Consider the change of lifestyle when buying property in Brazil
For some people purchasing and property in Brazil will be the opportunity of a lifetime to start again in a different country with a new lifestyle; it is a chance to leave the dreary UK weather and their old life behind.
Brazil offers a more relaxed way of living, with a different work-life balance and many more days of sunshine than even the brightest UK summer.
And, as Richard Way, editor of A Place in the Sun Magazine, explains, compared with many of the traditional expat destinations in Europe, Brazil is considered to be a far more "exotic" location.
"Brazil is a less popular place for people to move to so it is definitely a choice for the more adventurous person. That is not to say that things aren’t changing; there is a lot more development going on and flights are improving," he added.
"In fact I believe that to the north east of brazil the flight time is almost the same, if not the same, as flying to Florida."
But before you purchase your dream property in Brazil, it is essential that you take into consideration all the things that will be different in your new home and research everything properly before taking the plunge.
Mr Way recommends visiting the country as many times as possible before committing to a new life there and speaking to locals in the region or the British consul to help you get a better picture of the lifestyle on offer.
"Visit different areas and stay in different areas of the town so you can experience the different lifestyle that is on offer in each and you can find which suits you best," he advised.
Yet despite this advice, according to Mr Way, people often don’t have realistic expectations of their new life, and fail to take into account the important things that are taken for granted in the UK.
Currency was one of the top issues that people failed to consider, which can have a dramatic effect on the level of income a person receives.
In Brazil the currency is the real, which has an exchange rate of around 2.7 to the pound. The currency is not traded externally in the way that the pound is, however the exchange rate is still relatively volatile.
"People should be aware that they are receiving an income in sterling, which they then have to transfer into a local currency that can go up and down with the exchange rates," Mr Way explained.
Another key issue was healthcare, as Mr Way warned that many people get used to the free healthcare that is available to residents in the UK and don’t consider how this could change when they move abroad.
"People shouldn’t take this for granted and often they need to subsidise the health care they receive from the state with health insurance as well," he explained.
Foreign nations that are entitled to emergency health care in Brazil, however, will not be able to receive treatment for pre-existing conditions. Private hospitals in the country will also require people to provide details of insurance or sufficient funds to pay for treatment before being admitted.
Finally, Mr Way said that often people need to take into account the language barrier when moving to an area not over populated with expats.
"If you are going to be somewhere where English isn’t as widely spoken then be prepared to deal with a language barrier," he explained.
The official language of Brazil is Portuguese and English isn’t very widely spoken, which means before purchasing a property in Brazil, you may want to start learning the language!
