What are closing costs for buying property in Brazil

Closing costs beyond the purchase price typically include ITBI (municipal transfer tax, often two to three percent), notary fees (emolumentos) for the escritura pública, land registry fees for property registration, legal fees, sworn translation of foreign documents, Hague Apostille costs, bank wire fees, and potential condominium transfer or clearance charges. Total buyer-side closing costs often aggregate between three and six percent of purchase price, though this varies significantly by municipality and transaction complexity.

Typical buyer costs

Seller-paid commissions to real estate agents are separate from buyer closing costs and are typically paid by the seller under local custom — though this should never be assumed without contract review. Contract terms explicitly allocate ITBI, notary fees, and registry costs between buyer and seller; these allocations are negotiable during contract negotiation.

Agent commissions

Your lawyer provides a transaction-specific closing cost estimate during due diligence based on the property's municipality, declared price, and registry profile — preventing surprises at property closing when funds must be available immediately.