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Why invest in Brazil

Overall advantages
1) Excellent return on investment
2) High growth potential
3) Stable investment market

Financial advantages
1) Property price returns of 20% per annum in some locations
2) Currency, inflation, cost of living, low construction and labor costs
3) Brazil is self-sufficient in water resources and will probably be self-sufficient in fuel resources in the future.

(source: Investment Property in Brazil) This website also contains information on legal and tax procedures.

Why invest or live in Valença

1) Emerging tourist market and unexplored tourist potential
2) Frliendly people, low crime-rates
3) Capital of the Dendê coast, and in the centre of Bahia. Valença is close to Salvador, Itaparica, Tinharé island and all mayor tourist towns in Bahia. Easy access from salvador airport via air taxi services, ferries, car and buses.
4) Amazing natural resources. Almost all land has springs, brooks, rivers, lakes or underground reservoirs easily acessible by digging wells.
5) Various seaside options without being too close to the sea. Salito or sea breeze eats away at all metals (cars, fridges, etc.) that must be replaced almost every year or re-painted. Also, the land is better for planting as the soil is not comprised of sand, as in sea-side properties. This is essential if you plan on planting anything other than palmtrees and coconut trees.
6) Growth of the city is organized, well planned and gradual.
7) Land and property is still cheap. In Morro, a piece of land can cost up to 200,000 reais, whilst in Valença the same piece of land will cost no more than 20,000. Cost of living is also from 50 to 200% cheaper than tourist towns.
8) Decent public services like water, light and sewage. Valença also has Unimed (very important private health service) and a good hospital. Schools are also good and suprisingly cheap.

Unfortunately there are no property websites for Valença, but we are working on collecting information on valenca-bahia.com so all interested parties can directly contact the seller.

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Advice on buying in Brazil

Every state in Brazil has its particularities but there are some things that you should consider when looking for a place to buy, either for investment or living.

Documentation: Make sure the seller has all documentation. For an official sale, the seller should have a titulo de propriedade. Some owners have titulo de posse, which is only proof that the land was occupied by the owner but does not officially belong to him or her. However, it is possible to obtain the titulo de propriedade in the forum and the entire process usually takes about 2-3 years. You should get some form of document proving sale of the property and should hire a lawyer or real estate agent to make sure all documentation is valid or you may have serious problems later on. Never buy directly from the buyer without help. You should also ask your agent to find out about land tax (debts, etc.) and whether you can build on the land, as some municipalities have strict building laws on property that does not have a titulo de propriedade or is in protected areas.

Land limitations: In some Bahian towns or regions, you can only build or use a certain amount of land and the rest must remain as it is. This is because some property owners buy huge amounts of land and use it incorrectly, cutting down rare trees or entire forests. So, if you plan on farming it is always a better idea to buy something that is already used for farming.

Sale-by-owner: If you are on a tight budget property for sale by owner is much cheaper than land bought from an international agent. It is also usually better cared for as the owners usually live there until it is sold. You will, however, need help to do the paperwork but many foreigners have managed fine. Another alternative is to look for local agents that are not used to dealing with foreigners. They also sell more affordable land in the same conditions as sale-by-owner land.

Building and builders : It is a good idea to buy land with some form of living area (house, hut, shed, whatever) as you will need somewhere for builders to stay and will save fortunes on accommodation.
Never, under any circumstances pay up front and never contract builders per day. Always hire them for the entire project. Ask them how long it will take and how much they want, then get a lawyer to draw up a service contract and only pay them at the end of construction. This is extremely important, believe me. The builders will probably ask you for some of the payment in advance, but you must ask them exactly how much they want and only give vales signed by each employee (keep the vales until the final payment day and discount the value on the vales), making it clear that you will not pay anymore until the entire project has been concluded. Never let them drink alcohol during work hours. These rules should be clear before building starts and will save you serious headaches. Although you might be lucky enough to find a great mestre de obra (foreman), he will need lots of helpers that might not be so reliable, so you must protect him and yourself beforehand. Also, keep close track of building material. Make the foreman responsible for everything that goes missing or exceeds the original budget. He should be able to provide explanations for both these cases and will control his workers better if he knows you are keeping an eye on your spending.

Getting to know the area: Always visit the property before buying. Before you decide visit other properties in the area. Plan a trip around the region and visit all the agents and available properties. This is important as most sites on the internet show wonderful photos of properties that are usually not so lovely when you visit them personally. I have witnessed this problem many times and the buyer usually opted for something else in the end, completely unforeseen in his original plans. So be flexible and really look around. Get yourself a good guide or translator, someone that knows the area well and can help find good builders and agents. A guide can also help you get better prices on just about anything. If you are planning on buying something in Valença let us know and we will gladly recommend the right people to get everything done.

For more information on buying procedures in Brazil, visit Brazil - The Buying Process Blog