David Beckham set to boost Natal property market

Football legend David Beckham is to open the first ‘David Beckham World of Sport’ complex in Natal, Brazil, to coincide with the nation’s hosting of the 2014 World Cup. Part of a wider resort boasting a Rubens Barrichello motor racing school as well as academies for golf, polo and tennis, this north easterly region of Brazil will become world-famous, but with luxury properties still available for under £60,000 there has never been a better time to invest.

Beckham, who has already set up professional sports academies both in London and at his current base with MLS side LA Galaxy, was in Brazil for the announcement this week and said in a statement to the press, “I am honoured to be associated with this incredible project which will build world-class sporting facilities in Brazil, hopefully having a major impact at a local level and internationally”. Beckham hopes to give opportunities to gifted but disadvantaged children, rather than teaching them how to play the game, for this is a country that simply doesn’t need teaching fancy footwork.

Brazil is known worldwide for its love of the ‘beautiful game’ with legends such as Pelé catapulting this incredible country in to the public eye. Samantha Gore, Sales & Marketing Director of Brazil real estate specialist uv10 commented, “although some might think that a soccer academy offers a tenuous link to the property market, tourism and property investment are close cousins, each having a huge knock–on affect on the other. The more people attracted to an area the more buoyant the property market becomes, for they all need short-term accommodation – just look at how Disneyland transformed Florida’s property market and the same can be said for Dubailand in tourist-hungry Dubai.”

Samantha continues, “Major global sporting events automatically improve local transport links and facilities and also serve to showcase the country’s best assets to millions of viewers. We can only imagine the effect that events such as the World Cup will have on Brazil. In areas such as Pipa, just south of Natal, prices are already storming on up at 20 to 30% per annum and as it’s a favourite resort with wealthy Brazilians, finding rental accommodation can often be a challenge. The Brazilian property market is far from at its peak and there’s plenty of growth to be seen between now and 2014.”
Aside from boasting a picturesque town teeming with trendy restaurants, bars and shops, as well as superb wind surfing, kite surfing, wave surfing and buggy riding, Pipa also boasts some of the finest beaches in Brazil whilst there is also talk of a new golf course. Pipa is truly a property hotspot. Ecologically protected, building land is scarce and planning permission is hard to come by keeping demand as high as the temperatures.

Morada dos Ventos (Home of the Winds) just outside Pipa town centre is an expanding boutique-style complex that will be launching Phase 2 of its successful 7,000 square metre development later this year. Owned by Scotsman, Archie Galbraith and his Brazilian wife Tania, Morada dos Ventos is a friendly and welcoming home-away-from–home with excellent rental potential.

Currently still available in Phase 1 of Morada dos Ventos, and hence still at an incredible price, are two, 90m2 one-bedroom penthouse apartments for only £53,000 ¬¬– including furniture and rental management, which will be ready this April, or alternatively you can choose between either a one-bedroom penthouse apartment (also £53,000) or a spacious 102m2, two-bedroom, garden apartment for just £67,000, to be completed at the end of 2008, delivered fully furnished with full rental management.

Phase 2 properties, on sale soon, and due for completion in December 2009, include off-plan units starting from around £58,000 for a one-bedroom garden bungalow apartment, £72,000 for a two-bedroom ground-floor apartment and £80,000 for a two-bedroom penthouse apartment.

A purpose-built reception building is also under construction as is a dining area whilst on-site amenities include an in-house laundry service, satellite TV, WIFI and full hotel services, a refreshing 200m² swimming pool with leisure area, restaurant, café and bar, all within a secure environment. Additional provisions for phase two include two units with disabled access and the whole resort will be made ‘wheelchair friendly’.

For Phase 2, the developer is also pledging the option for full on-site property management and maintenance resulting in the potential for 12 months rental profitability. Owners have the option to enter in to the hotel agreement or have exclusive use of their property so they really can have the best of both worlds.

For more information on Brazil property investment and to find out about uv10’s latest projects visit uv10.com.