Show me where and which agents are loading prices GW???? Details please not more of your raving.

How come you don't tell people that you got a 20% discount from the developer just by asking for it? That doesn't sound like your "local man" and the developer were loading the price at all does it .....

I am glad I do not have to wake up and look in the mirror and see a sad man, full of bitterness and face the day with your negative outlook on life BT. Or is it that you just like to give that impression because of the anonymous handle you have here, and nobody really knows who you are? Hopefully one day I can meet with you in Natal, and see a different person to that portrayed here! Life is too short........................

That is very funny, that is usually the charge put against golfwit because he is having a go at agents all the time, so as soon as I have a go at "local man" agents like yourself I get the same treatment.

Yes you are right life is too short to give a **** what you think about me...

I nearly forgot the new Bridge in Natal opened today.

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Brazil Property | Pipa Brazil

Actually Rob it opened Tuesday evening with a ceremony and the obligatory Brasilian party!! Yesterday was a holiday (any excuse)and people were trying it out and stopping to take pictures!! And there was the first suicide jumper off the bridge too! I have not yet had to cross it as from Ponta Negra the old bridge is OK too. To get to the BR101 to go north it will not help much until they build the connecting road which will be close to Genipabu. (not sure what year that is planned for !!- but I suppose we can say it will happen about the same time as the new airport! This weekend I plan to cross to Redinha just for the experience, as I have to go to Zona Norte anyway.

GW, once again... please refrain from making sweeping statements labelling all European-based agents promoting Brasil as crooks and con-artists.

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Yes, I work for a Real Estate company doing market research and analysis but I'm not involved in sales.

Have a nice day

Actually, Michael the inauguration party was on Tuesday night, (I was there for the inauguration but missed the fireworks by a couple of minutes as I had to go meet some people at the airport) but it "opened" on Wednesday morning at 08:00 am. I crossed it at 08:30 am and traffic was fine. On the way back the bridge was totally packed towards Redinha as people were stopping on the bridge to take photos, etc.

Crossed it a couple more times during my stay and everyone had only positive things to say about it and traffic was only really bad on the first day.

Oh and quite a few ppl, including those who had offices down south (in that shopping centre where we met on Friday) said that it took at least 30 minutes of their travelling time to the northern developments, even without a new connecting road.

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Yes, I work for a Real Estate company doing market research and analysis but I'm not involved in sales.

Have a nice day

After having visited Ponta Negra last week my conclusion is that the best value lies in finding resale properties proximate to the beach. Most of the developments under construction are set a long way back from the beach.

Best regards

celt

JM;

Given that all european agents aren't crooks and con-artists, but let me tell you something about Brazil....and I'm sure that most of you are well aware of this. First of all, you need to understand that I've been living in the same city in Brazil for 10 years, and started visiting numerous years before that. I speak fluent portuguese like a "nordestino"(northeasterner), matter of fact when I meet Paulistas and Gauchos they laugh and say they've never met an american with a "nordestino" accent when speaking portuguese. My only child was born and being raised here. I've been married and divorced here. Currently have two businesses and had another. I know a LOT of people, including many politicians in past and current administrations, as well as the people at the various markets, gas stations, telephone companies, etc, etc,etc.

The point I'm trying to make is that I am as much as a "local" as you will find being a "gringo". And unfortunately it took me numerous years to become known in the city where I live but most importantly to "learn the ropes", as they say, in not only doing business, but to "learn" the local rates on everything from taxicab rides to beachfront land, to construction and building costs, to fruit at the market during the different seasons.

The point I guess I'm trying to make, which is no big revelation, but is that when most here in Brazil see a gringo coming, they think we're all millionaires. And their 50 centavo agua de coco turns into 5 dollars. I just love it when people here start selling things in "dollars". Thank goodness this rarely happens to me anymore in Aracaju...but does still happen. And when I open my mouth and they think I'm a brazilian from the south, because of my appearance only, because my accent is one from the northeast, then the negotiation process takes an abrupt detour. So, although you may have honest agents in England, the chances of them selling for market prices that exist here in Brazil are slim to none and not necessarily because the agents are inflating the prices, but the prices are more than likely being inflated somewhere along the line. Either from the developer, or local agent, to the international agent, or elsewhere in the sales chain.

I thank god then that I did not have to get out of the plane when I landed in Aracaju en route to Rio from Natal, the place looked bad enough from the air.