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@marcyrw

Hello and welcome on board !

Feel free to have a look at the ads posted in the Housing in Sao Paulo section. You may also create your own "looking for" advert in the same section so that agents may contact you.

All the best

Bhavna

    Hello, we will be seeking an apartment for rent in Sao Paulo for a 12 month period starting either August or September. Our budget is between 12,500 and 20,000 Brazilian Reals ($2500 to $4000 USD) per month. We would like to know how to get the best real estate agents in Sao Paulo to help us find the best apartment in the most desirable location. Any recommendations you have would be much appreciated.
   

    -@marcyrw

1..Your budgeted rent, for most part,  is well above local standards.  You can get settled pretty much anywhere, even posh neighborhoods, depending upon what you seek, there is.

2.I| am a licensed RE Agent. Nowadays not much into the retail trade ( Mostly focused on entire buildings, warehouses ). . But, I can always refer to one located into your desired neighborhood  if needed.  With  me, cabfare for showings is at the seeker's expense. I've got tired being the tourist guide for free.

3.Most listings in Sao Paulo, sales or rentals, are non exclusive.  Landlords seldom ever grant exclusive listing windows. Get someone who can work with you and that person can knock pretty much in any door they can find. 

4.For apartment viewings, there is a citywide protocol on vacant units.  You can only visit them from Monday through Friday during 9-6pm, and Saturdays at most, 1pm. No Sundays, no Holidays.  Keys are often under control of the super, so if no pre booking is made, you won't see the unit.  The doorman can have the key, but if the Super did not authorize, you won't see the unit. Period.

5.For outsiders, whatever they told is where they should live is where they will go. This is done often times at the expense of their living budget. Just because your ceiling is USD 4,000, does not mean you should spend all of it.

There are a lot of places off the beaten path that could meet your needs, but when brokers take "Gringos", they won't show them.  So keep it low, and see where it takes you. If you want to spring the extra, then do it after you've seen what's around.   

6.Mind you, yours USD 4,000 will take you as far as the unit size and neighborhood can meet you on what's available.   There are places out there that go far beyond that limit.

7.Make sure to spec it out what you want. Floor size, garage,ammenities.

8.Contracts here , for your typical residential condo unit. tend to be at 30 month term, however, is a given , that once you elapsed the 12 month stay, you are allowed to break the lease penalty free.   

9.Deposit money.  Very seldom you will find a landlord that takes security deposit from foreigners. If any, it's a three month up front, and it can't be used against rent due at the tail end of the contract.   Mind you, the cap limit on Security Deposit ( aKA Caução ) is three months of rent, tops.  They cannot charge you concomitant forms of rent guarantees. It's either this or the ones posted beneath. 

The most commonly form of guarantee landlords want is called "Seguro Fiança" which is an insurace policy they can collect in case of  non payment of rent, or damage against property. The underwriting insurer will then run the credit check on you. 

If they can't find ways to accommodate you, then the same underwriter has something called " Título de capitalização " or an interest bearing  Bond. 

The difference between Seguro Fiança  and Título de capitalização  is that the former you have no recovery of the sunk money, regardless of your payment standing or being a good tenant. It is money out of the window. The policy premium can be parsed on 10 monthly installments, year after year of tenancy.

The later, or Título de capitalização it is a lump sum payment at the begining, before the contract is signed, you are in line to earn some modest  interest on it , and you can recover the accrued totals  at the end of the lease, provided the lease terms have been met by you. The calculated lump sum  amount can extrapolate those three months, my estimate, anywhere from 4-6 months up front ( now you see why budgeting and going for the lease expensive makes sense ).

10.Most often Condo dues and property taxes are borne by  tenant .  Only now some real estate investors  ( very few yet ) are considering to make rental rates as a one lump payment. Most of your contracts will list Rent, Condo Dues, and Property Taxes, all of which paid by you while under tenancy.

11.Most of the time, brokerage fee is paid by the landlord. And showings are not supposed to be charged for. And you do not pay for the paperwork /background fee.

That's pretty much it.  You are free to PM me if you need more information.

Tony

@sprealestatebroker WOW, great information, Tony. Thank you so much. Please let me know how I can PM you - not sure, since I'm new to this website and format.

Thanks again!

-Marcy RW.

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