Can foreigners buy property in Costa Rica? A Nosara guide

Can foreigners buy property in Costa Rica? Yes. Foreigners have the same ownership rights as Costa Rican citizens for titled land, and you do not need residency, a visa, or a local partner to buy. It is one of the simplest things about buying here, and it surprises people.

Do you need to be a resident or citizen?

No. You can purchase real estate on a tourist visa, in your own name, without becoming a resident. Ownership and immigration are separate matters in Costa Rica: buying a property does not require residency, and owning one does not, by itself, grant it. Many buyers hold title through a Costa Rican corporation (an S.A. or S.R.L.) for convenience and estate planning, but that is a choice, not a legal requirement.

What kind of ownership do you get?

The strongest kind: fee simple, known locally as propiedad. It is full, outright ownership, recorded in the National Registry, with the right to sell, lease, build on, or pass down the property freely. Titled land is the least complicated and lowest-risk way to own in Costa Rica.

Is there anything foreigners cannot own?

One real restriction, and it is about the coastline, not the country. The first two hundred metres from the high-tide line is the Maritime Zone: the first fifty metres are public and owned by no one, and the next hundred and fifty are concession land, which is leased rather than owned and usually requires majority Costa Rican participation. That is why beachfront concession property is more complicated.

It does not apply to titled land inland. The Sanctuary Estate is fee-simple titled land on the Nosara River, well outside the maritime zone, so a foreign buyer can own it outright, one hundred percent, in their own name or company.

How the purchase works

In short: a signed offer, then due diligence (a title search at the National Registry, a survey, and checks on liens and permits) handled by your attorney, and closing before a notary with funds moved through escrow. A clean titled purchase can close in a matter of weeks.

At a glance

• Can foreigners buy? Yes — the same rights as citizens on titled land.
• Residency needed? No; a tourist visa is enough.
• Ownership type: fee simple, recorded in the National Registry.
• The one limit: the 200 m coastal Maritime Zone (concession land) — not inland titled land.
• This estate: titled, fee-simple land on the Nosara River, owned outright.

The short version: buying in Costa Rica as a foreigner is unusually open — full ownership, no residency required, and only the coastal maritime strip is restricted. The Sanctuary Estate sits on titled inland land, so you would own all 16.3 acres outright. To discuss the property or a viewing, get in touch.

This is general information, not legal advice; a Costa Rican real-estate attorney should confirm the specifics of any purchase.