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.

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 was born in the United States, born and raised in New York. When I was 14 my parents decided to move back to their hometown in the Azores. After living there for 15 years, give or take, I decided that I had spent enough time in the Islands and moved to Lisbon. In between I have lived in Spain and did some odd jobs in my time there. I have done almost everything from Construction to Teaching, where I had the highlight of my professional career. After teaching Spanish to middle and high schoolers, and English to elementary schoolers, I decided to have a change of scenery, and started to work in finance, where I was part of Geoban and most recently BNP. Family has led me to the Algarve and here I find myself in Ideal Homes after a short stint in an administrative position, ready to take on the challenge and help Ideal Homes grow to its full potential.      

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 purchase!   

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!

As an experienced and successful entrepreneur, my tenacious and proactive approach has resulted in the execution of numerous successful projects within previous companies. I have a passion for real estate and honesty and integrity are attributes I regard as essential to any successful business. I have an above average work ethic and I am extremely motivated to put clients into homes that they have dreamt about. I moved to the Algarve in 2018 and bring a world of entrepreneurial experience with me. I look forward to selling you your dream home, or selling your home for you, fulfilling all your expectations. I have lived in a few different countries in my lifetime and The Algarve is definitely one of the most beautiful places on the planet. You cannot go wrong with investing in property in this very beautiful part of the world and I am looking forward to helping you achieve your goals and have a home in paradise.

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 am originally from Buckinghamshire in the UK. I moved to Portugal last year from the Hamble. I have been visiting the Algarve for over 10 years and love the area so I decided to give living here a try. This was the best decision I have ever made - I love the climate and the relaxed lifestyle. I am very lucky that I get to help other people find their dream property in a location that I love! I enjoy assisting both my clients and the Ideal Homes team. I look forward to helping more clients find their Ideal Home in this beautiful country.

I was born and raised in the French Riviera. I mainly worked in the hotel and restaurant industry in the United States, Canada and the UK. I have also been involved in real estate sales and development in the south of France. My wife and I have five children, three grandkids and all of them live in the UK, California or France. After having traveled a lot with my better half, we discovered Portugal and, like many, we fell in love with this wonderful country. We decided very quickly to come and live here and appreciate the beautiful weather all through the year. Three years ago, we bought the house of our dreams in Sao Bras de Alportel, a very typical small town with everything that comes with it. The people here are exceptionally friendly, the food is excellent and the beaches are beautiful. I recently joined the Ideal Homes team and I am looking forward to helping you find your dream home. Investing in a property requires good support, which is why I will be by your side every step of the way to accompany you and assist you in making the right decisions. My goal is to share the feeling of serenity and happiness that comes with living in the beautiful Algarve.  

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.

I was born and raised in London, England. Working in London I gained eight years experience working in various roles within the property sector. I had always wanted to relocate abroad so after visiting Portugal on holiday and falling in love with the country I decided to make the move to Portugal for a lifestyle change. Portugal is a beautiful place to live and offers 300 days of pure sunshine a year as well as breathtaking beaches, delicious food and friendly people. I am passionate about property and look forward to assisting you by listing new property on our website.         

Hello! I am originally from th Midwestern United States. After my children went out on their own, I moved to Spain for a short time, and then on to Portugal. I've been in the Algarve for five years now, and enjoy the friendly and laid-back atmosphere. I've always had an interest in real estate and now have the opportunity to work with an energetic and hard-working team, focused on helping you find your Ideal Home!

My love for management led me to complete a degree in Management, and after 7 years of experience as an accountant, I realized that I needed a different professional experience to expand my knowledge and this led me to the opportunity to join the Ideal Homes Rentals team. I spent my entire teenage years in the Algarve and now that I have formed a family with my wife and son, I feel that there is no other place in the world better than here to live a calm life full of happiness.      

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.

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. 

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.   

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 Debora, I have mixed roots with 18 of my formative years spent in the UK. My husband is British American and we have three fantastic, lively boys. I love Portugal, it is a country with great lifestyle and business opportunities in all areas of economic development, through its natural charm, amazing weather and fantastic cultural background, roots, culinary, history, music and its people. The Algarve is the ideal place to settle in whether you are a family, an investor or if you are returning home, like myself and my family. The Algarve has a charm like no other. The likelihood if you visited is that you will be back. You really can have the life you dream of and Ideal Homes is here to help you achieve this with ease. My initial background is healthcare science, my work was based in roles which allowed me to develop excellent listening and communication skills and where I had the privilege to help a lot of people along the way. I speak Portuguese, English, Romanian fluently and Spanish. I have had the privilege to join Ideal Homes which promotes these skills when supporting clients with listing their property. The cohesion of the team working towards our clients’ satisfaction whilst making their dream a reality is seamless.

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. 

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. 

Having lived in the UK for 19 years, I moved to Portugal a few years ago where I live with my husband and young daughter. I am a former hospitality professional and have managed busy reception/ front of house desks for some well-known restaurant groups. As I have always been passionate about property and all that it encompasses, joining Ideal Homes felt like a natural step in my new chosen career. As soon as I joined I felt so welcomed and that without a doubt translates so well into all that they are offering their clients. Am looking forward to continuing to contribute to this great company. 

I am from São Paulo, Brazil. A few years ago, after quitting working as a nurse and finishing my second degree in the Portuguese language, I won an opportunity to participate in the Erasmus program to spend one semester in any country I choose. Somehow I chose Portugal. As soon as I landed, I fell in love with this country, especially Algarve. It was a fantastic experience. Though good things must come to an end, I had to go back home. One year later, I was back, and now I live a joyful life with my husband and pets, working a dream job at Ideal Homes. I couldn't be happier.

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. 

Born and raised in Ireland, I worked as an IT technician and worked with children with special needs in schools before I came to the Algarve 5 years ago for a summer vacation. I stayed for the people, food and the weather. I am very excited at the prospect of working with Ideal Homes, to help bring excellent customer service to all our clients.       

I relocated to the Algarve in July 2021 after visiting many times and falling in love with the area. I finished my degree of Fashion Marketing and left my job in the UK of 6 years as a Building Services Coordinator, looking after commercial buildings, and found Ideal Homes here in the Algarve. The opportunity allows me to look after beautiful spaces for our clients, as well as welcoming holiday goers into the properties and ensuring they have a 5* service during their stay. The best part of my day is seeing customers faces when I open the door to our beautiful properties.

I moved from South Africa to Portugal almost three years ago. I was living in Agueda. The North is very cold and wet and I missed the African sun. Moving to Tavira brought the sunshine back into my life. Ideal Homes is the beginning of a new and exciting adventure.  

My name is Catarina, I'm Portuguese and I have lived in the Algarve since I was born. I worked as a receptionist in 5 star resorts for about 3 years, which made me love customer service even more. Then came the opportunity to work with Ideal Homes Portugal, in March 2022, where I started as a Property Manager. Welcoming our clients and making their stays memorable is the best part of my job.

I love and very much enjoy my work. I was born and raised in Romania, 15 years ago I took a leap of faith and left all behind. I moved to the sunny Lagos, on the south coast of Portugal, where I still live with my husband and two teenage sons. With a diverse corporate background, spanning from business development to human resources and personal development, I am a well-being focused person. Having high empathy, I always try to understand and help people the best and fastest way possible. By joining the Ideal Homes family, as a Property Manager for Adega Lagos I am very much looking forward to contributing to a smooth and fruitful relationship with you.  

My name is Mr. 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. P.S. For the last 5 years the humans thought I was a girl but I am actually a boy