Why Costa Rica

1. The taxes are remarkably low.

Annual property tax in Costa Rica is 0.25% of registered value — one of the lowest rates in the world. For a $1M home, that is $2,500 per year. The same home in Naples, Park City, or Maui can run $15,000–$30,000 per year in property tax alone. Costa Rica’s additional luxury home tax (a sliding scale starting at 0.25% once registered construction value exceeds the annual exemption — ₡143 million for 2026, roughly $310,000) still leaves the total annual tax burden well below half of what most US Sun Belt resort markets charge.

2. Buying can get you residency.

A property investment of $200,000 USD or more qualifies you for Costa Rica’s Inversionista (investor) residency — temporary residency renewed in 2-year cycles, then permanent residency after 3 years. The threshold returned to $200,000 on 14 July 2026, when Law 9996’s reduced $150,000 rate expired; applications filed on or before that date still qualify at $150,000. It is counted on land plus registered construction, so any homesite priced at $200,000 or more meets the threshold on the land price alone, and the others meet it once you build. Residency lets you stay in country indefinitely, gives you access to Caja (Costa Rica’s public healthcare system) for roughly $60–$100 per month, and is portable to your spouse and dependent children. This is general information, not legal advice — confirm it with a Costa Rican immigration attorney. For buyers eyeing a transition to a slower pace, this is the door.

3. The infrastructure is already done.

Most “raw land” plays in Costa Rica hide $100K+ in unbudgeted infrastructure — bringing electric down the hill, drilling a well, building access roads, installing septic. At Farmstead Collection, that work is finished: internal roads, underground electric, potable water, fiber internet, and gated security are in place before you buy. Your construction budget goes into the house, not the dirt.

4. The build economics work.

Quality custom construction in this region runs roughly $200–$300 per square foot, finishes included. A 3,000 sf custom villa is realistically a $600K–$900K build on top of the land. A comparable home in Palm Beach, Park City, or Maui would be 2–3× that. Local labor is skilled, materials are available, and the architectural language Farmstead favors — open-air, natural materials, indoor-outdoor flow — is naturally compatible with great regional craftsmanship.

5. The title is solid and the market is real.

Costa Rican real estate is fee-simple titled and registered at the National Registry — the same kind of clean title US and Canadian buyers expect. Demand for South Pacific coastline property has been driven by a steady inflow of North American and European buyers, and the Costa Ballena market has grown steadily since the Costanera highway was completed. Foreign buyers can hold title in their own name, with the same rights as citizens, or through a Costa Rican corporation. Which structure suits you is a question for your attorney.

6. It is close and easy.

Three to four hours by air from most US East Coast cities. Same time zone as Chicago year-round (Costa Rica does not observe Daylight Saving Time). USD is widely accepted. English is widely spoken in the South Pacific. WhatsApp and email handle most logistics. The combination of “feels far away” and “is genuinely accessible” is rare.