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If you have been paying attention to the news then you know that an old law in Portugal was recently renewed that may put the legal status of some riverside Portugal properties in question. Currently the market is flooded with properties and telling which ones the law may apply to can be difficult. Fortunately there is a new resource available to help explain it all. The Riverside Portugal Properties blog makes it its mission to stay on top of the legal status of these properties. What does the law say? The simplest way to explain the law is that it has to do with water rights and access. In 2005 the Water Resources Ownership law was re-introduced to the legislators. It was finalized in 2014 and goes into effect over the following two years. What the law says is that any riverside property that is closer than 30 meters to water has to have private ownership proved. The catch is that private ownership has to date since 1864. If you can’t prove that the property has been privately held since then, the local government has the right to destroy the property to claim ownership of the water resources. What if the property is further than 30 meters away? This is where it moves into a very grey area with riverside Portugal properties. If the structure on the home is further away than 30 meters you do not have to prove ownership, but you may have to prove it for the land run up to the river. If you can’t, the local government could exercise eminent domain on that area of your land. If I still have access to the water, what is the big deal? There are two “big deals” involved here. Having direct water rights and access makes for a huge part of the property's value - with no control over the access portion of the land, you have no guarantee that access will remain. The other deal is that if the property is closer than 30 meters, the local government can order it demolished to improve resource access for the town or city. The law makes the riverside property very unstable in value. What should I do? Your best bet is to make sure that you stay on top of the changes this law creates in the area where you are considering riverside Portugal property. Not all properties will be pushed into an illegal status, but you want to make sure that ownership of the one you have or are interested in is in the free and clear. Blogs like Riverside Portugal Properties are some of the best ways to do this with a minimum of time investment. You can subscribe or follow the blog to receive updates as they are posted. The blog also has an in-depth explanation of the law and its potential impact. For gathering more info about Portugal riverside properties please check out these links. Check the legal status of a riverside property in Portugal here.
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