ILN: BUYING AND SELLING REAL ESTATE - AN INTERNATIONAL GUIDE

[BUYING AND SELLING REAL ESTATE IN BRAZIL]

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Municipal transfer tax shall not be levied, but State Donation and causa mortis shall be the payable tax instead. Urban Real Estate Property Tax (“IPTU”). All urban real estate property in Brazil owned by individuals or legal entities as at January 1st of each year, is subject to Urban Real Estate Property Tax payable to the municipality within whose jurisdiction the property is located. IPTU is the main annual tax imposed on urban real estate properties, and the surface area of the real estate property, its location, the value of its constructions etc. are used to calculate such tax. Rural Real Estate Property Tax (“ITR”). All rural real estate property in Brazil owned by individuals or legal entities as at January 1st of each year, is subject to Rural Real Estate Property Tax, payable to the Federal Government. Calculation of ITR is based on information provided by the property owner to the Federal Revenue (information includes the surface area, the purpose of its use, extent of preserved native forest, agricultural production, among several other considerations). Tax on income from property rental, or the sale of property (capital gain tax), pursuant to federal tax provisions, apply on real property leases or sales. Given the frequent amendments to tax legislation, it is highly advisable that all property related taxes are revisited and re-calculated, as necessary. 12. NOTES ON THE REAL ESTATE REALTOR ACTIVITIES Under Brazilian law, a Real Estate Realtor must be registered with the relevant agency (“CRECI”). A broker’s participation in a transaction is not mandatory but if a broker has been hired, even if the broker is not responsible for the effective conclusion of the transaction, regardless of whether the transaction is duly concluded, the realtor’s fees would still be due .

The parties may (and should) agree to incorporate a provision in the deed of sale stipulating effective conclusion of the transaction as a prerequisite to the payment of realtor’s commission. A realtor’s commission may vary in accordance with the arrangement between the party and the broker, with an upper limit of 6% per cent of the purchase price, established by law in general/standard/conventional cases.

ILN Real Estate Group – Buying and Selling Real Estate Series

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