La Tigra, San Carlos, Costa Rica Real Estate

Buying La Tigra, San Carlos, Alajuela real estate means buying in a rural district of the canton of San Carlos, in the province of Alajuela, Costa Rica. La Tigra is district number 8 of its canton, covers 56.3 km² (21.7 sq mi) and uses postal code 21008.

The property listed here is mostly land-based: houses, lots and land, farms and buildings. It suits buyers who want space and a countryside setting more than a ready-made town address, and who plan to hold the property for the long term.

Given what is listed, several buyer profiles make sense. Buying a home to live in is possible through the houses for sale, which suits people relocating who want a rural base in Costa Rica.

Those who want to build can look at the lots and land, choosing a site and designing around it. Buyers interested in agriculture or simply more room can look at the farms. Buildings may suit someone who wants a structure to adapt, and buying to rent it out later is a form of investing that depends on the property and its use. When there are enough listings, this page shows above what is listed by type and typical prices.

Four property types are listed for sale in this district. Each calls for different checks:

• Houses: structural condition, roof, drainage, water supply and whether the access road is passable all year.
• Lots and land: legal access, boundaries, slope, and whether water and electricity reach the site.
• Farms: size on the registered plan, water sources, current use and access for vehicles.
• Buildings: condition, permitted use and any unpaid municipal charges.

La Tigra is inland and not coastal, in the northern part of Costa Rica within the province of Alajuela. In a straight line, it lies 19.4 km (12.1 mi) from Quesada, the canton seat, and 73.0 km (45.4 mi) from downtown San José.

The nearest international airport is Juan Santamaría (SJO), 57.4 km (35.7 mi) away in a straight line. Daniel Oduber International Airport (LIR) is 108.0 km (67.1 mi) away in a straight line. Because the district is not coastal, the maritime-terrestrial zone rules do not come into play here.

• A title search at the National Registry (Registro Nacional) to see who owns the property and whether it has mortgages, liens or annotations.
• A registered survey plan (plano catastrado) that matches the title and what you see on the ground: boundaries, size and access.
• A land-use certificate (uso de suelo) from the Municipalidad de San Carlos and, where one exists, the canton's zoning plan, which say what can be built and for what use.
• Written water availability from AyA or the local ASADA, and electricity, before buying to build; building permits come from the local authority.
• Protection areas around springs and rivers (Forestry Law 7575), and whether rural land lies inside or next to a protected wildlife area.
• Property tax (Law 7509) and municipal services paid up to date.

La Tigra borders Peñas Blancas and San Lorenzo, both in the canton of San Ramón, and Florencia. That places it near the edge of its canton, next to a neighboring one.

Official neighborhoods include Ángeles and Palmas. The district's villages include Cerritos, Esperanza, Futuro, Jabillos, Lucha, San Gerardo, San Isidro, San José, San Miguel, San Pedro and San Rafael. Real travel time depends on the hour and on the condition of the road, so it is worth driving to a property at different times of day before deciding.

A purchase usually starts by comparing several properties and prices in the zone, ideally with a local agent who knows rural land. Before investing, have a lawyer or notary run the title search and check the survey plan before you commit.

The transfer is done by public deed before a Costa Rican notary and pays the transfer tax (Law 6999), so ask for the full closing-cost breakdown before signing. Foreigners can own titled property in Costa Rica with the same rights as citizens (Article 19 of the Constitution), with the exceptions the law sets. Agencies and agents with listings in the zone appear further down this same page.