About

James Aitken Quintasales Property expert.

You know how it is at dinner parties, or at any gathering of over 30`s  -  at some point during the evening the topic of conversation inevitably turns to property.  For a few people this is a real yawn, for most it is a pertinent interest.  Everyone is keen to give his or her opinion, but if James Aitken happens to be there (and he very often is) a revered hush envelopes the table and all wait with baited breath to hear his pronouncements!  

Whilst many of the other local estate agents were plying their various trades such as Blackpool Rock salesmen,  replacement window fitter, ski holiday organizer etc,  James was always passionately involved with bricks and mortar.  It is what he has always done and will always want to do .  As a lad he started off his lifelong involvement with property by doing a bit of painting and decorating to earn his “beer money”.  He studied to becoming a surveyor and formed his own property company with a  portfolio of  houses  apartments, shops and restaurants in central London.  Having fallen under the spell of the sunshine, blue skies, tranquility and accessibility of Portugal he moved here  to Quinta do Lago with his wife and young family in 1988.  The rest as they say is history………

It was patently obvious to a man of James mark that at that time there was a distinct lack of choice and professionalism, how could he resist the opportunity to put his stamp on this virginal territory?  

He took on the organization of a new Norwegian development and from there spread his services to encompass what is now dubbed “the golden triangle” area.  He then formed what was to become the biggest estate agency in the area with the addition of leisure facilities available to both tourists and locals.  Having sold this business he took a short break and indulged his love of golf and such hair-raising pursuits as the Cresta run (hurtling down an ice track at 120 kilometres per hour).  However he couldn`t get away from the fact that everyone still consulted him on all matters pertaining to property, so he decided that he would get back to what he knew best and his destiny, hence Quintasales.

James has never been a person to hold back, he gets involved.  He loves justice and fairplay and is a firm believer in the ethics of hard work.  When some years back the local international school was summarily closed  he was foremost in  organizing its continuation which meant that for a short time children were being taught in diverse establishments including the Aitken household.  As chairman of the school executive board much time and work was expended but the outcome is there to be witnessed today with a thriving school so necessary to the local and expatriate community.  

I think it was James who first applied the word “Paradise” to this corner of Europe, since then it has been much bandied about by all and sundry.  It was also this man that first researched and painstakingly created a clear tourist map of the area, still used today.

Quintasales based just off the famous Q roundabout at Quinta do Lago is now the HQ  of the Aitken operation.  James is respected by his staff many of whom have been with him for years and involved in his various enterprises.

Formoso Hills is the spectacular new sea view development in the foothills just above Almancil , sold exclusively by James and his team from the Quintasales main office and from their on-site sales and engineering office .  The huge amount of hard work, local knowledge and expertise that goes into this like all his projects is certain to succeed magnificently with this man at the helm.  The property expert, the property guru!