Buying
Land or any property in Costa Rica can be as complicated
as you make it, however it should not be this way.
Even if you do not speak Spanish do not worry as
most Costa Rican's and definitely your lawyer will
do!! One of the most important things to do is to
find a trustworthy English speaking lawyer which
can normally be done by asking your Estate Agent
or asking around. We would suggest tasking the lawyer
first with investigating the land or property you
wish to buy with regards to any claims on the property
and who the real owner is. This task is very easy
and can be done by looking at the National Registry
which is available to the public.
Once everything appears to be in order your lawyer
will draft a transfer deed that will be the documentation
that will allow the selling of the property and
the transfer from one owner to another. Normally
Government taxes for the transfer will be around
4% of the sale price. One of the best ways to own
property however is through a Corporation where
yourselves own 100% of the shares in the company.
This way when you come to sell the house all you
do is sell the shares. The cost associated with
a share transfer is minimal compared to a transfer
of title to an individual.
One important note to mention is that always double
check once you have bought the property that the
entry at the National Registry is correct and that
all taxes and charges have been paid on the property,
you do not want any surprises!!
For more information on Property in Costa Rica
or to discuss things further please feel free to
call us on 0207-293-3930 or e-mail
us and we will be happy to contact you ASAP. |
