Natal is located at the extreme northeastern tip of Brazil and as it has one of the best climates in the country, it is aptly named the ‘City of Sun’. Natal is both charming and welcoming offering the best of both worlds – beautiful beaches and the convenience of a modern city with a wide range of amenities.

The 410km coastline is the area’s star attraction with its semi-deserted beaches, big sand dunes, palm trees, tropical lagoons and charming coastal villages. Natal has received a considerable amount of investment to boost tourism and therefore Natal already boasts a good infrastructure for those visiting the area. It has long been a popular destination for domestic tourists and in the 1990s, the Portuguese, Spanish and Scandinavians were the first foreign charter tourists to arrive. In fact, the destination is becoming so popular, Natal has one of the highest rates of residency applications for any Brazilian city. Natal is also one of the four cities in north eastern Brazil to host the FIFA world cup in 2014. To cope with this influx, a new airport is planned which will be the largest in Latin America.

This internal and external interest in Natal is likely to be great news for property investors and there are a wide range of property types on the market to meet the demand. City centre dwellings are mainly apartments in tower blocks. However the real interest tends to be in property developments for sale on the coastline which range from low-rise apartments to large villas. Some of the coastal villages such as Pipa are already well known and are good examples of how simple fishing villages can completely transform themselves to much sought-after upmarket destinations. There are already plans afoot for large and prestigious beach and golf resorts in the area so make sure you do your research dependent on whether you do or don’t want to be near these types of facilities.

Any buyer interested in purchasing property in Natal should put aside roughly 7.5% of the purchase price for expenses which include ITIV (Brazilian version of VAT), solicitors fees, registration of the deeds, admin expenses and legal fees.

Upkeep on a property also needs to be considered before buying: there is an annual real estate tax on properties in Brazil which ranges from 0.5% – 1% of the property price. In addition there may be maintenance fees payable on the property, particularly if it is a community style dwelling. Prices range from £40-£200.

Submitted by Alexander Wasastjerna at Brazilian Homes, – one of the leading Brazilian estate agents. Brazilian Homes carefully selects properties after rigorously assessing each area, developer and project to ensure it meets the company’s strict criteria and high standards.

To find out more about property in Natal visit this link.

Entertainment would be the exact term for identifying Brazil. A country in South America, Brazil has miles of coastline, brilliant sunshine, joyful nightlife, relaxation, kinds of beaches, historical places and various activities, festivals and much more. The country Brazil offers lifetime experiences. Brazil is also known as the land of contrasts. The hospitality of Brazilian people make the place more attractive. The country has always been a popular tourist destination.

Among the cities of Brazil, there are Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Salvador, Manaus, Florianópolis, Galinhas, Recife, Buzios, Natal, Brasilia, Belem, Buzios. The Capital of Brazil is Brasilia. Previously, Rio de Janeiro was the capital of Brazil however due to the position of Brasilia, it has become the capital.Brasilia has an architectural spectacle. In Brazil, each city has its own beauty.

Rio de Janeiro has one of the most beautiful settings in the world. Rio de Janeiro is the home of world-famous Copacabana beach which is a must see place. Also Rio de Janeiro welcomes visitors with that big statue of an open-armed Jesus on top of Corcovado, – the Christ the Redeemer statue- and this is also world famous. Rio de Janeiro is totally a mustsee place. It is a fantastic city. Rio also has some wonderful museums such as the Museu Historico Nacional and the Museu da Republica. Tijuca Forest, Sugar Loaf Mountain, Jardim Botânico are places to see, too. Rio’s famous glitzy Carnaval is fantastic and very famous all over the world.

São Paulo is Brazil’s largest and most cosmopolitan city. The city owns famed nightlife and offers shopping opportunities. Some of the attractions are Teatro Municipal, Casa do Grito e Capela Imperial, Memorial da America Latina, Niemeyer’s Edifício Copan, the Museu de Arte de São Paulo, Patío do Colégio, Santa Fe Plaza etc.

Some of the most interesting places to visit in and attractions to see in Brazil are Fernando de Noronha Island, Ouro Preto, Olinda, Iguacu Falls, Colonial Towns of Minas Gerais, Pantanal, Aquario Natural, Chapada Diamantina, Ubatuba, Rio Novo, Aeroporto de UFO, Cidade Alta, Reserva de Desenvolvimento Sustentável, Cidade Alta, Encontro das Águas, Fernando de Noronha, Igreja de Santa Efigênia dos Pretos, Parque Estadual do Caracol, Parque Nacional Sete Cidades, Bonito, Manaus Opera House and much more.

The sunshine with warm weather, brilliant sunshine call the visitors to the world famous beaches of Brazil. Brazil’s coastal cities are well known for their beautiful beaches, mainly Rio de Janeiro. The Brazilian Carnival, The Amazon Rainforest, Capoeira are also most pronounced words about Brazil.

The Carnival occurs annually as a festival and continues for 40 days before Easter. The streets become lively as the people dance and play music. Carnival in Rio de Janeiro is known worldwide for its parades staged by the city’s samba schools in the Sambadrome. Sambadrome is one of Rio’s major tourist attractions. Also in Brazil, there are several carnivals and these hold some important carnival parades.For example, Minas Gerais Carnaval, Pernambuco Carnival, Bahia Carnival etc.The Amazon rainforest is the largest rainforest in the world. The forest still has its own secrets and is a house for thousands of species.Capoeira has originated in Brazil.It is regarded as a kind of dance, game, sport or martial art. As a visitor, one can even learn Capoeira.

Brazil is a lively country in which one can find lots to do according to his/her wills. In order to see what can be done and where can be visited, you can watch the videos of Brazil at Travelovideo.com

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Not: Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine with the information about author/website info & links is included. (URLs in should be set as hyperlinks)

Gokhan Ozbal is the travel writer for Travelovideo.com – the place to watch travel videos online for free. Visit Travelovideo.com to view Brazil travel videos and places to visit in Brazil

Foreigners (non-Brazilians) are permitted to own property outright in Brazil. Also, foreigners have the same property rights as Brazilians and will obtain a free & clear title to the property. It is no different than owning real estate in Europe or the U.S. Brazil is quickly becoming the world-leader in attracting foreign investment and immigration. There are literally millions of foreign nationals in Brazil who own property and businesses. There is no risk since property ownership is guaranteed by the Constitution for Brazilians and foreigners. Land ownership is in perpetuity and always includes full mineral and water rights, since these cannot be separated from the land in Brazil. Title insurance is available from a USA based title company.

OK, so you can own property in Brazil. Why would you want to?

Brazil is home to the largest rain forest on earth, the largest river on earth, and to “Carnival” which is like a super version of Mardi Gras.

Brazil has the sixth largest population in the world. Because of its size, there are only 15 people per sq. km, concentrated mainly along the coast and in the major cities, where two-thirds of the people now live: over 19 million in greater Sao Paulo and 10 million in greater Rio. Sao Paulo is arguably the most populous city on earth, having more than twice the population of New York City.

Few countries offer as great a variety of environments. Brazil has more land mass than any other country in South America. In terms of area, the nation is fifth in the world, exceeded only by Russia, Canada, the USA and China, occupying almost half of South America. Brazil has contrasting ecosystems such as the Amazon Forest and the Atlantic Forest with their incredibly luxuriant woodlands, the Cerrado (scrublands) and the Caatinga (arid lands), the Pantanal (marshland) with its flood plains teeming with an amazingly rich chain of animal reproduction.

Still not impressed? OK, would you be impressed if you could buy 50 acres of Brazilian Highlands for $15,000? Owner financing is available with no credit check and 10% down-payment.

Area Description

Unlike nearby Western Bahia state, SE Tocantins has seen little development. W. Bahia, with similar climatic and agronomic conditions as SE Tocantins, today (along with Matto Grosso) is the most developed agricultural area of frontier states, with highly productive farms, fertile soils (after correction) and conducive economic environment for agriculture. City of Louis Eduardo Manghales, center of farming activity of W. Bahia, is only about 120 km away from this farm. Farmers from south of Brazil, and American/Europeans discovered the area, and run very profitable farms, growing soybeans, beans, corn, rice, cotton, coffee. While climatic and agronomic prerequisites in SE Tocantins are similar with W. Bahia, uncleared land in W. Bahia is very expensive, while uncleared land in SE Tocantins is cheap and overlooked by prospective investors. Today SE Tocantins remains largely undeveloped. Ninety percent of land in my estimation is uncleared/unused. The rivers here are of exceptional natural beauty, and largely overlooked by Brazilians. Its only a matter of time before farmers and tourists discover the area and pave the way for a land boom of Matto Grosso and W. Bahia.

Description of town…..20km (12 miles) away, Rio do Conseicao (Conseption River), pop. 2000. Brand new highway was built to connect this town at the end of the line. There is very little traffic. Town has all the basic necessities: two schools, medical clinic,- school and clinic are free (Brazil has free national health care available to all residents regardless of income level); supermarket, a couple of restaurants and bars, land phone line, cell phone coverage; no landline internet though, nor is there a gas station. Satellite internet service is available in even the most remote locations in Brazil, but it is expensive. Satellite internet service costs about $100 a month. A simple home can be bought for about US$10,000. In center of town, there is a river, Manuel Alves, with a rock beach; water is shallow, clean, and fast; beautiful waterfalls are just behind the bridge. On Sundays the whole town comes to this riverfront plaza.

Dianopolis, a town of 20,000, is 40km (25 miles) from this farm. This town has everything, including modem and DSL internet access.

Farm description…..Brazilian owner made available this 7500 acre farm to be sold in smaller parcels, 50, 100, 200 acre interior parcels. Scenery is of gently undulating grassland/scrubland, with view of mesas, and of a distant W. Bahia escarpment. Scenery is not unlike that of Arizona, but with 1500mm annual precipitation. Vegetation, shrubs and sparse grasses. It seems as though, to clear this land, one would only need a pass with a disc.

Access…..A 12km wide sand road leads to this farm from a paved highway. To get to the farm you will need: 4×4, or…pick-up, high suspension FWD, motorbike, or horse/burro. Access to lots within the farm, a tractor or other farm vehicle will easily override the terrain/vegetation. All lots have passage easements. Riverfront lots have 8 meter passage easement, for all to enjoy. Unfortunately, you will not be able to drive or ship any of your cars, motorcycles, trucks, or farm tractors from the USA to Brazil. Brazil is a major manufacturer of motor vehicles. The world’s largest Volkswagen production facility is located in Brazil, plus many other car, truck, and tractor companies are also located in Brazil. Brazil has strict import quotas and restrictive tariffs to discourage imported motor vehicles. If you buy property in Brazil and move here, you are allowed one household move, duty free and tariff free. It would be financially beneficial for you to take advantage of this generous allowance because normally all imported goods are subject to stiff import taxes. However, you may not include any motor vehicles in the household move. It would be best to just sell your motor vehicles where they are, and buy new ones in Brazil. The importation of your new or used motor vehicles into Brazil would be prohibitively expensive and problematic.

Soil, is acid, low PH, quartzenic; sandy soil requires much less lime application than clay soil; white color on top, then several inches of gray sand with some organic matter, undersoil has a peach color. To correct fertility of this soil, two tons of limestone added to a hectare, and 800kg of fertilizer. I have observed local ranchers growing in their gardens: bananas, cassava/manioc, lemons, oranges, papayas, coconuts, cashews, mango, -without any soil correction. A wide variety of tropical fruits, nuts, spices, and other crops can be grown in this tropical area.

This soil, as is, would be well suited for rice. Rice has a high domestic price. This soil is well suited to grow castor beans (mamona) with no soil correction. Mamona have 40% oil content and are used in Brazil for oil extraction to produce commercial grade bio-diesel fuel. These beans will grow in any soil, as is!

Reforestation. Eucalyptus trees, southern pine, teak, and bamboo, – will grow in this soil as is, and are fast growing, can be cut in as little as 5 years, an acre will yield about 500 trees, can be used locally for fence posts, and beams.

Grasses/cattle. Existing natural grasses are sparse and not liked much by cows. Seeded grass, one variety I saw in Tocantins, ‘brachiaria’, grows over 6 feet tall. Otherwise, land as is, can be grazed by sheep and goats.

By state law, 35% of this land needs to be left in native state. This rule though, seems to be widely disregarded.

Property taxes – Fortunately property taxes are very low in this area. Annual property taxes on a rural property here valued at $50,000 USD would be in the vicinity of $50 USD.

Altitude, about 750 meters at higher elevation of farm, allowing for coffee plantation.

Rivers in SE Tocantins, like I never seen before, are of exceptional natural beauty. River on this farm, Manuel Alvinho. About 10m wide, 1.5m deep; current, 5km/hour; small fish. One waterfall, several rapids. Water clarity, excellent. The river banks are of pink sand, and pink sandbars with palms, making for exceptionally attractive scenery. This farm has a waterfall, about 30 feet high, and several small rapids. You have to see the pictures, or visit, to believe. There are several springs along riverfront. Some riverfront spots are of waterlogged, but firm sand. Water from higher elevations percolates slowly down into the valley, feeding the river year-round. These perpetually wet sands would make for a unique irrigated field, making for unusual plantations. Well water, depending distance from the river, from 5m to 60m deep. Highest vs. lowest elevation on farm, I estimate about 150 feet difference.

There is a ‘pion’, farm worker, who lives nearby, and he keeps an eye on this farm.

Climate. Rains a lot for 5-6 months, October to April. Rains hard for about an hour every, every other day. Then sunny. Annual precipitation about 1500mm, which about the same amount of rainfall as Florida usually receives. Dry period, May to October, rains little or not at all. Temperature, no difference winter to summer. Daytime average highs, 29C (84F); nighttime average lows, 19C (66F). This land is located in the tropics, but is in the Brazilian Highlands so it is not so terribly hot and humid here. The year round temperature in SE Tocantins is similar to the temperature in Hawaii.

You may be asking “What is the catch?” This is good potential farm land. This land is natural grasslands but can easily be developed into productive farmland. Only 20% of the arable land in Brazil is being cultivated at present and less than 10% in the State of Tocantins. The soil and growing conditions are very similar to Southern Florida. Local farmers currently use nearby land for grazing, growing citrus fruit and row crops including soybeans, castor beans, corn and cotton. Local people grow many of the same vegetables in their gardens that we are familiar with in the USA. There is plenty of rainfall and a long growing season.

It is a simple matter to obtain permanent resident status in Brazil. You can keep your USA citizenship and U.S. passport and still obtain permanent resident status in Brazil. Permanent residents of Brazil are allowed to hold both USA and Brazilian passports. This bonus could come in handy some day. USA passport holders are sometimes targeted by terrorists, but Brazilians are not.

Finally, if you were to buy land in Brazil and become a permanent resident in Brazil you can ship your entire household to Brazil duty free. This would make the transition more comfortable and practical.

The author, Arthur Wyss is a resident of Beijing, China. He specializes in immigration assistance for those who wish to live in Brazil. He also operates Brazil Land Sales, which primarily sells land in the State of Tocantins, Brazil. He is the former President of Adventure Spa Cruise. His website is: http://www.brazil-land-sales.com/index.htm

Attracting over US$ 45bn in foreign investment in 2008 and US$ 41bn in the 12 months to June 2009, Brazil is by far the leading destination for foreign investment in Latin America, with new flagship investments announced weekly. This is not a new trend. Brazil has long been one of the world’s most internationalised economies, with investment focusing on heavy industry and manufacturing until the 1990s but spreading to the service sector in recent years.

Whether attracted by new markets or new efficiencies, through privatisation, M&A or greenfield investment; most would agree Brazil offers a huge upside with relatively low risk. While no federal foreign investment framework is in place, strong fiscal and financial incentives exist for greenfield investments, including tax holidays, site preparation and infrastructure development. But there are downsides.

As the World Bank recently noted, there are serious issues in relation to law and order and bureaucracy, with Brazil ranked 125 out of 181 for “ease of doing business”. It takes an average of 18 procedures and 152 days to start a business; an average of 411 days to secure a construction permit, versus the OECD average of 157.

Furthermore, in “strategic sectors” – media and communications, transport, aviation and mining – investors face strong restrictions on ownership and highly complex regulatory frameworks, with many opting for joint ventures to minimise restrictions. The new national energy strategy is expected to present huge restrictions on the oil & gas sector, with suppliers required to commit upfront to local R&D facilities and workers, and exploration and production partners for the new sub-salt deposits in the Santos Basin required to enter joint ventures, with discrete terms and conditions.

In other words: Brazil presents huge challenges and opportunities and these require careful navigation. Companies entering the market or scaling-up operations need to intelligently manage regulatory issues and risks, building relationships with the key stakeholders and securing third party support at municipality, state and federal levels.

Such an approach not only manages the downside – it is also crucial to maximising incentives, as students of the automotive sector will attest. Volkswagen is reported to have secured incentives equivalent to $54,000-$94,000 per direct job created at its Rio de Janeiro site in 1995; Renault secured an estimated $133,000 per job from Parana State the same year; and Mercedes reportedly secured incentives of $340,000 in 1999 from Minas Gerais State.

These huge variations in incentives can partly be attributed to choice of location, with northern less industrialised states willing to pay more to offset higher cost to market. They are also undoubtedly the product of unhealthy competition for investment among the states. But it is unquestionably also the case that the system is malleable and those with a clear understanding of the process and can significantly improve the terms of investment.

More and more voices are challenging the consensus: companies such as Shell, who have publicly announced that concerns over political and regulatory risk mean that they will not look to increase their Brazilian operations until the outlook improves. In our opinion, this is pessimistic, but investors must beware.

For investors foreign investors entering or increasing presence on the Brazilian market – especially those operating in strategic sectors – hiring one of the big four, local legal counsel & engineering or real estate support is not sufficient: intelligent corporate communications and public affairs on-the-ground is key.

Ian Herbison is CEO of Speyside Corporate Relations http://www.speysidecr.com Speyside is a Latin American focused corporate, financial and government relations consultancy headquartered from Brazil and operating across the region. Led by a team of globally experienced consultants with a track record in working with many Fortune 500 companies, Speyside focuses on:

- support for foreign investors with market entry and expansion
- support for emerging market blue-chips with global profiling to support cross-border growth

The company has particular expertise in greenfield investment, M&A, IPO and issues/crisis management. Industry expertise includes energy & environment, agribusiness, mining & metals and transportation.

Are you receiving a $2,000 monthly pension and looking for a country, where the weather is warm and the locals easily flashes you with a welcome smile?

If yes, then you could consider spending the rest of your golden years in Brazil. Some people consider it one of the best countries to retire.

Retirees, who are aged 50 years old and above, would be allowed to live in this South American country if their monthly pension is equivalent to $2,000 or about $66 a day.

For this amount, you would not only be providing a vacation home for yourself, but you could also bring in the rest of the members of your family. You could invite your wife, your sons and daughter and grand children to visit you and have a family reunion several times a year.

Come to think of it, this beats the notion that the elderly people would be spending the rest of their lives lonely. Remember those scenes from the movies wherein an elderly person would be dropped off by their children in some retirement home and completely be forgotten?

Well if you decide to make Brazil your second home then I’m pretty sure nobody would want to forget about you. They would want to grab the chance to visit you whether Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries or even if they have a few days off from work.

The Brazilian government says that foreign retirees who receive a $2,000 monthly pension could have unlimited number of dependents, who are also entitled to apply for permanent visas. But, there is a catch. The main applicant has to show proof that they are genuine dependents or relatives.

Since you are receiving the said pension sum, of course it wound not hurt of course if you received more, you would be given free visa for yourself and two other dependents. However, again there is a catch, the applicant must show an additional $1,000 every month for each additional dependent, over and above the initial $2,000.

Formalities would also have to be made. You would have to coordinate with the agency in charge of paying your retirement pension and that there should be a bank declaration authorizing the monthly transfer of $2,000.

They say that one could easily lose themselves in Brazil. Considered to be the fifth largest country in the world, its land area is 3,287,597 sq mi, has a very diverse topography including hills, mountains, plains, highlands and scrublands.

But while it is mainly considered as a tropical country and is covered by the Amazon Rainforest, at the southern tip of the country the temperature could fall lower than 18 degrees Celsius where the wind blown air is colder than the rest of the country and sometimes one could almost see snow.

Learn more about some of the best countries to retire around the world. http://www.bestcountryretire.com/

If ever there were a fun loving people, it is the Brazilians. Here are ten interesting things about Brazil for you to dance around with.

1. Brasilia is the capital of the country. The country’s total area is 8,511,965 sq km, and the land area counts 8,456,510 sq km. Brazil territory includes Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas, Ilha da Trindade, Ilhas Martin Vaz, and Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao Paulo.

2. Brazil is a highly populated country. The population of the country is 186,112,794 at the last count.

3. AIDS is expected to slow the population growth in the country. It is believed to be widespread, but not mentioned much do to bias and stereotypes.

4. The estimated population of Brazil in 2050 is expected to be over 206 million.

5. The languages spoken in Brazil are Portuguese, Spanish, English and French. Portuguese is the official language.

6. The people of Brazil are highly religious. The claim the following religions as their own: Roman Catholic 73.6 percent, Protestant 15.4 percent, Spiritualist 1.3 percent, Bantu/voodoo 0.3 percent, no religion 7.4 percent.

7. Literacy of the people in the country is as follows. From the point of the total population and the gender factor it reaches 86.4% for the total population, 86.1% for males and 86.6% for females (2003 estimation).

8. Life expectancy is 71.69 years in total. Males live for 67.74 years where as females live 75.85 years as of 2005.

9. Brazil is a federative republic. Its currency is the “real” (BRL).

10. Brazil is considered a leader in alternative energy. A vast amount of its electricity is produced through hydropower and much of the vehicle transportation has been converted to ethanol fuel, a biomass product produced from sugar cane. With the transformation, Brazil is now an exporter of oil instead of an importer despite the fact it has nominal oil reserves.

Brazil is a diverse, crowded country with a lot of unique issues. These ten interesting things regarding Brazil represent a primer on the country. To experience the brilliance of the country, you just have to go visit.

Understanding the full regulations relating to purchasing real estate in Brazil is important, enabling a comprehensive knowledge of the commonly referred to ‘ease of purchasing process’. Here we attempt to provide a greater insight to potential buyers of the processes involved, providing increased clarity for personal assurance.

It has been mentioned several times that there are no restriction on foreign purchases in Brazil. While this is correct for the average investor wishing to buy a holiday home or apartment, yet some restrictions do apply on rural land.

If purchasing rural land through a company, the use of the land needs to be directly related to the company’s functions, such as agriculture or industry. Foreign individuals purchasing rural land in Brazil are required to migrate within three years of acquiring the land.

Another area of clarification is the compulsory use of a legal representative. While it is not a compulsory requirement by law, it is highly recommended. The extensive amount of documentation to be checked through, ensuring a property fully complies with legal regulations is best clarified by a Brazilian based lawyer.

Many real estate and investment companies promoting developments in Brazil will have contracted the services of an independent legal firm, prior to releasing the projects to the clients. These legal due diligence reports can involve many processes that the agents pay the legal firm to carry out. The fact that the legal firm has carried out an extensive report, having full knowledge of each particular project, is why many agents recommend particular legal firms. This will allow the buyer to have access to a lawyer who understands all the pro’s and con’s of units on each project the client wishes to purchase.

While the full extent of the documentation to be studied can vary depending on the location of the unit to be purchase, the main checks will include:

-Company registration documents of the developer
-Land title certificate
-Planning permission
-Building license
-All documentation outlining the planning and construction regulations of the project
-Any debts against the property
-Bank guarantees, building insurance and financial payment security for buyers, such as escrow accounts
-Land surveys

The lawyer will also be able to arrange a CPF number for the client if they do not already have one. A CPF number is a legal requirement for carrying out all types of transactions in Brazil, from buying a house to applying for a job, even for obtaining a mobile phone contract. CPF stands for Cadastro de Pessoas Físicas and is an independent taxpayer number. While the application can be made without the use of a solicitor, the process is far simpler obtaining assistance. Non resident foreigners will need to submit the application at a Brazilian consulate in their place of residence, or apply through a lawyer based in Brazil. The process takes approximately two months to complete, requiring proof of identity, such as a passport, with an officially notarised copy.

Once the CPF number has been obtained, it is a legal requirement to submit an annual tax statement, or tax exemption statement. If the tax statement is not submitted, the CPF number will be cancelled. While all of the necessary processes can be carried out without contracting the services of a legal representative, the sheer volume of processes required in a relatively short space of time can be mind boggling. Not forgetting the restrictions of the language barrier, as all legal documentation in Brazil is submitted in Portuguese. Contracting the services of a qualified solicitor specialising in Brazilian real estate is a small price to pay, considering the substantial loses one stands to face from even the smallest oversight if carrying out the processes alone.

Understanding the processes involved will assist individual buyers in ensuring that the work carried out by their contracted legal representative are concise. This can enable a feeling of increased stability and ease of mind in foreign property investment markets.

The Brazilian property market is enjoying more activity than most at present, domestic demand for property in Brazil remains strong despite the global liquidity crisis, and the volume of overseas buyers coming into the market is increasing month-on-month. In this article we will look at the factors fueling demand locally, and the general economic climate that is pushing Brazil property to the forefront of interest within the investment community.   In broad terms, residential property in Brazil can be split into two sectors – 1st homes in metropolitan areas such as Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, and 2nd homes in touristic regions such as Fortaleza and Natal in the North East of the country. For the purposes of this report we will use the terms; Metro Zone and Touristic.

Demand for property in Brazil in Metro zones is being  fuelled by a number of sound fiscal reforms from the government of President Lula; for example the introduction of a $15 billion housing stimulus plan, increasing the national minimum wage by 50%, and turning a slow economy with a budget deficit into a booming economy with a budget surplus within two years. The government is aggressively re-investing profits from state owned oil company Petrobras, back into the economy, with a focus on GDP per capita, increasing the wealth and spending power of each individual Brazilian.

Brazilians have more money to spend, and they are spending it on homes. In 2007 6 million Brazilians left poverty, and the opening of credit markets allowed those on a reasonable wage to swap their higher incomes for mortgage payments and buy their first property in Brazil. Banks can now hold title deeds to property on which they lend, reducing their risk of mortgage lending. Interest rates have dropped to around 11%, from previously inhibitive levels of around 16%, making borrowing cheaper. Lula has also introduced a scheme that subsidies 50% of the mortgage for 1st time buyers. All of these factors combined have effected such a huge leap in demand for property in the low to middle-income sectors, that Brazil currently has a housing shortfall of around 7 million units.  

The population of Brazil is growing at a rate of around 0.584% per year which means there are 1.8 million new Brazilians to house annually, and the number of people per household is decreasing, again increasing the need for more Brazilian property as there is now a need for three properties per ten Brazilians instead of just one.  

This increase in wealth is also bolstering property markets in the North East, as the rising middle class search out holiday homes and investments along the un-spoilt coastline around Fortaleza. Land values are increasing month-on-month, with large developers buying up huge swathes of beachfront land, either to bank for the future, or to build super-luxury resorts. Overseas buyers are also fuelling demand for luxury property, as prices remain cheap by European and North American standards.  

One great example is The Coral Lake and Beach Resort in Ceara, north of Fortaleza, where savvy investors and those looking for a 2nd home in the sun can pick up a luxury 2 bedroom beach front villa on a five star resort for around $120,000 (US). The same property in Rio would cost more than triple, leaving ample room for capital growth over the next five years. I would suspect that by completion of this super-luxury development by BRIC Group and MD-Concept, 85% of the properties on the resort will be owned by Brazilians.  

Property in Brazil remains, in my opinion, a safe bet for the overseas property investor with a stable political climate, economic growth outstripping that of most other countries, economic stability, and a population growing both in number and in wealth. I would personally rate Brazil as nine out ten for property investment purposes right now, and property investors who take a short or midterm view, will surely profit, provided the relevant amount of due diligence is undertaken.

Generally, people buying property abroad have opted for the tested and tried markets, such as France and Spain, however more people are now looking to far flung destinations as possible markets for buying property. This is partly due to an increase in international flight routes and reduced air fares. Destinations like Brazil are increasing in popularity for property investors. Brazil has been experiencing a lot of new developments in current years, and projects are getting underway both in the cities and along the beautiful coastlines. Brazil has a lot of opportunities to offer its visitors, and for those searching for their luxury holiday home or buy-to-let investment, the country can provide many benefits.

Flights to Brazil are cheaper than ever before and flight times shorter and numerous airlines now focus on offering inexpensive airfares to Brazil.

Recognized as a destination that shows potential, Brazil has sparked an interest with property investors and those who have already invested are already experiencing high returns. The country offers a high rise in growth, and a 20% increase in your initial investment per year is the average in some parts of the country.

In 2007 over 9 million visitors arrived in Brazil, a number that increases each year. The rise in tourism has prompted economic growth and led to improvements in the country’s infrastructure. As confidence in the economy grows, properties remain affordable and tourism rises, Brazil has succeeded in generating a lot of interest from international investors.

Brazil has a lot of appeal for its visitors; the beaches are stunning, the cities energetic and the rainforests immense. Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Brasilia and Salvador are all unique due to a mix of diverse cultures and traditions. Brazilians are known to be welcoming and English is spoken in most of the tourist-populated areas. The rate of exchange is favorable and, in contrast to other holiday destinations, accommodation, food and travel remain relatively cheap.

Brazil has the perfect weather for spending time on its beautiful beaches. Praia Luxuosa, Cabo Sao Roque and Fontainha Beach are some of the more popular resorts that have experienced a lot of quality developments in the last few years and, for property investors, Brazil is now a favorable location presently offering some of the highest returns on investment. If you are looking for Brazil property and real estate, there are still reasonably priced houses and apartments available.

Bahia is located on Brazil’s north east coast and the beaches here are unmatched, their pristine white sand and sapphire blue waters make them one of the more popular areas for tourists and recently this area has seen a number of projects under development. Sao Paulo is on the verge of a property explosion as international businesses start to notice its potential as a city that can offer the perfect location for their head office. Rio is also on the up as a city that is predicted to have a significant increase in its development over the next few years.

As Brazil becomes more accessible due to shorter flight times and reasonably priced air fares, its potential as a holiday destination and for property investment is appreciated. If you are planning on investing in property abroad, now is the perfect time for Brazil.

Brazil Property – Fortaleza

The Place

What to do in a place like this – You can swim, surf, dive, sail, golf, play ball, ride, explore, bargain hunt, sight see, explore, drive a dune buggy for 100 miles in any direction, or take a jeep up a steep mountain trail. You can explore environmental preserves, or just swing in a hammock and do nothing at all.

Beaches: there are hundreds of miles of untouched pristine beaches. Ocean surface temperatures are 82 F all year round with 65 feet of visibility underwater.

Tourism: a 270% increase in tourism over the last eight years this is expected to increase to nearly double the current number of foreign visitors to the area by 2008

Climate: Guaranteed good weather at least 90 percent of the time with more than 335 days per year of glorious sunshine.

Low Crime: Fortaleza, Brazil’s fifth largest city, ranks 23rd in crime. Brazil is considered low risk in respect of war, terrorism SARs. You are probably more at risk where you are
right now.

Fortaleza food: Fresh fish is famous in this northeast region of Brazil.

Brazil-The people

Friendly people: all sizes, shapes, and colours, warm, friendly and welcoming that’s the Brazilian people. More about Brazilian people at Hip Brazil.com

Brazilian property-Fortaleza property investment

Property Prices: A 250 square meter house with three bedrooms and a swimming pool, about 100 meters from a beautiful beach only £27,000 approximate $ 47,000 USD.

Brazilian Investors welcome: Foreign Investment encouraged your own 100% of land and property; foreigners can open a bank accounts with attractive interest rates on investments

Easy buying process: Purchasing property is simple and straightforward for non-Brazilians and the right of freehold is incontrovertible. Title insurance is available and the legal process is inexpensive and relatively quick.