideal Homes International. Over the years I have been able to intereact with the public and within this work it is a necessary quality to be able to communicate with possible buyers and sellers and therefore it is helpful that I speak fluent French and English, a little Spanish and naturally Portuguese. I like and practice sports 3 to 4 times a week and I really enjoy having good times with friends, travelling, dancing and going to the beach.   

Although born in Lisbon my parents decided to immigrate to South Africa where I was raised and lived until 2017. During 2017, I decided to relocate to Portugal where I joined the amazing Listings Team here at Ideal Homes. My main focus within the company is to contact homeowners within the Algarve who are interested in selling their property, all of whom I am keen and willing to assist during their sale, or purchase of your home. With my experience in owning a Recruitment Agency while I lived in South Africa, I found I enjoy people and have an ability to be able to understand what a client wants and needs, therefore attaining the perfect enf result. I am able to speak English, Portuguese and Afrikaans. 

After growing up in Portugal and starting in the Real Estate industry doing admin, I decided a change was necessary. Making the decision to pack up my things and head for the UK was easier than expected as I found a home there for the next 10 years. Being driven to provide an excellent level of customer service worked to my advantage when working in the Citizens Advice Bureau as well as my short time working for an Emigration Solicitor. Helping people has always been something I enjoy, my use of Portuguese and English has really helped in this aspect also. In 2016, I decided it was time for another adventure, so Portugal it was! Back to my home land, striving for a better quality of life. This is where my journey with Ideal Homes began, being welcomed with open arms I dived head first into my new job. In the Aftersales Department we have an excellent standard of customer services and will always contribute to making you feel as comfortable as possible, along with facilitating all aspects involved in moving abroad, if that wasn't enough we can even help you to get around during your holiday!   

I am originally from Nottingham England, My career prior to moving to the Algarve was managing Customer Service and Complaints Operational Contact Centres in financial services. In June 2019 myself and my partner decided that we wanted to move to the Algarve to live in the beautiful Algarve after visiting here many times and haven’t looked back.Since joining the Ideal Homes Rentals team in June 2019 I have enjoyed meeting and greeting lots of guests from all over the world. I am passionate about delivering great Customer Service and making sure the properties we manage are looked after for the owners. I am proud to work for a company who put the customer and clients at the heart of everything they do.

I was  born and raised in South Africa. After achieving my Degree in accounting, I applied my skills to various organizations and worked as a Business Manager. I recently immigrated to Portugal and  I am now working at Ideal Homes within the rentals department as a representative. I have a wife and 2 children and we are so much happier living in a beautiful and safe environment. 

I moved to Portugal in 2004 and I am now settled here permanently with a Portuguese partner and 2 daughters who were born here. My background is in Psychology, Coaching, Residential Social Work and Equine Assisted Therapy. I am happy to be part of the Ideal Homes Rental team since January 2020 covering the Lagos and Portimao areas and ensuring clients enjoy their stay in the beautiful Algarve.

I was born and raised in South Africa. I moved to Algarve, Portugal at the end of last year so that I could have a better quality life. I have a Honours Degree in Strategic Branding and have work experience in public relations, property management, marketing and events. I enjoy assisting my clients and team members wherever possible. For this reason, I like to consider myself as a 'happy helper' as I always try my best to go beyond and above for not only my clients but for my team members too.

My name is Mrs Pringles, I was without a home so came to visit Ideal Homes in their beautiful office in August. I am looking for a home which I can share with some lovely cuddly people, but until then these kind people have given me a temporary house just outside for me to live in. I have heard Ideal Homes are the best at finding homes for people, so I am hoping they can do that for me too. Call in the office and we can meet, not to be cheeky but if you have a little treat I would not say no to it. Maybe, just maybe we could find a home together.

My name is Garfield, I was without a home so came to visit Ideal Homes and now I live here. I met Mrs Pringles and now I like to bug her all day... and sleep...and eat. Call in the office and we can meet, I hope you bring a treat.