OK here are the ‘facts’ once and for all to balance this debate on which type of property you should ‘invest’ in.GW is of the opinion that every property developer in Brazil is only trying to rip you off, and would have you buy a second hand home instead, at what he describes as value for money.
With a reputable developer you will get a brand new home, built to the highest possible standards with the best materials available, and by a professional construction company. Most will have European standard finishing’s and fixtures, things we take for granted like running hot water, electrical systems that function not shock, secure environment, properly managed rental system, high potential for capital growth. Priced at market value with considerable saving when buying off plan, this is irrefutable, regardless of what others say on this forum, it is proven and I CAN supply proof. The most important one of all, a second home that will be available, clean and functional when you arrive to take your well earned holiday.
On the other hand you can buy a pre owned house, from your taxi driver, his aunt, cousin or grandmother, or even a Brazilian estate agent, or his/her relatives, makes no difference. What you will get at the savings suggested by GW is, a house built to no particular standard, by people with no particular skills but know how to get things to ‘work’, usually only for a limited period, the bricklayer is also the electrician, plumber and architect, amongst others.
The standard of finishing’s will be on the low side of your current garden shed, with probably bare tile ceilings, i.e. no lining below the tiles so when it rains the accumulated debris gets knocked down into your house, and the rain eventually penetrates the tiles and starts to drip inside, this is not considered a problem to the local people.
Then you arrive for your holiday and spend your whole 2 weeks repairing all the leaks in the sub standard plumbing system, replacing the broken tiles in the roof and contracting the neighbours son to fix the wiring because the lights no longer work, then finding out he doesn’t really have any idea what he is doing, but needs the work! When eventually you get all the electric system to work, you then head off to buy all your electro domestic goods again because while you were home in the UK a) your house was robbed because you had no ‘live in’ to protect it, or b) your house was robbed BY the ‘live in’ you HAD to protect it.
Now you can make your mind up if it is worth spending the extra 10% - 25% , again fact and can be proven, or if you like a challenge and DIY go with GW and buy second hand.
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