What are the Social Compromises Necessary for Expats Moving to Live in Costa Rica? This blog would be more apt under a “social” rather than a “legal” due diligence category. Still, I believe that after over twenty-five years of living in Costa Rica and twenty-one years practicing law, a reflection [...]
How are Property Purchase Closing Costs Calculated in Costa Rica? For expats moving to Costa Rica and purchasing a home, it is useful to have ready information available to calculate the amount of funds that will be required for closing on any given property purchase transaction. The exact calculation of [...]
What Are the Considerations for Purchasing Pre-Construction (Pre-Sales) Properties in Costa Rica? In Costa Rica, there is currently a residential construction “boom” and the offerings for Pre-Sales property purchases by Developers is abundant, particularly in the beach tourist-oriented areas and in the Central Valley, in or close to the San [...]
Purchasing Real Estate in Costa Rica can present many pitfalls to the would-be expat purchaser. As a practicing Real Estate Attorney in Costa Rica, I have seen many of these pitfalls, often presented to me for resolution by expats, after the damage is done. One of the main items for [...]
Could Costa Rica Be Your Best Latin American Retirement Destination? I’ve lived in Costa Rica for the past twenty-three years, I’m naturalized as a Costa Rican Citizen (I vote in elections), my wife is Costa Rican, I’m a practicing Costa Rica Attorney, and I have also travelled around Latin America [...]
How do Escrow (Trust) Accounts Operate in Costa Rica? The question often arises with expats moving to Costa Rica, as to how large sums of money may be transferred to Costa Rica from their home country bank, in order to complete a real estate purchase transaction or the acquisition of [...]
What is the Difference in the Due Diligence Required when Buying a Building Lot? When you purchase a completed home, issues such as the correct zoning, the availability of utilities, and access, are most likely not to be in issue. Your main concerns will be to obtain a reliable Home [...]
Registered Title Properties Most properties in Costa Rica are properties with an independently registered Property Title in the National Registry. Each such property comes with a registered Survey Plan indicating the property size, the property boundaries, and the property location. The Survey Plan number is annotated on the registered Property [...]
Is Joint Tenancy Property Title Registration Available in Costa Rica? In English Common Law Jurisdictions, such as Canada and the United States, registering a Property Title in Joint Tenancy as between a husband and a wife is the norm. Joint Tenancy embodies the principle of Right of Survivorship. This principle [...]
How is the Banking Process for Foreigners in Costa Rica? Banking policy varies from bank to bank in Costa Rica, just as it does in countries like Canada and the U.S. However, generally speaking, banks are more tightly regulated by the Government Banking Regulatory Authority, SUGEF, The General Superintendent of [...]
