Fortaleza in Brazil’s north-east, where the country’s new middle class comes for its beach vacation, is doing particularly well. With over three million visitors each year it has cemented its place as Brazil’s biggest domestic tourism destination.
My husband and I wanted to be ready for an affordable and truly enjoyable retirement. And we wanted it sooner rather than later, too. But being at the tail end of the baby boomers, we knew we had to get ahead of the curve and seek out a retirement spot before the real estate prices got out of reach.
The beach is empty. But the air is full with the sound of crashing surf and a warm breeze that whistles through my fraying Panama hat. I’m spellbound: the white mist…the rich blue of the sky…the fiery yellow sun.
Fortaleza’s glimmering boardwalk is fully built out. Prices have as much as doubled here in the past three years and they continue to rise. This is the place people want to buy. With Brazil’s booming economy (particularly in Fortaleza) lots of Brazilians can afford to. But there’s no more space to build.
Minutes from downtown Fortaleza in Brazil, Praia do Futuro is the city’s finest and most popular beach.
I’m facing the ocean. Moon and city light bounces off the breaking waves and the white sand. To my right, three miles of beach opens up. The street market in the middle of the bustling boardwalk is open and it’s buzzing with commerce.
The property market in some regions of Brazil is on a tear. In parts of North-East Brazil, for example, I’ve seen the value of some condos increase by 50% in just over two years. Better still, because of the financing here, you can make a small down payment (as little as 1%) to control this condo over the two-year period with an investment of a fraction of the purchase price. This is where I have been investing my money.
Brazil’s biggest real estate opportunities are in the Northeast, centered on Fortaleza. Historically this part of Brazil has been poorer than the more developed south…and real estate prices much lower.
There are three real estate trends taking shape in Brazil that you can take advantage of right now. I’ll tell you more in a moment. First, some quick background on the country—and the region I’m most bullish on.
There’s so much positive news from Fortaleza: A new, 10,500-acre, duty-free zone…a record number of new jobs…air cargo up 68.9%…airport passenger numbers surging 34.5%. This area has outperformed the rest of Brazil for the last 15 years.
If you’ve been following these dispatches you’ll know I’m bullish about Brazil—Fortaleza in particular.
Brazil is energy independent. In 2012 Brazil expects its enormous Tupi oil field to come on stream. Containing 60 billion barrels of oil, this field will catapult Brazil into being a major global energy player.
This June, Fortaleza, on Brazil’s northeastern coast, was named as a host city for the 2014 soccer World Cup. In 2013, Fortaleza will host the Confederations Cup. Property investors should pay attention—this is a fantastic opportunity to profit.
I’ve just returned from my sixth scouting trip to Fortaleza, Brazil, in the past 12 months. It was the wettest time of year when I was there—a time that attracts the lowest number of tourists; a time when the hotels should be empty.
I have just returned from my fourth scouting trip to northeast Brazil in eight months. Every time I travel here, I spend my time researching investment and business opportunities.
The short-term rental market in Fortaleza, Brazil, is strong. Quality condos (typically, small two-bedroom units) in the Beira Mar area of the city rent for $84 a night in high season and $63 a night in low season.
The central coast of Northeast Brazil takes up just 400 miles of Brazil’s 4,000-plus miles of tropical coastline. Yet it’s the best example of Brazil’s diversity that you’re likely to find, from the rich Caribbean-style culture of São Luiz to the modern highrises and dazzling beaches of Fortaleza.
I have just returned from a scouting trip to Fortaleza on Brazil’s Northeast coast. I hadn’t been there in two months. A lot has happened in this short time.
The stretch of coast in Northeast Brazil around the city of Fortaleza is a kite-surfing Mecca. The wind blows almost every day, drawing kite-surfers from around the world. You may not care for kite surfing, but you might have a lot more in common with these guys than you think… You could, in fact, harvest this wind for profit instead of fun.
