I don't know how many of you guys use other forums, but this post was from another investor regarding Brazil:
Originally posted by Brasileiro:
Hi,
I was reading some of the comments here, and I thought I share my thoughts and experiences in Brazil. I have lived in Brazil many years ago and I have been there for more than 20 times, both working and on holidays. I though I share with you some of my knowledge about Brazil and what is happening in the country.
I have some experience in investing in Property, I have done some very good deals, and of course also some bad ones......I know Brazil very well as I have been travelling along the whole almost 8000km coastline, and of course been "sniffing around"....
I thought of buying in Brazil first time a five years ago, but at that time the tourism growth was virtually cero and the "risk factor" was a lot higher than now. Besides that, and even more important, at that time the economy was still a bit of a question mark.
It only since 2003 that the Brazilian economy really started to improve drastically. For the first time Brazil is no longer dependent on foreign currrency, the country is now almost debt free and inflation is now only around 5,5 %. As a result, foreign capital has started to pour into Brazil and all leading experts seem to think that in two years Brazil will recieve an "offical" investment upgrade. Brazil is now finally on it's way to become one of the strongest economies in the world.
What is really interesting about Brazil, is that everyone forecast that in approx 2 years, the mortgage market will kick off. Today, lending in Brazil is very low, both for companies and private persons. One can only imagine what "impact" mortgages will have on Brazil's economy, spending will increase exponentialy etc......and of course I'll be very surprised if it will not have an impact on Real Estate prices........
Speaking of tourism, it is for the last three years that the tourism has really started to take off, which can easily be explained by the fact that Brazil only started to "market itself" in 2003 by first time in its history forming the Ministry of Tourism. Interesting enough, all the changes in Economy and Tourism are ocurring due to Lula Goverment, which has just been re-elected. Thank god!!
I think that many foreign property investors forget one very important factor when they look at "emerging markets". I have looked at Cape Verde, Morocco, Egypt etc. They are indeed "emerging markets". Brazil is NOT an "emerging market". When I first went to Brazil in 1995, one of the destinations I went to was Natal. The place was PACKED!!! Thousands of tourist, activities etc. The Brazilians love to travel in their own country, and a "normal" Brazilian can not be bothered about Caribbean etc, why should they? They have Brazil!!!
I have decided to buy a property in Natal-Brazil myself 6 weeks ago in the project Porto Dos Corais that I found on the Web. I reserved a D Condo apt for 63,000 Euros, which for a fully furnished 2 bed seems like a bargain. I have been to the area, checked out the project, met the developer etc.
I chose Natal mainly because it is the area clearly leading the tourism "boom". There are too many things to mention here, but Natal will become such a popular area, with Golf, Marinas, resorts, new airport in 2010 etc. I live in Spain myself, and I fly to natal from Madrid in 7h20 minutes!!!! No wonder natal is the area where most of the foreigners go!!
Why did I buy now??
-For me this was the perfect time as now I am confident about the Brazilian economy
-I know now that the foreign tourism has really started to take off, which I think will give good support to the already very big domestic tourism market
- Since I have also lost some money before, this time around I really wanted reduce the "risk factor", Brazil for me is as risk free as it possibly can bee. After having analyzed all the indicatiors, I can't see how I could loose out.
I read one comment on this site regarding the furniture in Porto Dos Corais. I am just about to sign myself and I think it is perfectly normal that the furniture has a "different" contract. I have bough several properties off-plan before, and after having spent too much time furnishing myself in foreign countries, I appreciate the fact the Porto Dos Corais is sold fully furnished. If one buys a property off-plan non-furnished, the property still has to be furnished after completion, and the money spent on those items, will of course not appear on the title deed. I can only imagine how long it would take for a "typical" foreigner to furnish a property in Brazil.......
I checked out the Bank Guarantees that the developer offers. It was rather amusing actually as some lawyers that I asked, told me that it does not exist in Brazil yet. However, I found out that the developer is actually the first ever company to achieve Bank Guarantees in Brazil, and probaly it will become more common in the next couple of years. Anyway, after having been to Brazil many times, I do appreciate the fact that there are Bank Guarantees.
Speaking of "emerging markets", there is not a single other "emerging" market that can compete with Brazil. Morocco will not be a "super power", nor will Egypt and nor will Cape Verde. Those areas might benefit from some tourism growth, but when putting all the indicators together (economy, toursim etc), Brazil beats them 10-0 (exactly the same numbers Brazil would beat them in Football!!!)
As a conclusion, I have to say that Brazil is for me the best country on the planet, and yes, I am guilty of also buying "with my heart". Excluding all the main "indicators" I have to say that Brazil is the one place where, every time I come back from my holidays in Brazil, I immediately want to go back!!!!
Viva Brazil!!!!
- SOLD!!
