Many buyers choose to purchase real estate through a limited company Socieded Anonima or S.A, where they own 100 per cent of the shares. The purchase process on future sale tends to be simpler plus associated costs are minimal compared to a transfer of title to an individual.

Registered land can be title searched in the Folio System in the Public Registry Offices in San Jose and is available to search online at www.registronacional.go.cr.

Transfer costs including registration fees, stamp duty, notary and lawyer fees amount to around 4 per cent of the buying price.

Annual property taxes are 0.25 per cent of the declared value of the property. An owner of a £500,000 property would pay £1,250 per annum in taxes.

There is no CGT (capital gains tax).