Foreigners Are Flocking to Florianópolis

Florianópolis, Brazil. There are few places that are as well known among foreign travelers to Brazil than Floripa, as it’s affectionately called for short. It’s not as famous as Rio or São Paulo, but beach lovers - particular surfers - know it well.

It’s nothing new. Foreigners, even Brazilians, have been infatuated with this beach city for some time. In fact, in 2009 the New York Times referred to it as “The Place to Be.” And it’s not just the white sandy beaches that make it so attractive. It’s a model city - literally. It’s popular for its stunning landscape - human landscape that is.

Today, Florianópolis is attracting investors and vacationers who are interested in buying real estate in a relatively safe urban area with breathtaking ocean views. In turn, developers are taking notice and building state of the art condo buildings, oftentimes selling them even before breaking ground.

In the past, buyers have been reluctant to sign purchase agreements for properties on spec. But we’ve noticed a change lately. US buyers are actually eager to pay in full, even before construction begins, because they want to take advantage of the favorable exchange rate. The US dollar is strong compared to the Brazilian real.

Despite the craze, our advice remains the same. Always do your due diligence. This is particularly true when what you’re buying doesn’t even exist yet or when you’ve only been talking to the seller or developer online. Just make sure you’ve done your research before you sign and before you send any money. You’ll thank us later.