Sarah Breitlander | Costa Rica Real Estate Attorney & Broker | KRAIN

Sarah Breitlander | Attorney & Owner of KRAIN

Sarah Breitlander is a United States attorney and founding partner of KRAIN Luxury Real Estate in Costa Rica. She represents residential buyers and sellers across every price point — from everyday beach-town homes to high-end luxury estates — bringing more than a decade of legal experience to each one. Sarah helps buyers understand how property ownership works for foreigners in Costa Rica and how to read everything from title to zoning, the kind of guidance that lets a buyer commit with confidence. (When a beachfront property involves a maritime concession, Sarah makes sure clients understand exactly what that means.)

That legal background also extends to development and commercial transactions when a client’s project calls for it — but Sarah’s focus, and her passion, is helping individuals and families find the right home along Costa Rica’s Gold Coast, whether that’s a first beach-town property or a luxury estate. Her background, her team’s expertise, and KRAIN’s infrastructure across the region make her especially sought after by luxury buyers, who turn to her over other brokers for her command of the high-end market.

Sarah practiced law for over a decade in Chicago, representing clients in commercial and residential real estate disputes. She was named among Chicago’s “40 Under 40” attorneys to watch and, for five consecutive years, an Illinois “Rising Star” in Super Lawyers — a distinction reserved for the top 2.5% of Illinois lawyers under 40. She clerked for the Honorable Anne M. Burke of the Illinois Supreme Court and served as a judicial extern to two federal judges in the Northern District of Illinois. She holds a Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) designation and is a member of the Costa Rica Global Association of Realtors (CRGAR).

Beyond her legal work, Sarah is one of Costa Rica’s most recognizable real estate professionals — the most-featured agent in Latin America on HGTV’s House Hunters International, with 29 appearances. She is also the voice behind @SarahInCostaRica, a community of more than 120,000 followers on Instagram, and the face and main presenter of KRAIN’s YouTube channel, which recently surpassed 150,000 subscribers.

Sarah and Peter opened KRAIN Property Management & Vacation Rentals for one reason: to take care of their clients long after the sale closed. For them, success is never just the home sale — it is making sure the people they help go on to build a lasting, successful life in Costa Rica, and that owning a home here genuinely adds value to that life. That focus on long-term success, rather than the transaction, is what distinguishes Sarah and Pete from other realtors.

Sarah has called Guanacaste home for more than a decade. She, Peter, and their two daughters live near the ocean on Playa Potrero, in the same community they serve — and they invest in it well beyond real estate. Through the Kaiser Breitlander Memorial Fund, they help local children receive a quality, bilingual education at the La Paz Community School. For the past seven years, each holiday season, through KRAIN, they have personally purchased and delivered more than 300 Christmas gifts to children across Playa Potrero and the surrounding towns; they sponsor local surfers and swimmers competing at the national and international level; and when flooding or other natural disasters strike the region, they step in to help neighbors whose homes and livelihoods have been affected. Through KRAIN, they have also sponsored beach cleanups and local community events.

Whether you’re considering a second home in Costa Rica to add to your quality of life or relocating here entirely, Sarah makes sure you understand exactly what you’re buying before you commit. Contact Sarah to get started.

Peter Breitlander | Managing Broker and Owner of KRAIN

Peter Breitlander is the founder, co-owner, and managing broker of KRAIN Luxury Real Estate in Costa Rica, and a U.S.-accredited real estate broker. Over more than two decades on two continents, Pete has closed thousands of transactions and built two successful brokerages — expertise that benefits KRAIN’s clients on every deal, helping them reach their goals while maximizing profit and minimizing risk.

Pete began his real estate career in 2002 and quickly rose to become a top-producing agent. By 2005 he had co-founded KRAIN Chicago, a boutique brokerage specializing in luxury homes and commercial investment that grew to more than 40 agents and multiple divisions before merging with Compass in 2018. He was repeatedly ranked among the top 1% of producing Realtors in Chicago — a distinction based purely on homes sold per year.

In 2013, recognizing that Costa Rica’s market was poised for growth, Pete and Sarah Breitlander co-founded KRAIN Costa Rica. It has grown into one of the country’s leading independent brokerages, with five offices across four Guanacaste beach towns — Flamingo, Tamarindo, Potrero, and Playas del Coco. Pete’s expertise spans residential and commercial sales, property development, construction, and investment, making him a true one-stop resource for buyers, sellers, and investors at every level.

Pete is a member of the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the Costa Rica Global Association of Realtors (CRGAR), and La Cámara de Corredores de Bienes Raíces (CCCBR). He holds the GRI certification and the Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) designation.

Pete’s commitment to clients extends well beyond closing. He and Sarah opened KRAIN Property Management & Vacation Rentals to care for clients long after the sale — because for them, success is never just the home sale, but the lasting, successful life a client goes on to build in Costa Rica. That focus on the long term is what distinguishes them from other realtors.

After more than a decade in Guanacaste, Pete and Sarah give back to the community they call home. For the past seven years, each holiday season, through KRAIN, they have personally purchased and delivered more than 300 Christmas gifts to local children; they sponsor local surfers and swimmers competing nationally and internationally; they support neighbors affected by flooding and natural disasters; and they sponsor beach cleanups and community events through KRAIN.

Looking to buy, sell, or invest in Guanacaste? Contact Pete — he and his wife, Sarah, lead KRAIN together as the Breitlander Team.