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Imóvel em Búzios

Can foreigners buy property in Brazil? A step-by-step guide to buying in Búzios

By · CRECI-RJ 112060

Yes. Foreigners can buy a house, apartment or urban plot in Brazil, whether or not they live here. The law that restricts purchases by foreigners, Law 5.709/1971, applies to rural land. For urban property, such as homes in Búzios, the process is the same as for a Brazilian buyer, with a few extra documents. This guide walks you through it.

What a foreign buyer needs

CPF

The CPF is the Brazilian tax ID issued by the Receita Federal (Federal Revenue). It is required for the deed, the registration and the payment of taxes. If you live outside Brazil, you apply for a CPF in person at a Brazilian consulate or embassy, according to gov.br. Do this before closing, because there is no deed without a CPF.

Identity document

A valid passport. If you are married, the marital property regime and your spouse's details go into the deed, so have your marriage certificate at hand. Foreign documents may need a sworn translation and an apostille; check with the notary office first.

Power of attorney, if you cannot travel

You can buy without being in Brazil through an attorney-in-fact. The power of attorney must be a public instrument with specific powers for the purchase, and it can be drawn up at a Brazilian consulate.

Step by step

1. Choose the property and negotiate: price, payment terms and timeline.

2. Check the paperwork: an up-to-date registration record (matrícula) from the Property Registry Office, the seller's certificates, and any IPTU (property tax) or condominium debts. If the property sits on terreno de marinha, the coastal strip owned by the Federal Government, there are specific rules and fees. This shows on the matrícula and should be checked before signing.

3. Sign the purchase agreement: a deposit is common, with the balance paid at the deed.

4. Pay the ITBI: the municipal property transfer tax charged by the Búzios city government, paid before registration.

5. Sign the public deed (escritura): at a notary office.

6. Register the deed: at the Property Registry Office. The property is legally yours only after registration.

Hire a lawyer in Brazil to review the documents and the contract. It is the safest way to buy for anyone, and even more so if you are not familiar with the Brazilian system.

How to bring the money

Send the funds through a bank or institution authorised by the Banco Central (Central Bank of Brazil), with a foreign exchange contract. Keep every transfer receipt: they show where the money came from, and you will need them if you later sell and want to send the proceeds abroad, or if you apply for residence.

Does buying property give you the right to live in Brazil?

Buying does not grant a visa automatically. However, there is a residence permit for real estate investors, set out in CNIg Normative Resolution No. 36/2018. Under this rule, the minimum investment is R$ 1 million in urban property, built or under construction, with funds from abroad. The application is made on the government's Immigration Portal. Requirements can change, so confirm the current rule before relying on it.

Among the properties for sale on Imóvel em Búzios in October 2026, a sample of the market, 89 of the 95 with a listed price cost R$ 1 million or more. The median price is R$ 2.8 million.

Where to buy in Búzios

Each neighbourhood has its own profile. Geribá has open sea and its own shops and restaurants, Ferradura has calm waters and high-end homes, Manguinhos is more residential, and in the Centro you can do everything on foot.

Summary

  • Can you buy: yes, urban property with no special restriction.
  • You need: a CPF, a passport and, if you cannot come to Brazil, a public power of attorney.
  • The property is yours: once the deed is registered at the Property Registry Office.
  • Residence: possible through real estate investment, from R$ 1 million, under the CNIg rule.

This guide is for information only and does not replace advice from a lawyer. Rony works with buyers from outside Brazil and shows the properties in person; message him on WhatsApp.