Before hiring a real estate agent, the potential buyer must clearly understand the reasons why he or she wants to make the investment: for entrepreneurship, profit or resale investment, for retirement or as a second residence; or even as the main residence. These reasons lead to a second criterion: location. With this information in hand, the real estate agent will be able to provide adequate consulting, by giving guidance and seeking out the real estate options that best for your needs.

• Investing in entrepreneurship: if you are planning to build hotels, resorts, condominiums and other such enterprises in Brazil, it is important to determine the public that will be targeted as potential clients, the profile of the business, and the local market where you will be working. Based on this information, the real estate agent or company will choose the most adequate terrain and location. Regions with an intense flow of people may be more suited for opening hotels, bed-and-breakfast and restaurants. However, a setting with less people may still offer rich possibilities of future exploration, as long as an evaluation is conducted regarding the likelihood of that specific area increasing in value.
  
  
•  For selling or reselling: for those whose objective is to obtain a profit from the investment, locations with a higher potential for an increase in value should be closely considered and studied. Real estate along the coast usually offer great possibilities for profit, both in terms of a future increase in value and the money earned by renting the property. Foreign investor must consider the strength of their own currencies in comparison to the Brazilian currency. In the case of the euro or the North American dollar, for example, prices in Brazil are quite attractive when placed side-by-side with comparable real estate options in their countries.
  
  
• As the main residence: the great urban centers are the best choices for those who choose Brazil as their permanent place of residence because they also offer more work opportunities. After selecting the location, the investor must research the site, the local inhabitants and the customs around the region. Successive visits and conversations with local residents will help the process of adapting to a new place of residence.