Limón, Costa Rica Real Estate

Buying Limón real estate means buying in Costa Rica's Caribbean province, which covers 9176.1 km² (3542.9 sq mi). It is made up of six cantons: Guácimo, Limón, Matina, Pococí, Siquirres and Talamanca. The listings here range from homes and apartments to land, farms and commercial buildings, so the province suits people who want to live, build or hold property for the long term.

The mix of listed property points to several buyer profiles. Some buyers want a house or apartment to live in. Others look for a lot to build on, or a farm for agricultural use. Commercial spaces, warehouses and buildings suit people who want to run a business or rent space to others.

Buying to rent out is a form of investing, but the income depends on the property and the canton, so compare several options before deciding.

The province lists these types for sale: houses, apartments or condos, lots and land, farms, commercial spaces, warehouses and buildings. What to look at depends on the type.

• Houses: structural condition, roof, drainage and legal access.
• Apartments or condos: monthly fees and the building's rules.
• Lots, land and farms: access, water, electricity and boundaries.
• Commercial spaces, warehouses and buildings: permitted use, loading access and condition.

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

Limón is a coastal province on Costa Rica's Caribbean side, so some listings may sit near the shoreline. Its six cantons spread across a large area, which gives buyers very different settings to compare: town, countryside or coast.

Because the province is large, a precise location matters more than the province name. Judge each property by the canton and district it sits in, and by how far it is from the services you need.

• A title search at the National Registry (Registro Nacional) to see 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.
• A land-use certificate (uso de suelo) from the local municipality, and the canton's zoning plan where one exists.
• Property tax (Law 7509) and municipal services paid up to date.
• For lots and farms, written water availability from AyA or the local ASADA, plus electricity, before buying to build.
• Because the province 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.

The province is divided into the cantons of Guácimo, Limón, Matina, Pococí, Siquirres and Talamanca. Each has its own municipality, so rules, permits and fees can differ from one canton to the next.

Real travel time between them depends on the hour and the road, so visit the property and drive the route at different times of day before you decide.

A purchase usually starts with a local agent who knows the canton. Compare similar properties to gauge the asking price, then have a lawyer or notary run the title search and review the survey plan before investing.

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 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.