You Found the Apartment. Now Get the One Person at the Closing Who Works for You.

In Brazil, the real-estate agent works for the seller. So does the contract they hand you. We work for the buyer — we read the title, surface the debts, and rewrite the contract before a single real of your money moves. Bilingual Brazilian lawyers, led by the first American to pass Brazil's Bar. Sign a power of attorney and we close it on the ground for you — many buyers never fly back. Send us the apartment; we will map your next step.

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1st American admitted to the OAB
1,200+ cases handled
15+ years
OAB/SP 351.356

By Zachariah Zagol, OAB/SP 351.356 Last updated: April 30, 2026

700+

Cases Handled

15+

Years of Experience

1st

American to Pass the OAB

LL.M.

USC Law School

Can a foreigner buy here? Yes. The real question is what comes attached.

Yes — as a foreigner, resident or not, you can buy a residential apartment in Brazil. There is no nationality test on urban property. So the real question was never whether you can buy. It is what comes attached to the property and the seller: unpaid condominium fees, a judicial lien, a title that does not say what the listing says. Those problems pass to you with the keys — unless someone reads the record first. The framework sits under the Brazilian Civil Code (Lei nº 10.406/2002) and the public-records law (Lei nº 6.015/1973); if your funds come from abroad, they must be registered with the Banco Central under Lei nº 14.286/2021 (RDE-IED) so you can move the money back out later.

Here is the part most foreign buyers learn too late: in Brazil, the real-estate agent represents the seller, not you. So does the contract you are handed to sign. A buyer-side lawyer is the only person at that closing whose duty runs to you — reading the matrícula and certidões before you commit, writing your deposit and your contingencies into the promessa de compra e venda, structuring the FX inflow, and registering the deed correctly at the Cartório de Registro de Imóveis so the apartment is legally yours. That is the seat we take.

We work with foreigners buying in Brazil every day, in English and Portuguese — nothing about your purchase gets lost in translation. Our founding partner, Zac Zagol, is the first American to pass Brazil's Bar and immigrated here himself, so he knows the not-knowing you are feeling right now. And with a power of attorney (procuração), we sign, pay, and register on your behalf inside Brazil — many clients complete the entire purchase without flying back. We will tell you straight what genuinely needs you in the room and what does not.

What We Handle for You — Step by Step

We check the title — before you pay

Matrícula, certidões negativas, condominium debts, and any judicial lien against the seller — so the apartment comes to you clean, not with someone else's problems.

A contract written for your side

The promessa de compra e venda — your deposit protected, your contingencies tied to what diligence turns up, so you walk away clean if the title does not hold.

Your money in — and back out

We register the funds you bring from abroad with the Banco Central (RDE-IED, Lei 14.286/2021) so you can repatriate the money later. Skip this step and the cash gets stuck in Brazil.

Closing — and the deed in your name

ITBI paid, the escritura pública signed at the Cartório de Notas, and registration at the Cartório de Registro de Imóveis. With a procuração, we can handle all of it for you.

Four questions foreign buyers bring us

Straight answers on the points that decide whether a purchase in Brazil goes smoothly — and what we do about each.

Do I need a lawyer to buy property in Brazil?

Brazilian law does not require buyer-side counsel. The notary certifies the deed but represents neither party, and the real-estate agent (corretor) is engaged and paid by the seller. The only person at the table whose duty runs to the buyer is the buyer's lawyer: reading the title, negotiating the contract, structuring the funds and registering the deed. We act for buyers only, work in English and Portuguese, and give you a written proposal before you commit to anything.

What does title due diligence actually check?

We pull the matricula — the property's full registered history — and the certidoes for the property and the seller: municipal tax (IPTU) debts, condominium arrears, labour, civil and federal suits, and any lien or mortgage on record. In Brazil some debts follow the property rather than the person; condominium fees and IPTU are the classic examples, and a seller's lawsuit can reach the sale if it was foreseeable. You receive a written report, in English, before you sign anything or pay a deposit.

Can I close from abroad?

In most cases, yes. A power of attorney (procuracao) signed at a Brazilian consulate, or drawn abroad and apostilled with a sworn translation, lets us sign the purchase agreement and the public deed (escritura), pay the ITBI transfer tax, register the property in your name, and complete the Banco Central registration of the funds you bring in. You need a CPF (Brazilian tax ID), which can be obtained from abroad. Many of our buyers complete the entire purchase without travelling; we tell you up front if your transaction is one that genuinely needs you present.

Rural land, beachfront and border areas: different rules

Urban property carries no nationality restriction. Rural land does: under Lei 5.709/1971 a foreigner must be resident in Brazil to buy it directly, purchases above three fiscal modules need INCRA authorisation, and foreign holdings are capped per municipality. Land within 150 km of a national border (faixa de fronteira) requires clearance from the National Defence Council. Along the coast, the strip known as terreno de marinha is federal property — buyers acquire a right of use, and a federal fee (laudemio) is due on each transfer. We confirm which regime applies to your plot before you negotiate.

How it works

A clear path from the apartment you found to the deed in your name. The exact steps depend on the property and the seller — we confirm what applies to your purchase before any of your money moves.

1

Initial review

Send us the listing or the address. We talk through your situation and goals, flag the likely path, and tell you honestly whether and how we can help.
2

Title due diligence

We pull and read the property record (matrícula) and the certidões for the property and the seller, surfacing condominium debts or any lien before you commit.
3

Contract & funds

We review and shape the promessa de compra e venda for your side, help arrange the documents you will need, and structure how funds entering from abroad are registered.
4

Closing

We coordinate the deed at the notary and registration of the property in your name — handled on the ground via procuração where possible. Timelines vary by the seller’s readiness and notary scheduling, so we keep you updated as things move.
5

After the purchase

We confirm the registration is complete and stay available for the steps that follow, so nothing is left half-finished after the keys change hands.

Already have an apartment in mind?

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What you'll need

Most purchases draw on the same core documents. Think of this as a starting point — the exact list depends on the property and the seller, and we confirm the current requirements with you.

A valid passport
A CPF (Brazilian tax ID) — we can help you obtain one
Proof of address
Civil documents (e.g. birth or marriage certificate), apostilled where required
A sworn (juramentada) translation of your foreign documents where required
Records for the property itself (such as the matrícula and certidões) — we help confirm and review these with the seller

Your purchase may need more or fewer documents. We give you a tailored checklist before you start gathering anything.

Where foreign buyers commonly get stuck

A few things trip people up more than others. Knowing them early makes the process smoother — here's what careful handling looks like.

Signing the contract they were handed

In Brazil the real-estate agent and the standard contract represent the seller, not the buyer. Having the promessa de compra e venda read for your side first means you understand what you are committing to before you sign.

Skipping the title check before paying

Unpaid condominium fees or a lien tied to the property or seller can pass along with the keys. Reading the record up front is how those issues surface before, rather than after, you commit.

Not registering funds brought from abroad

How money entering Brazil is registered affects whether it can be moved back out later. We help you handle this correctly from the start so it is not overlooked.

Assuming every purchase follows the same rules

Requirements vary by property, municipality, and situation, and can change over time. We confirm the current ones for your case rather than relying on a generic checklist.

Buyer’s Checklist

The Foreign Buyer's Brazil Property Checklist

Every check a careful buyer should run before wiring money — title, debts, taxes, contract, registration, and the Central Bank steps. Yours to keep.

Open the checklist

How our fees work

We quote a clear, written scope and fee before you engage us — no hourly surprises. What moves the price is complexity: the number of documents, whether a matter is contested, how many parties or heirs are involved, and how much needs apostille and sworn translation.

Title & contract due-diligence review from US$1,500

Full buy-side representation (review → contract → closing → registration) US$4,000–8,000

These are indicative estimate ranges only — not a quote or a fixed fee. Every matter is scoped individually, and your actual fee is confirmed in a written proposal before you engage us. Government, notary, registration, and sworn-translation costs are separate. ZS Advogados Associados is a private law firm, not a government agency: we provide legal counsel and representation, not government documents.

Get a fee estimate for your case

Meet Your Legal Team

Zachariah Zagol

Founding Partner — OAB/SP

The first American to pass Brazil's Bar Exam. LL.M. from USC. Over 18 years helping foreigners navigate Brazilian law.

Karina Peres Silverio

Partner — OAB/SP 331.050

Specialist in immigration, real estate, and international law. Fluent in English and Portuguese.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a foreigner purchase an apartment in Brazil?

Yes. Foreign individuals — resident or non-resident — may purchase urban residential apartments in Brazil. There is no nationality restriction on residential urban property under Brazilian law. The buyer needs a CPF, and a non-resident buyer must register the inbound capital with the Banco Central (RDE-IED).

What documents are required to buy an apartment in Brazil?

A CPF and valid passport for the buyer; an updated matrícula and certidões negativas for the property and the seller; proof-of-address documentation; and, for non-resident buyers, an RDE-IED capital registration tied to the FX inflow under Lei 14.286/2021.

What taxes apply on apartment purchase in Brazil?

The main one is ITBI, the municipal real-estate transfer tax, charged by the city where the property sits and assessed on the transaction or fiscal value. Notary and registry fees follow at the Cartório de Notas and Cartório de Registro de Imóveis. For non-resident buyers, IOF-Câmbio applies on the FX inflow. Rates and the assessment base vary by municipality and change over time, so we confirm the current figures for your specific property before you budget.

How long does the purchase process take?

It depends on the property, the seller's readiness, notary scheduling, and whether the title needs any clearing. A clean cash purchase with complete documentation tends to move faster than a financed one or a deal with title issues to remediate. Once we have reviewed your situation, we give you a realistic timeline for your case rather than a generic estimate.

Do I need a Brazilian attorney to buy an apartment in Brazil?

Brazilian law does not legally require buyer-side counsel, but the standard real-estate practice for foreign buyers is to engage an attorney for title due diligence, contract review, FX-inflow structuring, and notary coordination. The real-estate agent represents the seller.

Can you handle my purchase if I'm not in Brazil?

In many cases, yes — a power of attorney (procuração) lets us act on your behalf, so much of the purchase can be handled remotely. We confirm what your specific transaction needs you present for and what it does not.

Do my foreign documents need to be translated?

Foreign documents often need a sworn (juramentada) translation and an apostille to be accepted in Brazil. We tell you exactly which of yours do before you arrange anything.

Why should I have someone review the contract before I sign?

The contract you are handed is generally written for the seller. Having it reviewed for your side first means your deposit and your contingencies are addressed before you commit, rather than after.

Which languages do you work in?

We work in English and Portuguese, so you can go through the whole purchase in the language you are most comfortable with.

Helpful Resources

Real Estate Practice Area

Overview of our real-estate services for foreign buyers

Buying Property Guide

Detailed guide on the residential purchase process

Start Here: Buying Property

Foreign-buyer orientation in plain English

Closing-Cost Calculator

Indicative ITBI + notary/registry estimate for your purchase price

Talk to a lawyer before you sign — not after

Send the listing, the address, or whatever you have so far. We will tell you, in English, exactly what to check on this specific apartment and where you stand under Brazilian law. Book a consultation or message us on WhatsApp — you will speak directly with a bilingual lawyer who knows this terrain.

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