Before you buy
Guides to buying land in Costa Rica
Five things worth understanding before you wire money to another country. None of this is complicated. All of it is expensive to learn afterwards.
Why we wrote these
Almost every horror story about buying property in Costa Rica comes down to one of four things: the seller did not own what they were selling, the land could not legally be built on, there was no water, or the buyer used the seller's lawyer. Every one of those is avoidable in an afternoon.
None of this is legal advice, and we are not attorneys. It is the set of questions we would ask, written down so you can ask them yourself. Hire your own Costa Rican attorney before you sign anything or send any money; it costs a few hundred dollars and it is the best value in the entire transaction.
Common questions
Is buying land in Costa Rica risky?
Buying registered, titled land with an independent attorney and a current title search is about as risky as buying land anywhere. The risk in Costa Rica is concentrated in the things that look like land ownership and are not: possession rights, concessions, and corporations that hold farms.
Do I need to speak Spanish?
It helps enormously and it is not required. Attorneys in Liberia and San José routinely work in English, and the documents that matter are in Spanish either way, which is a reason to have your own lawyer read them.
How long does a purchase take?
From agreement to registered deed, typically four to eight weeks. Title registration at the Registro Nacional itself is a matter of days once the deed is filed; the time goes into the search, the survey and the money.
Should I buy in a corporation?
Sometimes, and it is worth asking rather than assuming. A Costa Rican corporation adds an annual tax and accounting obligations; it can simplify a later sale and estate questions. Ask a Costa Rican attorney and, if you are a US person, a US tax advisor, because the two answers interact.