This guidebook will walk you through all you need to know about buying real estate in Costa Rica. Included in the information it contains is:
- A summary description of the country to help you decide if Costa Rica is the country for you.
- Information on buying, renting, leasing, and selling homes and commercial properties.
- Checklists that summarize key points on important topics such as due diligence. Use these for quick reference.
- A point-by-point discussion of the legal process.
- A thorough geographical overview of the country to help you decide where to buy.
- An overview of construction, permitting, and sustainable development key topics.
- A valuable overview of the insurance industry in Costa Rica.
- A guide to doing business in Costa Rica, including a discussion of cultural issues.
With these trends very much in mind, we wanted to produce a thorough, detailed, and intelligently written guide to buying real estate in Costa Rica. The information it contains is as relevant for people planning to live here year round as it is for those who only plan to spend part of the year in the country. Whether you are buying a home as a principal residence, part-time residence, or solely as an investment, you will find information in this book that should help you make a smart, well-informed purchase. While this guide does not purport to offer advice to professional real-estate developers, it does contain information on legal and other issues unique to Costa Rica that they will find extremely valuable.
Guide to Real Estate in Costa Rica
- The Tico Home
- Modern Colonial-style Architecture
- Colonial Architecture
- Tropical Modern
- Art Deco
- Bali Style and Another Version of Tropical Chic
- Stand-alone Home
- Gated Communities
- Resorts with a Gated Community
- Condominium Projects
- Condominium Bylaws and Homeowner Associations
- Condominium Projects Drag to share
- Condotels
- Eco-Communities
- Assisted Living Communities
- Conclusion
- One Local Residents Experience Building a Home in Costa Rica
- Location
- Types of rentals available
- Rates
- Renter’s rights
- Pros & Cons
- Time-frame and purpose
- Maintenance and taxes
- Style
- Investment and risk
- Pros & Cons
- Cost and investment
- Convenience and design
- Time
- Risk
- Pros & Cons
- Step one: Get online
- Step two: Plan a trip
- Step three: Explore
- A note on finding rentals
- Conclusion
- Your Broker
- Your Lawyer and Notary
- The Seller
- Due Diligence Professional
- Preliminary Due Diligence
- Negotiation
- Sales agreement or purchase option
- Escrow
- The Closing
- Legal fees and taxes
- Tax loopholes and fraud
- Buying a condominium
- Buying pre-construction
- A word of caution
- First step: Check out the property
- Second step: Title search
- Third step: Physical property survey
- Fourth step: The local bureaucracy
- Utilities
- Due diligence for condo and pre-construction purchases
- Title Insurance
- Permitting overview
- Bureaucracy glossary
- Hiring the professionals
- Permitting a Development
- Before you start…
- CFIA
- SETENA
- Starting the process
- INVU
- Municipality
- Permitting for single home construction
- Local banking
- Getting a local mortgage
- Getting a foreign mortgage
- Napoleonic Code v. Common Law
- Civil lawsuits
- Criminal proceedings
- Finding a lawyer
- Property rights
- Corporations
- Labor law
- Property management
- Domestic employees
- Home insurance
- Taxes
- Condo fees
- Security DOs and DONTs
- Why buy a lot?
- Design
- Building materials
- Construction Challenges in Costa Rica
- Planning for costs
- Building
- Timetable
- Watching your back
- Thought on Doing a Development in Costa Rica
- Low density
- High density
- Timetable and costs
- Partners and investment opportunities
- Conclusion
