Foreign buyers already account for a significant share of high-end sales in Jurerê. Behind that number sits a brand strategy every premium developer should study.
Florianópolis is on the international radar
Florianópolis has stopped being only a summer destination and turned into an investment asset for people who live far from Brazil. The clearest signal came from Jurerê Internacional. At the Puerto Madero project by CBA Empreendimentos, 40% of the units were bought by foreigners from Argentina, Germany, the United States, and Portugal, and the building was already 60% sold before its official launch [Source: NSC Total, February 2026].
That is 48 apartments, 150 meters from the sea. The data point, however, is not about the beach. It is about trust. A buyer purchasing from abroad, without asking for a discount and before the product physically exists, is acquiring a brand promise, not bricks. This behavior changes the bar for anyone developing and selling luxury real estate in the south of the country.
The numbers behind the move
International demand is not random. Santa Catarina led the country in construction growth, with a cumulative rise of 94% over five years [Source: CBIC, 2026]. Between 2024 and 2025, Florianópolis led new-home sales among 12 Brazilian state capitals assessed and grew roughly 170% in Total Sales Value [Source: Brain Consultoria, 2026].
The state concentrated 65% of all real estate sales volume in the southern region, totaling R$ 55.5 billion, more than Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul combined [Source: Brain Consultoria, 2026]. In August 2025, the square meter in Florianópolis reached an average of R$ 12,420, putting the capital at the top of national appreciation among state capitals in the high-end segment [Source: Brain Consultoria, August 2025].
Brain Consultoria, 2026
The lesson starts with the name
This is where it gets interesting for anyone who works with brand. The project is called Puerto Madero. The name comes from the Buenos Aires neighborhood that became a global reference for urban renewal along the banks of the Río de la Plata [Source: Jornal Tribuna, February 2026].
It is no coincidence that a relevant share of the buyers is Argentine. A Spanish name that evokes a prestigious address recognized abroad does the work of cultural translation before any advertising. The buyer from Buenos Aires immediately understands what that project wants to be. The name is the first piece of positioning, and in this case it crosses the border on its own.
Naming is a brand decision, not a marketing detail. When a developer chooses what to call itself, it defines who it is speaking to, which league it wants to play in, and how much it can charge. A generic name invites discounts. A name with a clear reference creates desire and anchors price.
Brand is the whole ecosystem, not just the sign
The name opens the door, but what keeps the international buyer is the consistency of everything that follows. Puerto Madero was built as a complete experience: a five-star hospitality service integrated into the condominium, managed by CBRE, architecture signed by Leo Maia, interiors by Taty Iriê, and landscaping by JA8, a placemaking reference [Source: Jornal Tribuna, February 2026].
Each of these choices is a layer of brand. Hospitality communicates service. Signed architecture communicates authorship. Landscaping designed for permanence communicates life, not just square footage. Together they build a narrative that justifies the price and reassures someone buying from far away. The foreign buyer does not visit the construction site every week. They need to trust the signature.
This is the point many developers still miss. They sell floor plans, amenities, and location, when what decides a high-end sale is the story the whole package tells. Brand is not the logo on the hoarding. Brand is the sum of the decisions that make the buyer believe before seeing.
What this teaches anyone who builds and sells premium
The Florianópolis case works as a manual for any market that wants to attract outside capital, from the Santa Catarina coast to Curitiba.
First, position before you price. Define who the product speaks to and build the name, the identity, and the narrative around that. Second, bring in references the target audience recognizes, even if they come from another country, because familiarity reduces the friction of the decision. Third, make sure every supplier, from architecture to landscaping, reinforces the same promise. Consistency is what turns a launch into a brand.
International demand for Florianópolis shows that Brazil's high-end market already competes for global attention. In that game, those with a strong brand sell before opening the doors. Those without one compete on discount.
Practical conclusion
Florianópolis has become a case study in how branding moves capital. The figure of 40% foreign buyers in a single building was not born of luck. It came from a clear decision about who to address and how to present. For developers in Santa Catarina and Paraná, the lesson is direct: treat the name, the identity, and the experience as part of the product, not as a final ornament. In the high-end segment, the brand reaches the buyer before the keys do.
