Titled or Maritime

Titled or Maritime

The Southern Zone of Costa Rica specifically the surfing breaks of Pavones Pilon and Playa Zancudo and the Bay of Golfito are the last undeveloped areas of Costa Rica. It is in the Southern Zone of Costa Rica where opportunities are still available at reasonable prices.

 Property ownership in Costa Rica is a very secure and safe investment. Foreigners have the same rights when purchasing land in Costa Rica as Costa Ricans. You can own a property outright in your own name or in the name of your corporation. You do not need a local partner, except in cases of beachfront concession property, where special rules apply. As with any real estate transaction, the most important facet is to have the services of a good lawyer that works for the buyer independently.

The first step in deciding on buying a piece of land in Costa Rica is understanding the difference between Titled land and Concession land

Titled Land

Most property in Costa Rica is Titled Property. This is land outside of National parks and reserves and not in the Zona Maritima. Property Titles, as well as any encumbrances or easements associated with titled land, are registered in the National Registry (Registro Nacional).  The records of the Registry serve as ultimate proof of ownership. In many areas, there are zoning plans detailing permitted use of titled land this information is described in detail in a document issued by the local Municipalidad called a Uso De Suelo. Reviewing the Title records and the Uso De Suelo are the two most important elements of the due diligence necessary prior to purchasing titled land Property taxes for titled land in Costa Rica at a rate of .25% of value are very inexpensive. Many investors prefer titled land due to the simplicity of ownership and the inexpensive tax costs.

Maritime Zone

The most highly valued and desired land in Costa Rica is our stunning beachfront land. It is considered to be Costa Rica’s greatest natural resource.  In 1977 Maritime Zone Law was passed to protect Costa Rica’s coastal natural resources by dedicating the first 50 meters of the coastline to the public domain and can never be developed.. The next 150 meters are considered a “restricted” zone, which coastal municipalities manage and can grant Concession. There are two exceptions. The first is the coastal cities and towns such as Puntarenas, Jacó, and Golfito on the Pacific and the Caribbean port of Límon; where the waterfront is titled to allow for Marinas, maritime service and tourism-related businesses. The second is the extremely rare cases where the original title can be traced back to before the enactment of the Maritime law.  The Maritime Zone Law applies to all coastal municipalities in Costa Rica. Property ownership in the Maritime Zone is a secure investment, the regulations designed to protect this natural beauty should only be navigated by competent counsel, regardless of size and scope of the investment. There are many quality homes, luxury villas and multi-million dollar tourism projects like the Golfito Village and Marina, the Zancudo Lodge, a 5-star sportfishing destination and the luxury beachfront condominiums Pavones Point that has already been developed in the Maritime Zone of the Golfito, Pavones, Pilon and Playa Zancudo.

The Southern Zone of Costa Rica is the new frontier in Costa Rica for investors seeking safe and secure investments with the highest ROI in Costa Rica.