Articles
Notes on Costa Rica
Guidance on buying and owning property in Costa Rica, written by the people who do it here.
Buying From Abroad Without Being in the Room
You can close on a Costa Rican property without setting foot in the country. Here is what has to be true for that to be safe — the power of attorney, the escrow, and the six documents that decide whether the property is what the listing says.
4 min read
Does Buying Property Get You Residency in Costa Rica?
Not by itself, no. Ownership and immigration status are separate questions here, and the investment route that does connect them is in flux as of September 2026.
4 min read
How Property Is Owned in Costa Rica
Titled land, concession land, and the derecho — the undivided share that has no equivalent in North America and catches more foreign buyers than anything else in the registry.
5 min read
What It Costs to Buy and Own Property in Costa Rica
Closing costs run about 3% to 4% and most of that is fixed by law. The costs that surprise people are the annual ones nobody mentions at closing, and the withholding on the way out.
4 min read
What Is an SDIRA and Why Buyers Use One
A Self-Directed IRA lets qualified buyers hold Costa Rica real estate inside a U.S. retirement account, growing rental income and appreciation tax-deferred or tax-free.
1 min read