Malta Sotheby's International Realty Portomaso

Right on the water at Portomaso Marina, the St Julian's office of Malta Sotheby's International Realty is the agency's base for the luxury residential and commercial market on the north-eastern coast. Portomaso is one of the best-known addresses in St Julian's, so for many visitors this is the natural place to begin a conversation about buying, renting or investing in the islands.

Whether you are a UK professional planning a move, a retiree thinking of a second home or an investor, our directory of estate agents in Malta lets you compare agencies, and you can contact this office through the enquiry form on this page.

Where the office is and how it works

The office is located at The Quay in Portomaso Marina and looks out over the award-winning marina, with its berths for yachts and the apartment buildings around it. Its team serves clients throughout the Maltese islands, not just St Julian's, and works Monday to Friday from 08:30 to 17:30. The agency's other office is at Tigné Point in Sliema, and both branches draw on the same website, listings and team.

St Julian's itself is a busy seaside town with nightlife in Paceville, quiet bays and a good choice of places to eat, so it is worth getting a feel for the area before you commit. Our things to do in Malta guide will give you a sense of what is on offer, and the weather guide is useful when choosing when to view.

Who the agency is and where it came from

The local business began in 2013 as the Maltese member of the global Sotheby's International Realty family, with a goal of providing outstanding service in the high-end residential and commercial markets. The wider brand grew out of a programme created in 1976 to link independent brokerages with a luxury referral and marketing platform. Today the network has nearly 26,000 professionals in 1,100 offices in 86 countries and territories, and each office is run independently.

In Malta, the joint owners and directors are Michael J. Zammit and Roger Strickland. Their team spans several nationalities, so buyers and vendors can usually be served in their own language. The arrival of the brand in Malta came as the island opened to foreign investors who liked the climate, history and economic growth.

If you are weighing up a purchase partly as an investment, our guide to Malta's corporate tax structure explains how company ownership works, and you should always check your own circumstances with a qualified adviser.

Buying and letting at the upper end of the market

The range of homes covers apartments, penthouses, maisonettes, terraced houses, town houses, villas, farmhouses, palazzi and houses of character, as well as plots, offices and other commercial space. The agency has a particular stake in named developments such as Portomaso itself, The Laguna, ORA Residences, Mercury Towers and Pendergardens, all in St Julian's, as well as schemes in Sliema, Rabat, Mellieħa, Kalkara, Naxxar and Gozo.

For buyers, the website sets out the purchase process and purchase costs, with specific guidance for foreigners and a table of property taxes on buying and selling. Tenants will find a rental process and expenses page, advice on renting well and information on tax on rent and rent regulation. Owners who want to let can also request a rental valuation. Buyers can use the search tool to filter by bedrooms, bathrooms and garage spaces, save favourite homes and set up alerts, and there is a bespoke finder service for people who want the agency to look for them. That kind of remote support is particularly helpful when you are house hunting from the UK and can only travel to Malta every so often. A viewing can be requested by choosing a date and one of several time slots, and viewings are possible across the working week.

If your search takes you to the north of the island, our guide to Mellieħa covers the area where the agency has developments such as Southridge and Tas-Sellum, and our Mdina guide is a good read if a historic home in Rabat or the west appeals.

Business premises and serviced offices

Because the office sits in one of Malta's main business districts, commercial work is a natural strength. A dedicated commercial team helps companies buy or rent offices and other commercial properties, while the agency also guides clients to serviced offices and co-working spaces. Examples on its site include the Regus centres, The Hub and SOHO, which provide furnished, ready to use space with reception, internet and meeting rooms.

Many businesses moving to the island, including those in digital gaming, work with property advisers early. Our iGaming in Malta guide sets the sector in context. The agency can also draw on its network when a business needs premises abroad. Companies that rent a serviced office usually pay one monthly fee covering rent, service charge, maintenance, cleaning and utilities at the Regus centres, so the cost is easy to budget. Flexible terms also suit start-ups that do not want a long lease, and the agency's team can explain the trade-offs between a traditional office and a serviced one.

Selling and marketing a home

Owners thinking of selling can list with the agency, request a property valuation and read its notes on selling expenses and best practice. The marketing package leans on the Sotheby's name: listings appear on the brand's global website, in a library of property films and in the Portfolio magazine, whose eighth volume runs to 132 pages of homes, lifestyle and business features. A printed copy can be requested through the agency's site.

The auction house heritage of the brand means it is well known with affluent overseas buyers, and the referral network gives a Maltese vendor access to clients in many countries. For someone selling a home in Malta while living in the UK, that international reach, combined with viewings handled locally, is the main attraction of using an agency of this kind.

The sales team is led by Benji Psaila, Head of Sales and Letting, and includes senior sales associates and sales associates. A separate group of senior letting associates and letting associates looks after rentals, and Michaela Tabone and Nicholas Strickland work on commercial premises.

Management, residency and relocation

Beyond transactions, the office offers a property management service, an investment migration adviser and relocation support described as one company and one contact. Residence and citizenship pages on its website cover Citizenship by Merit, Residence by Investment, the Tax Residence Programme and the Global Residence Programme. These are specialist subjects, so the contact form includes a call back option for investment migration, and an adviser can explain the details.

For the wider picture of living in Malta as a Briton, read our relocation guide for UK arrivals and our Malta tax guide for UK nationals. Buyers who need finance can also browse our directory of mortgage advisors in Malta alongside the agency's guidance on purchase costs.

Starting your enquiry

The contact form on the agency's site allows you to request a sales viewing, a rental viewing, a listing appointment, a property management consultation or a call back about investment migration. Via VisitMalta.co.uk the process is simpler: use the enquiry form on this page, tell us whether you want to buy, rent, sell or relocate, and add your preferred areas and timing, and we will pass your message to the Portomaso team.

If your plans take you beyond St Julian's, the agency's reach also covers the south and Gozo. Planning a longer stay? Our guide to where to stay in Malta compares the main areas while you look for a permanent home, and the agency can arrange viewings across several districts in one trip so that you see a good range before deciding.