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Free guide · 12 lessons

How to bid at a judicial auction in Costa Rica

No jargon, no fine print. We walk through the whole process as if this were the first time you heard the word “remate”, with Costa Rican law in hand.

Every lesson is free and open. You don't need an account to read them. · 61 min of reading in total

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Guide contents

Module 1 The basics

  1. What is a judicial auction? Why a court ends up selling a house, and who is who in that story. 4 min
  2. From debt to auction: the full path Claim, attachment, appraisal, auction order and notice. What happens at each step. 5 min

Module 2 Reading the notice

  1. How to read an auction notice What the law forces the notice to say, field by field, on a real example. 6 min
  2. The three auctions: 100%, 75% and 25% The same asset goes to auction up to three times, cheaper each round. The third has a catch. 4 min

Module 3 Before you bid

  1. The registry check that saves you money How to look the property up at the Registro Nacional, and what liens and filings mean. 6 min
  2. Debts that stay glued to the property Municipal taxes and condo fees are not wiped by the auction. You inherit them. 5 min
  3. You cannot go inside: occupants and real condition You buy blind, and by law at your own risk. What you can still find out beforehand. 5 min
  4. The real budget: what it actually costs Bid, transfer tax, stamps, notary, inherited debts and eviction, with real numbers. 6 min

Module 4 Auction day

  1. The 50% deposit and the requirements How much to bring, in exactly what form, which documents, and what happens if you fail to pay. 5 min
  2. How the auction actually goes Where it happens, who runs it, how bidding works and what you sign at the end. 5 min

Module 5 After you win

  1. You won. Now what? Approval, lien cancellation, deed, registration and delivery of the property. 6 min
  2. The mistakes that cost the most A final checklist to run through before raising your hand at an auction. 4 min

Put it into practice

El Postor gathers the judicial, bank and institutional auctions published across Costa Rica into a single search.

Browse properties at auction Browse vehicles at auction

Official sources

Everything here comes from the law and from official sites. You can check it yourself: