Recent content by kayaksAndGlass

Avoid comparing this snapshot directly with another Brazilian city unless the samples and definitions align. Even within São Paulo, neighbourhood and price-band mix can move the aggregate. Cross-city conclusions would add another layer of uncertainty.

I’m not convinced financing should be the lead explanation yet. You would need to know whether the likely buyers in this price band are actually borrowing and on what terms. Seller urgency can create the same pattern. Are the properties vacant, partly occupied, or fully occupied, and are your...

That is the sensible order. Put the four properties into a simple table: exact micro-location, sale versus asking status, internal area, land or outdoor space, parking, condition, layout and recurring charges. Leave an item blank rather than guessing. Then run a low and high case. In the low...

I wouldn’t buy below your maximum solely because the report is long; inspectors tend to record minor defects as well as significant ones. But “basically sound” should not become a reason to ignore the total cost either. Price the urgent items, add moving costs and the first payment, then keep...

Four percent below does not sound inherently aggressive. I would avoid a long critique of the property: submit the number, financing proof and flexible completion date, then say the offer reflects the updating required and limited evidence from completed comparables. A concise, credible offer is...

Seller motivation matters more than trying to win the argument over comparables. Your flexible completion date may be valuable if their timing is the issue. Ask the agent whether price, speed, certainty of financing or completion timing matters most. They may not disclose much, but the response...

Ask for the actual service-charge amount and when liability starts rather than estimating it from another building. Also get a written moving quote based on access to this particular flat and building. Those two figures may not decide the purchase, but replacing guesses with current numbers will...

Before judging 12%, I’d want to know whether the unit is vacant or occupied, and why the earlier deal collapsed. With retail property, two apparently similar units can differ materially because of tenancy, condition, access and ongoing building costs. Those details may explain more than...

The neighbourhood field needs to be narrow. A single “Rio de Janeiro retail” category can mix street shops, units inside galleries and other commercial formats serving different footfall. I would record the actual neighbourhood, the retail format and whether the quoted boundary is being used...

Putting the replies together, I would request a sample redacted deliverable before appointing anyone. Not a sales deck—a representative condition report, budget format, change log and responsibility schedule. That is independent evidence of how the service operates. Then speak separately with...

The budget timing is part of my concern. A major sewer expense soon after completion would compete with moving costs, immediate repairs, the first mortgage payment and the emergency fund. I can delay furniture, but I would rather identify a buried problem before deciding how much cash can safely...

The general inspection is booked for a 230 m² villa in Rio de Janeiro, but it excludes the private sewer line. The house is older and there are mature trees near the street. I have also been given a R$302,400 estimate for full replacement, while a separate camera scope would cost far less...

I partly disagree that completed sales will settle it. They are useful, but they describe deals agreed earlier and may not capture a recent change in new-listing volume. On service charges, buyers may not be able to negotiate the charge attached to the building, but they can reflect it in their...

The +7.0% needs a defined comparison period before it is useful. Is that month over month, year over year, or a change within the sampled listings? Asking prices also should not be blended with completed-sale prices. I’d present those as separate series even if the sale evidence is thin.

For the cash downside, I would require three figures rather than one impressive total: currently supported costs, allowances for items not yet investigated, and work explicitly outside the estimate. The contract should explain when extra fees arise. If access or records are incomplete before...