How does the process work?

Legal aspects

Properties being offered are duly registered with the Costa Rican Public Record Office, an entity established in 1867. Land transfers (sales) are granted through a public deed. To achieve this, the transaction is recorded by a Costa Rican Notary Public who inserts the title transfer in his Protocol (numbered ledger). A Notary Public must be a licensed Attorney at Law who has practiced law for at least two years and who is endowed with "public trust" and has the right to validate and legalize all contracts and deeds. The purchase deed is presented by the Notary to be duly registered in the public records. Property is registered in the Costa Rican Land Registry Office, where each individual lot will have its own registry number. Ownership of each individual property is then transferred to a Costa Rican Corporation, itself registered in the Costa Rican Registry of Corporations. All of the documents detailing ownership of the land and registry information of the Corporation are available from each appropriate registry office.