Before committing to buy property in Costa Rica there are several due diligence steps that may be applicable:

- title check
before purchasing a property it is vital that an attorney checks the title to the property in the national registry to make sure there are no third party claims, leins, or encumberances against the property, which could affect the value of the property. The company that owns the property should also be free and clear of any claims.

- survey
often surveys are old and outdated. Land use allowed changes over time due to landslides, erosion, other natural circumstances, as well setback law changes. The area designated for construction in the survey may be incorrect. A professional surveyor should be contracted to check the boundaries and other characteristics of the land before the purchase is made.