Brazil Property LawyerA listing, a visit and a draft contract cannot by themselves establish whether a purchase is legally sound. The review should be designed for the property in question.
Begin with the property record
The matrícula is the record kept by the competent Real Estate Registry Office. An up-to-date full copy can show the property description, registered owner, recorded rights, liens and restrictions. Brazilian law recognizes the full-copy certificate as evidence of the registered status of these matters. Compare its details with the property being offered and the seller named in the deal.
A record is a starting point, not a certificate that every aspect of a purchase is safe. Its content, age and relation to the actual property all matter.
Then investigate the seller and the transaction
- Confirm who will sign, whether that person has authority, and whether other consents or parties may be involved.
- Examine relevant debts, proceedings and obligations that could affect the deal, including property taxes and condominium charges where applicable.
- Check that the proposed contract accurately describes the property, price, payment route, deadlines and conditions.
- For land, off-plan units or unusual arrangements, expand the review to the project, approvals and rights actually being sold.
What should the conclusion say? A useful review identifies the documents examined, unresolved points, the effect of each material risk and the options: proceed, seek a safeguard or correction, or reconsider the purchase.
When should it happen?
Ideally, before signing a binding commitment or paying a substantial amount. If timing is tight, the proposed agreement should be assessed for workable conditions and a clear allocation of risk. The right scope depends on the facts; no short checklist substitutes for a transaction-specific review.
Legal source
Brazilian Public Records Law (Law 6,015/1973), article 19, paragraph 11 — the full-copy property record and what it establishes.