Why Costa Rica Real Estate?
Ocean Front Real Estate
Defined
The Shoreline Zone Law (Ley sobre la Zona Maritimo Terrestre)
The maritime zone extends 200 meters perpendicular to the shore from the high tide water level onto the shore. The 50 meters closest to the shore are public land in which no private development can be done with the exception of officially approved marinas and port facilities by the government. The next 150 meters are known as the concessionary zone. This land cannot be owned. You can lease the land for private real estate development for terms of five to twenty years. Typically the land in these zones are untitled. Ownership is held by the Costa Rican government and the local municipalities manage the concessionary zone for leasing and other usages.
Upon the expiration of the lease, any infrastructure is converted to possession of the municipal authority. While in possession, you can build with some restrictions. If the government grants you a concession, it will be filed in the National Registry under, Registro de Concesiones de la Zona Maritimo. There is an upfront fee and an annual fee that is much like a property tax for possession of concessionary land.
There is an exception for those who have the dream of ocean front real estate ownership in Costa Rica. There are a few properties that date back to the colonial times that were given special title by the King of Spain. These properties can be purchased and owned outright all the way down to the shore and up to 5 feet deep into the water. This type of properties is extremely rare and typically you will not find them available!