Abangares, Costa Rica Real Estate

Abangares, Guanacaste real estate is a canton in the province of Guanacaste, in northwestern Costa Rica, covering 647.0 km² (249.8 sq mi). It is made up of several districts rather than a single town, so the properties for sale vary with where in the canton they sit.

Buyers here will find houses, lots and land, and farms. A purchase is usually a long-term decision, so it helps to understand the canton before looking at individual listings.

Given what is listed, the main buyer profiles are fairly clear. Someone who wants a home to live in can look at the houses. Someone planning to build can focus on lots and land, while those who want space for crops, animals or simply a large property can look at farms.

Buying a house to rent out later is also possible, and that is a form of investing, but it depends on the property and its surroundings. When there are enough listings, this page shows above what is listed by type and typical prices, which is a useful starting point for comparing options.

Three types are listed for sale in the canton. Each needs a different kind of attention:

• Houses: check the condition of the roof, walls, wiring and plumbing, how you reach the property year-round, and whether water and electricity are connected and in whose name.
• Lots and land: confirm access, the shape and boundaries, water availability and what the zoning allows you to build.
• Farms: look at the size on paper versus on the ground, internal roads, water sources, existing buildings and any areas with restrictions.

Abangares is in Guanacaste, in the northwest of Costa Rica, and the canton is coastal. Its centre is 108.1 km (67.2 mi) from downtown San José in a straight line.

For flights, Daniel Oduber International Airport (LIR) is 70.5 km (43.8 mi) away in a straight line, and Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) is 91.5 km (56.9 mi) in a straight line. Both are useful for owners who live abroad part of the year, though actual routes are longer than these measurements.

• A title search at the National Registry (Registro Nacional): who owns the property and whether it carries mortgages, liens or annotations.
• A registered survey plan (plano catastrado) that matches the title and what you see on the ground, including boundaries, size and access.
• A land-use certificate (uso de suelo) from the Municipalidad de Abangares and the zoning plan, if one exists, to confirm what can be built.
• For lots and farms, written confirmation of water from AyA or the local ASADA, plus electricity; building permits come from the municipality.
• Because the canton is coastal, check whether the land falls in the maritime-terrestrial zone (Law 6043): the 200-metre strip from the high-tide line, where the first 50 metres are public and the other 150 are only granted as concessions.
• Property tax (Law 7509) and municipal services paid up to date.

The canton is made up of four districts: Las Juntas, Sierra, San Juan and Colorado. Knowing which district a property is in matters, because access, services and surroundings can differ from one to another.

Real travel time depends on the hour and the road, and on the season, since rains can affect rural roads. It is worth driving to a property at different times of day before deciding.

A purchase is usually organised with a local real estate agent and a Costa Rican notary. The agent helps you find and compare properties, while the notary prepares the public deed and registers the transfer, which pays the transfer tax (Law 6999). Ask for the full closing-cost breakdown before signing.

Compare asking prices of similar properties, and before investing, have the title search and survey plan reviewed before paying a deposit. Agencies and agents with listings in the canton appear further down this same page. Foreigners can own titled property with the same rights as citizens (Article 19 of the Constitution), with the exceptions the law sets.