Real Estate Lawyers in Brazil for Foreign Clients
For international clients who value their time and expect exacting standards. Independent counsel, a dedicated team, and meticulous coordination of your Brazilian property matters.
The right legal advice can change a purchase, a sale, or the way you protect a property you already own. Oliveira Lawyers represents international clients across Brazil, from the first document review through closing, ownership planning, and disputes. Our bilingual team is led by Luciano Oliveira, an attorney licensed in Brazil, Texas, and California.
Our selective approach. We work with clients who want candid advice and coordinated legal representation. Whether you need a focused review or a team to manage the transaction, we agree the scope, responsibilities, and professional fees in writing.
Why Clients Trust Oliveira Lawyers
- Independent advice before you commit. We take no realtor commission. Our property and seller checks inform your decision to proceed, renegotiate, or walk away.
- Contracts shaped around your plans. Buying or selling, we negotiate payment terms, deadlines, and remedies based on the document review and your priorities.
- Coordinated payment and closing. Regulated banks handle your funds. We coordinate documents and legal steps with the bank and notary through registration.
- A team you can follow. Our attorneys coordinate your case. An online board and dedicated WhatsApp group keep documents, decisions, and next steps visible.
- Support beyond the transaction. We help with property disputes and future sales. Immigration, tax, and estate services are available under separately agreed scopes.
Judgment clients have relied on. Clients describe avoiding a problematic purchase, completing a property sale, and navigating remote closing. Read our client reviews for their own accounts.
Start with an online consultation. Discuss your property, plans, and deadlines in a 40-minute Zoom consultation with Luciano Oliveira.
What Our Real Estate Clients Say
Selected excerpts from five-star Google reviews about buying, selling, and related legal support.
“Paulo and Luciano conducted very thorough due diligence on our behalf, steered us clear of a bad deal, made us aware of risks, handled all the bureaucracy and put extra protections in place for us in the contract.”
“Livia Lopez did a fantastic job of handling the sale of my house. She went above and beyond locating a realtor and handling the sale on my behalf. Even while dealing with a complicated buyer.”
“In the end, the closing was flawless. At some point I realized that I needed help operating the e-notariado app for signing the documents remotely: The team established a separate zoom call immediately to help me out!”
“We selected Oliveira Lawyers and are very please with the result, because we now own a house near Rio and just received our residency approval for the next 4 years.”
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“Transferring funds from outside of Brasil, managing interactions with the seller, and managing the interactions with banks, and tax requirements, and registration of the completed purchase of the property. I can highly recommend him.”
“They handled every complex detail of my property acquisition in Valinhos with precision, from the international fund transfers to the final digital signatures. Despite the geographical distance and the complexities of coordinating between four countries and 4 continents, they provided constant communication and total transparency.”
“Luciano and Patrick provided expert guidance through every step of the transaction. They were very responsive from start to finish and took time to explain the nuances of the legal issues and the process for closing the transaction.”
“Paulo Sales negotiated all the terms of the purchase agreement with the seller and the seller’s attorney, and made sure all the necessary documents and background checks were accomplished.”
“Thanks to Oliverira Lawyers, I am now the proud owner of a beautiful beachfront condo in Brazil. I cannot recommend them highly enough to anyone—especially fellow foreigners—looking for reliable legal guidance and excellent client service in Brazil.”
“Thankfully I chose Oliveira to set up the transaction because there were issues that arose at the end of completing the sale . Marina was very helpful quickly clearing it up with the proper documents.”
“Regarding assistance with property purchases, Marina was very helpful. She handled all matters with banks, real estate agencies, lawyers, and the opposing party.”
“My husband and I hired Oliveira Lawyers to assist us with purchasing a condo in Brazil, and we couldn't be happier with our experience! The entire team demonstrated exceptional efficiency and professionalism from start to finish.”
“With their combined expertise and experience, Luciano Oliveira, Georgia Machado, and Paulo Sales did an outstanding job of helping me as a foreign national to successfully purchase real estate in Brazil.”
“Part 2: I made the choice to remain with the firm through the home buying process… Everything went great!!! They had my back 100% through it all. Thank you to Paulo and Marina for being there.”
“Excellent team and a great experience. Great service from the very start. The communication was exceptional and they really took all of the stress and fear out of buying a property abroad. They were happy to advise me at every step.”
“Buying property in Brazil can be very intimidating for foreigners who do not speak Portuguese, but Luciano and Paulo assisted with every step and made sure everything was done correctly and I was protected from any mistakes.”
Find the Right Real Estate Service for Your Plans
Choose the support that matches your stage: reviewing an opportunity, completing a transaction, managing ownership, or addressing a dispute.
Below you will see the main categories of services we provide in the real estate sector along with links to the respective pages.
Start here: how buying works, and where a lawyer fits
New to buying in Brazil? Start here. A foreign buyer benefits from independent checks of the property and seller, a negotiated contract, and coordination through deed registration. That is exactly what we do, from first offer to final registration.
Buying property
Whether it is an off-plan unit, a home in a particular region, or a purchase made through a company or with a spouse, we handle the legal side of acquiring it — due diligence, contracts, currency compliance, and registration — so you understand the risks and proposed protections before committing.
- Off-Plan Property (Na Planta)
- Where to Buy in Brazil
- Buying as a Couple
- 15 Reasons to Buy Real Estate in Brazil
- 15 Reasons Not to Buy Real Estate in Brazil—or to Wait
- Can Foreigners Own Property in Brazil?
Due diligence & verification
Before any money moves, we examine the property records, the seller’s authority, and the risks affecting the transaction. We pull the registry records and run the checks that surface liens, lawsuits, and encumbrances a listing will never show you — so you can assess the findings before deciding how to proceed.
- Preliminary Property Review
- Real Estate Due Diligence
- Verify Property Records
- Real Estate Investigations
Choosing a lawyer & protecting yourself
Choosing the right lawyer matters as much as choosing the right property. Look for counsel who is independent of the seller and broker, works in your language, and explains the scope in writing — and we flag the scams and shortcuts that target foreign buyers.
- Choosing the Right Lawyer
- Clients Good Lawyers Turn Away
- Cheap or No-Upfront Lawyer: the Risks
- How to Avoid Scams in Brazil
Selling property
Selling from abroad carries its own legal and tax steps. We represent you through the sale — from the paperwork and clearances to getting the proceeds out of Brazil correctly — so you are not exposed on the way out.
Owning & holding
How you hold Brazilian property affects your taxes, your succession, and your control of it. We assess the ownership structure and any power-of-attorney arrangements with you, including which steps can be completed remotely.
Real estate disputes
When a deal or a property goes wrong, we act. We pursue money lost on failed and off-plan purchases, address developer breaches, and pursue appropriate remedies for occupied property.
Residency through property
A qualifying property investment can open a path to residency in Brazil. We plan the purchase so it meets the program’s rules from day one and carry the residency application alongside it, with eligibility and documentation assessed separately.
For developers & brokers
We also work the other side of the market: advising developers on their projects and partnering with brokers, with the legal structure and contracts that keep a transaction clean for everyone in it.
Frequently Asked Questions About Real Estate Lawyers in Brazil
Do I need a lawyer to buy property in Brazil?
Independent legal review helps you assess title, seller, and contract risks before committing. Our agreed scope can cover due diligence, contract negotiation, closing coordination, and deed registration. See how to buy in 15 steps or full-service support.
How do you check that a property and the seller are legitimate?
We pull the property’s registry records and run due-diligence checks that surface liens, lawsuits, unpaid taxes, and ownership defects a listing will never show you — before any money moves. See real estate investigations and verifying property records.
Can you handle everything if I cannot travel to Brazil?
Yes. Most of our foreign-client matters — purchases, sales, and filings — run remotely under a power of attorney, so you rarely need to set foot in Brazil.
How do I know a Brazil real estate lawyer is trustworthy?
Confirm the lawyer is registered with the OAB (the Brazilian bar), works in your language, and is independent of the seller and the broker. Be wary of anyone who rushes you, asks for money before a written engagement, or requests a personal PIX or WhatsApp transfer. See choosing the right lawyer.
Can you help me sell property in Brazil from abroad?
Yes. We represent sellers through the whole sale — clearances, paperwork, and getting the proceeds out of Brazil correctly. See real estate sale support.
Should I hold Brazilian property in my own name or through a company?
It depends on your tax situation, your succession plans, and how many properties you hold. We advise on the right structure and set it up for you. See holding real estate through an LLC.
What can you do if my property is occupied, or a developer did not deliver?
We assess the evidence and available remedies for failed purchases, developer breaches, and occupied property. The appropriate procedure and prospects depend on the facts of the matter. See real estate litigation and recovering occupied property.
Can buying property in Brazil lead to residency?
A qualifying property investment can open a path to residency. We plan the purchase so it meets the program’s rules from day one and carry the residency application alongside it. See the Brazil Golden Visa.
Buying property in Brazil as a foreigner?
Or write to [email protected]
Reviewed by Luciano Oliveira · October 2026.
For general information only; this is not legal advice. Retain your own attorney for advice about your circumstances before acting on this information.