When high-net-worth investors look at Costa Rica, they often see the same things that first drew me in more than 20 years ago: stability, beauty, and extraordinary potential. But what many don’t see at first glance are the complexities that sit beneath and behind every successful development here.
Costa Rica is a remarkable place to build, but it’s not a market where vision alone carries a project. It requires structure, sequencing, regulatory clarity, and a deep understanding of what today’s buyers actually want. That’s where development consulting becomes essential.
For private clients – family offices, developers, and global investors – my role is to bridge the gap between concept and execution. I help evaluate land, map regulatory pathways, identify product-market fit, and ensure that each decision aligns with long-term value and clear exit options. It’s a process rooted in experience, due diligence, and a strategic understanding of how the luxury market is evolving heading into 2026.
Let’s talk about how development consulting works in Costa Rica, the tailored services my private clients receive, and why a structured advisory process is the difference between building something that’s merely feasible versus building something that endures.
The Role of Development Consulting in Costa Rica’s Real Estate Market
Development consulting in Costa Rica exists for one reason: the path from raw land to a viable, profitable project is far more complex here than most investors expect. This is where structured advisory becomes the bridge between a client’s vision and the reality of building in a market defined by environmental regulations, entitlement layers, and evolving luxury-buyer preferences.
As Costa Rica’s market matures, high-value land has become scarce, permitting timelines have tightened, and due diligence has grown more technical. Investors are no longer competing on concept alone: You’re competing on execution. That means understanding water availability, zoning distinctions, maritime zone limitations, topographical constraints, environmental-impact pathways, and how local municipalities interpret regulations on the ground.
Without professional consulting, even sophisticated investors can run into avoidable obstacles: acquiring land that cannot be built as intended, underestimating timeframes for environmental approvals, overlooking drainage or access requirements, misaligning the project with buyer demand, or mispricing product because the design does not match what the market rewards.
My role is to anticipate these challenges long before money is committed or plans are drawn. Effective development consulting protects capital, clarifies feasibility, and sets the foundation for a project that delivers the right product to the right buyers while moving through Costa Rica’s regulatory environment with precision.
Branding and Marketing: Where Great Projects Become Market Leaders
Even with clean entitlements, verified water, and a strong development plan, a project can still fail to reach its full potential if the branding and marketing don’t match the quality of the build. In Costa Rica’s competitive luxury market, differentiation is everything. Buyers are discerning, inventory moves quickly when positioned correctly, and the projects that succeed are the ones that tell a compelling story from day one.
This is where my team provides an additional layer of value. Behind me, I have the combined strength of the Vesta Group and Coldwell Banker Costa Rica, supported by an in-house branding and marketing team that specializes in high-end development strategy. We create bespoke brand identities, align them with market demand, and build a full go-to-market ecosystem that integrates design, messaging, and strategic positioning.
For private clients, this means your development doesn’t enter the market quietly. It enters with clarity, identity, and authority. From brand naming and visual identity to digital presence, SEO, social amplification, and global luxury exposure, together, we ensure your project is not only well-built but also seen, understood, and desired. Solid execution gets a project ready; expert branding and marketing get it sold.
Tailored Services for HNW Investors – From Site Selection to ROI Optimization
The investors and family offices I advise do not come to Costa Rica for guesswork. They come for clarity, strategy, and a process that aligns their capital with the most resilient opportunities. My development consulting services are designed to guide projects from the earliest concept through long-term positioning.
Identifying Premier Sites with Long-Term Upside
Not all land performs equally. I evaluate ridge-line buildability, microclimates, access, infrastructure requirements, exposure to protected areas, and the characteristics that influence resale and rental performance. The goal is to ensure the site itself supports your vision and has the ingredients for long-term appreciation.
Structuring Acquisitions with Tax Efficiency and Legal Safeguards
I work with legal and financial teams to help structure acquisitions through SRLs, trusts, or hybrid vehicles that align with a family’s broader governance and estate-planning framework. This protects assets, simplifies administration, and adds clarity when cross-border capital is involved.
Advising on Design, Sustainability, and Eco-Luxury Alignment
Today’s buyers want homes that blend modern design with environmental integrity. I help clients translate that into practical decisions: renewable systems, responsible land use, regenerative landscaping, privacy without isolation, and architectural choices that maximize both livability and value.
Optimizing Projects for Rental Yield, Resale Strength, and Legacy Value
Whether the goal is a luxury villa community, a boutique hospitality concept, or branded residences, I help calibrate the product to the price points and features that outperform. We position the project so that it meets today’s demand while strengthening its long-term exit.
My 20+ Years of Personal Expertise: Lessons from Guiding HNW Clients Through Projects
Over the last 20 years, I have advised clients on residential estates, boutique resorts, mixed-use developments, and conservation-focused eco-luxury projects across Costa Rica. The most valuable lessons have come from seeing what works, what doesn’t, and what separates high-performing projects from those that struggle.
Navigating Permitting, Zoning, and Environmental Regulations
Costa Rica’s regulatory ecosystem is detailed and sequential. Success depends on understanding land-use plans, maritime zone rules, forestry and stream setbacks, SETENA pathways, water verification, and engineering requirements for hillside terrain. I guide clients through these processes so they know what’s possible, what’s required, and what risks need to be addressed early.
Leveraging Off-Market Opportunities
Some of the most valuable sites never reach the public market. Through long-standing relationships with landowners, operators, and regional partners, I provide clients with access to opportunities and pocket listings that are limited in supply and strong in performance potential.
Building Trust Through Advisory, Not Transactions
My development consulting relationships often span multiple years and multiple projects. Clients rely on me not only for acquisition and planning, but also for ongoing guidance related to design decisions, governance structures, operator alignment, and long-term execution.
Key Benefits for HNW Investors: Customization, Risk Mitigation, and Sustainable Strategies
Structured development consulting gives investors a strategic advantage in Costa Rica. The benefits are meaningful, especially for projects that aim to balance luxury, sustainability, and long-term value.
Bespoke Solutions Aligned with Family Goals
Every investor has a different objective: legacy planning, rental performance, portfolio diversification, or long-term lifestyle utility. My advisory aligns the development strategy with your investment or your family’s broader vision.
Rigorous Risk Mitigation
Due diligence in Costa Rica must be more than a checklist. It is an integrated process that includes title verification, water and ASADA capacity, soil and slope analysis, environmental reviews, infrastructure needs, operator viability, and product positioning. Mapping these risks early protects capital and prevents avoidable delays.
Sustainability As a Driver of Value in 2026
Eco-luxury is no longer a niche. It is a standard that today’s buyers expect. Projects that integrate renewable energy systems, passive cooling, regenerative landscaping, and conservation-minded design consistently outperform in both resale value and rental demand.
Creating Developments that Blend Luxury with Eco-Conscious Living
I help clients balance privacy, views, amenities, and sustainability so that each home or hospitality product feels elevated, intentional, and connected to its environment. This is the design philosophy that defines the next decade of Costa Rica luxury real estate.
Explore Development Consulting Opportunities with Daveed Hollander
Development in Costa Rica is not about volume; it’s about vision. With the right advisory structure, you can unlock opportunities that preserve wealth, protect the environment, and create long-term value for future generations.
If you are evaluating private client investments, new development opportunities, or long-term strategy in Costa Rica, schedule a private consultation, and let’s get started.
FAQs: Development Consulting in Costa Rica
What is development consulting in Costa Rica?
It is a structured advisory process that guides investors from land evaluation through design, entitlements, risk mitigation, and strategic positioning.
Why do high-net-worth investors need development consulting in Costa Rica?
The regulatory ecosystem is detailed, environmental requirements are strict, and the market rewards specific design and location decisions. Consulting protects capital and accelerates execution.
What services are included in private development consulting?
Site evaluation, due diligence coordination, zoning analysis, sustainability guidance, concept planning, market alignment, governance support, and long-term project strategy.
Can foreigners develop real estate projects in Costa Rica?
Yes. Foreign investors have the same rights as citizens when purchasing titled land. Concession property requires special structuring and legal oversight.
Is sustainable development important in Costa Rica in 2026?
Yes. Sustainability is now a defining feature of the country’s luxury real estate market. Eco-luxury homes and low-density developments consistently outperform.
