Property title due diligence in Costa Rica before buying land or a home. What to check, who to hire, and the common problems that surface when buyers skip the process.
Finding a home builder in Costa Rica as a foreign buyer. How the market works, what to look for, how design-build firms differ from independent contractors, and what the process looks like.
Interior design in Costa Rica requires different thinking than temperate climates. An architect's guide to materials, finishes, and design decisions that perform in a tropical environment.
Gated communities in Costa Rica offer security and amenities but come with HOA fees, restrictions, and trade-offs worth understanding before buying. An investor's honest assessment.
Real Airbnb occupancy rates in Costa Rica by region for 2026. Tamarindo, Nosara, Santa Teresa, Uvita, and San José compared. What the data says and what it means for investors.
International schools in Costa Rica by region — Central Valley, Guanacaste, Nicoya Peninsula, and Southern Pacific. Real school names, curricula, costs, and what families need to know.
The questions that protect foreign buyers before signing a contractor agreement in Costa Rica. What to ask, what the answers should sound like, and what to walk away from.
Living in Santa Teresa means world class surf, a tight expat community, and prices that have moved fast. An honest guide to daily life, costs, and who the town actually suits.
The best architecture firms in Costa Rica for foreign buyers, Studio Saxe, Salagnac, SARCO, Studio Octava, Zurcher and more. Who to hire and why, from someone who knows the market.
Building an Airbnb in Costa Rica costs more than a primary home and needs a different design brief. An architect's breakdown of real costs, the pool question, and what actually earns back.
Best areas to buy land in Costa Rica in 2026 depend on what you're building and why. James Caldwell breaks down Guanacaste, Nicoya Peninsula, Southern Pacific, and Central Valley.
Foreigners can build in Costa Rica with the same rights as citizens on titled land. A contractor's guide to permits, process, managing from abroad, and taxes when you sell.
Living
Living in Uvita means green, quiet, and genuinely off the beaten path. An honest guide to life in the Southern Pacific, costs, schools, community, and who it suits.
Construction
The costs that break Costa Rica builds aren't the ones people budget for. An architect's honest breakdown of import taxes, design changes, and the real price of building remotely.
Investment
Guanacaste real estate in 2026: where the boom has stalled, where prices are holding, and why buyers are looking south to the Nicoya Peninsula.
Living
Living in Nosara means active outdoor life, strong community, expensive homes, and dusty roads. An honest guide to what daily life actually looks like.
Construction
Best construction method for Costa Rica depends on your site and design. Contractor Carolina Vargas breaks down concrete block, steel frame, hybrids, and the rest.
Design
A 90-square-meter house with a beautiful terrace, good ceiling height, and quality finishes will make you happier than a 130-square-meter house where every room was shrunk to fit the program.
Investment
A good property manager makes your investment work. A bad one lets your property deteriorate while collecting a fee.
Construction
The difference between a 9-month project and a 16-month project is rarely the construction itself. It is what happened before construction started.
Living
Tamarindo is the most divided-in-opinion beach town among Costa Rica expats. Some people love it. Some think it lost its soul. Both perspectives have merit.
Investment
The worst investment decisions I have seen in Costa Rica were not bad properties. They were good properties bought by people who tried to optimize for cash flow, appreciation, and personal use simultaneously.
Living
I researched both countries before we moved. I chose Costa Rica. I have no lived experience in Panama. This is my research, not my testimony.
Construction
Every decision made in the design phase costs nothing beyond the design fee. Every decision deferred to construction costs the decision itself plus the disruption and rework.