Portuguese 
Brazil’s most expensive mansion, located in Jardim Pernambuco, Leblon, began demolition after being purchased by Mozak in 2024. The 11,000 square meter lot will make way for Estância Pernambuco, a development with 10 residences, a gross sales value (VGV) of nearly R$ 360 million, and seven units already sold before completion.
The mansion, which spans 2,500 square meters built on an 11,000 square meter lot in Jardim Pernambuco, Leblon, Rio de Janeiro, started demolition in 2026 to clear the way for a new residential development. The property had been listed for R$ 220 million before being acquired by the Rio-based construction company Mozak.
The purchase was completed in 2024, following a negotiation process that lasted approximately six years. During this time, Neymar’s family attempted to acquire the property, according to Breno Elehep, a partner at Mozak. The actual price paid by the construction company was not disclosed.
Brazil’s Most Expensive Mansion Occupied a Lot of 11,000 Square Meters in Leblon
The size of the property explains why this mansion has become such a unique asset in one of Rio’s most valued regions. The residence had 2,500 square meters of constructed area on an 11,000 square meter lot, a dimension difficult to find in the South Zone of Rio.
-
New Overpass Opens Southern Access to Formosa on BR-020, but Construction Continues at Three Intersections Along 12 Kilometers of the Highway
-
DNIT Closes 500 Meters of BR-230 Marginal in Cabedelo on September 8, Planning to Restore Four and a Half Kilometers with Detours through Municipal Streets
-
Five Students from Senai of Mato Grosso to Represent Brazil at World’s Largest Vocational Education Competition in Shanghai, Competing in Concrete Forms, Carpentry, and Rail Technology Against Over 1,400 Competitors from 70 Countries
-
After Choosing Ituiutaba for a R$600 Million Investment, Nestlé Prepares New Factory in Triângulo Mineiro, Anticipating 700 Workers and Industrial Expansion
Located in Jardim Pernambuco, a residential area of Leblon, the most expensive mansion in Brazil combined a rare mix of land area and infrastructure. For Mozak, it was precisely the size of the lot that made it possible to plan something much larger than simply replacing one residence with another.
The Mansion Had Been Listed for R$ 220 Million
When the acquisition was finalized in 2024, the property was listed for R$ 220 million. However, this amount should not be confused with the actual sum paid by the construction company.
Mozak did not reveal how much it paid for the lot and existing structures. Therefore, R$ 220 million was the listed price of the mansion, while the final transaction value remains undisclosed in the available information.
Neymar’s Family Tried to Buy the Property
During the years the negotiations were ongoing, another known buyer expressed interest. Breno Elehep stated that Neymar and his family attempted to acquire the property while Mozak was also working to close the deal.
The construction company, however, maintained negotiations for six years until it successfully concluded the purchase. This episode adds a layer of notoriety to a property that was already attracting attention for its price, location, and dimensions.
Mansion Built in 1986 Featured Six Suites and 18 Bathrooms
The large house was built in 1986 by the Amaral family, the former owners of the Disco supermarket chain. Over the decades, it received features suitable for an exceptionally high-standard residence.
The property included six suites, 18 bathrooms, and 15 parking spaces. It also had a semi-Olympic swimming pool, library, sauna, and helipad, elements that help gauge the scale of the residence before the demolition began.
Facility Once Had 43 Employees Working Daily
The size of the property also required an uncommon operation for a residence. Breno Elehep reported that at one point, 43 employees were working daily on the property.
The ownership family even built a smaller version of the main residence to accommodate staff. This detail highlights that the most expensive mansion in Brazil functioned almost like a residential complex within its own grounds.
Mozak Will Replace Mansion with 10 Residences
With the demolition, the space will undergo a complete transformation. Mozak plans to build 10 independent residences on the site, as part of a project named Estância Pernambuco.
This strategy radically changes the economic use of the land. Instead of a single large mansion occupying the 11,000 square meters, the lot will be functionally divided among ten new high-end homes, maintaining the residential character of the area.
Project Will Have Gross Sales Value Close to R$ 360 Million
The projected Gross Sales Value (VGV) for Estância Pernambuco is close to R$ 360 million. This figure corresponds to the projected total sales values of the units that make up the development.
The amount significantly exceeds the R$ 220 million at which the former mansion was listed, although the figures represent different concepts. One was the asking price for a single property; the other pertains to the sales potential of ten new residences.
Seven of the Ten Houses Have Already Been Sold
Even before construction was completed, most of the units already had buyers. According to Breno Elehep, seven of the ten residences were sold at the time of the interview.
This means that only three remained available at that stage of the project. This data demonstrates the demand for the development even before the constructions planned to replace the most expensive mansion in Brazil are ready.
Each residence will have its own design
Estância Pernambuco is designed by Bernardes Architecture. Although the ten houses are part of the same complex, the proposal does not foresee simply repeated units.
The residences will have differing designs and can be customized by the buyers. The idea is to preserve a common architectural language throughout the development without transforming the project into a series of identical houses.
The property will feature trails, woods, and viewpoints
In addition to the residences, the plan includes interventions in the outdoor areas of the property. Woods, trails, viewpoints, and recreational spaces are planned.
The 11,000 m² area allows a significant portion of the site to remain as open space. Thus, the replacement of the mansion does not mean fully occupying the lot with constructions.
Completion is expected by the second half of 2028
The contractor informed that the project is expected to be delivered in the second half of 2028. By then, the old residence will gradually give way to the planned ten houses.
The schedule transforms one of the most well-known properties in the high-end real estate market in Rio de Janeiro into a project that will span several years from acquisition, demolition, to completion of the new units.
Purchase ended a six-year negotiation
Mozak’s arrival at the property did not happen quickly. It took about six years of negotiation before the acquisition was finally finalized in 2024.
Breno Elehep considers the property particularly difficult to replicate within the company’s portfolio. The rationale lies in the combination of location in Leblon, an area of 11,000 m², and the low availability of similar spaces in the South Zone.
Mozak has expanded its presence in Leblon in recent years
The construction company was founded 32 years ago by Isaac Elehep. Initially, its projects were more concentrated in the North Zone of Rio, in Barra da Tijuca and Jardim Oceânico.
The shift in positioning began approximately 10 to 12 years ago, with a greater presence in the South Zone. Ipanema, Lagoa, Gávea, Jardim Botânico and especially Leblon started to receive projects from the company.
Company reaches 100 buildings delivered in 2026
According to information from the company itself, Mozak will reach the milestone of 100 buildings delivered in Rio de Janeiro in 2026. At the same time, the second generation of the founding family is increasing its involvement in the operation.
Breno Elehep further states that the company is currently working on three to five projects per year and has six launches in Leblon. The Estância Pernambuco represents an operation on a different scale precisely because of the size and rarity of the land.
Brazil’s most expensive mansion gives way to a project worth nearly R$ 360 million
The transformation marks the end of a four-decade phase that began with the construction of the mansion in 1986. The most expensive mansion in Brazil, which hit the market for R$ 220 million and attracted interest from Neymar’s family, is starting to disappear so that the land can accommodate ten new homes.
With seven units already sold and completion projected for 2028, a single address of 11,000 m² is shifting from a monumental mansion to a development with a gross sales value (VGV) close to R$ 360 million. In your opinion, should a property of this magnitude have been preserved, or does it make more sense to replace the old residence with ten new houses? Share your thoughts in the comments.
