A Costa Rica property investment: build the numbers first

Define the purpose

Is the home mainly for personal use, occasional stays or rental income? Record the periods you would occupy it and your tolerance for upkeep. These choices change both the numbers and the homes worth viewing.

Request property-specific evidence

Ask for dated comparable transactions where available, operating costs and actual rental records if income is part of the proposal. Separate asking prices from completed sales and gross revenue from income after expenses.

Model a quieter year

Use a base case and a conservative case. Include maintenance, fees, management, insurance, vacancy and replacements. Use written quotes, not a fixed yield or appreciation rate from an old article.

Check the exit as well as the entry

Consider care while away and what happens if you need to sell early. Obtain independent advice for ownership, taxation and financing. Dominique can refine the property shortlist; your decision should rest on reviewed evidence.

Build a transparent comparison sheet

Give every number a source and a date. Mark asking prices as asking prices, quotes as quotes and estimates as estimates. If rental income is part of the proposal, ask how the figures were produced and which periods they cover. Missing evidence should remain a blank or a question, not become an optimistic assumption.

Compare the proposal with an alternative that meets the same personal needs. Consider the cash needed at purchase, recurring commitments and the effort of ownership. Ask what would change in a weaker year and whether the purchase remains comfortable without the expected income. This is a planning framework, not a recommendation to invest in a particular asset.