Tips for Buying in Costa Rica

Recently I sat down with Scott Oliver the founder of welovecostarica.com. Welovecostarica.com is always trying to provide their subscribers with helpful information on how to ensure their transactions are safe. I sat down and gave him some tips from my years of experience. SCOTT: What is the first step to take for someone who is considering purchasing real estate in Costa Rica?.......

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DAVID: Hands down, the first step is spending some time visiting the country. There is a lot of information to be reviewed online, but you will never really have a true understanding until you spend some time and visit. I always tell people to spend some time in 2-3 different parts of the country that have a bit of contrast. Costa Rica provides different climate zones and settings, once you visit you’ll be able to discover which area fits you best, THEN you can start to focus on a property.

SCOTT: So once someone has chosen the right area for them, how should they go about searching for their dream property.

DAVID: Searching for property online can be a bit tricky. There are some sites that claim to be the official MLS for Costa Rica, its simply not true. There are obviously many websites online where you can search for properties, but unfortunately many may not always be updated or correct. This is really where your real estate agent is going to come in. A good realtor is going to know their market inside and out, they will be able to guide you with the search and help find the right property.

SCOTT: And how do you figure out who is a “good” realtor.

DAVID: I think welovecostarica.com is a good place to start, but its really pretty simple, it’s the same way you go about selecting any other professional. Usually the ones who are successful, are so for a reason, so I’d focus on talking to those who have a history of success and plenty of experience. Talk to a few, talk to their past clients, and make sure they are people who are established in Costa Rica and living here legally.

SCOTT: What is the most common mistake you see potential buyers make?

Buying site unseen, specifically when it requires sending any sort of deposit is a huge mistake. But I’d say the biggest mistake is probably doing too much research on your own. My best analogy is diagnosing a medical condition online. You have a sickness or ailment, you start googling, looking up symptoms online, trying to make a self-diagnosis instead of going to see a doctor, it does not work! You see that with Costa Rica real estate, people try to do too much on their own, thinking they can figure it out all online. Do a little research, but focus more on finding the experts and professionals, work with them, listen to them, ask them questions. Yes there are a lot of awful realtors in Costa Rica, but there are a lot great ones, and they are key to a saving you time and headaches.

I continued with giving Scott my top 5 TIPS FOR BUYERS AFTER MAKING THEIR SALE! Inquire here to receive.