Real
Estate in Florianópolis, Brazil
On The
Island of Santa Catarina
EscapeArtist.com
Staff Article
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.and the riverbank talks
of the waters of March, It's the promise of life, it's the joy in your
heart
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Antonio Carlos Jobim
- Brazilian Composer
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The real estate is a bargain, the
beaches uncrowded, and the small towns that dot the island are colonial
and picturesque. It's Ilha Santa Catarina, otherwise known as Santa Catarina
Island and simply called Floripa by the locals;
a 200 square mile island located just off the coast of southern Brazil
and it's as good a spot as one could ask for. Imagine a very large and
very lovely Brazilian island with numerous perfect beaches, (there are
49 major beaches, countless small ones) dozens of lovely towns, and then
throw in the city of Florianópolis, which is a city large enough
(pop 260,000) to provide all of the modern necessities of life without
it being an oppressive metropolis. |
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Located at latitude 27 degrees south
- 48 degrees east, Santa Catarina Island is deep in the southern hemisphere,
just north of Brazil's border with Uruguay. Because of its extreme southern
location this area has much cooler temperatures than northern Brazil. Agreeable
temperatures, pristine beaches, colonial towns, a city of acceptable size,
and bargain real estate prices; so why isn't everyone talking about it?
That is precisely what I asked myself and that is the reason I found myself
standing high on the heights above Lagoa da Conceicao looking at the lakes,
towns, sea and sky of Ilha Santa Catarina along with my youngest daughter
Chloé. On the event of her seventeenth birthday Chloé joined
me on an exploratory trip to Santa Catarina Island, Buenos Aries in Argentina,
and Colonia del Sacramento in Uruguay. Our purpose was to explore
the livability of these three locations and to report the findings to Escape
From America readers. Ilha Santa Catarina, our first stop was a pleasant
surprise and more than lived up to our expectations of what the island
would be.
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This being our first trip we decided
to make the city of Florianópolis our base for simplicity's sake.
Arriving in the evening we noted that the city seemed slightly abandoned,
with very little foot traffic. We were to learn that the island while
being the year 'round permanent residence to many people is also considered
a resort and hence swells in population in the Brazilian summer and sort
of empties out in the cooler months. Many Brazilians keep summer homes
here where they spend three or four months a year.
The next morning beneath cobalt blue
skies, crisp air and a warming sun, we found Florianópolis to be
a pleasant city with a nice mix of both modern and colonial architecture,
populated with extremely friendly people.
The city of Florianópolis
is also the capital of the State of Santa Catarina, and it is dually located
with part of the city on the mainland and the other half on the island;
both parts linked by the longest suspension bridge in Brazil. The
city of Florianópolis is a busy commercial center, with most of
the industry on the mainland side of the city and most of the living, or
bedroom section being on the island side of the city. The city's
industries produce metallurgical and electrical communications equipment,
pharmaceuticals, plastics, and perfume. The island section of the
city is the more pleasant half of the city with tree lined streets, interesting
architecture and a colonial section of note.
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| The modern and lovely Florianópolis
high rise section faces west - this section has fine restaurants &
modern conveniences. The highway leads to the east coast of the island
and the island's beautiful beaches. |
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I did price some of
the colonial buildings on the island side of the city and found the prices
to be 30% lower than the prices in Rio de Janeiro. Despite the low prices,
it is doubtful that many expatriates would want to live in the city after
they've seen the rest of the island, but I did find bargain prices in the
city. The colonial section of the city is rather sleepy but there
are modern sections of the city along the beach that may be of interest
to readers. Keep in mind that the city faces east towards the mainland.
This section of Florianópolis has some high-rise apartments in the
$100,000 to $250,000 price range. These apartments look out over
the inland side of the island where the surf is calmer and the night time
view includes the mainland section of the city with its sparkling lights.
It wouldn't be my choice, but I won't deny that it would be an excellent
place to live for those who prefer the simplicity of high rise living.
Despite the fact that it is a fairly
large city it has a small city feel and it is a pleasant place for walking
with its tree lined streets and its unpretentious and unadulterated colonial
architecture. The section in the photo at left is the more modern
section and is the area where the best international restaurants exist.
The island and the city are well known for having excellent sea food which
is considered by Brazilians to be the best sea food in all of Brazil.
The sea food which we sampled was well prepared and the portions were plentiful
- the restaurants themselves, especially on the eastern side of the island
had an interesting ambiance and the service was great. The Brazilian
habit of having a good time prevailed wherever we went. One doesn't simply
go to a restaurant and eat, one is made part of a family. (For seafood,
try Arante Bar on the beach at Praia do Pântano do Sul - Tel.
237-7022) |
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I had anticipated that I would learn
a lot from Chloé as relates to an American teenagers view of living
in a foreign nation. If teenagers don't like a spot it will of course
cause family discord when parents relocate abroad with teenage children.
Younger children readily adapt, but teenagers are a difficult and troublesome
species of bird. Surprisingly she immediately liked both Florianópolis
and the island itself. She talked about moving there with her boyfriend
some day. This assessment was to change when she saw and was overwhelmingly
enthralled by the city of Buenos Aires, but that is another story and the
subject of another article. (...and of course she has since changed boyfriends
along with her hair color. Nothing it seems, is cast in stone.)
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| We visited several beach
towns on Santa Catarina's east coast. One that stood out was Barra da Lagoa.
Half the town is accessible only by boat, or by a foot bridge that spans
the canal. In the photo at right you are seeing houses built on the side
of the canal that is not connected to a road. Foot trails lead to houses
and bungalows that are strung out along a flower covered hillside. Houses
can be purchased in this area for under US$70,000. There is full and modern
infrastructure, including phone and internet connections. It should be
stressed that despite the colonial cottage appearance of the architecture
this a very modern place. I have not seen anything this lovely in
many a year. It is a truly idyllic place with excellent social conditions.
Children hitchhike on this island, some with their surf boards. The
reason they hitchhike is because it is safe to do so. Almost zero crime,
much cooler temperatures than Rio de Janeiro yet the Brazilian ambiance
that make living in Brazil such a distinct pleasure is readily apparent
in every aspect of social interchange. Put this island on your list. |
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Barra da Lagoa has white sand beaches,
some nice restaurants and is a mere 20 minutes from Florianópolis.
Barra da Lagoa would be a lovely place to live. The temperature when we
were there, (July 2003) was cool enough to require a sweater. July is winter
in the southern hemisphere, and in January, (which is the summer of the
southern hemisphere,) Santa Catarina Island is a resort destination for
Argentines, Uruguayans and other Brazilians.
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There is a road that
circumnavigates almost the entire island, passing vistas that are spell
binding, small colonial towns, resorts, surfing beaches, small ranches,
lakes, blue seas, blue skies and sand dunes. It would require two, perhaps
three days to do justice to the island and even then it wouldn't be much
more than a kiss and a promise. The island has much to offer and as a place
to live I have not found a more tranquil and inviting spot. Santa Catarina
is as isolated from the worlds problems as one can ever get. Yet
it is fully connected to the modern world, and its people are well educated
and intelligent. |
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| On the western side of the island
we visited the town of Ribeirão da Ilha which is considered the
islands most 'typical' place. What is meant by the term typical is
vintage colonial. Indeed Ribeirão da Ilha is vintage colonial
and its Azorian architecture is often used as the backdrop to films and
'novellas' (Brazilian soap operas.) They were shooting a film in Ribeirão
da Ilha the day we were there.
Prices for houses in Ribeirão
da Ilha are slightly higher than Barra da Lagoa, and while Ribeirão
is a lovely place I'd put my money into Barra da Lagoa before I'd choose
Ribeirão. Be prepared to pay around $80,000+ for houses in Ribeirão;
although a fixer could be purchased for less. See photo of a fixer upper
that Chloé and I found and fell in love with in Ribeirão.
This house fronts on the beach and I could figure ten ways to turn it into
a show piece. |
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Is This Your Beachfront Fixer?
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What we are talking about when we
talk about Floripa is real estate that is very affordable.
Yes, you can spend a million dollars in Floripa, you can do that anywhere
in the world. But good solid real estate can be purchased in Floripa
for less than $100,000 - and I am talking about a decent house that you
can be proud of. In the local newspapers I did see properties for
US$500,000 and I did see the usual hype and glitter that appeals to those
with deep pockets. On Floripa it isn't necessary to have a gated
community, because there is no abundance of thieves to lock out.
Floripa is a reminder of a finer world when people could live side by side
without locked doors.
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| Florianópolis was first settled
by Spaniards in 1542, but by 1675 the Portuguese took control of the island.
The captaincy of Santa Catarina was created in 1738 to serve as an outpost
in the Portuguese - Spanish territorial wars. During the 19th century a
considerable immigration of non - Portuguese peoples occurred. Germans
arrived as early as 1829 and came in great numbers during the 1850s, settling
not only in Florianopolis, but also along the valleys in the mainland.
Anita Garibaldi, wife of Giuseppe Garibaldi fought in the Farroupilha Revolution
of 1839, an unsuccessful separatist rebellion in the early days of the
empire. Later other waves of immigrants from Italy, Poland, and Russia
arrived in Santa Catarina to build new lives. From the highly recommended
website: |
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It
is clear to me that Floripa is an excellent relocation destination.
If you want to return to a world where people live side by side in harmony
Floripa might be the best spot to look at. It is also worth noting that
Brazil doesn't declare war on other nations, and Brazil has no enemies
despite the fact that it is the only Portuguese speaking nation amidst
a large number of Spanish speaking nations. Brazil is the only nation
in the world that developed a nuclear bomb and then dismantled it along
with their entire nuclear weapons program. They decided that a nuclear
bomb was of no use to Brazil as it was not something that they would consider
using under any circumstance. Brazilians are known worldwide for their
dynamic outgoing personalities. What makes Brazil so special is not merely
its extraordinary natural environment, but the extraordinary makeup of
its people. Everyone likes Brazil and the Brazilian people; they have no
enemies because their foreign policy doesn't create enemies.
Marshall Eakin
in his book 'Brazil: The Once and Future Country,' states that, "Brazilians
have created a rich and complex nation that could become a major player
on the world stage in the twenty-first century. With enormous natural
and human resources, a strong industrial base, and a dynamic culture, Brazil
could play a prominent role in international politics, economic relations
and cultural affairs. It could become the first developing nation to enter
into the ranks of the great powers. Brazil could leave the Third
World."
Whether or
not Eakin is correct about Brazil leaving the Third World, (others have
made this same statement,) there is no questioning the dynamic quality
of Brazil and of the Brazilian people. It is true that Floripa doesn't
have the intense dynamic hustle of Rio de Janeiro, which may or may not
be missed by the potential expatriate to Floripa. What Floripa does
have is a very pristine environment, great beaches, reasonable real estate
prices and friendly people. Put it on your list. |
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Newspapers
Are Valuable Indicators
I find newspapers
to be an extremely important source of gaining preliminary real estate
information. Too many expats immediately go to an English speaking
real estate agent in order to find out about local real estate prices.
In the classified sections of a newspaper we get the for sale by owner
properties without the mark-up required by an agent. A classified
section gives us a clearer sense of actual prices because the prices are
aimed at locals who will know if a price is ridiculously high. It doesn't
take much to learn to read the real estate classifieds even when they are
in Portuguese. There are only a dozen or so words that are required to
be learned. Once we have a firm understanding of what the actual prices
are we can certainly seek out a real estate agent if we feel the need,
but by then we'll have a better understanding of local real estate reality
and we won't be subject to being given the 'stupid gringo' price.
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Some
newspapers that I found of value were:
Diário
Catarinense - http://www.diario.com.br
- This newspaper, totally in Portuguese, has a large classified section
with a wide listing of real estate. I see downtown apartments in
their classified for as low as $30,000 - It isn't impossible to figure
out what is what in a Brazilian newspaper. Real estate is called
imobiliária,
downtown is called 'centro' and most other listings are listed by
the name of the town. When you see the price, if the price is 150.000,00
- that means 150,000 Real. (The Real is the Brazilian currency
which is currently trading at almost three Real to the Dollar.) To
find out what the price is you simply divide by three and you have the
approximate price of the property. (US$50,000) Of course this
is not precisely accurate, and the currency prices are subject to change,
but this is an rough method of determining approximate prices until you
can sit down with a calculator and do precise calculations.
Another paper,
found in restaurants and hotels is the Jornal de Negócios,
however I cannot find an online source for this paper. Evidently
each city, or region has its own version of the Jornal de Negócios.
The Jornal O Estado does have a website: http://www.oestado.com.br
- While it doesn't have as large a classified section as Diário
Catarinense it is certainly an excellent source of information. Another
very good newspaper is the Jornal de Santa Catarina - http://www.santa.com.br
- It sports a very comprehensive real estate section.
Again, these
publications are in Portuguese, but with a little bit of work and a Portuguese/English
dictionary it is quite easy to decipher what you are reading. If you intend
to move to Brazil learning to read a Brazilian newspaper is a good place
to start learning the culture and the language. |
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Map - GeoGuia
Florianópolis - A resizable map of Floripa is available at:
GeoGuia
Florianópolis http://floripa.geoguia.com.br - The map has a
series of icons on the left hand side of the page. With some experimentation
it is possible to find any town on the island and expand a map of the area.
Matrix -
A Floripa Web Portal with culture, entertainment, weather and a wide
range of resources Matrix - http://www.matrix.com.br
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Search imobiliária
Florianópolis - Which means; 'real estate Florianópolis.'
As a place
to live Floripa would be idyllic. Starting a business in Floripa
is another matter. It is a resort area and those businesses related
to the resort industry should do well, but Santa Catarina Island is an
place where one should do their homework and spend sufficient time analyzing
the situation prior to making any sort of business investment. As
a place to live, Floripa is an excellent destination. If one makes their
living via the internet, or from international sources, than living in
Santa Catarina would be an excellent decision.
Floripa, the
state of Santa Catarina, and much of southern Brazil was settled by immigrants
from Germany, Italy, and Poland. Its ethnic make up and its southern
location create a unique place with unique people. There is only
one way to understand if Santa Catarina and Florianópolis
are for you and that is to go there and spend a some time getting the feel
of the place. Both Chloé and I were very much impressed with Ilha
Santa Catarina. Our three day schedule didn't allow us enough time
to do justice to the island. I myself am firmly committed to return
and spend a few weeks exploring the backwaters of this amazing island.
Among the many places I have seen it stands very tall.
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Real Estate In Brazil
- Real Estate In Florianópolis - Real
Estate In Brazil - Real Estate In Florianópolis - Current
real estate listings for Brazil & Florianópolis with color photos
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Vacation Rentals - Vacation
Rentals Including Florianópolis - Vacation Rentals worldwide
including Vacation Rentals in Florianópolis -
iFloripa.com, Your Source of
Information about Florianopolis, BrazilFlorianópolis
- Florianópolis Brazil
- iFloripa.com, Your Source of Information about Florianopolis, Brazil
- Has Sports, Ecology, History, Business, great photographs and cultural
information. (In English)
Taxi - Tour Service -
The father and son team of Neri and Jocelito are an excellent choice for
those seeking extended taxi service, or a trip around the island. Telephone
Celular 9971 7103 in Florianópolis - Note that neither Neal
or Jocelito speak English, but you will need to know a few words of Portuguese
to get along on the island in any regard. Bring a Portuguese-English Dictionary
or translation calculator.
Internet access is said to
be good throughout the island. I did not access the internet in Florianópolis
but there are two service providers listed:Floripa
Internet - Also try - UNETSUL
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Brazil:
The Once and Future Country - Brazil:
The Once and Future Country - a book that will introduce the reader
to Brazil written by Marshall Eakin
The current value of the Brazilian
currency, the Real
as of this writing is approximately U.S.34¢ - See my article Exciting
Real Estate Opportunities In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for an explanation
of how the fluctuation in currency prices effects real estate acquisition. |
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Friday, March 18, 2004
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1
US Dollar = 2.91200
Brazilian Real
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1 Brazilian
Real = 0.34341
US Dollar
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