Property check
Four questions, before you even look at a property.
The first mistake when buying property in Brazil is not choosing the wrong flat. It is getting the order wrong.
Location, property type and yield profile follow from your goal — not the other way round. This check sets out your starting point in a few minutes and shows which regions match your profile and which cost blocks to plan for.
Question 1 of 4
Your result
Your profile
The income-focused investor
For you, current income comes first. The decisive figure is not the purchase price but what remains after costs, vacancy and taxes.
What to look at first
- Gross rent is not net yield — factor in operating costs, management and vacancy from the outset.
- For short-term letting the owners’ association has a say: not every building allows it.
- Managing from Europe is a cost block, not a detail.
The user
You want to use the property yourself. Location, surroundings and everyday practicality matter more to you than yield — and that changes the selection.
What to look at first
- What is pleasant on holiday is not automatically practical day to day — check journeys, services and the neighbourhood.
- Running costs apply even when you are not there.
- Letting it out while you are away can make sense, but changes the requirements on the property.
The diversifier
Your aim is geographic and economic spread. The property is one building block of your international structure, not your centre of life.
What to look at first
- The exchange rate may affect your outcome more than the rental yield — in both directions.
- Liquidity is part of diversification: check how readily the property can be sold again.
- Legal and documentary review matters more at a distance, not less.
The option holder
What interests you most is the possibility an investment can open up. You need not change anything in your life today — and still keep an additional option.
What to look at first
- Whether an investment opens a residency option depends on the individual case and should be clarified before the purchase, not after.
- The investment should make sense even if you never use the option.
- Requirements can change — plan with headroom, not at the margin.
The observer
You are still at the beginning and want to understand how the market works first. That is a good starting point — the most expensive mistakes come from haste, not from lack of knowledge.
What to look at first
- First get a realistic picture of total costs, not just purchase prices.
- Compare regions before you compare properties.
- Decide early what role the property should play in your overall structure.
Regions that fit
The Northeast
Coastline, lower entry prices and growing tourism — the lowest entry point of the five regions.
Rio de Janeiro
The most liquid market for international buyers, with internationally comparable build standards.
São Paulo
The country’s most stable rental market and its economic centre — the region for a business presence.
The South
Temperate climate, European-influenced cities and the best social indicators in the country.
Minas Gerais
Markedly lower costs with high quality of life — industry, agriculture and historic towns.
What comes on top of the purchase price
The asking price is not the cost. These items are added on acquisition — the actual rates differ by municipality and by property:
- ITBI — municipal transfer tax
- Notarial deed (escritura)
- Land registry entry (registro)
- Legal and documentary review (due diligence)
- Agency commission
- Translations, apostilles and, where applicable, power of attorney
On top come running costs: condomínio, IPTU, insurance, maintenance, management and vacancy. The actual ranges, with source and date, are set out in our publication on real costs.
And the residency option?
A property investment above a certain value may support an application for a residence authorisation. The minimum value set out in Resolução Normativa No. 36/2018 is R$ 1,000,000 — up to 30% lower in the North and Northeast regions. What counts is the amount in local currency; the equivalent in euros depends on the exchange rate at the time of transfer.
Requirements may change and must be reviewed case by case against the rules in force. This information is for orientation and does not replace an assessment of your case. No approval is promised.
How this result is calculated
The result is calculated from your four answers: the goal carries the most weight, then presence and time horizon. The regions follow from the capital range and the goal. This is a first orientation — not investment advice and not an assessment of your individual case.
You are not looking for just any property.
You are looking for the right combination of location, use and investment goal. We check with you what fits your profile — and what does not.