“Where to Start” — The Buyer’s Guide as Your First Step
- Dennis J. Easters
- Dennis@pldatenasrealty.com
- +506-8854-7721
One of the most common questions we hear is surprisingly simple:
“Where should I start?”
Not what should I buy, or how fast can we move—just where to begin.
And honestly, it’s a smart question.
Because buying property in Costa Rica is rarely about making a quick decision. More often, it’s about understanding how things work here—culturally, legally, and emotionally—before deciding if and when to move forward.
For many people, the answer isn’t listings or timelines.
Start Slowly. Decide Well.
If there’s one piece of advice we give almost everyone, it’s this:
Start slowly—by understanding what Costa Rica is, and what it isn’t.
Many of the concepts you already know about real estate will still serve you well here.
But others? You’ll need to throw them out the window and reframe them through a different lens.
That’s exactly why we created the Pura Vida Living: Your Guide to Buying a Home in Costa Rica—not as a sales tool, but as a starting point.
It isn’t designed to push you toward a decision.
It’s meant to help you think more clearly over time.
You don’t read it to decide now.
You read it to decide well—later.
The First Step Isn’t Property. It’s You.
Before you define what you want to buy, it helps to get honest about why you’re considering Costa Rica in the first place.
Are you looking for a slower pace? A healthier lifestyle? A new chapter?
A winter escape? A long-term relocation?
When your “why” becomes clear, the next steps start to feel less foggy—and you gain confidence as you move forward.
From there, you can begin defining what you want your life to look like here:
- Where do you want to be—and why?
- What does “comfortable” actually mean to you?
- What are you willing to trade off?
Costa Rica often reshapes expectations in subtle ways. In the Central Valley, for example, there isn’t winter and summer in the traditional sense—more like a year-round spring climate that shifts between dry season and rainy season. That one detail alone changes how people think about daily living.
It also shows up in the homes themselves:
often smaller closets, and larger outdoor living spaces—terraces, gardens, pool areas, and indoor-outdoor flow.
The lifestyle is the point. The property supports it.
Then Come the “Buying Basics” (And Yes—They Matter)
Once you have clarity on your direction, the practical side becomes much easier to absorb.
The Buyer’s Guide walks you through the fundamentals of how buying works in Costa Rica, including:
- how inventory is structured and how to evaluate it
- how to choose a competent real estate agent and an established attorney
- contract structure, escrow requirements, and negotiation norms
- what contingencies are typically accepted (and which often aren’t)
- due diligence decisions (inspection, survey, environmental and access verifications)
- how closings work—and what happens after closing
In other words: the stuff you don’t want to learn the hard way.
A Note on Smart Buying (Our “Chapter 11” Philosophy)
Midway through the guide, we pause for a recap—because after nearly two decades of helping international buyers, we’ve learned something simple:
Success here rarely comes from luck.
It comes from preparation, patience, and the right team.
A few of the “smart moves” we emphasize:
- Work with proven professionals with deep local knowledge and a commitment to transparency
- Retain an established real estate attorney—one who represents the transaction and ensures all legal requirements are properly handled—to verify title, zoning, access, and documents
- Prioritize due diligence—ownership, boundaries, permits, and legal realities
- Use a licensed escrow provider (never move funds informally)
- Budget realistically beyond purchase price (closing costs, taxes, maintenance, upkeep)
- Visit before you commit—Costa Rica’s microclimates and rhythms matter
Final Thoughts
And yes—we also call out common pitfalls: skipping due diligence, relying on verbal agreements, underestimating ongoing costs, overlooking access and infrastructure, and assuming all agents are “licensed” (there is no government licensing for real estate agents in Costa Rica—so reputation and track record matter).
A little patience goes a long way here. Buying in Costa Rica isn’t about speed—it’s about doing it right the first time. If you’ve been wondering where to start, the answer is simpler than it seems: start with clarity, not urgency; start with context, not listings. And if you want one grounded place to begin, start with the Buyer’s Guide. Because in Costa Rica, the smartest buyers aren’t the fastest—they’re the ones who pause, verify, and build their dream the right way.
Whether you’re searching for a retirement retreat, a vacation villa, or an investment opportunity, our team is here to make your Costa Rica real estate journey seamless.
Explore our luxury property listings to find your dream home in the world’s best climate and start living the lifestyle you’ve worked so hard to achieve.
Dennis Easters
Real Estate Broker
+506-8854-7721
Dennis@pldatenasrealty.com
