[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":349},["ShallowReactive",2],{"page-en-\u002Fguides\u002Fhousing\u002Fbuying":3,"guides-en":263},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"description":255,"extension":256,"meta":257,"navigation":258,"order":246,"path":259,"seo":260,"stem":261,"__hash__":262},"content_en\u002Fen\u002Fguides\u002Fhousing\u002Fbuying.md","Buying a home",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":244},"minimark",[9,19,25,30,46,50,53,81,84,105,121,125,137,141,144,161,169,173,181,185,193,197,200,209,212],[10,11,12,13,18],"p",{},"A foreigner can buy property in Brazil and, if the property is valuable enough, obtain residence on that basis (",[14,15,17],"a",{"href":16},"\u002Fen\u002Fguides\u002Fdocuments\u002Fresidence","Residence","). Below is how a purchase goes and what costs there are beyond the price of the flat, from the accounts of Rio de Janeiro residents. This is not legal advice: before a purchase, have a lawyer check the property and the contract.",[10,20,21],{},[22,23,24],"em",{},"Checked on 8 October 2026. Prices and rates are as of the post dates; fees depend on the city.",[26,27,29],"h2",{"id":28},"in-short","In short",[31,32,33,37,40,43],"ul",{},[34,35,36],"li",{},"The costs of closing the deal in Rio were 4.4% of the price of the off-plan flat: ITBI tax of 3%, 0.5% for each of the two cartórios, plus a laudêmio fee if the land is state-owned.",[34,38,39],{},"The realtor's commission is included in the price and does not fall on the buyer: 2–3% on the primary market, about 5% on the secondary.",[34,41,42],{},"A consórcio is an interest-free instalment scheme with no down payment, but with an administration fee of up to a quarter of the price.",[34,44,45],{},"Price estimates depend heavily on the city and the district.",[26,47,49],{"id":48},"buying-off-plan-how-the-deal-goes","Buying off-plan: how the deal goes",[10,51,52],{},"In August 2025 the @brazil_lifehacks author described buying a 96 m² flat for R$ 1,400,000 (the contract price):",[54,55,56,68,75],"ol",{},[34,57,58,59,63,64,67],{},"A ",[60,61,62],"strong",{},"promise contract"," (contrato de promessa de compra e venda) with the developer: a description of the property, the construction schedule and the payment schedule. The author had a 30% deposit, then 25% of the price in monthly payments over 2.5 years, and the remaining 45% after the building was put into use (the ",[60,65,66],{},"habite-se"," certificate was issued). The balance can be paid with a mortgage.",[34,69,70,71,74],{},"The ",[60,72,73],{},"escritura de compra e venda",", the sale contract, under which you become the owner of the finished flat. The ITBI tax is paid before signing.",[34,76,77,80],{},[60,78,79],{},"Registration of ownership"," at another cartório, the Cartório de Registro de Imóveis.",[10,82,83],{},"The costs beyond the price of the flat in this example:",[31,85,86,93,96,99],{},[34,87,88,89,92],{},"the ",[60,90,91],{},"ITBI"," tax, the tax on the transfer of ownership, 3% in Rio (paid by the buyer): R$ 43,400 in the example;",[34,94,95],{},"the cartório fee for certifying the contract: 0.5%, R$ 8,000;",[34,97,98],{},"the fee for registration in the register: 0.5%, R$ 8,000;",[34,100,101,104],{},[60,102,103],{},"laudêmio",", a fee in favour of the state, which is not always paid, only if the building stands on state land (for example by the water): R$ 2,757.",[10,106,107,108,114,115,120],{},"The total was R$ 61,300, that is 4.37% of the flat's price (",[14,109,113],{"href":110,"rel":111},"https:\u002F\u002Ft.me\u002Fbrazil_lifehacks\u002F641",[112],"nofollow","post, 14.08.2025","). The ITBI rate of 3% in Rio has applied since 2018 (Municipal Law 6.250\u002F2017); other municipalities have different rates (",[14,116,119],{"href":117,"rel":118},"https:\u002F\u002Fsmargiassi.com.br\u002Fblog\u002Fitbi-rio-de-janeiro",[112],"overview",").",[26,122,124],{"id":123},"the-realtors-commission","The realtor's commission",[10,126,127,128,131,132,120],{},"In Brazil the realtor's fee does not fall on the buyer: it is included in the price of the flat. On the primary market the developer usually pays the realtor 2–3%, on the secondary market 5%. The channel author, who has worked as a realtor in Rio himself since 2025, explains that this is how the developer motivates realtors to sell its properties (",[14,129,113],{"href":110,"rel":130},[112],"). A realtor must have a CRECI number (",[14,133,136],{"href":134,"rel":135},"https:\u002F\u002Ft.me\u002Fbrazil_lifehacks\u002F109",[112],"post, 04.01.2023",[26,138,140],{"id":139},"a-consórcio-an-alternative-to-a-mortgage","A consórcio: an alternative to a mortgage",[10,142,143],{},"A consórcio is a group of buyers who pay into a common fund every month. Each month, by lot (or by bid), one participant gets the right to buy for the full amount but keeps paying until the end of the term. The author's example: a group of 600 people, a flat worth R$ 300,000, a term of 150 months (12.5 years), a payment of R$ 2,000 a month. Interest-free and with no down payment, but there are drawbacks:",[31,145,146,152,158],{},[34,147,148,151],{},[60,149,150],{},"Luck."," Without a bid you can get your flat last. To speed it up, people place a bid, for example R$ 20,000, which is paid into the fund at once.",[34,153,154,157],{},[60,155,156],{},"An administration fee"," of up to a quarter of the price: the flat in the example would cost R$ 360,000.",[34,159,160],{},"Insurance and indexation of payments to inflation.",[10,162,163,164,120],{},"(",[14,165,168],{"href":166,"rel":167},"https:\u002F\u002Ft.me\u002Fbrazil_lifehacks\u002F595",[112],"post, 27.04.2025",[26,170,172],{"id":171},"price-benchmarks","Price benchmarks",[10,174,175,176,120],{},"In March 2026 the @svoibrazil author gave ranges across the country (very approximate): a kitnet (studio) R$ 50,000–70,000; a one-room (a room, living room, kitchen) R$ 100,000–150,000; a typical two-room R$ 150,000–250,000; in central or good districts of Rio from R$ 350,000; a decent flat in a good district from R$ 500,000; with a view and three rooms from R$ 600,000; \"great\" properties from R$ 1,000,000; exclusive ones from R$ 3,000,000 (",[14,177,180],{"href":178,"rel":179},"https:\u002F\u002Ft.me\u002Fsvoibrazil\u002F1729",[112],"post, 19.03.2026",[26,182,184],{"id":183},"a-flat-through-an-online-platform","A flat through an online platform",[10,186,187,188,120],{},"In June 2023 the @brazil_lifehacks author bought a \"dacha\" in Rio through the Quinto Andar service: the whole process took two months and was done remotely, apart from viewings (",[14,189,192],{"href":190,"rel":191},"https:\u002F\u002Ft.me\u002Fbrazil_lifehacks\u002F182",[112],"post, 07.06.2023",[26,194,196],{"id":195},"sources","Sources",[10,198,199],{},"Official and overviews:",[31,201,202],{},[34,203,204,208],{},[14,205,207],{"href":117,"rel":206},[112],"ITBI in Rio de Janeiro — overview",": not an official source, confirm the rate with the Prefeitura",[10,210,211],{},"Personal experience (channels @brazil_lifehacks and @svoibrazil, in Russian):",[31,213,214,220,226,232,238],{},[34,215,216],{},[14,217,219],{"href":110,"rel":218},[112],"Buying property off-plan, 14.08.2025",[34,221,222],{},[14,223,225],{"href":166,"rel":224},[112],"A consórcio, 27.04.2025",[34,227,228],{},[14,229,231],{"href":134,"rel":230},[112],"Housing in Rio, 04.01.2023",[34,233,234],{},[14,235,237],{"href":190,"rel":236},[112],"Quinto Andar, 07.06.2023",[34,239,240],{},[14,241,243],{"href":178,"rel":242},[112],"How much a home costs, 19.03.2026",{"title":245,"searchDepth":246,"depth":246,"links":247},"",2,[248,249,250,251,252,253,254],{"id":28,"depth":246,"text":29},{"id":48,"depth":246,"text":49},{"id":123,"depth":246,"text":124},{"id":139,"depth":246,"text":140},{"id":171,"depth":246,"text":172},{"id":183,"depth":246,"text":184},{"id":195,"depth":246,"text":196},"How buying a flat in Brazil works: an off-plan contract, ITBI and cartório fees, the realtor's commission, a consórcio instead of a mortgage and price benchmarks.","md",{},true,"\u002Fen\u002Fguides\u002Fhousing\u002Fbuying",{"title":5,"description":255},"en\u002Fguides\u002Fhousing\u002Fbuying","YMqNWicJG-dyBxNhLH4jbLhMvPkFRT_4MXUKBot11dU",[264,269,273,278,283,288,292,295,299,304,308,312,313,317,321,325,329,333,337,341,345],{"path":265,"title":266,"description":267,"order":268},"\u002Fen\u002Fguides\u002Fcar\u002Fbuy-car","Buying a car","How a foreigner buys a used car in Pernambuco: from a dealer or a private seller, checks, DETRAN transfer, IPVA, insurance and driving licence.",1,{"path":270,"title":271,"description":272,"order":246},"\u002Fen\u002Fguides\u002Fcar\u002Fcnh","Exchanging a licence for a Brazilian CNH","How to exchange a foreign driving licence for a Brazilian CNH in Rio de Janeiro: documents, translation, medical and psychological checks, prices and timing; category A.",{"path":274,"title":275,"description":276,"order":277},"\u002Fen\u002Fguides\u002Fcar\u002Fowning","Running a car: IPVA, fines, tolls","What a year of owning a car in Rio costs, IPVA rates, how to pay a fine, toll tags, fuel, renting and limits on bringing a car in.",3,{"path":279,"title":280,"description":281,"order":282},"\u002Fen\u002Fguides\u002Fdocuments\u002Fcin-rg","CIN (RG) and a child's documents","The Brazilian ID card CIN: how to get it for a child, how long it is valid, trips around South America and leaving the country with a child.",5,{"path":284,"title":285,"description":286,"order":287},"\u002Fen\u002Fguides\u002Fdocuments\u002Fcitizenship","Citizenship — naturalisation","How a foreigner becomes a Brazilian citizen: residence period, proof of Portuguese, documents, real timelines and what to do after the portaria.",4,{"path":289,"title":290,"description":291,"order":268},"\u002Fen\u002Fguides\u002Fdocuments\u002Fcpf","CPF — the tax number","How a foreigner gets a CPF: the free route, documents, steps, and the SIM card and bank pitfalls.",{"path":16,"title":293,"description":294,"order":277},"Residence — grounds and documents","The grounds for a residence permit in Brazil: a child, marriage or stable union, digital nomad, property; the document set and what to check in advance.",{"path":296,"title":297,"description":298,"order":246},"\u002Fen\u002Fguides\u002Fdocuments\u002Frnm","RNM \u002F CRNM — registration with the Federal Police","How to get the CRNM migration card: filing deadlines, fees, booking with the Polícia Federal, documents and real-world timing.",{"path":300,"title":301,"description":302,"order":303},"\u002Fen\u002Fguides\u002Fdocuments\u002Ftranslations","Translations and apostille","How to prepare foreign documents for Brazilian offices: apostille, sworn translation, spelling of names and a child's birth certificate.",6,{"path":305,"title":306,"description":307,"order":246},"\u002Fen\u002Fguides\u002Fhealth\u002Fpregnancy-birth","Pregnancy and childbirth","How to register for pregnancy care, where to give birth under SUS or privately, what it costs, how to get the birth certificate, doulas and protection from scammers.",{"path":309,"title":310,"description":311,"order":268},"\u002Fen\u002Fguides\u002Fhealth\u002Fsus-and-private","SUS, the UBS clinic and private insurance","How healthcare works in Brazil for a foreigner: free SUS and the UBS clinic, vaccinations and the certificate, a private health plan and real prices.",{"path":259,"title":5,"description":255,"order":246},{"path":314,"title":315,"description":316,"order":268},"\u002Fen\u002Fguides\u002Fhousing\u002Frenting","Renting a home","How a foreigner rents a flat in Brazil: short-term lets, a long-term contract, deposit, fiador and insurance, payments, furnishing and checks before moving in.",{"path":318,"title":319,"description":320,"order":246},"\u002Fen\u002Fguides\u002Flife\u002Feveryday","Daily life: sockets, transport, shops","Everyday details you learn after arriving: voltage and sockets, public transport and intercity buses in Rio, lift buttons, returning goods and complaints to the city.",{"path":322,"title":323,"description":324,"order":268},"\u002Fen\u002Fguides\u002Flife\u002Fmobile-internet","Mobile service, internet and apps","SIM card and eSIM, home internet, what to do if your CPF is rejected, how to install Brazilian apps and why banking apps dislike a VPN.",{"path":326,"title":327,"description":328,"order":277},"\u002Fen\u002Fguides\u002Flife\u002Fsafety","Safety: phone, cards, scams","How to protect money and your phone in Brazil: a street phone, limits in bank apps, phone insurance, checking the amount on the terminal and scammers' schemes.",{"path":330,"title":331,"description":332,"order":268},"\u002Fen\u002Fguides\u002Fmoney\u002Fbank-account","Bank account, Pix and deposit protection","How a foreigner opens an account in Brazil, what Pix is, the banks and neobanks, the Serasa Score, FGC deposit insurance and what to do when a bank refuses.",{"path":334,"title":335,"description":336,"order":246},"\u002Fen\u002Fguides\u002Fmoney\u002Ftransfers","Sending money to Brazil","How to bring money in from abroad: SWIFT, cash dollars, crypto exchange; real fees, timing and why large sums get frozen.",{"path":338,"title":339,"description":340,"order":268},"\u002Fen\u002Fguides\u002Fprologue\u002Farrival","Entry, extending your visit and the first weeks","The tourist period and extending it at the Polícia Federal, how to fly to Brazil, what an airport transfer costs and where to start after arriving.",{"path":342,"title":343,"description":344,"order":246},"\u002Fen\u002Fguides\u002Fwork\u002Fdomestic-staff","Housekeeper, diarista and nanny","When you need an employment contract with a home helper, what it costs the employer, how a diarista differs from a permanent housekeeper and how to find a nanny.",{"path":346,"title":347,"description":348,"order":268},"\u002Fen\u002Fguides\u002Fwork\u002Fincome-tax","The income tax return (IRPF)","When a foreigner becomes a Brazilian tax resident, who must file an income return, how to prepare the first one and what a late filing costs.",1792334099709]