Homes for sale in Santa Teresa

Yes. In Santa Teresa, foreign buyers have the same ownership rights as Costa Rican citizens over titled (fee-simple) property — you can own it outright in your own name, with no residency requirement. The one exception is beachfront inside the Maritime Zone.

Asking prices in Santa Teresa currently run from $540,000 to $2,300,000, with a median of $950,000 (about $3,741/m²). There are 137 homes listed for sale right now.

It depends how close to the water it sits. The first 50 metres from the high-tide line is public zone and can never be owned. From 50 to 200 metres is concession land, leased from the municipality for a 5-to-20-year term (renewable). The law restricts these concessions heavily for foreigners: a foreigner with under five years' residency cannot be granted a concession, and neither can a company that is more than 50% foreign-owned. Property outside the Maritime Zone in Santa Teresa can be fee-simple (titled) and owned outright — but confirm the title and any encumbrances for each parcel in the Registro Nacional.

No. You can buy titled property without any residency or citizenship. An investment of $150,000 or more in property (a threshold temporarily reduced from $200,000) can, in fact, qualify you to apply for temporary residency as an investor.

A one-time 1.5% transfer tax at purchase, charged on the higher of the sale price and the registered fiscal value; then an annual property tax of 0.25% of registered value. Homes whose construction value exceeds the yearly luxury-home threshold (₡143 million for 2026, about $270,000) also pay the annual Solidarity — "luxury home" — tax on a sliding scale.

Both are common. Many buyers hold property in a Costa Rican corporation (S.A. or S.R.L.) for estate-planning and liability reasons; others hold it personally. A local attorney can advise which fits your situation.

A licensed notary (who in Costa Rica must be an attorney) handles the transfer and registers it with the Registro Nacional. Budget roughly 3.5–4% of the price for closing costs (transfer tax, legal fees and stamps). Buyers commonly use an escrow service — verify its SUGEF registration, which is anti-money-laundering oversight, not a guarantee of the funds.

Right now, Santa Teresa listings for sale are mostly houses (82). Use the type filter to see only houses, apartments, lots or commercial units.