PART THREE

ENTERTAINMENT AND SPORTS

Brazil is probably best known for its football. In general the country offers excellent leisure, entertainment and sporting facilities.
Shopping is also a popular pastime in Brazil and shopping malls are usually open from 10am to 10pm.
There is also a good range of restaurants with a diverse range of international cuisine, at a very reasonable cost. Brazilian, Portuguese and Italian food is particularly popular.

FOOD

Brazil’s population consists of an interesting mix of Portuguese, African, Italian, German, Syrian, Lebanese and Asian origins, creating a rich cultural heritage.
This ethnic mix is responsible for the great diversity to be found in the cooking styles of Brazil. Due to the variety, food in Brazil varies from area to area.
Bottled water is recommended as drinking water.

COMMUNICATIONS

Brazil is a technically-advanced country and has sophisticated telecommunications, internet and broadcasting facilities.
Brazil reportedly has the 10th largest number of internet users in the world, and there has been a major shift from dial-up to broadband services in recent years, with ADSL now accounting for nearly 80% of the broadband market
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Barra de Mamanguape Beach
The waves are small because of the reefs. It shelters the headquarters of a project for the protection of the marine manatee.

Campina Beach
There are small dunes and mounts of fine, white sand. Coconut trees embellish the entire beach margin. The waves are strong and attract a lot of surfers.

Oiteiro Beach
Also packed with coconut trees and sand mounts, it attracts plenty of surfers to the strong waved waters.

Bessa Beach
An urban beach, with strong waters and many coconut trees. The Paraiba Yacht Club is located here.

Manaira Beach
With many reefs, the waves are small and there are many kiosks to serve visitors.

Tambaú Beach
It is an urban beach with a promenade and many kiosks. There are regular craft fairs here.

Cabo Branco Beach
Another urbanized beach in João Pessoa, Cabo Branco has a good promenade for sunset walks.

Ponta do Seixas Beach
The easternmost point in the South America is here.

Barra do Gramame Beach
Good for bathing, Gramame has still waters and is surrounded by fisherman’s houses.

Barroco Park
Formed by the colonial mansions scattered around the upper and lower regions of the city. The secular architectural complex represents one of the biggest historic treasures in Brazil. To walk on the stone streets contemplating the colourful mansions takes anyone on a trip into the past of João Pessoa.

Theatro Santa Roza
A building from 1889, this theatre was decorated in baroque style. It is one of the oldest theatres in the country. It is located at Pedro Américo Square.

Redenção Palace
Erected 1586, Redenção Palace used to be the home of the old Jesuits convent. Today the building is the State Government headquarters.
Cabo Branco Lighthouse
It is located at the easternmost inland point in the country and allows one of the most beautiful panoramic views of the city; from here all the Ponta do Seixas beach can be seen.

Santa Catarina Fortress
The fortress was built in 1586 and comprises of the captain’s house, a chapel and cannons from the XVI century. It is open for visitors daily, from 8am to 5.30pm and there are guides available for tours. Access to the fortress is made next to the port. It is located at Ponta de Matos beach, municipality of Babadelo – 25km from João Pessoa.

Saint Francis Church and saint Anthony Convent
Totally embellished in baroque style, the church and the convent were built in 1589 and 1779 respectivly. The highlights are the chapels of the Third Order of Saint Francis and Saint Benedict, featuring Portuguese ceramic panels and sacristy. The spaces also feature, regularly, popular art exhibitions. There are guided visits and opening hours are 9am to noon and 2pm to 5pm everyday. It is located at São Francisco Square.

São Frei Pedro Gonçalves Church
Erected in 1843, the church was restored in 2002 and features and fountains from the old XVII century building. In front of it there are many restored colonial mansions, making a pretty archtechtural set. The church is open to the public Monday to Saturday from 9am to 6pm, and on Sundays from 3pm to 6pm.

Arruda Câmara Park
This park is a real oasis amidst the movement in the centre of João Pessoa. Also known as ‘’Bica’’, because of an old mineral water fountain, it features a zoo, botanical garden and leisure areas. Arruda Câmara Park is certainly one of the most pleasant trips for visitors, bringing together ecology, education and culture.

Solon de Lucena Park
Located at the commercial centre of the paraibana capital, Solon de Lucena Park, also know as ‘’Lagoa’’, is filled with centenary imperial palm tress, golden trumpet trees and acacias – the tree symbol of the city. At the centre there is a fountain, which on party nights lights this delightful tourist spot in João Pessoa.

Boat Trips to Picãozinho
This beautiful place is formed by coral reefs next to the coast. There are natural pools, excellent for bathing during the low tide. It takes 15 minutes by boat to get there.

Shopping

Crafts and Regional Products
Paraibano Crafts Market (MAP) – There it is possible to find samples of everything that’s produced through workmanship in all of the state of Paraiba, including foods, such as: curd cheese and butter cheese, manioc gum, raw brown sugar block, country honey, among others. The market is located at Senador Rui Carneiro Avenue, Tambaú.

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DAVID BELK
WWW.BRAZREG.CO.UK

I have seen conflicting information about the documents needed to register propery in your name in Brazil. Some website and agents say you only need a CPF and passport. However the judicial site indicate that a resident ID is needed. Whats the truth? And what are the options of property entitlement, It appears a property investment fund may be an easier alternative to non-resident buyers how do they work?

true, would have loved to invested back then...massive 5 bed penthouse overlooking Ipanema/Copa beach for 30k easy!

I second that recommendation.
We also recommend Costa Barros, costabarros.com.br, to our clients doing business in and around Natal.

Dear Forum Participants; below are some other points one shall pay close attention when buying real estate in Brazil.

Brazil is internationally known for its natural beauty, beaches, nice weather, carnival, music and culture. But now, it has become one of the most wanted countries for foreigners looking to acquire a second home, to live or retire, and also for people just looking to investing in real estate due to the reasons set above, along with the low value of its currency and very cheap real estate market.

Defining moments and timing are always the catalyst for any real estate opportunity and the right moment for investing in real estate in Brazil is now. Inflation is at an all time low and the government of Brazil is encouraging foreign direct investment.

Investing in real estate in Brazil is as safe and easy as in any modern country like the US or Europe for example. All property sales are titled and foreign investors receive the same investment and possession rights as Brazilians (some restrictions apply for beach and rural areas/lots).

The first thing a foreigner needs to do, is to apply for a CPF number. CPF stands for “Cadastro de Pessoa Fisica”, which is, in rough terms, is the Brazilian version of the American Social Security. Only with this document that you will be able to purchase real estate, open a bank account (visa restrictions apply), etc. That can be done by an attorney in Brazil or personally throughout the Brazilian Embassies and Consulates spread all around the world; but please be advised that the last option usually takes a few months and that there are no guarantees for the issuance of the CPF, whereas the first option, usually takes 48hs and is much safer.

The second step is to procure reliable professionals to assist you, meaning, experienced, and most importantly, licensed real estate agents and attorneys. It is never recommended to purchase real estate without the assistance of experienced professionals, needless to say in a foreign country.
In Brazil specifically, due to the innumerable searches and certificates (“certidões”) in various courthouses and registries (“cartórios”) one must go in order to verify the authenticity and security of the property, along with the legal analysis of all these documents, it is literally impossible for a do-it-yourselfer to fulfill all of these obligations and procedures properly in order to have his or her rights safeguarded.

Also, special attention should be given to the purchase and sale contract, once it must be done in accordance to federal, state and municipal Laws and they do vary from one location to another. Another aspect is the registration of the contract at the proper registry, in order to avoid multiple sales. Some crooked sellers may sell the property many times if the contract is not registered in the proper “cartório”, leaving the buyer(s) with a complex lawsuit in their hands. Also, there must be a clause in the contract for the registration, so please pay special attention to this, as Brazilian realtors often leave this out.

Very important also is the international money transfer. Due to money laundering regulations, a transfer must follow some rules/laws. For a transfer to be accepted and legal it must be done through “Banco Central do Brasil” and the parties must produce a properly executed and registered contract for purchase and sale with a clause mentioning such transfer pursuant to the “Banco Central” rules for real estate transactions. Please be aware that Brazilian Realtors and Brokers do not know these rules and clauses; please consult with your attorney and have it written in the contract accordingly.

This has also extremely importance when becomes your time to sell your property, either to purchase another one or to take your money back to your home country. If your first transfer did not follow the rules, “Banco Central” will not allow you to transfer this money back to your country, as this could be considered a felony crime named “Evasao de Divisas” and the Brazilian IRS (“Receita Federal”) would, most likely, get involved on it as well and you, definitely, don’t want that to happen.

Basically, when purchasing real estate in Brazil the two most important things are; get professional assistance either from a licensed realtor or broker, and have an attorney do a thoroughly title search. There is always the possibility to purchase title insurance. Homeowners, investors and lenders in the United States have been using title insurance for decades. No one would even think of entering into a major real estate transaction without it.

Caribbean and Latin American homeowners, investors, and lenders have historically relied on an opinion letter from an attorney as their safeguard against unforeseen problems stemming from a property purchase. When purchasing or providing financing for any property in Brazil, there is always the risk of related title defects. These defects could include survey errors, title flaws, fraud, forgery, undisclosed liens and encumbrances, or a host of other problems. Attorneys identify risks when researching title and its ownership, but client must decide whether or not to accept the risks of unforeseen circumstances. If by chance the attorney misses something or could not foresee a hidden defect, a buyer could face substantial losses or damages. Title insurance can insure over defects, thus eliminating, completely, any risk for a buyer. Most importantly, in both cases, these services are not expensive at all.

Assuming that the buyer hired a qualified attorney and/or purchase title insurance for the property, there are no further worries and buyer should be able to take advantage of the joys of living in Brazil with peace of mind.

Nevertheless, after purchase, homeowners still have legal obligations. Just like in any other part of the world, after the purchase the new buyer will be responsible for paying property taxes annually. In Brazil, however, they are quite cheap; usually vary from 0.2% to 2% of the assessed value, not market value. Nonetheless, the new owner should make sure that it is paid every year to avoid any legal actions by the government. The property tax bills are usually sent in the beginning of each year.

For those properties with a homeowners association, the maintenance shall be promptly paid as well, as fines for lack of payment may be up to 20% plus interest on every monthly missed due.

In conclusion, if a foreigner seeks the assistance of experienced professionals, follows the proper procedures to purchase real estate pursuant to the Law, it is very unlikely he or she will suffer any type headaches during or after the purchase process.

For further information or should you have additional questions, feel free to contact me at the numbers below.

Jose C. Santiago
Licensed Attorney - Brazil
Certified Title Attorney - Brazil
Licensed Real Estate Agent – USA
Certified Paralegal - USA

Hello, I am looking for investors. I do have greats opportunities for Brazil.
Could you help me ?


Thanks

Juliana Barcelos

Hi Daniel, i've just joined this forum and came across your post and had a look at your website.Quite few interesting proprties. You said in your post that buying a property through you you can apply for a Cpf.
have you ever obtained a cpf for an Italian citizen? I had a look at my birth certificate but it states only my name. any suggestions?thanks

Would anyone know how to search public property records in Brazil?

The search must be conducted not only in the Real Estate Registry, but also in every Court that has jurisdiction over the property and sellers.

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Jose C. Santiago, J.D.
Licensed Attorney – Brazil
Licensed Real Estate Professional – USA
Phones: (55-11)9348-5729 - Brazil
(786)513-1655 - US
www.lawofficeinbrazil.com

Hi Jose,

Some other forum participants were asking on another thread about the implications of opening a bank account in Brazil and I told them it was probably better to ask you.

I think the questions were:

1) Can a non-resident in Brazil open a bank account if they have bought property in Brazil. If so, is it a complicated process?

2) If you can't open a bank account, how does one go about paying maintenance fee's on the property you purchased?

Did anyone contact you asking about the above?

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Have a nice day