Working with a good realtor in Costa Rica makes all the difference. Read on to learn about a day in the life of a Costa Rica realtor and how we go the extra mile to give clients full service from start to finish... and beyond! The South Pacific region of Costa Rica may be hot for real estate right now, but our South Pacific region of the country is still only just blooming. A lot of effort goes into attracting new buyers to this area, which only recently appeared on many radars. Showing Costa Ballena properties typically requires waiting for people to visit and some niche listings sit on the market for months if not years. In that time, we show our listings regularly, market them, and field questions about them from hundreds of inquiries. Additionally, performing due diligence and closings in this newly settled part of Costa Rica can get complicated for a number of reasons. Good realtors are the key to a successful real estate transaction in Costa Rica because of their insider knowledge of the market, the local real estate process, and their creative drive to find the best possible outcomes for their clients.

What Makes A Good Realtor In Costa Rica?

Realtors in Costa Ballena who continue to be recommended by their community over the years are most likely good neighbors and friends who go beyond the role and care about making sure their community is evolving in a positive way. Any new agent who thinks they can come in and make a quick buck will learn that their career as a realtor ends just as quickly. In our small communities, word gets out fast about how you treat people. Osa Tropical Properties realtors have a long history of great testimonials because we do not stop our jobs after closing the sale of a property. We know that people are relocating their lives and it is our role to be ambassadors to our clients, welcoming them in or bidding them farewell as they come and go. With this role come extra opportunities to help people transition in and out of Costa Rica with ease and grace. Some of these extras include setting up accounts or transferring utilities from one name to another. It can also be making introductions to new neighbors or introducing landowners to the builders we trust. We might also stand-in for a property seller who is outside of the country and with our help doesn't need to return. Helping people with one of the largest financial transactions of their lives is an important role that we take on with great pride in our community. We are dedicated to providing trustworthy, reliable, and all-around helpful service in the hopes of making our neighborhood a better place for newcomers and those already living here.

Why is it harder for realtors in Costa Rica to operate in a new relocation market?

A Costa Rica realtor’s success is highly dependent on different elements. Their niche, years of experience, how many hours they work per week, and their overall demeanor all play a role in how successful they are. This means that there is no “average realtor” and it is truly a career path of "you get what you give." Working in a niche market, like in our tropical relocation real estate market, brings with it niche obstacles that require dedicated agents who understand how to overcome unique issues with ease. Answering individual questions about how to move to Costa Rica, helping set up accounts in the country, and assisting in relocating lives (all in another language) is all in a day’s work for agents in Costa Ballena.  There are many typical questions about life in Costa Rica that new clients regularly ask us and we are happy to answer them every time. We also recognize that there are most likely many other people out there with the same questions... they just haven't yet reached out to ask. For those beginning their journey to Costa Rica, our team of agents creates regular, ongoing marketing efforts, like articles, videos, and more, answering the questions that we know most people are likely to ask. It is our chosen obligation to make sure that new property seekers can find trustworthy answers to their most pressing questions about Costa Rica real estate before they even contact our office. Without this extra effort, we would miss out on a huge number of potential buyers who would instead choose a different area to look at that seems a bit easier and on a more well-trodden path.

A day in the life of a Costa Rica realtor

There are countless things that a great realtor will do for their clients. There are literally hundreds of duties that real estate agents in Costa Ballena will perform with each new client, from education to preparation, search, selection, and closing procedures. There are so many basic tasks to perform and top-level realtors will go above and beyond the basics to make sure that their clients are not just satisfied but absolutely enthused by the ease of the process. Realtor tasks are growing as new technology is adopted every year into the real estate industry. Virtual listings, video walkthroughs, and closings through Zoom are just some of the ways that the industry has grown in the last couple of years. These are the typical changes that can be expected in a constantly evolving industry. However, there are a number of challenges that come up in Costa Rica real estate that go beyond the usual expectations. Some transactions in Costa Rica will fall apart for financial reasons. Other contracts fall apart during the due diligence period. We work through these challenges with the aim of making sure that we have our clients' best interests in mind rather than our own end goals. Some of the most valuable tasks that a great real estate agent in Costa Rica performs are:

• Pricing a property correctly for the market without the help of MLS or agent tools like Zillow and Trulia
• Creatively marketing a property in a variety of ways
• Communicating properly and thoroughly with both buyers and sellers from a distance
• Qualifying buyers (without the traditional tools to do so)
• Negotiating the best terms for their client's needs
• Attending home inspections and surveying boundary lines (sometimes on steep, unchopped properties)
• Preparing offers to purchase agreements and working with the lawyer to create the binding sales and purchase agreements
• Finalizing loose ends, even after the sale closes (i.e. helping people move their lives to another country after already collecting their paycheck).

A good buyer’s representative will cover the following tasks for their clients:

• Help with understanding closing cost preparation
• Educating buyers on the different nuances of each neighborhood
• Helping look up properties and organizing showings — both virtual and in-person
• Sharing their network of resources and making recommendations
• Preparing a legally binding contract
• Negotiating the offer’s price and terms
• Performing due diligence
• Finalizing loose ends for closing
• Assisting buyers to relocate to Costa Rica

A good realtor won’t stop until they find the ideal property that their buyer wants. If there is nothing like it in their area of expertise, they will put their buyer in touch with a realtor who represents another part of Costa Rica that may be more suited to the buyer’s preferences — even if the realtor is not from the same brokerage.

For sale by owner in Costa Rica

Figuring out how to do a ‘for sale by owner in Costa Rica’ as a seller can be more difficult than elsewhere in the world. Not only do you have to market your own property, you have to coordinate with whoever you may find interested in your property to view it — and this can turn into a full-time job that may very well stretch on for a long time. We have seen some FSBO properties on the market for as long as some of us have worked in the industry. We drive by the same hand-painted signs every day and wonder when those sellers will finally choose to exchange a small part of their sales price for a professional service that can sell their property sooner than later. Some people have all the time in the world and we are not in the business of trying to persuade those people — we wish them the best of luck! To sell your own property, not only will you need to become (or hire) an assistant to make a landing page for your property, including creating and uploading photos, descriptions, videos, planos, etc. You will also have to post this landing page on the various websites that market properties and then organize showing your property, too. As an independent seller in Costa Rica, it can be difficult to figure out the market price because there is no MLS service where you can learn what properties in the area have sold for in the past. Additionally, any issues discovered about your property in the due diligence process will fall directly on your shoulders to resolve. A good agent helps their sellers resolve issues with things like boundaries, infrastructure, title checks, and the like. We are equipped with experience and knowledge of the bureaucratic procedures that make Costa Rica a challenge for the uninitiated.

Why work with a good Costa Ballena realtor?

Some people think that real estate companies in Costa Rica inflate the cost of properties to make a big, fat cut. However, full-time realtors who excel in their careers are high-energy, time-efficient professionals who know how to handle stress and responsibility well. Having a buyer’s agent costs you nothing and you get great service and a thorough introduction to your new community with a professional helping you navigate the many complex procedures of buying here. And having a seller’s agent takes a big load off of your plate that can save you time and get you the best price for your property with very little hassle to you.

A few of our recent testimonials

“Not only is Katherine prompt, reliable, efficient, knowledgeable and honest, but her warm and friendly personality made our home-buying experience a pleasure.” “The sale of my property with Rebecca was an easy, no-stress experience and at rocket speed! She took care of everything that mattered and went out of her way to make things easy breezy for everyone involved.” “[Marcia] explained the entire process ahead of time, and also answered our numerous questions at every step. Our purchase went through without a hitch and we are now enjoying our beautiful jungle house!”