A lawyer is an important aspect to purchasing real estate in Costa Rica. Find a lawyer who speaks your language and answers questions promptly; this will ensure the smoothest transaction possible. Your attorney will help you through several steps of your purchase, including a title search, contingency releases, distribution of funds, title transfer, and more. Lawyer and notary fees are assessed as percentages of the sale price, not the declared property value. Attorney fees amount to 1.5% of the first $2,000 and 1.25% of the remaining sale price.