Tempate, Santa Cruz, Costa Rica Real Estate

Tempate, Santa Cruz, Guanacaste real estate is what this page covers: the fourth district of the canton of Santa Cruz, in Guanacaste province, Costa Rica. It has postal code 50304 and covers 129.8 km² (50.1 sq mi). Buyers here will find houses, apartments or condos, lots and land, farms and buildings for sale. That mix lets a buyer choose between a home to live in, land to build on or a property to hold for the long term, so a purchase here is a long-term investment as much as a place to settle.

The listed types point to several buyer profiles. Someone relocating can look at houses or an apartment or condo as a primary or second home. Someone who wants to build can compare lots and land, keeping in mind that a lot needs checks on access and services before anything else.

Farms suit buyers who want space and rural land, and buildings may suit those who want a structure they can adapt. Houses are also listed for rent in the zone, so buying a house to rent out later is a possible route, though income is never guaranteed and should be tested against your own numbers.

Each type calls for different checks:

• Houses: structural condition, roof, water supply, and whether the built area matches the registered plan.
• Apartments or condos: the monthly fees, what they cover and the rules of the building.
• Lots and land: legal road access, the shape and boundaries, and whether water and power reach the site.
• Farms: water sources, internal access, and the part of the land that can actually be used.
• Buildings: permitted use, condition and any previous alterations.

When there are enough listings, this page shows above what is listed by type and typical prices.

Tempate lies in Guanacaste, in the northwest of Costa Rica, and it is a coastal district. The canton seat, Santa Cruz, is 23.4 km (14.5 mi) away in a straight line. Downtown San José is 189.8 km (117.9 mi) in a straight line.

For travel from abroad, Daniel Oduber International Airport (LIR) is 30.4 km (18.9 mi) away in a straight line. Guanacaste has a marked dry season and a rainy season, which is worth keeping in mind when you visit a property for the first time.

• Before investing, order 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 Santa Cruz and, where one exists, the canton's zoning plan, to confirm what can be built.
• For lots and farms, written water availability from AyA or the local ASADA, plus electricity; building permits come from the local authority.
• Because the district is coastal, check 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 municipal concessions.
• Property tax (Law 7509) and municipal services paid up to date.

Tempate borders Veintisiete de Abril, Cartagena, Cabo Velas, Tamarindo and Sardinal, which belongs to the canton of Carrillo. Knowing these neighbours helps you place a property relative to nearby areas.

The official neighbourhood is Paraíso, and the villages include Bejuco, Chiles, El Llano, Huacas, Portegolpe, Potrero and Rincón. Real travel time between any of them depends on the hour and the condition of the road, so drive the route at the time you would normally use it before deciding.

A purchase usually starts with comparing several properties and their asking prices, then working with a local agent who knows the area. Agencies and agents with listings in the zone appear further down this same page.

Once you choose a property, a Costa Rican notary handles the public deed and the transfer, which pays the transfer tax (Law 6999). Ask for the full closing-cost breakdown before signing, and have the title search and survey plan reviewed first. Foreigners can own titled property with the same rights as citizens (Article 19 of the Constitution), with the exceptions the law sets.