Beach Property

Everyone wants to have a villa by the beach but they can come with it’s own collection of regulations, pitfalls and headaches.

Before you go through all of the trouble and expense to find, buy and build your dream villa by the beach, consider this: It is HOT AND HUMID YEAR ROUND. Make sure you can adapt to that climate. I suggest that you rent a beach bungalow close to where you want to buy and live there from September through May so you cover the hottest and wettest months.  If you are afraid of loosing the property that you picked out, get an option to purchase it if you can. If it turns out you like the area, you have preserved your purchase price.  If you don’t like the climate, it was a small price to pay for a lesson that saved you thousands!

If you still want beach front property make sure your attorney fully explains all of the restrictions that may affect your use of the property.  In some cases, beach front property is concession or untitled property because in Costa Rica the ownership and possession of the shoreline is governed by the Maritime Zone Law (Ley Sobre la Zona Maritimo Terrestre).  Generally, the law says:

• The first 200 meters of beach front starting at the high tide markers is owned by the government.
• Of the 200 meters, the first 50 are deemed public zones and nobody may posses or control that area.
• On the remaining 150 meters the government through the local Municipal government will lease by way of concessions the land to private individuals.
• The Maritime Zone Law provides restrictions as to foreign ownership or possession of beach front property so a more through and careful study is always required when considering beach front property in Costa Rica.

Just like Reserve areas, Costa Rica is cracking down on illegal construction in the maritime zone. In many beach locations, buildings, houses, restaurants and bars are being removed to reestablish the 50 meter zone.

This is just scratching the surface of the regulations on beach property.  You cannot afford to buy beach property without the advise of a good attorney that has verified all aspects and restrictions on the property.