The reality is, when working with the right team of professionals, the buying process is very quick and easy.

Unlike many countries, foreigners have the same rights as the locals do when purchasing land in Costa Rica. Foreigners may own property outright in their name or in the name of their corporation. There is no need for a local partner, except in cases of beachfront concession property, where special rules apply. There is absolutely nothing to prevent a foreigner from purchasing property in their own name, but the majority of buyers form a corporation with the help of a reputable lawyer and then purchase property through that corporation. The reason for this is threefold. First, it may be more beneficial to have one's income (from rentals) or capital gain (from sale of the property) taxed within a Costa Rican company rather than having it taxed as personal income. Of course, this depends on the tax laws of the country from which you originate. Second, it allows for simplified estate planning, whereby you can give or will shares of the corporation that owns the property to members of your family. Finally, if a property owner decides to sell his property, he will avoid paying property transfer taxes a second time by simply transferring the shares of the corporation to the new owner.

 Another plus for property owners in Costa Rica is something called the Central Land Registry which allows a lawyer to confirm that there is clear title to his client's property, as well as to discern if there are any restrictions on the property when his client is in escrow, before the deal goes through. Further, if the property owner would like to have the added protection of title insurance, the services of international title insurance companies such as Stewart Title are now available in Costa Rica. Also attractive are Costa Rica's very low property taxes - 1/4 of 1% annually. That means if you buy a condominium or home with an assessed value of $200,000, the property taxes per year would be $500.