How Foreigners Fund a Gold Coast Purchase

Cash still closes most deals

Many Gold Coast purchases settle with wire-through-escrow cash. That is not a flex — it is the path of least friction when title, water, and permits check out. If you can fund cash from savings or a home-country sale, you keep leverage out of the Costa Rican close.

Cash does not skip due diligence. A clean folio, matching survey, and legal water still decide whether you should wire.

Seller / owner carry

Some sellers will carry a note — especially when the listing already signals owner financing, or when motivation is high and the buyer's rental math is credible. Carry is a private agreement, not a bank product: terms, collateral, and default remedies belong with your attorney.

We surface owner-financing signals on listings when brokers disclose them. Treat those as a conversation starter, not a pre-approved loan.

JV and private equity

Joint ventures and private capital cover gaps when a buyer wants the asset but not 100% of the equity — or when a seller wants a partner instead of a full exit. Our own book and JV appetite sit here when the deal fits; overflow intros to private note partners are tracked silently, never sold as a public lender aisle.

Structure follows the same rental screen as the map: if trailing comps do not support the ask, capital should not paper over a bad recipe.

Home-country equity (HELOC / portfolio / refinance)

Many buyers fund Costa Rica from equity in a US or Canadian home, investment portfolio, or refinance — then wire cash into Costa Rican escrow. That is home-country banking, not a Costa Rica mortgage. Rates, tax, and currency risk stay with your home advisors.

Do not confuse a home-country HELOC with local bank approval. Costa Rica closing still needs clean title and a notary/escrow path.

Local banks and what they usually will not do

Costa Rican banks (SUGEF-regulated) can lend, but non-resident foreign buyers often face high down payments, short terms, and slow underwriting — when a product is available at all. Expect process and residency friction, not a US DSCR checklist.

We are not a bank or mortgage broker. If a local bank path is the right tool, your attorney and banker own it. Our job is the deal math and, when asked, structuring private capital or JV so a serious buyer can close.

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Frequently asked questions

How can a foreigner finance a Costa Rica property purchase?

Most foreigners close with cash, seller/owner carry, JV equity, or equity raised at home (sale, refinance, HELOC) and wired into escrow. Local bank mortgages for non-residents exist but are uncommon and slow — not a US-style DSCR product.

Do Costa Rica banks give mortgages to US buyers?

Sometimes, with heavy conditions. Many US and Canadian buyers find cash or home-country equity simpler. Treat local bank quotes as optional, not the default path.

Can foreigners get a mortgage in Costa Rica in 2026?

Possible but uncommon for non-residents: expect high down payments (often 30–50%+ when a product exists), shorter terms, residency or income documentation friction, and slow SUGEF-bank underwriting. Most Gold Coast foreign buyers still close with cash, home-country equity (HELOC/refinance), seller carry, or JV. We are not a bank — your attorney and banker own any local loan path.

What is seller financing on the Gold Coast?

The seller carries a private note for part of the price. Terms are negotiated case by case. Listings that mention owner financing are a signal to ask — not a pre-approved loan.

Can I use Airbnb income to get a loan in Costa Rica?

Do not assume US “Airbnb financing” or DSCR products apply. Rental comps matter for whether the deal makes sense and for private capital conversations — they are not a substitute for local bank rules.

Who helps structure private capital or JV?

Pura Vida Portfolio can discuss seller carry, JV equity, and private capital when a deal fits — tracked intros, not a public Find-a-lender marketplace. You keep your own attorney and banker.

Can I get a mortgage on foreign property from the US or Canada?

Home-country banks rarely mortgage Costa Rica land. Most buyers raise cash or equity at home (sale, refinance, HELOC), then wire into Costa Rican escrow. Local SUGEF-bank loans for non-residents exist but are uncommon and slow — not a US DSCR product.

What about overseas property insurance?

Budget for a local Costa Rica policy (hazard, liability, and landlord coverage if you rent). US carriers such as USAA-style products usually do not replace on-the-ground CR insurance. Confirm binders with your attorney before closing — not insurance advice.

Written by Patrick Beland

STR expert and investor — software developer, house flipper, former realtor in Canada, and short-term rental investor across Canada and Costa Rica, now based in Playas del Coco. I write from my own books, not a brochure. About