Portuguese 
Spanish 
5 min of reading 
0 comments 
A simulation with a property of R$ 400 thousand shows that the consortium can start with an advantage of approximately R$ 221 thousand over financing, but the result changes according to the contemplation time. Administrative fees, adjustments, rent, the need for a bid, and difficulty in abandoning the plan need to be considered before signing.
The real estate consortium is often presented as a cheaper alternative to financing because it does not charge bank interest. However, an analysis published by the Potencial Ilimitado channel shows that the wait for contemplation, installment adjustments, and simultaneous rent payments can turn the supposed savings into a higher cost.
In the video, the channel uses as an example a credit letter of R$ 400 thousand and compares different situations faced by those who want to buy a house.
The main conclusion is that it is not enough to observe the administration fee or just compare the initial installment value.
-
Land Rover to Halt Production in July, Putting 371 Jobs at Risk, as Chinese Automaker Negotiates to Convert Factory to 100,000 Vehicles Annually by 2027
-
Mexican Pest Threatens U.S. Cattle Herds at Historic Lows, Potentially Boosting Brazilian Beef Exports as Burger Prices Soar
-
Brazilian Freight Bill Progresses in Congress with $5,000 Minimum Wage, 70% Advance Payment, and Fines Up to $1 Million, as Agriculture and Industry Warn of Rising Costs and Legal Uncertainty
-
High Interest Rates and Record Defaults Lead to Surge in Vehicle Repossessions and Crowded Car Auctions in Brazil by 2026
According to Potencial Ilimitado, the consumer needs to answer three questions before signing the contract: when will they be contemplated, how much will the desired property cost at that time, and how much money will come out of their pocket during the entire waiting period.
Consortium does not work as an investment
The channel explains that the consortium is a collective self-financing system. Participants pay monthly fees that form a kind of common fund, used to release credit letters to the contemplated members.
When a person pays an installment, the money is not invested individually nor does it generate income for them. The resources help finance the letter delivered that month to another group member.
Potencial Ilimitado acknowledges that the system can work as a form of financial discipline for people who have difficulty saving money. However, it emphasizes that discipline and profitability are different concepts.
Another highlighted point is uncertainty. By joining a group, the participant starts paying immediately but does not receive a guaranteed date to buy the property. Contemplation may occur at the beginning, in the middle, or only near the end of the plan.
Almost eight out of ten contemplations occurred by bid
The contemplation happens by lottery or bid. In the lottery, the participant depends solely on the monthly result. Being up to date with all installments or making advance payments does not guarantee that the letter will be released in the desired period.
In the bid, the member offers to advance part of the balance. In a R$ 400,000 letter, a 20% bid represents R$ 80,000, while a 30% offer would reach R$ 120,000.
There is also the embedded bid, deducted from the letter itself. In this case, someone using R$ 100,000 from a R$ 400,000 letter receives only R$ 300,000 to purchase the property, if contemplated.
The channel cites data from the Central Bank according to which 78.3% of property contemplations recorded in 2024 occurred by bid. This means that nearly eight out of ten contemplated participants needed to offer an additional amount to increase their chances.
For Unlimited Potential, the consortium may waive the entry at the time of joining, but often requires accumulated capital for the participant to be able to reduce the waiting period.
Administration fee adds about R$ 83,000
The absence of interest does not mean that the consumer will pay only the value of the letter. According to data presented by the channel, the average administration fee for real estate consortia in 2024 was 20.84%, while the average term reached 217 months, practically 18 years.
Applied to a R$ 400,000 letter, this fee would add approximately R$ 83,000. The total initial cost would therefore reach about R$ 483,000, before adjustments, reserve fund, insurance, or other charges provided for in the contract.
Divided by 217 months, the amount would result in an initial installment close to R$ 2,227. However, Unlimited Potential warns that this installment represents only the beginning of the plan.
The credit letter is usually adjusted periodically by the index defined in the contract. When the value of the letter increases, the installments are also adjusted. At the same time, the desired property may appreciate more quickly, especially in regions benefited by new developments, commerce, or transportation.
Ten-year wait can raise cost to R$ 707,000
In the presented simulation, two people have R$ 80,000 and want to buy a house worth R$ 400,000. The first uses the money as a down payment and finances the remaining R$ 320,000 through the SAC system, with an effective rate of 10.99% per year and a term of 217 months.
The first installment would be approximately R$ 4,270 and the last one close to R$ 1,490. Adding the down payment and the installments, the expenditure would be approximately R$ 704,000, not considering TR, mandatory insurance, and other costs.
The second person enters a R$ 400,000 consortium and offers the same R$ 80,000 as their own bid. If immediately contemplated, the cost of the letter would be approximately R$ 483,000, a difference of about R$ 221,000 compared to financing.
However, if the participant continues paying R$ 2,000 in rent, each month of waiting reduces this advantage. The channel uses a net monthly cost of R$ 1,500, deducting R$ 500 that the consumer would not yet spend on property tax, maintenance, and home insurance.
With two years of waiting, the total cost would rise to approximately R$ 520,000. After five years, it would reach R$ 582,000. If the contemplation took ten years, the amount would reach about R$ 707,000, surpassing the R$ 704,000 calculated for financing.
Consortium can work for those who are not in a hurry
According to Potencial Ilimitado, the consortium tends to make more sense when the person does not need the property immediately, has a place to live without paying rent, and has resources to offer a competitive bid.
It is also necessary to know the adjustment index, the withdrawal rules, and the amounts that will not be refunded in case of cancellation. The channel mentions that, in December 2024, the real estate segment had 2.16 million active shares and 2.85 million excluded shares, with an exclusion rate of 57%.
The analysis concludes that financing charges more because it delivers the property immediately, while the consortium may cost less but transfers the risk of waiting to the buyer. Thus, the decision should not only consider the absence of interest but all the money spent until receiving the keys.
Be the first to react!