Blog > Real Estate > Blog article: International Living: Brazil’s Best Beachfront Real Estate from $16,500
 | Email This Article Email This Article  | 

International Living: Brazil’s Best Beachfront Real Estate from $16,500

Posted February 18, 2008

'The Europeans have discovered beachfront properties in Fortaleza, Brazil. Several Spanish and other European development companies are building there in a big way. But the North American market hasn’t caught on yet, and that’s usually what sends the real estate prices skyrocketing.' — Dan Prescher, International Living

Baltimore – (TFN): The following was taken from Part 1 of a special edition video of Market Insights: International Living’s Top Real Estate Picks for 2008 featuring Dan Prescher, editor of International Living. Watch this video.

Krista Das: Over the last 30 years, International Living has proven to its 420,000 subscribers that you can live better for less overseas. Joining me now is International Living’s Dan Prescher — who actually resides in Mexico.

So Dan, where exactly is the best beach buy on the planet right now?

Dan Prescher:We’re pretty excited about Fortaleza in Northeastern Brazil.  Beautiful costal area, pristine beaches, relatively undiscovered by North Americans so far, so it’s a great potential and great buy.

Krista Das: So give us an idea of what properties cost in Fortaleza.

Dan Prescher: You can get a downtown sea view condo for $50,000.00. You can get an unimproved beach lot right on the beach for $16,500.00. You can find a beachfront condo, a real beachfront condo, for $67,000.00. So these are prices that we haven’t seen in a long time farther north in most of the traditional Latin American beach countries. 

Rather watch the financial video? Click here.

Krista Das: And do you think that properties are going to increase in value?

Dan Prescher: Well, like happened in Nicaragua… Costa Rica… Panama, as soon as the North American market becomes aware of beachfront value like this, prices are bound to skyrocket. The Europeans have discovered Fortaleza. Several Spanish and other European development companies are building there in a big way. But the North American market hasn’t caught on yet, and that’s usually what sends the real estate prices skyrocketing.

Krista Das: Is there anything that we should be aware of when buying Brazilian real estate?

Dan Prescher: Well, a couple of things. The terminology is a little different. Beaches there run east to west because it’s on the top of the South American continent rather than north and south. So you’ll hear about sunrise beaches and sunset beaches. 

Also, you’ll want to be aware that in Brazil, people will describe beachfront lots, even if they’re not beachfront. As long as they’re in a beachfront development, they’ll describe a beach lot as beachfront, so you have to watch out for that. 

Also, unlike most other Latin American developing beachfront properties, you might not find the amenities in Brazil that you’re used to. Water might not be in. You might have to dig your own septic system. And also, properties run smaller. They’re more European in size than American in size. So you might find 3,000-foot lots and 1,000 foot town homes. 

Krista Das: Thanks for the pointers. Now, how easily accessible is it to get to Fortaleza right now?

Dan Prescher: It takes a while to get down there. For Americans, it’s about a 10-hour flight. That’s not because it’s ten hours away. It’s because it takes a while to get to a major hub in Brazil and then take a hopper up to the Fortaleza region. There are significant layovers. That’s why the Europeans have discovered it first. It’s easier for them to get there directly from Europe than it is from North America. But as Fortaleza takes off, I think that will change.

Krista Das: Thanks, Dan. This sounds like a profitable and fun opportunity.

Dan Prescher and Suzan Haskins manage International Living’s office in San Miguel de Allende. They publish a monthly online magazine, Mexico Insider, at http://www.mexicoinsider.com/, which covers almost every aspect of moving to and living in Mexico.

____________________________________________________

Rediscover the REAL AMERICAN DREAM

Where the costs of living, healthcare, and property are still affordable — like they used to be in the U.S….

Where taxes are low… the government doesn't interfere with your personal life… where you can still raise a family on a regular income — without going into debt… and neighbors trust each other…

Where the pace is slower, more civilized… manners still matter… where crime is low… and strangers still greet each other on the street

Here's the secret most people don't know anything about…

____________________________________________________


Related Articles


Posted by Krista Das · Filed Under Real Estate 

Comments

close Reblog this comment
Powered by Disqus · Learn more
blog comments powered by Disqus