Brazil

Brazil was the 9th fastest growing economy in 2007. Furthermore, in a thesis produced in 2003 by Goldman Sachs investment bank, Brazil was categorised as part of BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India & China). This thesis argued that by 2050, BRIC has the potential to become a powerful economic group of countries, eclipsing all other economies in the world. This potential for Brazil is being carefully nurtured too through broad spectrum reforms and domestic investment. This has already yielded results in the ever increasing number of tourists flowing into the country.

As the Brazilian economy continues to pick up pace and inflation continues to slow down, the figures bode well for those property investors interested in short or long term capital growth.

According to the Global Property Guide, the Brazilian Real is 'surging', having shown 'impeccable performance in the last few years, with a 69% increase against the US dollar.' This impressive growth has made the Real far more competitive with other international currencies of course and has helped open the door to foreign investment in the country.

While Portuguese is the official language, many other European languages are also spoken widely, including English, French and Spanish. This can obviously be a distinct advantage when going through the process of buying, selling or maintaining a property abroad.

Foreign investors are welcomed by the government and so the off plan purchase process in Brazil is relatively straight forward. While there are some restrictions on rural properties, non-resident investors share equal rights to Brazilian residents and are able to directly purchase and own property or land.

In this respect, Brazil is one of the few emerging markets that enable foreign investors to 'own both land and property in their own names on a 100% freehold basis. Additionally, investment syndicates are also encouraged, as up to ten names are permissible on the title deeds.

Brazil is highly regarded to be one of the most promising emerging markets in the world, with fantastic tourist growth. Investors are realising that now is the time to invest in this potentially hugely rewarding market. Brazil's currency is no longer linked to the US dollar, so investors are buying prime beach front development projects while the prices are still incredibly low.