Etiqueta: en

Buying property in the plant is an increasingly popular choice (among prospective residents). The trend is not at all recent but has gained more popularity in recent years with new-build and refurbishment residential projects. Buying real estate in the plant presents numerous advantages, as clients often guarantee a location considered privileged, with a level of personalization superior to a property already built, being able to choose finishes and adapt to personal taste.

Noteworthy are the residential projects that have recently come onto the market, which are geared towards Portuguese middle and upper-class families located in the heart of cities and their outskirts. This trend has started in these segments, which have been more active in the market in recent years, with clients investing more to move forward with this category of solution.

For many buyers, the most relevant factor when making a decision is the location, to which is added the estimated date of completion of the construction, typology and the characteristics of the product. However, there are several factors to consider, such as location, price/quality ratio and the team of professionals responsible for the project.

In this sense, Ponto Urbano presents you with several advantages to consider when choosing a property in plant:

• Buying a property in the plant enables the buyer a reduction in price;
• It allows a diluted payment of the value throughout the period from the date of purchase until the completion of construction and deed of the property;
• Being among the first buyers offers a greater probability of choice among the offer;
• Buying in the construction phase allows for some level of personalisation of the property with regard to its interior finishings;
• Construction guarantee, by the contractor, for a minimum of 5 years;
• Flexibility to allocate the budget to the most valued aspects of the house (for example, better materials for the kitchen and less investment in the office finishes);
• Possibility of leaving bases already prepared so that, when one day later there is the need or financial capacity, to make improvements in the property;

Before taking the decision to buy a property in the plant, the client should seek as much information about the property as possible. In addition to considering in detail the financial and bureaucratic issues, the client should also take into account the existing infrastructure in the surrounding area, from schools to hospitals, because only in this way can you be sure you are making the best decision for your future.

Ponto Urbano, characterised by its proven standards of ethics, innovation and integrity, combines a network of professionals of excellence, offering more guarantees in the property market, both for those seeking larger properties and for those who want smaller properties for investment.

Excellent location, rigorous design and quality construction are the pillars of Ponto Urbano.

Vi’llar is the name of the new project with Ponto Urbano signature. Located in São Bernardo road, in the parish of Glória and Vera-Cruz, this new building is only five minutes away from the centre of Aveiro, ensuring its residents the benefits and perks necessary to live an undeniable lifestyle.

V’llar is made up of six two and three-bedroom flats, with areas varying between 97m² and 180m². This building has balconies, embraced by natural light that allows its residents the freedom to breathe fresh air. It also has a garage and storage room on the ground floor and, private parking, thus architecting the best solutions for you.

The building is demarcated by discrete and soft textures, by light and neutral tones, which balance with its framework, combining design, comfort and functionality in the same project. The preference for the modern and the cosy is visibly present, presenting a union between the contemporary and the practical, being a unique architecture, with maximum attention to every detail.

The building is in contact with the surrounding nature and, as far as proximity is concerned, services such as the E.B 2/3 S. Bernardo, the Glicínias Plaza Shopping, the Ribeira de Vilar and the EN 109 road. A small refuge that provides a pleasant and natural balance.

In this way, it stands out as a sophisticated and modern building that offers the necessary comfort and security for a peaceful day to day life, as well as an urban and luxurious character for a challenging day to day life.

Based in Aveiro, Ponto Urbano has been responsible for a number of landmark construction and urban rehabilitation projects, with ten projects currently underway.

A union between the contemporary and the functional.

Buying or renting is still a question for many residents and although the national market leans towards the first option, the scenario over the years has changed. The differences between the two options mean very different paths in your future. Renting a home inherently means paying to occupy a space that does not belong to you, but to someone else. The option may be attractive in some cases, such as young university students looking for their first home.

Buying a house is to pay for something that will be yours, a way to enrich your patrimony and, guarantee stability and security. When we talk about buying a property, the initial reaction is usually the lack of available capital. In many cases, this conclusion is based on a lack of information.

The question then arises, when is the best time to buy a house? The answer is simple, there is no perfect moment, however, the ideal real estate consultant, who accompanies you in the process can make all the difference.

We leave five benefits to consider at the time of decision:

1. Patrimony

When you buy a property you are building patrimony, an investment that lasts for your future, over which you have absolute control.

2. Appreciation perspective

A property is an asset that has multiple applications, in which if you eventually choose to acquire it, this gives the immediate possibility of habitation, lease or resale. Freedom is an appealing aspect, considering the rates of return in the market. If the oscillation proves to be effective, you will get back the amount initially invested or even make a profit.

3. Security and housing stability

Investing in the purchase of a property is a long-term investment for the rest of your life. Whoever buys a house does so with the intention of enjoying it for a long period of time, a choice that brings greater stability, since the owner will have greater power of decision with regard to its permanence.

4. Customisable investment

When buying a house, you will have the possibility to manage your space as you wish, you can consider aspects such as the number of bedrooms, having or not a garage, the choice of location, among others. You will have the opportunity to manage the rooms with the configuration that goes according to your needs and preferences, without any kind of restrictions.

In case you want to remodel the interior space, you will also not have to obtain previous authorization, as happens in rented houses. The changes to your taste can be implemented autonomously.

In case you want to take your customization to a higher level, you can opt to buy a house in plan (link to last month’s article). Some building companies even give you the possibility to make structural changes.

5. Lower instalment

In case of purchase, the instalment of a housing loan is usually lower than the rent of a rented house. Even considering the current low interest rates, which increase the difference, the instalments are usually lower than the rent.

Ponto Urbano has the knowledge, experience and a team of specialists to guide you through the buying process and make your dream come true.

If you still have any doubts, talk to us!

The home is our temple, a space designed to provide comfort and tranquillity. Quality of life has a direct connection with lifestyle, with needs and with what each individual prioritises as relevant at the moment.

According to several studies, the environment factor has a determining and robust influence on individual harmony, but above all on family harmony. Creating a relaxing environment not only brings physical benefits, but also psychological ones, as it reduces stress and increases good mood.

In this way, we leave you some tips on how to take advantage of your home, in a more optimised way, in order to consequently improve your quality of life.

Location

The location of your home significantly affects your quality of life and your needs. If you prefer tranquillity and contact with nature, it is important to choose a location away from the bustle of large urban centres. If, on the other hand, a city lifestyle with a privileged location is more appealing, then opt for large urban centres.

Don’t be afraid to take a risk, if the location can elevate your quality of life more then take the risk.

Lighting

Natural lighting contributes greatly to a pleasant and serene environment. For greyer days and winter nights, investing in artificial lighting is essential, as it makes all the difference in the spaces and improves the quality of life.

Thermal and acoustic insulation

When we talk about thermal and acoustic insulation, we are also talking about quality of life inside your home. Thermal insulation softens the temperature, regardless of the temperature outside.

The need for acoustic insulation can be directly proportional to housing centralisation in urban areas.

Technology

Technology is an ally of comfort and also of tranquillity. Security systems are a valuable ally, in order to provide safer and more relaxing moments.

Home automation systems, or “smart houses”, are increasingly used. The connectivity is increasingly relevant, since we are always connected by our electronic devices, why not combine the connectivity to the properties, in order to connect them and facilitate the day to day?

Wide network of services

The proximity to schools, hospitals, supermarkets, pharmacies and other essential services is a key factor in improving the quality of life.

Even if it is unnoticeable, avoiding long journeys to obtain essential services or products minimises exposure to stressful situations, making day-to-day life easier.

Sustainability

Homes that promote sustainability and reduce the impact generated on the environment, help in the preservation of natural resources. The use of LED light bulbs, the use of solar energy as an alternative to the hydroelectric matrix, automated irrigation and the reuse of water are some steps which can be taken in order to significantly improve our quality of life, that of future generations and that of the planet.

Contact with Nature

Establishing a connection with nature improves the quality of life, whether through a garden, a green surrounding area or even small plants scattered around the house.

Having a space to observe and relax at the end of the day, where you can breathe the fresh air provided by plants, close to nature, away from worries and the fast pace of the city is essential for well-being.

Optimal use of space

Wider environments, with space for circulation, both for you and your family, can also contribute to the improvement of quality. An optimised and cosy space, thought out and designed in such a way as to provide a good functioning of your home and your daily routine, enhancing your well-being.

Nothing better than having a pleasant, organised space that contributes to our well-being, both psychological and physical. Functional developments designed with the comfort of its residents in mind are two of Ponto Urbano’s criteria.

As temperatures rise, homes heat up more than is desirable, so it is essential, in order to ensure our well-being and comfort, to know how to keep the house cool on warmer days.

We suggest some tips that can help you keep your home cooler:

1. Windows, blinds and doors

To keep your home cool on hotter days, it is best to close your windows, blinds, and doors during those hottest hours. Ideally, you should open them only at night, when temperatures drop more and become cooler.

This way, you avoid letting sunlight and, consequently, hot air directly into your home, thus not creating a “greenhouse effect”. You can, for example, close your blinds, avoiding direct sunlight, but leave the windows open to run air.

2. Use Plants

Having plants scattered around your home can help keep it cooler. Plants will help humidify your home’s environment, causing the temperature to drop, however, be careful when choosing.

You can place the plants in the windows or on the balcony, acting as a direct barrier to sunlight, creating your own little indoor garden, whether in an apartment or villa.

3. Compact fluorescent or LED lamps

Incandescent bulbs not only give off more heat, but waste almost 90% of energy. By opting for compact fluorescent or LED bulbs, you are saving more and keeping your home more airy and cool.

4. Cooking meals that require the oven

The oven and stove give off a lot of heat. To keep your home cooler, avoid turning on the oven and stove for too long. Bet on foods that don’t require this equipment, or even grilling, outside your home.

5. Walls with light colors

Bet on light-colored walls in your house because, besides having implications on natural lighting, they can also influence the interior temperature. There are colors that contribute to the increase of temperature, dark and strong colors absorb more light and generate more heat.

This principle is the same for the clothes you wear. If you choose darker clothes, you will absorb more heat. With your house it is the same thing, “dress” it with softer and lighter colors.

These tips, which we suggest, can help you make your home cooler during these hot summer days, making your daily life more comfortable and functional.

Apply them and make your home your personal oasis, even on the hottest days.

The process of transformation of the urban space, comprising the execution of conservation, recovery and readaptation works of buildings and urban spaces, to improve their conditions of use and habitability, while preserving their fundamental character, is usually defined as Urban Rehabilitation.

The Portuguese Association for Urban Rehabilitation and Heritage Protection also reiterates that, urban rehabilitation is all the intervention works in an urban context, which under a pre-defined strategy, at different scales, from the territory to the scale of the building in question, intend to enhance the quality of people’s lives, the urban environment and which, together, safeguard the identity of the built heritage, reduce social asymmetries and also, promote citizen participation in the definition of objectives.

To ensure an effective urban regeneration it is necessary to have a deep knowledge of the existing buildings in all their contexts. From the historical context to that of urban evolution, cultural and heritage values, social values and the characteristics of traditional construction systems to be preserved, as well as the resident social structure. It is vital that there is an assessment prior to its implementation and planning that contemplates that part of the building, lines of action that Ponto Urbano respects and outlines.

Thus we emphasize our most recent works of urban regeneration, based on the values mentioned above:

Confeitaria Peixinho

Created in 1856, the Confeitaria Peixinho is the epicentre of the tradition and originality of Aveiro’s regional confectionery, and is responsible for the title of the “Oldest House of Ovos Moles de Aveiro”.

In 2019, we thoroughly rehabilitated the building in five weeks, preserving its cultural values and giving a new aesthetic life to this house with 162 years of history.

Tear Building

The Tear building, on Avenida Lourenço Peixinho, also has the signature Ponto Urbano. A rehabilitation that safeguarded the building’s façade, without compromising its exterior identity, giving it, however, a modern and sophisticated interior.

Cinco Avenida Building

The Cinco Avenida development was born from the will to rehabilitate a historical façade of the city, contributing to the rejuvenation of the oldest avenue in Aveiro, the Lourenço Peixinho.
The building represents the perfect relationship between history conservation and modern architecture.

---

Besides rehabilitating already built heritage, we also give life to city icons that need a new structure and identity, rebuilding them in their entirety. Two of the most significant projects with the Urban Point stamp are:

Café Convívio

Café Convívio was born in 1973 and is a meeting place for all “Aveirenses” (inhabitants of Aveiro). In 2018, it underwent a rehabilitation from scratch to create a welcoming space that features a more modern decor, while keeping all the old memories and the same menu that everyone loves.

Café Ramona

A reference hamburger shop in Aveiro, Café Ramona, has a history that dates back to 1973. After total rehabilitation, it reopened after 13 months, to present all its customers with a new, more modern and spacious space.

---

For Ponto Urbano, preserving the history of each city by maintaining its architectural heritage is a must. Our cities are witnessing the progressive degradation of their urban structures, buildings and outdoor spaces. It is therefore essential to develop integrated urban regeneration processes, rationalising resources and avoiding scattered interventions.

Ponto Urbano’s pillar is respect for and preservation of the past, while simultaneously creating architectural value, by focusing on projects that consider the surroundings and are simultaneously at the forefront of the design.

Decision Intervention is aimed at twelve housing blocks, in buildings in which the City Council owns more than 90% of the fractions

The Municipal Executive awarded, in the last City Council meeting, the public tender for the requalification of social housing buildings in Bairro de Santiago, integrated in the Strategic Plan for Urban Development of the City of Aveiro (PEDUCA), for the amount of around 1.830 million Euros, with a deadline of 365 days, to the company “Ponto Urbano – Consultores Imobiliários, Lda”.

According to a statement issued by the local authority, this intervention is aimed at twelve housing blocks, in buildings in which the local authority owns more than 90 percent of its fractions, “through the intervention of qualification of the common parts and infrastructures, improving living conditions, thermal and acoustic comfort and accessibility conditions,” the statement said.

Also integrated in PEDUCA is the Integrated Action Plan for Disadvantaged Communities, in which Aveiro City Hall will invest approximately 2.5 million euros in a first phase of upgrading the common parts of housing blocks (in this phase there will be more than 300 dwellings) also covering the qualification of the Santiago Park/Garden, already under construction, as well as actions to boost activities, the local authority also reveals.

The oldest and most charismatic avenue of the city of Aveiro is gaining a new life. A future five star hotel will appear, a new aparthotel has recently been concluded and another one for housing is under construction.

CINCO AVENIDA UNDER CONSTRUCTION

This project, with the signature Ponto Urbano, contributes to the rejuvenation of Aveiro’s main avenue. “Cinco Avenida” is under construction and will rehabilitate a historical façade of a city building, and represents the perfect relationship between the conservation of history and contemporary architecture. Flats of typologies T0 to T3 are available, with areas between 45m² and 151m². The development is still under construction.

THE NEW AVENIDA 60

At a time when tourism is growing in Portugal and Aveiro is following that expansion, Innapartments decided to invest in an aparthotel in the heart of the city. The development, which is already completed, has the signature Civilria and is located in Avenida Dr. Lourenço Peixinho, very close to Fórum Aveiro. The environment is elegant and cosmopolitan, being a great option for those who want to spend a few days in the city of the canals.

THE FUTURE LUXURY HOTEL…

Of private initiative, although it is not yet public which company holds the investment, the five star hotel will be born in the building of the Bank of Portugal, where currently are the services of the Tax Authority.

Fonte:Litoral Magazine, 10 september 2019

It is only three years old but its youth has not stopped it from helping to change the face of the city of Aveiro (and now also of Ílhavo). Ponto Urbano’s work is becoming increasingly visible: old buildings have been renovated and new constructions are dotting the centre. At the head of this company is 46-year-old Paulo Martins, a businessman who prefers to name an entire team when asked about the secret of success. Born in Mêda, Guarda, but living in Aveiro for more than 20 years, he confesses that he feels like a true “aveirense”, despite his mountain origins.

Told in the first person, the story that led to the affirmation and growth of Ponto Urbano seems simple. With “more than 20 years” experience working in the area, Paulo Martins then added a team of “experienced, dedicated and energetic collaborators”. “A young team, but with the will to work and learn”, specifies the businessman, who makes a point of naming them one by one. Starting with the young architect Mário Alves, Pedro Oliveira, Sofia Costa, Pedro Fernandes and Bruno Paiva – who had already worked with him in previous professional projects -, and ending with João Queirós, the most recent addition.

To maintain team spirit, Paulo Martins makes a point of having lunch every Friday with his collaborators. “I like them to discuss the work, visit each one’s work and inspect each other’s work,” reveals the businessman.

More than 30 million investment

At this moment the company has eight projects in hand (Puro Homes, Puro Tower, Cinco Avenida, Lux, Porta 10, Spot Building, Garden and Point – the latter, in Oporto). All told, there are 32 million euros of investment underway, with one thing common to practically all the developments: a large part of the apartments are sold well before the work is finished. The reason? “Location is the most important factor in real estate”, he reveals, adding the importance of the “quality of the project” and “the quality of the work”.

Confident that “there is still room to grow”, Paulo Martins reveals that Ponto Urbano has three more projects in the pipeline, to be launched in the city of Aveiro. Even so, he guarantees, the growth will have to be sustained, allowing the company to “adapt” if the “real estate market starts to cool down”. “We don’t only do real estate promotion; we also do works for third parties, as is the example of the requalification of Bairro de Santiago, for the Aveiro City Hall”, he exemplified.

Changing the office for the works

Paulo Martins is not given to spending much time in the office. He does not like to be closed in and behind a desk – which means that this photo does not correspond to his day-to-day life. “I feel good on the building sites, next to them, seeing how they grow, correcting, drawing attention to them”, he testifies. “Even for the cleanliness of the work because nobody can do good finishes with dirty work sites”, he exemplifies, confessing that he is also especially demanding with safety issues at work.

He chose Aveiro as his “city”, but continues to maintain his connection to his homeland, where he keeps “vineyards, olive groves and a small winery”. “I worked in Coimbra and Viseu before coming to Aveiro, I have done work all over the country, but Aveiro is an exceptional city”, he says. He still believes in it and its development and is determined to assume his share of responsibility for this growth as an entrepreneur.

New construction projects have been interspersed with urban regeneration operations – the renovation of the Tear building on Avenida Lourenço Peixinho is one example – an area to which the company wants to continue paying special attention. With this caveat: “rehabilitating is not just cleaning what is there and leaving it. You have to rehabilitate well”. “Often, the foundations are materials that are very difficult to sustain, they are already very degraded. And there is always a resistance in replacing a façade for a new one, exactly the same, with the same features, but with materials that may last longer”, he argues.

Paulo Martins gives the example of the case of the tile panels that “don’t have the capacity to be renovated”. “It would be much more sustainable – if entities would allow it – to collect these tiles, recuperate them and place them in spaces where they could be conserved. And, at the same time, make new, aged tiles, the same as the previous ones, and place them on the new façades”, he exemplifies.

He defends the need to increase communication between “entities and real estate promoters”, in order to encourage and speed up rehabilitation projects, giving new life to abandoned buildings in city centres. And speaking of abandoned buildings, Paulo Martins believes that Avenida Dr. Lourenço Peixinho has all the conditions to be reborn and become noble once again. Proof of this is the Cinco Avenida project, already underway, and the prospect of another, to be launched later this year, but which the businessman prefers not to reveal.

Fonte:Aveiro Mag 1 October, 2019

Ponto Urbano has rehabilitated the facade and interior of one of the most iconic buildings in Aveiro – the Confeitaria Peixinho. The work was carried out in just five weeks, having started on 22 June 2018 and finished on 6 August.

The rehabilitation of the Confeitaria Peixinho building, home of the tradition and originality of regional confectionery, preserves cultural values and awakens to the aesthetics, architecture and art of a house with 162 years of history.

Ponto Urbano, a four year old promoter from Aveiro, already has a total of 10 buildings for the residential real estate market.