Sámara is one of the few Guanacaste beach towns where buyers consistently arrive on holiday and leave asking about property. The reef-sheltered bay, the year-round community and the relative absence of high-rise development make it feel different from the resort strips further north. This guide covers what buying there actually involves.

What Foreign Buyers Can Own

Foreigners hold the same property rights as Costa Rican citizens. There is no residency requirement to buy, no restriction on owning through a corporation, and no separate class of foreign ownership. The one meaningful distinction is not about nationality at all — it is about the land itself.

Titled Land vs the Maritime Zone

The first 200 metres inland from the high tide line is the maritime terrestrial zone. The first 50 metres is public and cannot be owned by anyone. The next 150 metres can be held under concession from the local municipality rather than owned outright. Concessions are legitimate and widely used, but they are leases with conditions, renewal dates and restrictions on foreign majority ownership.

Everything outside that 200-metre band can be held as titled property, registered in the National Registry, exactly as you would expect. Before you fall for a place, establish which of the two you are looking at. It changes the price, the financing, and what you can do with it later.

Due Diligence That Actually Matters

A registry search will confirm the owner, the boundaries and whether liens or mortgages sit against the property. Beyond that, three things catch buyers out in this part of Guanacaste: water availability, which depends on an ASADA or municipal connection and is not guaranteed by the land title; access rights, where a driveway crosses a neighbour’s parcel without a registered easement; and setback rules, which limit what you can build near rivers and slopes.

The Buying Process

Costa Rican transactions run through a notary, who has more authority here than in most countries — they draft the transfer deed and register it. Funds typically sit in escrow until registration completes. Closing costs generally run in the region of 3.5 to 4 percent of the purchase price, covering transfer tax, registry fees and notary work, and are commonly split between buyer and seller unless negotiated otherwise.

Rent First

The most useful advice we give is the least commercial: spend a season there before you buy. Sámara in October is a different town from Sámara in February, and the difference matters if you plan to live there. A monthly rental is the cheapest due diligence available.

Looking in Sámara

Browse current homes for sale in Sámara, or spend time there first with a long-term rental in Sámara or a private vacation villa. We will tell you plainly when a property is not worth pursuing.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Engage an independent Costa Rican attorney for any specific transaction.