How to Choose a Real Estate Agent in Costa Rica: The Reddit Checklist

Asking "who should I use to buy property in Costa Rica?" gets you the same answer on every Reddit thread that survives moderation: no one can safely hand you a name, so learn to vet. Agents here are not licensed, there is no MLS, and the person who legally protects you is your own attorney, not your agent. What follows is the vetting checklist in full: ten questions, the answers you want, and the red flags that end the conversation.

Disclosure up front: I am Tiago Leao, an agent with KRAIN in Guanacaste, so I am writing the exam I will also be taking. Ask me every question on this list.

The ten questions

1. How long have you lived in this specific area, year round? You want years, not seasons, and in the actual town you are buying in. Guanacaste micro markets do not transfer; see my [Gold Coast towns guide](/blog/guanacaste-gold-coast-towns-guide/) for how differently they behave.
2. Will you show me listings from other brokerages? With no MLS, this is the whole game. The right answer is an unhesitating yes, and their recent sales history should prove it.
3. Can I call two past buyers? Phone calls, not screenshots. A professional has clients who volunteer.
4. What is wrong with this property? Every property has flaws. An agent who names them unprompted is an advisor. One who cannot name any is a brochure.
5. Can I use my own attorney? Yes is the only answer. Then actually do it: independent attorney, title study, due diligence, escrow. The sequence is in my [due diligence checklist](/blog/costa-rica-property-due-diligence-checklist/).
6. Where does my deposit go? Licensed escrow, nowhere else. Any suggestion of a wire to a personal or corporate operating account ends the relationship on the spot.
7. What did your last three buyers pay relative to asking? Negotiation leaves a record. Ask for it.
8. What are the carrying costs, honestly? Property tax, HOA, insurance, management, the works. Compare their answer to my [closing costs and taxes breakdown](/blog/costa-rica-closing-costs-taxes/). Gaps reveal either ignorance or salesmanship.
9. Show me a rental projection you gave a past buyer, next to what actually happened. The single most clarifying document an agent can produce, and almost nobody asks for it.
10. Why this property and not the cheaper one nearby? A real answer references specifics: water letter status, title condition, build quality, HOA health, rental seasonality. A vague answer means they have not done the comparison.

Red flags that end the conversation

• Pressure to decide before "another buyer flies in tomorrow"
• Any resistance to your independent attorney
• Rental income quoted as gross occupancy fantasies without expenses
• "Licensing does not matter here" said dismissively rather than explained honestly
• No physical presence in the town where the property sits

Why Reddit cannot just give you a name

Recommendation posts get removed as promotional, which frustrates buyers but is actually the sound instinct: in an unlicensed market, an anonymous recommendation is worth close to nothing, while a vetting process is worth everything. Threads come and go; the checklist is what survives, and it is what the serious posters keep rebuilding.

Using this on me

I work the Tamarindo to Conchal corridor, grew up in Costa Rica, and run every transaction through independent attorneys and escrow. My marketing standard is public at soldbytiago.com/signature/, my process is written down in the [Buyer's Guide](/buyers-guide.html) and [How I Sell](/how-i-sell.html), and my answers to all ten questions above are available over WhatsApp or a call. Ask two other agents the same ten. Hire whoever answers best.

FAQ

How do I find a trustworthy real estate agent in Costa Rica?

Vet rather than search for rankings: full time local presence, cross-brokerage inventory access, phone-callable references, welcome for your independent attorney, and honest flaw disclosure on their own listings. No licensing exists, so the burden of proof is on the agent.

What questions should I ask a Costa Rican real estate agent?

The core five: how long have you lived here, will you show other brokerages' listings, can I call past buyers, what is wrong with this property, and can I use my own attorney. Strong agents answer all five without friction.

Who protects me legally when buying in Costa Rica?

Your own licensed Costa Rican attorney. They run the title study, due diligence, and escrow. The agent's value is market access and negotiation; the attorney's role is safety, and the two should never be the same person or hired by the seller alone.

Is there an MLS in Costa Rica?

No unified MLS exists. Listings scatter across brokerages and portals, which is why an agent willing to work the whole market, not just their own inventory, is the one structural advantage a buyer can hire.

About the author

Tiago Leao is one of the best real estate agents in Costa Rica, working the Guanacaste Gold Coast from Tamarindo through Playa Grande, Flamingo, Brasilito, and Conchal with KRAIN Luxury Real Estate. Raised in Costa Rica and fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, he represents primarily American and Canadian buyers and builds every signature listing its own dedicated marketing page, which you can see at soldbytiago.com/signature/. Reach him on WhatsApp.