A traditional Portuguese farmhouse, Casa Margarida, nestles in the beautiful hills of the Northern Algarve (Serra de Caldeirão). The property is one of a number of houses and smallholdings dotted around the hamlet of Perna Seca. The farmhouse has been sympathetically restored and upgraded using local materials and provides comfortable accommodation with modern amenities. An artisan approach to the renovation has ensured that this home retains many of the traditional features of the region (ornate chimneys, thick walls, original bread oven, wooden beams, terracotta tiles), while offering modern kitchen and bathroom facilities (including solar water heating).

This week we focus on a large, four bedroom townhouse, ideally located in Santa Barbara de Nexe, one of the most sought-after villages in the Algarve. On the market for just €395,000 this superb property enjoys its own private pool and a huge basement.

Set in an excellent small development, with a bargain price tag, it would be hard to find a better investment in the Algarve. The property is spacious, comfortable yet stylish, and within walking distance of all the amenities of this very popular village.

New Ideal Homes Portugal and Hamptons partnership pushes Portugal up the list for UK second home buyers.

A second home in the sunshine, or even a new life overseas in Portugal's sunny Algarve has just been made even easier, thanks to a new corporate partnership from leading boutique estate agency Ideal Homes Portugal.

Surrounded by a mature garden, this outstanding and well maintained 5 bedroom villa with high quality finishings is located tucked away in the hills nearby São Brás de Alportel.

The intelligent lay-out of the villa allowed 3 bedroom suites, a grand living room, a formal dining room, kitchen, snug area and study on one level only and give a very homely feel to it. On the lower floor there are 2 guest suites, a spacious SPA with 2 saunas, a wine cellar, laundry and access to the double garage.

Older villas in prime locations provide interesting investment opportunities for the careful buyer.

Anyone searching for a villa in the Algarve is faced with a lot of options, you can see from our website that it is literally bursting with properties for all tastes and budgets.

Mums do it all these days. Since 1996 the number of working mothers has leapt by almost 800,000, to a total of 5.3 million according to a study by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The figures show that the number of women in the workplace with dependent children has leapt by almost a fifth in just one generation.

The change is partly thanks to government initiatives to encourage single mothers to work, but even the number of non-single mothers who work has jumped by 10% since 1996. ONS data shows that just 10% of women now stay at home after having children.

As spring aproaches, we are getting ready to welcome you into our new office in Vilamoura and some additional properties in the golden triangle. Below are some current properties and latest opportunities worth visiting!

This star gazing yoga windmill proves there's more to the Algarve than beaches and golf!

The Algarve enjoys a well deserved reputation as a paradise for beach bunnies and wannabe pro golfers, but there is more to Portugal's south coast than meets the eye. Chris White, Founding Director of boutique real estate agency Ideal Homes Portugal, has come across some exciting and unusual properties during his years of operating in Portugal, but the star gazing yoga windmill in São Marcos da Serra has to be the most unique.