Selling Your Property in Costa Rica, Should you Choose an Open or Exclusive Listing?

The first step to selling your property in Costa Rica is getting an accurate appraisal of your properties value.

Because there is no official MLS in Costa Rica it can often be challenging assess values and understand market conditions. That’s where a reputable and professional Realtor can help you.

With a thorough analysis of comparable properties, along with sold comps and evaluations of current market conditions, a local realtor will have the resources and knowledge to help accurately appraise the value of your property.

Listing your property in Costa Rica is then very similar to selling a property in North America. There are basically two types of listing agreements used in Costa Rica; an exclusive listing agreement and an open listing agreement..

Why An Exclusive Listing Agreement in Better For You

Much like in North America the traditional exclusive listing agreement is one in which a seller signs a listing agreement with one agent/office who then manages and markets your property.

As long as you are working with professional real estate sales people, we have invariably found this to be the most effective way to sell property in Costa Rica for the following reasons.

1. It saves the sellers a lot of time and hassle dealing with just one Realtor, instead of dozens of different people.
2. The seller therefore has better control of who is marketing and handling the listing.
3. There is better customer service and accountability.

Open Listing Agreement

Some owners do choose an open listing in which no specific agent is managing the listing and it is simply open to allow any agent to market and sell at their discretion.

This can sometimes get a bit complicated, especially when it comes to showing and marketing your property, as the seller then is responsible of communicating and scheduling with multiple different people.

Open listings rarely receive the same dedication and investment by agents/offices as exclusive agreements and for that reason typically sit on the market much longer.

The key with selling your property in Costa Rica is understanding the value of your property, the market conditions and working with the right person who has the ability and expertise to market your property appropriately.

Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.