Augusto Vasconcelos
Abílio Pereira
Agnieszka Kijonka
CEO do A1 Algarve Real Estate
When she decided to move to Portugal some 20 years ago, Agnieszka Kijonka was already familiar with the country as her father had been among the first to invest in Vale do Lobo in the 1970s. With her experience running art galleries, luxury business seduced her. Agnieszka, who studied at the Ludwig-Maximilian University in Munich and specialised in real estate, founded A1 Algarve Real Estate, a company that has made its mark in the luxury real estate market. Her professional approach and linguistic talents have made her one of the most respected agents in the Algarve.
Why did you choose Portugal to live and work in, some 20 years ago?
Portugal was known worldwide for its low crime rate. The promising investment climate 20 years ago was a good reason to see future potential in the country. And this was confirmed. I had always cherished the quality lifestyle near the sea and not far from an international airport. Coming from an art gallery background, I saw myself in the luxury business niche. In the Algarve that would be real estate.
How has A1 Algarve Real Estate organised itself to enjoy so much success in this competitive market niche?
Location, location, location… this old real estate mantra is really only understood if you know the area and its long-term development very well. I am very familiar with the Algarve. I felt it was time to give something back to my clients. I give my clients, primarily foreigners, know-how and experience. When my clients come to A1, they know that they will only find high quality properties with excellent locations and exceptional views in our portfolio.
«Portugal is back on the radar screen of the global investment community»
How would you assess the current state of the national real estate market, in particular the luxury segment, in which A1 operates?
After the market has slowly consolidated since 2014, following the crisis, Portugal is firmly back on the radar screen of the global investment community. The recovery is taking place in a sensible fashion, which reduces the chance of a new real estate bubble. Property prices in Portugal have risen and the occupier market is still growing across all sectors. No doubt, the Golden Visa and NHR (Non Habitual Residency) programmes have helped to boost the market. If there will be no halt to these programmes, the interest rate stays low, and the economy remains stable, prices are expected to rise by 4% per year over the next five years.
Has the international market been your main source of clients?
At the moment our clients come mainly from France, Canada and the United States, but also Italy, Poland and of course always the UK and Ireland. We offer great comfort to our buyers, who are new to the country, by speaking their language at mother tongue level.
What projects are you planning for the future?
We have recently opened a lovely office in the Algarve, close to Quinta do Lago and Vale do Lobo and we have set up our website. The next plan is to participate in several Luxury Property Fairs worldwide and to grow the A1 name. We also have lots of local events in the pipeline.
