It’s not uncommon for clients to want to know how much they’ll pay for legal or business services. Take the case of someone buying a home in Brazil. If, for example, the service provider will charge half the cost of the home, then it’s probably best to rethink things a bit.

The challenge is that in Brazil nothing is ever as simple or straightforward as it first may seem. And this makes estimating fees extremely difficult.

A transaction that could be completed in 10 hours may, for whatever reason, end up taking 50 hours. There may be an issue at the notary office; there could be an issue at the bank. No matter how well you plan, every transaction will present a unique set of issues that need to be considered and addressed.

And this uncertainty is the risk that many face. In Brazil, the “routine” isn’t always that routine. In some cases, the service provider must go personally to the notary office. But what if they get stuck in traffic on their way? Or what if they have to wait for an hour or two in line to be helped? At least in São Paulo, neither of these two scenarios are that unusual.

While a few hiccups are inevitable along the way, your goal should be to minimize and work through the roadblocks by engaging a service provider who is both knowledgeable and experienced. And expect to be flexible - it’s just the cost of doing business in Brazil.