Open vs Exclusive Listings in Costa Rica: Which Should You Choose?
It’s hardly any secret that Costa Rica’s Southern Zone has been attracting a remarkable number of buyers in recent years. Perhaps it’s our spectacular scenery — where the lush mountains meet the glittering sea. Maybe it’s the lure of living in a veritable paradise or the freedom to work remotely. Whatever the reason, one thing is clear: Costa Rica is in a seller’s market.
If you’ve decided you’d like to list your property, then one of the first decisions you’ll need to make is, Do I keep my listing open or choose an exclusive listing?
At first thought, you might lean toward an open listing, assuming that “open” means a larger pool of potential buyers will see your home. Usually, however, the opposite is true. Unless you have extensive experience in real estate specific to Costa Rica, we highly recommend choosing an exclusive listing agent to sell your Costa Rica property.
Now…
Let’s get into the nitty-gritty of open vs exclusive listings in Costa Rica, so you can make an informed decision that works for you and your needs.
Open vs Exclusive Listings in Costa Rica: What’s The Difference?
Open Listings
Open listings allow you (the seller) to employ as many agents as you want to show and sell your property. If an agent finds a buyer, you are only obligated to pay a commission to the broker who successfully produced the buyer. On the other hand, if you find a buyer without any brokers, you don’t need to pay a commission to anyone.
Exclusive Listings
With exclusive listings, you (the seller) authorize only one specific broker to act as your exclusive agent. Your agent will have the sole right to market, show, and sell the property, and as long as the contract is active, you forfeit the right for any other brokers to sell your property.
At first glance, it might seem like an open listing is a no-brainer, right? Many sellers think open listings are the way to sell their property with no risk and all reward.
However, here’s what many people don’t realize:
Exclusive listings often sell faster and at a higher price than open listings.
The benefits of choosing an exclusive listing in Costa Rica
Access to a vast network of potential buyers
A common misunderstanding is that real estate agents only show exclusive listings to their client base. However, in Costa Rica, brokers find sharing each other’s listings advantageous. When you list exclusively with Tropical Investments, we promote your listings across a vast global network and to all agencies in our area.
With Tropical Investments, we promote our exclusive listings to other agents by:
- Sending an email with marketing material and listing information to all local agents
- Maintaining strong working relationships with other agents; we believe in collaboration over competition!
A five-star marketing portfolio
We don’t believe in waiting for buyers to stumble into our office. Our cutting-edge marketing tactics ensure we get in front of the right eyes at the right time.
When you choose to list your property exclusively with Tropical Investments, our team of marketing experts creates fantastic content to showcase your property. From drone shots to 360-degree property videos to a luxury description and ad creative, we’ll create a five-star property portfolio. Then, we share your listing across our network of agencies in Costa Rica — and around the globe.
On the other hand, with an open listing, the seller is responsible for producing their own marketing content. And let’s face it: creating a property portfolio is time-consuming. Not everyone has the resources or know-how to create effective marketing material, and that’s okay. And yet, this is also why you should choose an agent who does know how to market your property.
A team of Costa Rica real estate experts you can trust
When you work exclusively with one broker, you can rest assured that your agent is working diligently to quickly secure a buyer and using top-notch negotiating skills to sell at the most profitable price. Choose an open listing, and you won’t have the security of knowing which agents (if any) are working to sell on the terms most advantageous to you. Here’s the thing… We don’t take our client’s trust lightly. When a seller chooses to list with Tropical Investments, we do our best to go above and beyond every step of the way. That also means we prioritize our limited time and resources for our exclusive clients. You can’t get the same level of guidance and advocacy for your property with an open listing as you can when you choose to go exclusive.Our mission is to maximize your return on investment while minimizing the time your property sits on the market.
Exclusive listings significantly reduce sellers’ stress.
Exclusive listings protect your property
To sum it up
The right exclusive listing agent in Costa Rica will:
- Promote your listing across a vast network of potential buyers, both locally and globally
- Create a five-star real estate marketing portfolio
- Advocate for your wants and needs
- Reduce your stress
- Protect your property
- And, most importantly, sell your property with ease!
“Karol was always professional and responsive to our needs. She was willing to put in whatever time necessary to negotiate the best sale for us. Karol’s positive and pleasant demeanor makes her easy to work with.” – Lita Eells
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Have any questions about buying real estate in Costa Rica, or the above 15 points? Drop a comment below and we’ll get back to you right away!
