Finding a Realtor in Costa Rica

Finding an honest and reliable realtor in Costa Rica can be one of the most challenging parts of the buying process. If you do not have any contacts you may not know where to turn to get help buying your dream property. There are no laws in Costa Rica that require realtors to have specialized education like in the U.S. and there is also no law requiring realtors to have a real estate license. These facts may make it seem like finding a good realtor in Costa Rica is impossible but if you are looking for real estate in Costa Rica you can find a good realtor if you know what to look for.

Although realtors are not regulated in Costa Rica as they are in the United States, in order to work legally in Costa Rica a person must have a legal permanent residency or be a citizen of Costa Rica. This rule applies to realtors as well so the first thing you should ask when choosing a realtor is if they are a legal citizen, and they should be or else they have the same tourist status as you do.

You will also want to find out how long they have been selling real estate and how long they have lived in Costa Rica. Ideally you should look for a realtor with the most experience and who is very familiar with the area in which you are trying to purchase real estate.

Another indicator of experience is the number of homes a realtor has sold and assisted in purchasing and this should be one of your first questions. Don’t be afraid to ask for references from the last few people the realtor has sold homes for and assisted with sales because this is the best way to see if a realtor is legitimate and will do a good job.

You should also find out how active they are in the community they specialize in. Ask how many homes they currently have listed and how many clients they are currently helping. An extremely busy realtor may not have the time to dedicate to you but one with no business is a red flag that they may not be the best.