Buying Property in Costa Rica as a Foreigner: What the Brokers Won't Tell You

Most guides on buying property in Costa Rica are written by people trying to sell you one.

Brokers, agents, real estate platforms. Every word they write is designed to get you to a closing table. That is their job. There is nothing wrong with it. But it means there is a version of this story you almost never hear: the one from someone who works only for you, gets paid nothing from the seller, and has no stake in whether you buy or not.

That is what this article is.

I am Marcelo Miranda, founder of The Buyer's Office. We are an independent property scouting service in Costa Rica. We visit properties, film them, evaluate them, and report back honestly. We do not sell. We do not take commissions. Our only client is the buyer.

Here is what we see on the ground, every week.

Yes, Foreigners Can Buy Property in Costa Rica

Foreigners have the same property ownership rights as Costa Rican citizens on titled land. You do not need to be a resident. You do not need a local partner. You can own property in your name or through a corporation, and both approaches are common.

This is one of the most foreigner-friendly real estate markets in Latin America, which is a big reason why demand from American, Canadian, and European buyers has increased sharply over the last few years.

But the open legal framework also creates a problem. Because buying is technically easy, many foreign buyers skip the steps that actually protect them.

The Beachfront Exception Nobody Explains Clearly

Costa Rica has a law called the Maritime Zone Law. It regulates all land within 200 meters of the high tide line. The first 50 meters from the water are public land. Nobody can own them. The next 150 meters are called the restricted zone, and this is where things get complicated.

Property in the restricted zone is not sold. It is leased from the government through a concession. Foreigners can only hold up to 49 percent of a company that holds a concession. That means if you buy "beachfront property" without understanding this, you may not own what you think you own.

Only about 5 percent of Costa Rica's beachfront properties are fully titled. The rest are concessions.

When I scout beachfront properties for clients, one of the first things I verify is the legal status of the land. I have visited properties where the listing says "oceanfront home" and the land is actually a concession with major ownership restrictions. The listing was not technically a lie. But a buyer who did not know what to look for would have had a very bad surprise.

Title Problems Are More Common Than You Think

Costa Rica has a National Registry where all titled properties are recorded. In theory, you can verify title before buying. In practice, title issues are one of the most common problems foreign buyers run into.

• Liens and encumbrances. A property can have unpaid debts attached to it. Mortgages, legal judgments, unpaid taxes. These transfer with the property unless cleared before closing.
• Boundary disputes. The surveyed boundaries in the registry do not always match the physical boundaries on the ground. I have visited properties where a fence, a building, or even a road was sitting on land that legally belonged to a neighbor.
• Untitled land. Some properties in rural areas have never been formally titled. Sellers sometimes present possession rights as equivalent to ownership. They are not.
• Fraudulent titles. It happens. Fake owners, forged documents, properties sold to multiple buyers. It is rare, but the cases exist.

A good Costa Rican real estate attorney will run a title search before closing. That is not optional. What an attorney cannot always do is get on the ground and physically verify that what is in the registry matches what exists on the property. That is where independent scouting fills a gap.

The Problem With Buying Remotely

The majority of foreign buyers start their search from home. They browse listings online, look at photos, sometimes do a video call with a broker, and eventually fly down for a visit.

That process has a structural problem. The listing photos are selected by the seller or their agent. The broker showing you the property is paid by the seller. The visit is usually short, rushed, and curated.

Here is what I see regularly when I scout properties independently: the access road that was not in any photo. The flooding that happens every rainy season. The neighbor situation that changes the feel of the neighborhood. The water system that runs on a private well with no pressure in dry months. The construction project going up next door that will block the view in 18 months.

None of these things are necessarily dealbreakers. But they are the kind of information a buyer needs before committing six figures to a purchase. And they are almost never visible in a listing.

What Independent Due Diligence Actually Looks Like

Before any client of ours moves forward on a property, here is what we verify on the ground:

• Physical access. How do you actually get to the property? Is the road paved? Is it accessible in rainy season? Is it on a public road or a private one? Who maintains it?
• Utilities and infrastructure. Is the property connected to the national water system or a private well? Is electrical service reliable? What is the internet situation?
• Surroundings. What is the neighborhood like? What is within walking distance? What are the neighboring properties? What is planned for development nearby?
• Property condition. What does the structure actually look like in person? Are there signs of water damage, foundation issues, or deferred maintenance that do not show in photos?
• Title and legal status. Is the property fully titled? Are there liens? Does the physical boundary match the registry?
• Rental and investment viability. If the buyer intends to rent the property, is the location and condition realistic for that goal?

We document everything on video and deliver a written report. The client gets a full picture before they spend money on flights, attorneys, and closing costs.

See how our scouting engagements are structured and priced.

The Questions Worth Asking Before You Talk to Any Broker

If you are researching Costa Rica property seriously, these are the questions worth understanding first:

• What is the difference between titled land and concession land?
• How does the property transfer process work and what does it cost?
• What are the property taxes in Costa Rica?
• What does a real estate attorney actually do in a Costa Rica transaction, and who pays them?
• What regions have the strongest rental demand for foreign-owned properties?
• What is the Maritime Zone Law and how does it affect beachfront purchases?

Good brokers will answer these questions honestly. Not all of them will.

Who We Work With

The Buyer's Office works with foreign buyers who are serious about purchasing in Costa Rica but cannot be here full time to do their own due diligence.

We scout the property before you fly down. We verify what the listing claims. We give you an honest report with video documentation so you can make an informed decision from home.

We do not sell properties. We do not take referral fees from brokers. We charge a flat fee directly from the buyer.

If you are in the early stages of a search and want to understand what independent scouting looks like for your specific situation, book a free 30-minute call here or reach us at marcelo@thebuyersofficecr.com.

The Buyer's Office is an independent property and location scouting service based in Costa Rica. We work exclusively for foreign buyers. We do not represent sellers, accept commissions, or have any financial relationship with brokers or developers.