The close of the episode is devoted to those still in Brazil with a plan to come live in California. The central advice comes from someone who knows the process from the inside: if the intention is real and there's money for the down payment, the preparation starts now — years ahead, not in the month of the move.

Below, the practical order of the steps, what that private financing mentioned at the end actually is, and one point about visas that deserves to be stated precisely.

The order of the steps

• Open a bank account in the United States. It's possible without American documents; it usually requires showing up in person, a passport and proof of address. Rules vary by bank — research before you travel.
• Transfer the down payment money ahead of time. The bank wants to see the money sitting still for two to three months, with a documented origin. A last-minute wire delays or derails the closing.
• Organize your Brazilian income documentation. Income tax return, bank statements, employer letter. All of it subject to direct verification by the bank.
• Keep the money's paper trail. The sale of a property, a business or a vehicle in Brazil needs documentation explaining every figure. It's the requirement that delays the most files.
• Start building credit as soon as you arrive. Whoever moves here and builds an American history stops needing the foreign-buyer product — and the rate difference is large.

Hard money: what it is, what it's for and what it costs

It's the alternative route mentioned on the episode. Hard money is credit extended by private investors instead of banks: a regulated transaction, with a contract, but on a completely different logic.

• Short term — generally twelve months, with the possibility of an extension.
• High interest, well above bank credit, and frequently with interest-only payments during the period.
• The decision is based on the property, not on your credit history — which is why it approves fast and serves people who don't yet have their paperwork in order.
• Origination costs tend to be higher than those of a traditional mortgage.

The legitimate use is as a bridge: buy now and refinance into a traditional loan once the documentation, the history or the immigration situation is in order. The risk is just as clear — if the refinance doesn't come through in time, the deal turns into expensive debt with a near-term due date.

One point that tends to slip by: a good share of hard money lenders serve only investment transactions, not the purchase of the home the person will live in, because consumer credit has its own, stricter regulation. Ask about that before counting on this route.

About the E-2 visa, with the full information

The episode mentions the possibility of acquiring a company and obtaining the E-2 visa to run it. The path exists, but there's a decisive detail for this show's audience: the E-2 is only available to nationals of countries that maintain a treaty of commerce and navigation with the United States — and Brazil is not on that list.

In practice, Brazilians who use the E-2 usually do so through a second nationality from a signatory country. Someone with a Portuguese, Italian, Spanish or other listed passport may qualify; someone with only a Brazilian passport does not.

As always in immigration matters: the conversation is with a licensed attorney, before any financial commitment. Buying a business while counting on a visa that may not apply to your case is the kind of mistake that can't be undone.

What remains

The options exist and are more numerous than they look from afar — foreign-buyer financing, private credit, business routes. What decides it, in the end, is the preparation: money positioned, paperwork organized and a realistic expectation of timing. Whoever starts early arrives with choices; whoever starts at the last minute arrives with the only one left.

This text is informational and does not replace legal, accounting or licensed mortgage professional advice. Rules, figures and rates change; confirm the current version before any decision.

Sources and verification

• Cadê Moradia episode with Rafael Na (June 2026) — preparation recommendations, opening an account, how long the money must sit in the account and the mention of private financing and the E-2 visa.
• Notice from the production itself in the episode description: information about visas and immigration is informational in nature and should be confirmed with an immigration attorney.
• Treaty Countries — official list of countries with a treaty granting access to the E-1 and E-2 visas; Brazil is not among them.
• Characteristics of private investor credit (hard money): short term, secured by the property, interest and origination costs above those of bank credit.

Watch this part of the episode:

Final tips for those preparing to move to California — starting at 22:25 · CADÊ BRAZIL