- Residence Assisi (Santa Catarina, 3 to 5 beds, up to £407,070, completion end of 2009, 24% below market value, 3 year tenant insurance, British style Buy to Let)
- Condominium Club East Side (Sao Paulo, from £131,360, 2 beds, 2 baths, 24 hour security)
With investors increasingly looking for property investment in South America, TheMovechannel.com, considers which location provides the better property investment opportunity in Brazil.
Santa Catarina
Located in the south of Brazil, sitting between the states of Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina is a tourist hotspot with hordes of holiday seekers from all over the Americas and Europe visiting this small but perfectly formed Brazilian state.
Added to the stunning scenery is the diversity of the inhabitants;
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest and currently the richest state in Brazil. Located in the southeast of the country, Saint Paul - as it is known in Portuguese – contains more than 40 million people in the state and around 17 million in the city area.
The city of São Paulo, has a public-transportation system that is woefully inadequate; its three small subway lines are swamped by 2.5 million passengers each day (New York's twenty-five lines carry 4.3 million), while a force of illicit mini-vans compete with municipal buses to transport twice that number along the city's convoluted streets.
David & Goliath?
Santa Catarina is one of the wealthiest areas in Brazil and its economy continues to flourish with its tourist trade growing at an amazing rate. Throw in the reputation for eco-tourism and a high standard of living; and it’s easy to understand why this sunshine state is establishing itself as a ‘must visit’ destination.
Santa Catarina’s larger, louder and more populated cousin, São Paulo, continues to suffer from infamy when it comes to crime, poverty, and social inequality. Whereas, Santa Catarina, with it eco-friendly environment and safe and serene atmosphere, is beginning to be a major force in the Brazilian economy, now rivalling Rio and São Paulo for GDP per capita.
As a result of Santa Catarina’s increasing popularity and the growing public awareness of its charms and assets, shrewd investors are making in-roads into Santa Catarina's property market and are considering areas such as Joinville and the capital city, Florianopolis, as alternatives to the bigger and more obvious choices in São Paulo.
São Paulo’s Latin motto is - Non ducor, duco, - which translates as "I am not led, I lead.” The language of the dead they call it, how apt. So, is this overpopulated, congested and polluted city about to be slain by the sling of Santa Catarina?
Safety in Numbers?
Santa Catarina is known for its safe and serene environment, especially the city of Joinville, with its strong German community and affluent neighbourhoods;
Where is the Grass Greener?
Santa Catarina is blessed with a variety of natural splendours; glorious white sand beaches, beautiful lagoons, lush rainforests and snow tipped mountains, all within a two-hour drive of one another.
With its amazing scenery, it’s no wonder that Santa Catarina is ideal for those lovers of Mother Nature. Furthermore, the area offers a number of sights and events throughout the year, including rural and ecological tourism, thermal mineral resorts, adventure sports, historic monuments and eclectic religious buildings.
In contrast, São Paulo is known for its heavy pollution and unreliable weather, which apparently is putting ecologically minded tourists off visiting the region. The unpredictable weather, some believe, may be caused by a less than green attitude to environmental issues.
In contrast, São Paulo is known for its heavy pollution and unreliable weather, which apparently is putting ecologically minded tourists off visiting the region. The unpredictable weather, some believe, may be caused by a less than green attitude to environmental issues.
The Economic Heavyweight?
Santa Catarina is a major industrial and agricultural centre, boasting one of the highest standards of living in Brazil.
The balance and dynamism of the Santa Catarina economy are reflected in high levels of growth, literacy, employment and per capita income that far exceed the national average.
A modernised infrastructure and efficient transport system has helped boost tourism, making Santa Catarina the third largest tourist destination in Brazil, slowly catching the coat-tails of São Paulo.
São Paulo – is clearly the most important financial centre of Brazil. It is the biggest contributor to economic output in Brazil and has a huge labour market.
However, it does have some issues with its economy, as it suffers from a high degree of “informality”
The Best Investment?
Recent activity in Santa Catarina has been amazing, with property interest coming from Italian, Spanish, American and more recently British investors, who are deciding to spread the net a little further when looking for that second property nest egg abroad.
Two bed, two bath condo apartments in Joinville, with long term rental and resale potential, built by British developers and only 5 minute drive to the city centre, are being marketed for as little as £33,500.
Properties in São Paulo are relatively expensive, although, smaller apartments near the city centre can be expected to yield 9.6% per annum. Larger sized units generally have lower yields, ranging from 5.4% to 7.2%.
Dan Johnson, Managing Director, comments:
“With its magnificent natural attractions, adventurous activities and growing trade in tourism, it’s no wonder that developers and investors are moving into the state of Santa Catarina. Although São Paulo isn’t exactly being overlooked, it has some work to do to clean up its image before it starts punching its weight with international investors.”
For more information on Brazil Property in general please visit http://brazil.themovechannel.com/
- ENDS –
Notes to editors:
TheMoveChannel.com is a property website that was founded in 1999 as an online resource for buying, selling and learning about property. It now receives as many as 300,000 visits per month and advertises over 50,000 properties in nearly 90 countries, which are listed by over 500 partner organisations.
For further information as well as images and interview possibilities, please contact:
Dan Johnson
Managing Director
www.TheMoveChannel.com
0207 952 7650
