Meet the Team

Cathy Meza | Meet the Team | Ideal Homes Portugal

Cathy Meza

&lt;p&gt;Meet some of the helpful team members you&#39;ll be in touch with once you start your Portugal property journey!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If you have questions, please don&#39;t hesitate to get in touch with us. We look forward to hearing from you and helping you to find that perfect home in the Algarve.&lt;/p&gt;

The Ideal Homes team has a team of professional staff with many years of experience in finding and selling the best properties on the Algarve. We work hard and have the expertise and knowledge to help, whether you are buying or selling a home.

Meet the Team - Ideal Homes Portugal

Francisca Barros

Hi my name is Elliot and I grew up in a small town in Worcestershire called Tenbury Wells in the UK. I have worked alongside Chris since 2006 when I moved back to Europe from Australia where I started my real estate career in 2000 and lived there in Sydney for 12 years. Coming back to Europe in 2006 the market was booming and I quickly was offered a position with a large International real estate company based in Marbella and was positioned on the Portugal team as we marketed property in 20 different countries. This is what started my love of Portugal and I always aspired to moving to the Algarve to sell property on the ground. This opportunity came around in 2011 when I was asked to move to the Algarve to live the dream and work for a company here, although I had sold property remotely in the Algarve I had never actually been to the Algarve. But I happily handed in my resignation packed up my car and drove to the Algarve and have never looked back. Six years on and I have a beautiful Portuguese wife and two gorgeous baby girls both born here in Portugal. Portugal is definitely the hidden gem of Europe and a wonderful safe place to bring up a family or retire too, I can highly recommend this beautiful part of the world that has become my new home.

Elliot De Marco

I am an experienced South African expat in Portugal, blending my insurance expertise with aftersales and rentals. I am a dedicated people person, adept at building connections. I joined the Ideal Homes team in 2023, and I am committed to delivering top-notch 5-star service.

Justine Ness-Van Niekerk

Having lived in the UK for 19 years, I moved to Portugal a few years ago where I live with my husband and young daughter. I am a former hospitality professional and have managed busy reception/ front of house desks for some well-known restaurant groups. As I have always been passionate about property and all that it encompasses, joining Ideal Homes felt like a natural step in my new chosen career. As soon as I joined I felt so welcomed and that without a doubt translates so well into all that they are offering their clients. Am looking forward to continuing to contribute to this great company.

Cristina Raru

In a reversal of normal circumstance I waited until my children were old enough and then I left home! Initially settling in Costa de Sol in Spain I spent 5 wonderful years there which is where I initially met and worked with Chris, the CEO here at Ideal Homes. I decided on a change of scenery and moved to the Algarve at Chris's suggestion and have never had any regrets! Over the past 10 years I have predominantly worked with Chris in Real Estate for Ideal Homes. I have participated in numerous roles within the company from touring our clients and selling property, attending exhibitions, became the Listings Manager and am now currently in the office communicating with interested parties on the phone and by email. I have a great love of Portugal and have immersed myself into the culture and mindset of the way of life. I am happily married - I met my husband at Ideal Homes - a true romance! - and own a 3 bed house in Armação de Pera which we share with our beloved dog and cat (and my husband's 1965 Vespa! ). My sister lives close by in Albufeira, my brother in Spain and we all enjoy the fact we can return to the UK on a regular basis with the large portfolio of direct flights from Faro, Lisbon and Seville. People I meet are sometimes surprised by the very diversity enjoyed not only by the Portuguese population but by the international expatriate community based in the Algarve. From my experience it is one of the best and easiest places to assimilate into the gentle laid back way of life! I look forward to meeting you and hopefully passing on my passion and respect for my beloved adopted country.

Caroline Roseblade

Charlee Jo-Hanks

My story - I purchased a property in the Algarve in 2000, perched up high in the hills above the historic beautiful town of Loule. My aim was a holiday home to use in the winter and a rental investment for the summer months.  I fell in love with the Algarve and then decided to move out to Portugal in 2007 full time. My passion for the Algarve grew even more, then I was offered an opportunity to work in real estate in Tavira, East Algarve. Something I jumped at as I have always had a passion to work in property, something so different from my UK background working in exhibitions along with working in areas on TV presenting with shopping channels like QVC and various others. I am now in my 6th year of working at Ideal Homes. My satisfaction in my work comes from meeting so many happy clients who allow me to help them find that dream home here in the sun! We are a family at Ideal Homes International and we will go that little bit further in making dreams come true! If you are thinking about buying a perfect holiday home in the sun, that special villa situated on one of the many championship Golf Courses or a villa/penthouse apartment with spectacular sea views to wake up to every morning, why not try us? allow Ideal Homes to help you find that perfect property. The Algarve is easily accessible with flights from all around the globe not just the UK and Europe with flights into Faro and Lisbon. The wonderful lifestyle, fantastic beaches, abundance of glorious weather, great food and local produce and the cost of living, what's not to like? Along with the golf, tennis, sea, sunshine, great food, delicious wines and hidden gems, falling in love with the lifestyle and the country is so easy!   I look forward to meeting you soon along with the TEAM!

John Baker-Malpas

Orla O'Keeffe

I have lived in the Algarve now for over 30 years after coming here originally just for a summer job. I fell in love with the place and never left, there are worse places to be in the world. Originally I was involved in the marketing of major golf and property developments but got tired of being office bound. I have worked for Ideal Homes for 3 years in the sales department and I absolutely love it. Who wouldn’t want to spend their time meeting interesting people, travelling around the Algarve and showing beautiful properties? Ideal Homes is an exceptional company to work for – great vision, great team, great service.

Sasha Sharpley

Phil Veness

Nilton Borges

Alex Goncalves

I moved from South Africa to Portugal almost three years ago. I was living in Agueda. The North is very cold and wet and I missed the African sun. Moving to Tavira brought the sunshine back into my life. Ideal Homes is the beginning of a new and exciting adventure.