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Hi rc,

I guess that you actually have been looking around for rentals in person when you were in Fortaleza. That's probably why the rents got jacked up as soon as they found out you were an American, that's pretty typical everywhere here. The average Brazilian has the misguided idea that money grows on trees "no exterior" and that we gringos have money to burn. In fact in most tourist cities there are actually three sets of prices for almost everything, one for the locals, one slightly higher for Brazilian tourists and a third even higher still for foreigners. I've lived in places where you actually have to carry proof of address (light / water / phone bill) showing you live there in order to "qualify" for the price locals are charged.

Perhaps you should think of searching for a place using a more "at arms length" approach, and if you do find something interesting get somebody else (a Brazilian) to check it out even further. Kind of hard to jack the price up if it has already been negotiated and then the negotiator introduces you into the scenario to the surprise of the property owner once things have been firmed up.

Another thing would be to conduct a search online there are two really good national real estate sites     and      they both allow search by state, city, type of property, rent/buy, no. of bedrooms, and price range. The prices are shown so it's kind of hard to weasle one's way out of that kind of deal. Most of their ads also have photos so you can actually see some of what you're going to get too.

Just a thought.

Cheers
James

As usual ! Thanks James .In the past I have set up trips to Rio for family,friends and clients but just for holidays.A few times in other parts of Brazil and this included Fortaleza. It's a big difference for a longer period of time like a year or more.In the past I had a Brazilian friend talk to the people on the phone then we would get a price for a place . Except when I showed up and they heard me speak things changed.I should of just let my Brazilian friend go but I needed to see the place.I will check these sites .I have also found some of the people that rip off tourists the most are other Gringos or expats . I saw this in Rio a lot.You know the guy that wants to be your friend and give you that we are from the same country kind of deal!I am ex US Navy ! So , I have seen it all !   I plan on visiting soon and looking then too but my time will be limited ! Thanks again ! Do you ever sleep!  lol

James is their an English version of these two sites?

Actually Rick, when you get older you sleep much less!!!    But, yes I do sleep quite well thanks!


If your navigator doesn't tranlate the sites for you, then you're going to have to muddle through with the Portuguese you've already picked up since they don't have an English version for either site.

Perhaps I can give you a few tips that might help you in browsing the sites:

ALUGAR = RENT (VERB)
ALUGUEL =  RENT (NOUN)
LOCAÇÃO = RENTAL
QUARTO(S) = BEDROOM(S)
CASA =  HOUSE
APARTAMENTO = APARTMENT
COBERTURA = PENTHOUSE
SOBRADO =  DUPLEX
VAGA(S) = PARKING SPACE(S)

Hope that will at least get you started on these sites.

Cheers,
James

You should try this brazilian free ads website OLX :
This property portal from Ceara , outro
There are portuguese website only. I do not think there are english site in Ceara and if there would, you would pay definitely gringoes price.  There is a price displayed for each property. You should actually negociate this price and get a better one, not a worse one. So no reason to have gringoes price. If price goes up, just leave. Just be carreful with the contrat (6 months or 12 months). Generally condominio (property charges) are included. Check if water included (generally included for appartment, I do not think for houses).

Confirmation that a lot of expats just try to sell their business to new entrant (or worse, to rob them)  A lot of other like me just try to help on this forum but like also to keep their distance. For a few reasons:  we are busy with our day to day life; some people would abuse of our kindness and would like actually that we do tourist guides, pick them in the airport and much more; ultimately for security reasons, we do not want that people that we do not know, gringoes or brazilians, get involved in our life (this is brazil).

Just one small note:

By law, rental contracts in Brazil are fixed to a duration of 30 months. (That is not to say you have to stay 30 months though).

If you rent and cancel the contract in the first 12 months, there is a contractual fine which is equal to the unpaid balance of the first 12 months rent.

From the 13th month onward there is no longer a fine for cancellation, if you give notice of intent to vacate.

Rents can ONLY be increased on the anniversary date of the contract and are limited by law to a specific percentage (usually around the rate of inflation).

Most rentals require a deposit (usually equal 2 or 3 months rent) which then becomes the period of notice required to vacate. The landlord is required to use that deposit as the rent payments for the months following notice to vacate.

To rent in Brazil you may be required to provide a guarantor (fiador) or private rental insurance (or both) in order to obtain a contract.

Condominium fees are generally NOT included in the rent, they can be extremely expensive in some cases almost like an additional monthly rent payment depending on what is included. Only in the newest buildings in Brazil is water individually metered for each apartment, your condominium fee WILL NOT include the water bill in this case. If there is a single meter for the building's water then each tenant will pay a specific percentage of the water bill based on square footage of the rental unit they occupy. This is almost always IN ADDITION to any condominium fees and is supposed to be posted publicly somewhere in the common area of buildings for all tenants to see.

Landlords are permitted to pass their property taxes (IPTU) along to tenants, so this is something you must consider in your budget.

You are required to return a rental unit in exactly the same condition it was when you received it, except for normal wear and tear. If it was freshly painted when you took possession, for example, then you must repaint before you return the keys. If in rare cases a rental unit has appliances or other furnishings these too must be repared if you have caused damage, not normal wear and tear.

While the law requires ALL condominiums to have insurance that covers all of the buildings in case of catastrophic loss, many don't have insurance. You should ALWAYS arrange your own insurance to cover not only your contents, but also liability insurance to protect you should you be legally responsible for fire, etc., that causes damage to your unit and any other parts of the building. Better safe than sorry here. Can you imagine the astronomical cost of having a fire in your apartment that destroys a major portion of the building, only to find out later the condominium did not have the required insurance and you were being sued for the damages? Yikes.

Utility bills and the legal responsibility for paying them are tied to the property, not to the individual so your landlord will want to see receipts for payment of such bills even if they're in your name, to make sure that he's not going to be stuck paying for them.

Send me a PM. I can get you something nice and safe on the beach 10km south of Cumbuco for less than R$1000/month

Thank you all soo much!!!!!!!

These sites are soooo much help. Thanks again !!!!!!!