How I Picked My Lot at Ecovilla San Mateo, Costa Rica
When I first bought property in Ecovilla San Mateo, I didn’t know what I was doing.
Ecovilla San Mateo (ESM) is an intentional community in San Mateo, Costa Rica. I knew I loved water, so I thought I probably wanted a waterside lot in ESM. We let the sales rep suggest one and bought it sight unseen.
A year later, at the end of 2024, we made the trip to Costa Rica in order to see the community. That’s when I realized I should have put more care into picking a lot.
Costa Rica has a reputation for being a paradise, and because of that, I thought any lot would do. But after visiting, I realized small pockets of land can differ a lot. Some are hotter, humid, buggy, wet. After staying during the rainy season, I wanted to be far away from the river!
Luckily, we got a chance to pick a new lot. A group of friends purchased a row of lots, including ours.
This time I was going to do the research.
Crowdsourcing help
I made several knowledgeable friends on my trip to San Mateo. They advised me on picking my second lot.
I hired Matthew Human, a permaculture specialist who has lived in San Mateo for over 20 years, to help me pick a new lot. He agreed to check out the lots for me while I was still in the States.
Beware of sales tactics and misrepresentation
Some friends warned me to be skeptical of marketing materials and sales reps. The ESM team is great. But selling is selling. You need to be savvy no matter what salespeople you’re dealing with.
For example, some lots are described as “somewhat flat” on the website. “Somewhat flat” is highly subjective. Some purchasers were disappointed by the descriptions.
You have to do your research to make sure the lot is what you expect.
Surprisingly, I found that the salespeople were underselling some great lots, especially their potential views. The salespeople can’t consider all the intricacies of a lot, positive or negative.
Don’t overlook resale properties
The salespeople never suggested any of the resale properties that I ended up liking. It’s unclear why. Perhaps the company doesn’t incentivize them to sell resale properties. However, resales can be some of the better properties because they were often someone’s first pick. Make sure you check them out. (Update: This is now true of our top-choice lot. I’m no longer moving to Costa Rica, and F618 is back for sale.)
Qualities to consider
After talking with Human and other San Mateo locals, I came up with a list of qualities to consider.
- Less buggy
- Depends on More breezes and better drainage.
- Cooler
- Depends on More airflow, higher elevation, and proximity to water.
- Easier to build
- Depends on Flatter terrain, better drainage, open sides without neighbors, and no protected trees in the way.
- Outdoor livability
- Depends on Flatter terrain.
- Garden potential
- Depends on Nutrient-dense soil, beneficial trees, and a gentle slope.
- Views
- Depends on Enough elevation, the story from which you want to see the view, the slope, and neighboring construction. Surprisingly, Ecovilla tended to undersell the views from many lots, so some have better views than described.
- Ocean views
- Depends on The same factors as views, plus ocean-facing orientation.
- Sunset view
- Depends on The same factors as views, but with sunset-facing orientation. Costa Rican sunsets happen around 6 p.m. throughout the year, which is great for entertaining.
- Sunrise view
- Depends on The same factors as views, but with sunrise-facing orientation.
- Privacy
- Depends on Distance from neighbors, fewer shared sides, and distance from community centers.
- Community
- Depends on Proximity to community centers, schools, and art villages, balanced with your desired level of privacy.
Picking lots on the Ecovilla map
I used Ecovilla’s 3D lot map to compare topography and narrow down my choices.
The 3D topography helped me estimate which lots might be breezier, cooler, less buggy, and easier to build on. The map also includes prices, videos, and pictures.
My personal priorities
- Less buggy and cooler
- Look for Higher elevation and more breeze.
- Outdoor livability
- Look for Flatter terrain.
- Views
- Look for Elevation, a useful slope, and few obstructions.
- Privacy and buildability
- Look for Open sides that don't touch neighboring properties and some distance from community areas.
Privacy can give you more options when deciding where to build. If a neighbor builds against your shared property line instead of near the center of their lot, this may limit how close you can reasonably build to the property line.
How to enable 3D terrain
- Open the Layers dropdown.
- Check 3D terrain.
- On a Mac, hold down Control while moving the mouse to adjust the 3D view.
⚠️ Don’t miss resale lots: The Available filter hides them. Enable both ✅ Available and ✅ Resell to see every option.
Preparing for the expert site visit
I gave Human my list of potential lots. I included my concerns.
For example:
Will the creek by F18 cause issues? How breezy is each lot?
My shortlist
7 lots- F18
- Why it made the list A small creek, potential views, relatively flat terrain, potentially cooler temperatures, fewer bugs, and more privacy than other lots.
- C330 (C30)
- Why it made the list It appeared flat and potentially cooler and breezier.
- E44
- Why it made the list A beautiful view and exceptional privacy, despite its steep terrain.
- B213
- Why it made the list A smaller, less expensive lot with two sides that don't touch neighboring properties.
- A18
- Why it made the list Potential valley, ocean, and sunset views.
- E21
- Why it made the list The flattest lot I saw at that elevation, with potentially cooler temperatures and a possible ocean view.
- E16
- Why it made the list Partially flat terrain, two open sides, and potentially cooler temperatures.
Human visited each lot, took videos, and documented his observations.
The site checks
Human provided videos and expert observations for each lot.
In the end, Human’s top three lots were:
- F18
- E21
- C330
See the full list with his notes at the bottom of this article.
So which did I pick?
⭐ My final pick: F18
F18 (aka F618) won because it offered the best balance of airflow, views, usable terrain, water, and privacy. It had a little bit of everything I cared about without the extreme building challenges of some other lots.
Why F18 won
- Airflow and temperature
- Human felt the best airflow here of all the lots, which could make it cooler and less buggy.
- Views
- The lot has treetop and sunset vistas, with the potential for an ocean view.
- Creek
- It sits uphill from a creek—close enough to enjoy the water without being directly beside it. Being a small creek, it didn't have the "too wet" feeling of the rainy season by the river.
- Terracing potential
- The slope is workable rather than extreme, creating possibilities for terracing and interesting architecture.
- Neighbor and privacy
- The lot borders only one neighbor, and Human knew the owner of the two adjacent lots (and she is cool).
Human’s assessment of F18
“A nice lot, actually.”
- Best airflow of all the lots
- Spacious
- Ocean, treetop, and sunset views
- Gentle, workable slope toward a creek
- Adjacent lots owned by his friend Maria
- ESM was temporarily moving material during construction, so Human recommended that our contract require ESM to backfill the removed soil.
See F18’s full specifications and the other lot comparisons.
What if you want to buy a lot in the area?
I felt much better the second time around, than my first uninformed lot pick. The extra research and expert site checks gave me confidence that I understood both the lot’s strengths and tradeoffs before making a decision.
I recommend hiring a third-party specialist familiar with San Mateo to:
- Help you narrow down initial options
- Conduct site checks on your lot options
I personally recommend Matthew Human, but there may be others. I didn’t pay for a full permaculture assessment; instead, I paid for multiple brief (10–30 minute) site checks, one on each lot.
An expert can help you identify which aspects of a lot matter to you and tailor the assessment to your needs. For example, if you have kids, you’ll require different conditions, like safety and proximity to the school. You might find that you want to purchase in a different community entirely in San Mateo, like Alegria or La Ecovilla.
Feel free to check out the lots from my list if your preferences are similar to mine.
Detailed lot comparisons and site-check notes
The overview below highlights each lot’s biggest advantage and concern. Expand a lot for its full specifications, my original questions, and Human’s assessment.
📹 Reach out to me if you want Human’s videos and documentation of the lots.
| Lot | Best feature | Main concern |
|---|---|---|
| F18 (HOA-listed resale) | Best airflow, ocean and treetop views | No major concern from the mini site check |
| E21 | Flat, breezy, with a possible ocean view | Busy roads and neighboring lots |
| C330 | Relatively easy and inexpensive to build on | Protected tree and no front view |
| E44 | Grand ocean and sunset vista | Steep, expensive engineering project |
| B213 | Lowest price and a cooler, shaded setting | Flood risk |
| A18 | Possible ocean and sunset views | Felt hot and busy |
| E16 | Ocean vistas and good airflow | Extreme slope and major drainage |
🥇 F18 — Best overall $208,950
| Sides open | 2 |
| View | Forest (Ocean? Vistas?) |
| Size (buildable / full) | 5,328 sq. ft. / 21,313 sq. ft. |
| Topography | Partly flat, partly steep |
| Breeze | Yes |
| How high up | Medium |
Why I considered it: Next to a creek, with nice views.
My questions for Human: Will the creek cause issues? Is it too hot? Is the topography good to build on? Is it breezy?
Human’s assessment: Best airflow of all the lots; spacious; ocean, treetop, and sunset views; a gentle, workable slope to a creek; friend Maria owns the two adjacent lots. ESM was temporarily moving material during construction, so Human recommended that our contract require ESM to backfill the removed soil. “A nice lot, actually.”
🥈 E21 — Second pick
| Sides open | None really, but higher up than neighboring lots |
| View | Maybe ocean? Hard to say if the other lots will block it. |
| Size (buildable / full) | 4,039 sq. ft. / 16,157 sq. ft. |
| Topography | Not on Ecovilla map — seems somewhat flat, flattest I’ve seen around that elevation |
| Breeze? | Breezy |
| How high up | Medium-high |
Why I considered it: It seemed flat for that elevation.
My questions for Human: Ecovilla didn’t list a view, but a friend said it had an ocean view. How would the other houses not block the view? Is it because this lot is higher up? Will it have any view?
Human’s assessment: Flat, right across from the common area, with a great breeze and an ocean view (Puntarenas Bay) if you build up; creek on one side; Madera Negras (can’t cut). Downside: busy with roads. “Not too sloped, not too tiny.”
🥉 C330 (C30) — Third pick
| Sides open | 1 |
| View | Forest |
| Size (buildable / full) | 3,794 sq. ft. / 15,177 sq. ft. |
| Topography | Somewhat flat |
| Breeze? | Yes |
| How high up | High |
Why I considered it: It seemed pretty and somewhat flat, though not very private.
Human’s assessment: C330 (Ceiba 330) was flat and inexpensive to build on, with a private forest view in the back. However, a big guanacaste in the middle can’t be cut down, so you’d have to build around it, and there is no real view out front. “A nice little home site.”
👑 E44 — Grandest/Investment Potential
| Sides open | 3 (all sides): very private |
| View | Valley and ocean (sunset) |
| Size (buildable / full) | 4,761 sq. ft. / 19,042 sq. ft. |
| Topography | Steep |
| Breeze? | Most likely (based on topography) |
| How high up | High |
Why I considered it: No other lot looked as private, and it had a grand view. Human later said it was not as private as the map suggested because another road was being built there.
My questions for Human: Is it going to be impossible to build on? Why hasn’t anyone purchased it if it’s so unusual?
Human’s assessment: E44 is very steep and the hardest lot. It needs backhoes, retaining walls, and an engineered driveway. It faces southwest with a big ocean and sunset vista (Nicoya Peninsula) — an “incredible vista.” The dead-end road actually continues down to Esquivel, so it’s less private than it looks. It would be an expensive project, but Human called it “very steep, but not undoable.” Do the work to add access and a flat spot, and you could perhaps resell it for twice as much.
B213 — Lowest price
| Sides open | 2 |
| View | Forest |
| Size (buildable / full) | 2,721 sq. ft. / 10,882 sq. ft. |
| Topography | Partly flat, partly steep |
| Breeze? | Breezy in video |
| How high up | Medium-low |
Why I considered it: Near the school (I don’t care, but maybe that’s good for resale?).
My questions for Human: Does it feel too hot? Is the topography good to build on?
Human’s assessment: B213 (Bamboo 213) is small and the wettest lot, with creeks on all sides and a real flood concern. You would need to build on stilts. It is cooler and greener from the shade and close to the Bamboo common area. “Not feeling this one so much.” His advice: don’t buy until the rains start, then come back and see what the water is doing.
🎨 A18 — Art Area
| Sides open | 1, small side |
| View | Valley and ocean (sunset) |
| Size (buildable / full) | 3,776 sq. ft. / 15,102 sq. ft. |
| Topography | Somewhat flat |
| Breeze? | Can’t tell from video |
| How high up | Medium |
Why I considered it: I was surprised this lot might have an ocean view.
My questions for Human: Does it really have an ocean view? How would the other houses not block the view? Is it breezy?
Human’s assessment: A18 is lower and near the art village, with possible sunset and ocean views, but it was busy and torn up from roadwork; it felt “a little hot.” “Doable.”
E16 — Best vistas on a difficult site
| Sides open | About 2 |
| View | ? |
| Size (buildable / full) | 3,259 sq. ft. / 13,035 sq. ft. |
| Topography | Looks partially flat |
| Breeze? | “Good airflow” — Human |
| How high up | High |
Why I considered it: It was a resale with no information listed.
My questions for Human: There’s no information at all because it’s a resale. It would be good to get a video since there isn’t one.
Human’s assessment: His first reaction to E16 (E516) was “just no way”: an extreme slope, a big drop-off, and major drainage below. But he came around because it had great ocean vistas (Puntarenas and the Nicoya Peninsula), good airflow, and was buildable if you’re willing to build on stilts with serious retaining structures and engineering, much like E44.