List your Costa Rica property with GAP Real Estate — where details matter and buyers are serious.
GAP lists properties with accurate information, honest pricing, and real photography. Here is what to expect and how to start.
There is no official commission rate in Costa Rica. What exists instead is a set of customs the trade has settled on, and they vary more than most sellers expect. Here is what actually moves the number, so you can tell whether what you are being quoted is reasonable.
| Property | Usual commission |
|---|---|
| Central Valley — houses, condos, all types | Around 5% |
| Coast and rural — houses, condos, luxury homes | 6% to 8% |
| Building lots | 6% to 10% |
| Farms, businesses, and sales under US$50,000 | Around 10% |
Plus VAT, which is charged on the commission only — never on the sale price of your property — and is paid by the seller. Some agencies quote a single figure with the VAT already inside it, which is why you will sometimes see an odd-looking number like 6.78%.
We work to these customary rates and we agree the exact figure with you in writing before your property goes anywhere. You will also see some agencies charge more — often 7 or 8 per cent — in exchange for an exclusive contract. We do not do exclusives at all, so that does not arise here.
And none of it is payable until your property actually sells. No listing fee, no marketing fee, nothing monthly. If it never sells, it never costs you anything.
Por qué la comisión no es igual en todas las propiedades. En Costa Rica no existe una tarifa oficial de comisión: existe una costumbre, y varía más de lo que la gente espera. Pesa dónde está la propiedad (el Valle Central es barato de trabajar; la costa y la montaña se llevan un día entero y un cuatro por cuatro), qué es (un condominio es sencillo; un terreno o una finca obliga a resolver título, linderos, acceso, agua y zonificación antes de poder publicarla con honestidad) y cuánto vale (una venta pequeña da casi el mismo trabajo que una grande, por eso el porcentaje sube).
Lo habitual: alrededor de 5% en el Valle Central, de 6% a 8% en la costa y zonas rurales, de 6% a 10% en lotes, y alrededor de 10% en fincas, negocios y ventas por debajo de US$50.000. Más el IVA, que se cobra únicamente sobre la comisión y nunca sobre el precio de la propiedad, y lo paga el vendedor.
Trabajamos con esas tarifas habituales y acordamos la cifra exacta con usted por escrito antes de que su propiedad salga a ningún lado. Y no se paga nada hasta que la propiedad se venda.
Free to list · Nothing to pay until it sells
List with us, and with anyone else you like. Whoever sells it, gets paid.
GAP works on open listings. That means you can list your property with us and with any other agent you want, at the same time. We only earn if we are the ones who bring the buyer and the sale closes. There is nothing to pay to put your property on our site, nothing to pay while it sits there, and nothing to pay if it never sells.
An open listing
- You can list with several agents at once, and sell it yourself if you find the buyer
- Every agent has to actually produce a buyer to earn anything, so they work
- You are free to walk away at any time — nothing binds you to us
- More agents showing your property means more people see it
The catch is honest: with several agents involved you need to keep the price and the details consistent, and tell everyone when something changes. We will keep our copy accurate as long as you keep us posted.
An exclusive (closed) listing
- One agency has the property for a fixed period, often six months or a year
- They earn the fee even if somebody else finds the buyer, or if you do
- After the first flurry of calls, a lot of exclusives simply sit there
- If the agency loses interest, you are stuck until the contract runs out
Exclusives can suit a big development with a marketing budget behind it. For an ordinary house, they mostly transfer the pressure from the agent to the seller.
We are taking listings now in Escazú, Santa Ana, Ciudad Colón, Rohrmoser, Curridabat, Atenas, Grecia and across the Central Valley — and on the coast in Guanacaste, Jacó, Manuel Antonio, Uvita, Ojochal and Dominical. Houses, condos, farms, land and commercial property. If it can be described accurately and priced sensibly, we will list it.
Publique con nosotros y con quien usted quiera. Cobra quien venda.
GAP trabaja con listados abiertos: usted puede publicar su propiedad con nosotros y al mismo tiempo con cualquier otro agente. Solo ganamos si nosotros traemos al comprador y la venta se cierra. Publicar en gaprealestate.com no cuesta nada, no se paga nada mientras la propiedad está publicada y no se paga nada si nunca se vende.
Listado abierto
- Puede publicar con varios agentes a la vez, y venderla usted mismo si consigue al comprador
- Cada agente tiene que traer un comprador de verdad para ganar algo, así que trabaja
- Puede retirarse cuando quiera: nada lo amarra con nosotros
- Más agentes mostrando la propiedad significa que más gente la ve
Lo justo es decirlo: con varios agentes hay que mantener el precio y los datos iguales en todos lados y avisar cuando algo cambie. Nosotros mantenemos nuestra publicación al día si usted nos mantiene informados.
Listado exclusivo (cerrado)
- Una sola agencia tiene la propiedad por un plazo fijo, normalmente seis meses o un año
- Cobra su comisión aunque el comprador lo consiga otra persona, o usted mismo
- Pasada la primera oleada de llamadas, muchos exclusivos se quedan ahí quietos
- Si la agencia pierde interés, usted queda amarrado hasta que venza el contrato
El exclusivo puede servirle a un desarrollo grande con presupuesto de mercadeo detrás. Para una casa normal, casi siempre traslada la presión del agente al dueño.
Estamos recibiendo propiedades en Escazú, Santa Ana, Ciudad Colón, Rohrmoser, Curridabat, Atenas y Grecia, en todo el Valle Central, y en la costa: Guanacaste, Jacó, Manuel Antonio, Uvita, Ojochal y Dominical. Casas, condominios, fincas, lotes y locales comerciales.
What GAP looks for in a listing
GAP Real Estate does not take every listing that comes through the door. We look for properties that can be accurately represented, priced at what the market will support, and presented to buyers who are genuinely interested in that property type and location.
If you come to us with a price expectation significantly above current market comparables, we will tell you that directly. We would rather be honest at the start of the relationship than take a listing at an unrealistic price and have both sides waste time for a year with no result.
Properties GAP lists
- Titled residential homes and villas in Costa Rica
- Condominiums and townhomes with HOA documentation
- Vacant lots and residential land parcels
- Income-producing properties with documented rental history
- Commercial properties with clear permit status
- Farms and agricultural land
Maritime zone concession properties are accepted on a case-by-case basis — the legal complexity requires careful handling.
How listing with GAP works
Initial inquiry
Submit basic details about your property — location, type, approximate size, current condition, and your pricing expectation. GAP reviews the inquiry and follows up with an initial assessment.
Pricing conversation
If the property is a fit for the GAP listings, we have a direct conversation about pricing. This is based on comparable active listings in the area, current market conditions, and — when relevant — an independent appraisal. We will share our recommendation and explain the reasoning.
Documentation review
Before listing, we confirm that your property documentation is in order: active folio real at the Registro Nacional, cadastral survey on file, property taxes current, and any improvements properly permitted. Documentation problems that would surface during buyer due diligence should be resolved before listing.
Photography and listing preparation
We prepare the listing with real photography of the full property — including access, outdoor areas, and any relevant context. The listing description reflects what a buyer will actually encounter. We do not use stock photos or misleading angles.
Live listing and buyer inquiries
The listing goes live on the GAP Real Estate platform and associated channels. Buyer inquiries are routed through GAP, qualified for seriousness, and coordinated for property visits. You receive updates on inquiry activity and feedback from buyers who have viewed the listing or visited.
Offer, negotiation, and closing
When an offer comes in, GAP advises on the terms and assists in negotiation. The purchase agreement (Opción de Compraventa) is reviewed by attorneys for both parties. GAP coordinates through the due diligence period and closing. Fee is paid by the seller at closing, at the rate agreed in the listing agreement.
Documentation checklist for sellers
Title and registration
- Folio real number (Registro Nacional)
- Current title certificate showing no liens or annotations
- SA documents if held in a corporation (acta, personería)
- Power of Attorney if seller is not present in Costa Rica
Physical documentation
- Cadastral survey (plano catastrado) on file at CATASTRO
- Building permits for any structures or improvements
- HOA documentation and current fee status (if applicable)
- Water service documentation (ASADA or AyA)
Financial and tax
- Municipal property tax receipts — paid and current
- SA annual tax paid (if held in corporation)
- Any rental income documentation (if income-producing)
- Capital gains assessment if property purchased after July 2019
Ready to list your Costa Rica property with GAP?
Contact GAP Real Estate with your property details. We will review the information and come back with an honest assessment of how to proceed.
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