Costa Rica guides
Straight talk on buying, renting, and living in Costa Rica. What things cost, where people actually settle, and how the process really works.
Your Costa Rica Property Hasn’t Sold. These 6 Problems Usually Explain Why.
Overpricing, weak marketing and passive exclusive agents can leave a Costa Rica property sitting for years, but a realistic price and a proper sales plan can change the outcome.
Leaving Land Empty in Costa Rica? Don’t Treat the 10-Year Rule as a Safety Net
An absentee owner’s best protection is clear title, paid municipal taxes and someone reliable who actually visits the property.
November 2026 Costa Rica Property Report: 97,505 Active Listings, Plenty to Question
The CostaRicaRealtor data desk counts 97,505 active listings, but asking prices and listing histories need a closer read before you make an offer.
Your Costa Rica Land Can Be Stolen While You Keep Paying the Gardener
An absentee owner’s biggest mistake is treating a registered title as a substitute for inspections, clear boundaries, paid taxes and someone local who will act.
Costa Rica Has No Universal MLS. One Property Site Is Not the Market.
Costa Rica’s scattered property listings make buyers miss homes, compare conflicting prices, and mistake asking prices for evidence, but you can build a much fuller market picture.
Your Costa Rica Property Has Been Listed for Years. Something Has to Change.
An honest look at how unsupported asking prices, weak marketing and passive exclusive agents stall Costa Rica property sales, and what sellers can do about it.
Your Costa Rica Property Hasn’t Sold. Here Are 6 Things to Fix.
Years on the market usually point to a price, exposure, access or paperwork problem, and another exclusive contract will not fix those things by itself.
No MLS, No Full Picture: Why One Costa Rica Property Site Can Leave You Blind
Costa Rica’s fragmented property market makes buyers miss homes, misread prices, and mistake repeated listings for real choice, but you can build a much fuller picture before spending a dollar.
Your Costa Rica Lot Can Be Stolen on Paper Before Anyone Builds a Fence
An absentee owner needs more than a registered deed: watched boundaries, current taxes and someone ready to act locally are the practical defenses against occupation and property fraud.
The Maritime Zone (Ley 6043): what you can and cannot own on a Costa Rican beach, and how to check a parcel
*General information, not legal advice. The law, its regulations and the official coastline delimitation change and vary by parcel. Have a Costa Rican attorney or notary check any coastal purchase before you sign.*
Buying property through a Costa Rican corporation (S.A. or S.R.L.): what it is, what it costs each year, and what to check first
*General information, not legal advice. Costa Rican company and tax rules change, and the right structure depends on your situation. Have a Costa Rican attorney check any purchase, and any structure, before you sign.*
Guanacaste vs the Central Pacific vs the Central Valley: where to buy in Costa Rica (2026)
Most foreign buyers narrow Costa Rica down to one of three regions before they ever look at a listing. Guanacaste is the north Pacific coast with its own international airport. The Central Pacific is the coast closest to San José, from Jacó down to Manuel Antonio. The Central Valley is the capital's west side, Escazú and Santa Ana, where the airport is minutes away and the beach is not.