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I am retiring soon and want to move to Costa Rica to fulfill my lifelong ambition of building a small self sufficient farm. I have visited several times and am comfortable with the culture and lifestyle of the country. I can satisfy the income requirements to obtain residency. Here comes my question: If I spend a small fortune buying land, it will seriously reduce the funds available to me to build a house, create electricity, etc. necessary to self sufficiency. Can I obtain a few remote acres legally through the squatters laws. I haven’t studied these laws because legalese writing gives me a headache. So I am asking for input here. I am fully versed and educated on how to be self sufficient, but still working with limited funds. Totally out of the question here in the US due to high continuing taxation and government instituted codes and restrictions. Thanks for any info. Steve
You can see my article on squatters at [ https://www.welovecostarica.com/public/1123.cfm ]
Be warned though steve80545, as a dear friend told me a few years ago:
“If someone squats on my land and tries to steal what belongs to me and my family, I will bury them under it!”
This would definitely be worse than a headache eh?
Perhaps I misunderstand your posting and hope you’ll correct me if I’m wrong but how would you feel if a Costa Rican walked across the border into the USA and obtained “a few remote acres (land which belonged to you) legally through the squatters laws?”
Would love to know?
Scott Oliver – Founder
WeLoveCostaRica.comI can’t imagine you would ever impress a Costa Rica court or judge to hand you over some Pura Vida-born citizen’s land as the squatter/plaintiff! I would think the only would thing you would accomplish is the extreme expense of lawyer fees who very well might see you as a “cash cow” if they even would encouraged your idea in the first place. Also, I am not truly clear on all the fine points of litigation in Costa Rica, but compared to the USA, I understand in some litigation circumstances you may be required to post a bond in the amount of either your damages possibility or the amount of your perceived “taking” in cash to be held by their court system until all aspects of your lawsuit are finished. This could turn out to be years according to the way the legal process is constructed, it could very well turn out to be slower then the United States which is at a snail pace these days.
Why would you want to create so much ill will with your neighbors when you would be better off starting of small and creating growth for yourself on a smaller scale year by year? I would think you can finance your plans on an ongoing yearly basis that would create much more goodwill in the neighborhood you have settled into then I am reading in this post. You may not be thinking that being a good neighbor is all that important since this hardly exists anymore in the US. But I can assure you however that your neighbors will be watching you and what you do, so why not be a good friend for the very fact that Costa Rica is willing and helpful to allow you to come and join in their experiment in democracy? You in the end would undoubtedly leave a more compassionate legacy after you are dead then the one you are implying in this post.
I am in the same mind as Scott, is this truly what you are considering doing?
Tom in Portland
If squatting and attempting to steal someone else’s land to avoid paying for it is your first action in Costa Rica… why get hung up on the notion of “self sufficiency”… your actions fly in the face of the very concept of providing for yourself.
I agree with the idea in Scott’s posting … no need for courts of lawyers… if it’s my land…. just decisive action and a shovel.
I’m sure you can find some reasonably priced remote land that will fit your needs and budget… you’ll sleep much better at night.
My reading of Roger Peterson’s “Legal Guide to Costa Rica” reflects that the squatters’ law is much more difficult to invoke than many think. That is, it is much more difficult for a squatter to prevail than what is commonly assumed. There are specific tests that must be addressed and significant time must pass.
If that’s at all true, then what a mess it would be, indeed, to squat on someone else’s rightfully owned property, make improvements such as building structures and bringing in utilities, rile up the neighbors bigtime, and then find yourself summarily dispossessed when the rightful owner gets wind of what has transpired and has you legally and forcefully evicted.
Do bear in mind that no one, save perhaps your own attorney, would be sympathetic to what you propose to do. You will likely find that you’re much more dependent upon the community than you anticipate, and if you do find yourself in need of the neighborhood’s resources, you may come up very emptyhanded as everyone around you gives you a very, very cold shoulder.
This sort of arrogance on the parts of foreigners goes over very poorly with Costa Ricans.
Getting title on a (abandoned) squattered piece of land takes many years (if it happened at all). Someone who starts the process by the time he gets retired would probably not be alive by then. And without title, there are more illegal actions involved, such as building without building permits etc.
Costa Rica definately does not need any more criminals !!Wow, I am amazed that someone would have the audacity and arrogance to post
this question! Better you should stay in the USA!Steve80545: no need to squat. You can still buy the type of land you are thinking about for about $1000 an acre in CR. Look at Nicaragua, you could pick up 3 hectares for about $200. If it’s self reliance you really want, head to Nicaragua. You can have a house built in Nicaragua for about 70% less than CR. Sounds like Nicaragua would fulfill your self sufficient quest. Good luck man.
I didn’t mean that I intended to infringe on someone else’s private property. The drift of my question was to inquire if there is land still remote enough that no one else would have any use for it. Would rather not have close neighbors. I am not interested in stealing anything from anyone. Didn’t mean to give offense, but I guess that my question has been answered. On to plan B.
It would seem that you have perhaps misunderstood the definition of the squatter word steve80545 which is good.
There are plenty of ‘out of the way’ places in Costa Rica where you might never hear your neighbors and get land at very low prices so good luck with your hunt… Obviously the more out of the way and cheaper the land is, the further away you will be from good health care, internet etc…
Scott Oliver – Founder
WeLoveCostaRica.comI think it unlikely that you will find any property whatsoever that isn’t either formally owned by someone (titied in the National Registry) or claimed by someone who has held informal title to it for years or generations. If you’re looking for free land to “homestead” in the tradition of the American west, I’m sure no such opportunity exists or there’da been lots of discussion of it in this forum long ago.
Hello, My first husband (who is costa rican) and I got burned several years ago. He “bought” land in a remote area and the folks who were watching it left. we were living in US. Of course squatters moved in. My husband struggled without success to be granted a title. The gov would not grant him a title (perhaps he had the wrong attorney). We remained in the US and my husband never got his title. Squatters got the land BECAUSE 10 years passed and my husband had not hired a reputable attorney to fight his case. Moral of this story: don’t buy land not titled in the Register National. Check the title before you get emotionally involved in the property. Be sure the title is clear. And dont leave your land unattended, even for 6 months! I invite you and all the readers to check out my travel blog. Im on the web costaricalearn Loaded with very valuable information on all aspects of traveling in c Rica and its categorized for easy read. Good luck, ann
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