1. Map the active launches before booking a single visit
The first step is not visiting a sales gallery: it is mapping what is actually on offer. ZAP Imóveis, Viva Real and Imovelweb let you filter by "breve lançamento" or "na planta" (off-plan) in Florianópolis, showing list price and construction stage. Add local radars such as MySide, which updates launch dates and unit sizes weekly, and at least one local real-estate agency with its own launch portfolio. Cross-checking three or four sources keeps you from relying on a single broker to know what exists.
2. What to ask and check at the sales gallery (stand de vendas)
The decorated show unit sells an experience, not necessarily the standard finish: ask explicitly whether what you see — flooring, kitchen cabinetry, lighting — is included in the price, or just styling.
On orientation: in the southern hemisphere, a north-facing (face norte) unit gets more consistent daylight through the day and tends to command a premium, according to technical solar-orientation guides published by Brazilian builders. In a warm coastal city like Florianópolis that is not an absolute rule — a strongly north-facing unit can also run hotter in summer — so ask about cross ventilation and the prevailing wind exposure of the specific facade you are viewing, not just the building in general.
Request the memorial descritivo in writing, not just the broker's verbal summary: it is the document you will use in the next step.
3. Use the memorial de incorporação to compare units like-for-like
Lei 4.591/1964 (articles 32 and 53) requires the developer to register, before any sale, a memorial de incorporação that includes the memorial descritivo: the materials, techniques and quality standards of the building, detailing finishes, coatings, and electrical and hydraulic installations, following ABNT technical standards. It is a binding document — if the delivered unit uses a lower-grade material than described, the buyer is entitled to replacement or compensation.
In practice: request the memorial descritivo for every launch you compare and read the same section — flooring, bathroom coating, window and door frame type — side by side across projects. It is the only way to compare two similarly priced units without relying on the broker's word. Our guide on the legal protections of buying off-plan covers the memorial's registration requirement and the patrimônio de afetação in more depth.
4. Research the developer's delivery record, not just the project
A project can look attractive while the company behind it has a weak record of hitting deadlines. Reclame Aqui publishes a per-company reputation score based on the last six months of complaints and how the company responds, awarding an RA1000 seal to top performers: watch the response and resolution rate more than the raw complaint count. Cross-check with your state's Procon consumer agency and, where possible, visit a building the same developer already delivered and talk to a resident about actual timelines and after-sales support. No single source is definitive — checking two or three cuts the risk of an unpleasant surprise.
5. The reservation and the deposit (sinal)
Once you pick a unit, the common market practice is a reservation: a deposit, usually small relative to the total price, that pulls the unit off the market for an agreed period while the final contract is drafted. Amounts and terms vary by developer and there is no published standard percentage — confirm it in writing before paying. Once you sign the promessa de compra e venda (purchase agreement) at the sales gallery, you have a seven-day right of withdrawal with a full refund; our guide on the legal framework of the distrato law covers that clause and the cancellation rules that follow.
6. Track the build through construction
During construction, the outstanding balance is adjusted monthly by the INCC or CUB-SC index, so one month's installment will not match the next; our guide on how those indexes adjust payments during construction walks through the mechanism with current figures. On the physical side, some developers offer periodic site visits or photo progress reports — ask for these from the moment you sign, not once you already suspect a delay. Keep every report: it is your record if the project approaches the standard 180-day tolerance past the contracted delivery date.
7. The vistoria: what to check before accepting the keys
The vistoria is the walkthrough inspection before signing the Termo de Vistoria and receiving the keys. Architecture and engineering guides recommend bringing a tape measure, a multimeter or voltage tester for every outlet, and a lamp to confirm each switch turns on what it should. On plumbing: run every faucet and shower, check water pressure, and watch that water drains without pooling on the bathroom or laundry floor. Check that doors and windows open and close without friction, that every key matches its lock, and compare finishes — flooring, coating, paint — against the memorial descritivo from step 3.
On floor area: the Código Civil (article 500) and STJ case law tolerate up to a 5% gap between the contracted and delivered area without compensation; beyond that margin, the buyer can demand the missing area or a proportional price reduction.
Document every issue with photos and video, and record it on the Termo de Vistoria before signing — it is your evidence if you need to file a complaint later. The Consumer Protection Code (CDC, article 26, II) gives you 90 days from delivery to report apparent defects, and requires the builder to resolve the issue once notified. Our guide on the distrato law and construction delays covers what happens if the complaint goes unresolved.
8. The keys and what comes next
Once you accept the keys, the ITBI transfer tax (2% in Florianópolis) and the unit's registration are typically settled at that point, and any outstanding balance usually shifts from INCC indexation to bank financing (SFH/SBPE) with its own terms. From there, the property carries the Código Civil's five-year structural warranty (article 618) for the building's soundness and safety, plus any specific warranty the developer offers on installations and finishes.
Sources
- Lei 4.591/1964 (articles 32 and 53, memorial de incorporação) — Planalto.
- Código Civil, Lei 10.406/2002 (article 500, 5% area tolerance; article 618, five-year structural warranty) — Planalto.
- Consumer Protection Code, Lei 8.078/1990 (article 26, II, 90-day window for apparent defects) — Planalto.
- Sienge — what the memorial descritivo must specify (materials, finishes, installations).
- Zilli Construtora; Aldo — technical guides on solar orientation and face norte in the southern hemisphere.
- GGSA Advogados — pre-handover vistoria checklist (multimeter, water pressure, door and window frames).
- IRIB — STJ case law on the 5% floor-area tolerance.
- Reclame Aqui — per-company reputation methodology (RA1000 seal, response rate).
- Jusbrasil — the CDC article 26 90-day window to report construction defects.
- ZAP Imóveis; Viva Real; MySide — portals and launch radars for Florianópolis.