Alto de Pinheiros | US$1.9 million (10.5 million Brazilian real)
A home designed by Ruy Ohtake with landscaping by Roberto Burle Marx
Renowned Brazilian architect Ruy Ohtake designed this four-bedroom, two-bathroom home in Alto de Pinheiros, an affluent part of western São Paulo, Brazil.
Alto de Pinheiros is popular for its green spaces, including the 181-hectare Parque Villa-Lobos and Parque Cândido Portinari, with Brazil's largest Ferris wheel. The Instituto Tomie Ohtake, a design museum named after Ruy Ohtake's mother, is south of the house. São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport is 27 miles east.
In 2024, the sellers updated the design with new air conditioning and solar heating, openings in the concrete structure for natural light, a poolside kitchen and a rooftop solarium. The house's modern furniture is included in the sale. The lush grounds were designed by Roberto Burle Marx, the modernist landscape architect whose work includes curved mosaic paths on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro.
Size: 3,983 square meters
Price per square meter: $490
Inside: Built in 1978, the brutalist-style house is cast in concrete. An entryway features tall plants and double-height ceilings. Primary colors dominate the main floor, including a red floating staircase, cobalt blue walls in the dining area and a cherry-colored wood-burning stove in the living room. The eat-in kitchen features integrated stainless steel appliances, white cabinets and concrete walls. In addition to a half bathroom on this floor, there is a one bedroom, one bathroom guest suite.
Upstairs there is a living room overlooking the ground floor. The master bedroom has an ensuite bathroom. Two additional bedrooms on this level share a bathroom. The bedrooms have concrete walls and hardwood floors.
Outdoor area: In front of it there is a large concrete area with parking for four cars and a small planting area. In the background, Burle Marx's undulating landscape designs surround a red-tiled swimming pool and an outdoor kitchen and dining area. The renovated roof terrace features a concrete-walled sauna and a hot tub.
Cost: The annual property tax, known as Imposto Predial e Territorial Urbano (IPTU), totals US$4,750 (25,6360 Brazilian reals). Since 2019, Brazil's “Golden Visa” program has offered residency by investment to foreign buyers of properties over $187,000 (1 million real) in the south and $131,000 (700,000 real) in northern regions.
Most foreigners can purchase residential property in Brazil without restrictions once they obtain a free tax identification number called Cadastro de Pessoa Física (CPF) through the Brazilian embassy in their country of residence or from government offices in Brazil. Closing costs may include a transfer tax of 3 percent, a deed fee of 0.5 to 2 percent based on the value of the property and a sliding scale land registration fee of 0.5 to 1 percent.
Contact: Carlos Figueira de Mello | Bossa Nova Sotheby's International Realty | +55-11-999-77-3366
Campos do Jordão | US$2.2 million (11.9 million Brazilian real)
A property with two lakes and native forests in the “Switzerland of Brazil”
This five-bedroom, five-bathroom home is located in the affluent Descansopolis neighborhood in Campos do Jordão, a mountain town in São Paulo state. Campos do Jordão is a popular tourist destination and is often referred to as “Brazil's Switzerland” due to its cooler climate and European-style architecture.
São José dos Campos Airport, with domestic and cargo flights, is about 80 kilometers to the southwest. The Felícia Leirner Museum, whose eight-acre site features 88 works by the late Polish-Brazilian sculptor, is about 10 miles southwest. São Paulo is about 100 miles southwest.
Size: 6,458 square meters
Price per square meter: $335
Inside: When the seller, a Brazilian textile manager, bought the 7.9 hectare property in 1995, it also included a small house. In 2008, he commissioned São Paulo architect Ricardo Schmidt to replace it with a larger house built from centuries-old wood salvaged from a defunct farm in the state of Minas Gerais.
The home is anchored by a great room with teak floors, a wood-burning fireplace, and soaring 15-foot ceilings. At one end of this floor is the eat-in kitchen with painted cabinets, stainless steel appliances and a traditional clay oven. On the other side there is a living room with a window. There are two en-suite bedrooms on the ground floor and a further two en-suite bedrooms and a fifth bedroom upstairs. The house has gas heating throughout the house.
Furniture is included in the sale.
Outdoor area: The property includes two lakes, dense native flora, an outdoor hot tub and an in-ground swimming pool. A covered wooden terrace runs the length of the house and overlooks the gardens and a river that winds through the property.
Cost: The annual property tax is US$2,100 (11,300 Brazilian Real). Through incentives tied to land management, owners receive an 80 percent reduction in property taxes for maintaining the property's native forests. The tax reduction is subject to annual control by the municipal administration.
Contact: Andreas Hahn | Real Estate Brazil | +49-1516-815-9883
Vila Nova Conceição | $1.8 million (9.9 million Brazilian real)
A 15th floor apartment with city views near Parque Ibirapuera
This four-bedroom, four-bathroom apartment is located in Vila Nova Conceição, a leafy residential neighborhood in the south of São Paulo.
Parque Ibirapuera, the city's largest and most popular park, is just a short walk east. Museums, a music hall and a planetarium are located on an area of 390 hectares. The Iguatemi Shopping Center, a shopping center with luxury brands such as Saint Laurent, Cartier and Bottega Veneta, is to the west. The area also offers numerous culinary options.
Size: 3,347 square meters
Price per square meter: $540
Inside: The 24-story building was completed in 2007 and the sellers purchased this 15th floor condo the following year. The apartment's double entrance doors lead to a large room whose floor-to-ceiling windows offer views of the city's high-rise landscape. The great room features hardwood floors, built-in shelving and lighted alcoves where vendors displayed art pieces. A windowed kitchen features glossy white cabinets, black tile floors, and stainless steel appliances. Next to the kitchen there is a separate breakfast room with wooden cabinets and floral wallpaper. All four bedrooms have en-suite bathrooms and large closets. Two of the bedrooms have access to the terrace.
Furniture, including custom-made pieces by Brazilian designers, is available by separate arrangement.
Outdoor area: The apartment's 215 square meter terrace is surrounded by glass. Four underground parking spaces are included in the sales price. The building features a private, landscaped recreation area with a lap pool, fitness center, children's playroom, resident lounge and multi-sports court.
Cost: The annual property tax is US$1,195 (6,378 Brazilian real). Total monthly fees are $1,775 (9,487 Brazilian Real).
Contact: Marlene Jarussi | Bossa Nova Sotheby's International Realty | +55-11-963-98-9777