How Much Can You Earn Renting Your Los Sueños Property?

A well-managed 3-bedroom ocean-view condo at Los Sueños can generate $45,000–$70,000 per year in gross rental income. A 5-bedroom villa? $100,000–$200,000. Those are real numbers from 2024 rental programs at the resort — not projections, not “up to” figures designed to get you excited.

But gross income isn’t what hits your bank account. Between management fees, HOA, maintenance, platform commissions, and Costa Rica’s rental income tax, the gap between what your property earns and what you actually keep is significant. This article breaks down both sides so you can make a real decision.

What Drives Revenue at Los Sueños

Not all Los Sueños properties perform equally. Here’s what separates a $27,000/year earner from a $70,000/year earner — even within the same resort.

Property Type and Bedroom Count

This is the single biggest factor. A 1-bedroom Veranda condo earns around $20,000/year. A 3-bedroom Bella Vista with an ocean view earns $70,000. More bedrooms mean higher nightly rates, and at Los Sueños, the jump from 2 to 3 bedrooms is where the economics really change — groups of 6–8 guests will pay $350–$500/night for a well-appointed 3BR condo.

Location Within the Resort

Los Sueños has over 20 residential communities, and view premium is real. A 3-bedroom Bella Vista with a garden view earned $45,000 in 2024. The same floorplan with an ocean view earned $70,000 — a 55% premium just for the view. Marina-view and golf-course-view units fall somewhere in between. Ocean-facing properties in communities like Bella Vista, Marbella, Terrazas, and Montecielo consistently command the highest rates.

Seasonality

High season (December through April) is when the money gets made. Nightly rates during these months run 40–60% higher than green season (May through November). A 3-bedroom condo that books at $450/night in February might drop to $250–$300/night in September. The good news: Los Sueños has enough draw — the marina, sportfishing tournaments, the Marriott — that green season doesn’t go dead the way some beach towns do. Expect 50–60% occupancy in green season vs. 75–85% in high season for a well-managed property.

Amenities and Condition

Updated kitchens, modern furniture, good A/C units, and a functioning pool or jacuzzi aren’t luxuries — they’re the baseline at Los Sueños. Properties that haven’t been refreshed in 5+ years show it in their booking rates. Guests at this price point notice cheap mattresses and dated bathrooms. A $15,000–$25,000 refresh can move a property from the bottom quartile to the top in its community.

Management Quality

This is the variable most owners underestimate. The difference between a self-managed listing with inconsistent pricing and a professionally managed property with dynamic pricing, SuperHost status, and multi-platform distribution is easily 30–50% in annual revenue. More on this below.

Realistic Income Ranges by Property Type

Based on 2024 data from active rental programs at Los Sueños, here’s what properties actually earned (gross, after management commission):

Property Type	Annual Income	Typical Nightly Rate
1BR condo (Veranda)	$20,000	$150–$250
1BR ocean view (Vista Bahía)	$32,500	$200–$350
2BR condo (Colina)	$27,000	$200–$300
2BR condo (Veranda)	$35,000	$225–$350
3BR condo (standard view)	$33,000–$45,000	$275–$450
3BR condo (ocean view)	$45,000–$70,000	$350–$600
4–7BR private villa	$100,000–$200,000	$750–$2,750+

Source: Stay in Costa Rica’s published 2024 rental income report for Los Sueños properties.

A quick sanity check on the math: a 3BR ocean-view condo booking at an average of $400/night with 60% annual occupancy generates roughly $87,600 gross. After a 20–25% management commission, you’re looking at $65,700–$70,000 — which lines up with the reported figures.

High Season vs. Green Season Breakdown

For a 3BR ocean-view condo [ESTIMATED]:

• High season (Dec–Apr, ~150 days): $450–$600/night, 75–85% occupancy → ~$50,000–$76,500 gross
• Green season (May–Nov, ~215 days): $250–$350/night, 50–60% occupancy → ~$26,900–$45,150 gross
• Total gross estimate: $77,000–$121,000 before management fees

The wide range reflects reality. A top-performing, professionally managed property in a prime location will hit the higher end. A property with limited availability, dated furnishings, or flat pricing will land at the bottom.

The Professional Management Difference

Here’s what changes when a property goes from self-managed to professionally managed:

Dynamic pricing adds 20%+ to your ADR. Software like PriceLabs or Beyond Pricing adjusts your rate nightly based on demand, local events, competitor pricing, and booking pace. Most self-managing owners set a flat rate and leave money on the table during peak demand — or sit empty because they’re priced too high during slow weeks.

SuperHost/Premier Host status matters. Airbnb’s algorithm favors SuperHost properties with higher search placement. According to Airbnb’s own data, SuperHosts earn up to 60% more than non-SuperHosts. Maintaining that status requires consistent 4.8+ ratings, low cancellation rates, and fast response times — all things a professional team handles more reliably than an owner managing from another country.

Multi-platform distribution fills gaps. A property listed only on Airbnb is missing bookings. Professional managers list on Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, and their own direct booking site. Different platforms attract different guests — Vrbo skews toward families, Booking.com brings international travelers. At Los Sueños, where the guest mix includes American families, sportfishing groups, and corporate retreats, platform diversity matters.

Professional photography and listing optimization. This sounds basic, but it’s the difference between a listing that converts at 2% and one that converts at 5%. Professional photos with proper lighting, drone shots of the view, and detailed descriptions that answer real guest questions (Is there A/C in every room? How far is the walk to the pool?) drive bookings.

Hidden Costs Most Owners Miss

Before you calculate your return, account for these:

HOA fees. Every community within Los Sueños charges HOA fees that cover common area maintenance, security, pools, and landscaping. These vary by community but typically run $400–$800/month for condos and $800–$1,500/month for villas [ESTIMATED]. That’s $4,800–$18,000/year before you earn a dollar.

Property taxes. Costa Rica’s property tax is 0.25% of the registered (fiscal) value annually. On a property registered at $400,000, that’s $1,000/year. Relatively modest compared to the U.S., but it’s there. There’s also a luxury home tax (Solidarity Tax) on properties valued above ₡137 million (~$250,000 USD), adding another 0.25–0.55% depending on value.

Maintenance in a tropical climate. Salt air, humidity, and rain take a toll. Budget $3,000–$8,000/year for ongoing maintenance: A/C servicing, appliance repairs, paint touch-ups, pest control, and the occasional surprise (a water heater dies, a sliding door seal fails). Properties closer to the ocean need more frequent attention.

Cleaning and turnover costs. Each guest turnover requires deep cleaning, linen changes, and restocking consumables. At Los Sueños, professional cleaning runs $75–$150 per turnover for a condo, $200–$400+ for a villa. With 80–120 turnovers per year on a busy property, this adds up to $8,000–$20,000 annually. Most managers pass cleaning fees to guests, but not always the full amount.

Platform commissions. Airbnb charges hosts 3% (or 14–16% in split-fee structure). Vrbo takes about 5%. Booking.com charges 15%. These come off the top before you see anything.

Costa Rica rental income tax. Rental income is taxed at a flat 15% on 85% of gross receipts (the government assumes 15% expenses automatically). Effective tax rate: about 12.75% of gross rental income. On $80,000 gross, that’s roughly $10,200.

Net Income: What You Actually Take Home

Let’s walk through a realistic example for a 3-bedroom ocean-view condo generating $80,000 in gross bookings:

Item	Amount
Gross rental income	$80,000
Management fee (25%)	–$20,000
Platform commissions (~5% avg)	–$4,000
HOA fees	–$7,200
Property & luxury tax	–$2,500
Maintenance	–$5,000
Cleaning (net of guest fees)	–$3,000
Rental income tax (12.75%)	–$10,200
Net income	~$28,100

That’s roughly 35% of gross — and this is a well-performing property. Owners who self-manage might save the 25% management fee, but they typically gross 30–40% less due to lower occupancy and rates, so the math often comes out the same or worse.

For a larger villa generating $150,000 gross, net income after all expenses typically lands in the $50,000–$70,000 range.

The honest truth: Los Sueños rental income is real and meaningful, but it’s not passive income. It’s a return on a managed investment. The properties that perform best have owners who treat them like a business — reinvesting in condition, choosing the right manager, and staying realistic about the numbers.

FAQ

What occupancy rate can I expect at Los Sueños?

A professionally managed property at Los Sueños typically sees 65–75% annual occupancy. High season (December–April) runs 75–85%, while green season (May–November) drops to 50–60%. These figures assume the property is available year-round and priced competitively. Owner-use restrictions and flat pricing strategies will reduce occupancy.

How much does property management cost in Costa Rica?

Vacation rental property management in Costa Rica typically costs 20–30% of gross rental income. This usually covers listing management, guest communication, check-in/check-out, cleaning coordination, dynamic pricing, and basic maintenance oversight. Some managers charge a lower percentage but add fees for specific services. Always clarify what’s included before signing.

Is it better to self-manage or hire a property manager?

If you live near Los Sueños and can handle guest communication in real time, maintain SuperHost status, manage cleaners and maintenance staff, optimize pricing daily, and list across multiple platforms — self-management can work. For absentee owners (which is most Los Sueños property owners), professional management almost always nets more income despite the fee. The combination of higher occupancy, better nightly rates through dynamic pricing, and consistent guest experience typically outweighs the 20–25% commission.

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Get a Custom Revenue Estimate for Your Property

Every Los Sueños property is different. The community, the view, the condition, the bedroom count — they all change the math. If you own a property at Los Sueños and want to know what it could realistically earn, we’ll put together a custom revenue estimate based on actual performance data from comparable units.

No obligations. No sales pitch. Just numbers.

Request Your Free Revenue Estimate →