Quick Tips for Reading a Brazilian Property Record

Look at the matrícula for any piece of real estate in Brazil, and you’ll notice that, after the property description, every entry begins with either “R.” or “Av.” These abbreviations may seem technical, but they follow a simple pattern that helps explain a property’s history.

A matrícula is the official record maintained by the real estate notary office (Cartório de Registro de Imóveis) in Brazil. It does more than simply identify current ownership; it records relevant events in chronological order, making it possible to trace ownership and identify rights and restrictions affecting the property.

Entries beginning with “R.” are short for registro (registration). They generally indicate an act that creates, transfers, or affects a right over the property. Examples include sales, assignments, and mortgages.

“Av.” entries are short for averbação (annotation). They record factual changes related to the property, such as the construction of a building or the cancellation of a mortgage. They’re also used to make updates, such as correcting a property’s legal description or changing the owner’s legal name or marital status.

These “R.” and “Av.” entries are sequentially numbered because they’re added to the matrícula in chronological order. Together, they help provide a more complete picture of the property’s legal status and are crucial when conducting due diligence for a real estate transaction. 

Understanding how a matrícula works makes it far easier to spot issues that may require a more substantive review. Once you know what to look for, reading these property records becomes much less intimidating.