THE CITY AS MERCHANDISE - PRICING AND REAL ESTATE VALUATION IN MEDIUM-SIZED CITIES ALONG THE BR 163 HIGHWAY IN MATO GROSSO STATE: THE CASES OF GUARANTÃ DO NORTE AND NOVA MUTUM

Abstract

The cities of Amazonia Mato-grossense founded as of the 1970, thanks to government efforts to integrate the region with the rest of the country, appear as an empty space to be occupied, representing an eldorado, place of opportunities. This way it attracts workers with the dream of a better life and, capitalized investors, eager to accumulate more capital. Guarantã do Norte and Nova Mutum are part of this conjuncture and despite presenting distinct processes and stages of agribusiness consolidation, these two cities are increasingly taking on the roles of medium-sized cities, in the context of the state of Mato Grosso, with a very well consolidated economy, as is the case of Nova Mutum, or in a structuring phase, as in Guarantã do Norte. In both cities it is possible to identify an increasingly strong and concentrated real estate market, resulting in a policy of high prices and making urban living more expensive for the majority of the population, especially those with lower purchasing power. This article aims to analyze the role of space producing agents in the valuation of urban land and real estate pricing in both cities, from the perspective of housing as a right, emphasizing its use value instead of exchange value. We investigated the values of lots, houses and rents by interviewing real estate agents and searching specialized websites.