The Guanacaste Journal

Buying property in Costa Rica can qualify you for Inversionista residency. Here's how the investor route works and what to confirm with an attorney.

Property management in Costa Rica runs about 15-25% of rental revenue. Here's what a good manager actually does and why, in Guanacaste, it pays for itself.

What does a Guanacaste vacation rental actually earn? An honest look at seasonality, gross vs net, ICT registration and 13% VAT from a local broker.

Land or a finished home in Guanacaste? An honest look at costs, timelines, building headaches and the real trade-offs from 20 years on the ground.

In Guanacaste, water makes or breaks a lot. Here's how ASADA letters, wells and concesiones really work before you buy land in Costa Rica.

Yes — with a good lawyer, a title study and escrow. A 20-year Guanacaste broker explains how buying works and the real scams to avoid in 2026.

The practical realities of living off the main road in Guanacaste — electricity, internet, water and those famous unpaved roads — from 20 years on the ground.

How the Pensionado retirement visa works, healthcare options, and why retirees choose Guanacaste — general guidance from a broker here since 2005.

What a month in Guanacaste actually costs in 2026 — from a lean local budget to a full imported-comfort lifestyle, by a broker who's lived here since 2005.

A broker who's lived here 20 years compares Sámara, Nosara and Tamarindo for buyers — the honest trade-offs on price, roads, crowds and daily life.

After 20 years in Guanacaste, here are 7 mistakes I watch foreign buyers make in Costa Rica, from skipping the title study to buying beach land blind.

Can foreigners get a Costa Rica mortgage? Rarely from a local bank. A broker explains the cash reality plus owner financing, developer terms, and HELOCs.

Never wire a seller directly in Costa Rica. A Guanacaste broker explains SUGEF-registered escrow, AML source-of-funds rules, and how your money stays safe.

Buy Costa Rica real estate in a corporation or your own name? A Guanacaste broker breaks down SA vs SRL, the real annual costs, and when each makes sense.

A Guanacaste broker walks you step by step through buying property in Costa Rica: the offer, escrow, due diligence, closing at the notary, and registration.

The first 50m of Costa Rica's coast is public; the next 150m is leased concession land. A Guanacaste broker on what you can and can't own on the beach.

Skip the title study and you can buy a lien, a boundary fight or no water. A Guanacaste broker on the Registro Nacional checks your own lawyer must run.

Costa Rica's annual property tax is just 0.25% of value—but the luxury-home tax catches owners off guard. A Guanacaste broker explains what you'll owe.

Closing costs in Costa Rica run about 4.5–6.5% of the price. A Guanacaste broker itemizes the transfer tax, stamps, notary and escrow—and who pays what.

Foreigners get the same full ownership rights as Costa Ricans—no residency needed. A Guanacaste broker explains title, corporations and the real steps.