By Lisa Flueckiger, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Finding an opportunity to invest in Brazil can be difficult, especially from the outside, as the process can be bureaucratic and less than transparent, not to mention in Portuguese. The real estate sector is no exception, but a new American expatriate-launched business, Best Brazil Investments, is specialized to help.
Best Brazil Investments (BBI), a real estate company in Rio de Janeiro, offers exclusive real estate as business opportunities in Brazil and special assistance and property management for investors from abroad.
BBI was founded out of the challenges faced in the Brazilian real estate market, such as the lack of commitment, as well as the many difficulties foreign investors face in the market.
It is led by Mark Lassise, an American with six year business experience in Brazil among others in the real estate market and as the host of TV series ‘Olhar estrangeiro’, and Monica Lima, a Carioca who works as an international real estate agent in both New York and Brazil.
“Monica and I met each other in 2010 before the real estate market reached the highest peak in Brazil. We were sharing our frustration and how difficult [it is] for international investors to obtain a piece of property in Brazil. [There is a] serious lack of English information and general knowledge. We saw an opportunity to build something special using a commitment based approach with our exclusive listings,” Lassise told The Rio Times.
Both partners work as a team, Lima brings in her experience as a real estate broker and Lassise focuses on consulting foreign investment. And as in so many business transactions in Brazil, it is important to know the Brazilian culture and the way things are handled, something both can share with their clients.
“We help foreigners navigate this often times confusing process. Then after the purchase I offer my property management service to maintain the asset. It is a turn-key operation and one a foreigner can trust because I understand what they expect in business,” Lassise explained.
Next to the differential in investment expertise for foreigners, BBI also commits to sell the properties that they have been entrusted with. They invest in marketing, direct mailings and even have a special approach on how to show their properties.
“We have a unique approach to marketing our properties through video production to give the foreign investor a chance to walk trough the property without being here. Our brand is unmatched in Rio de Janeiro,” Lassise stated.
“We educate the seller how important [it is] to go exclusive. Also, we basically select our exclusive listings very carefully and we sell business opportunities in Brazil,” he added.
Furthermore, BBI is currently in the pre-production of a web series called the “BBI Show”, which will be about innovative ideas for investors to generate income with their properties in Brazil and another service to encourage foreign investment in Brazil’s real estate sector.