It should be obvious, but, sadly, it's not.

There are many online chat groups and forums about Costa Rica.  One thing you need to know is that these groups are usually moderated by people who have a vested interest in doing business with you, whether it be real estate, tourism, etc.  Their main purpose for starting the group is to lure you into doing business with them, and they most certainly don't have your interests uppermost in mind. 

It is legendary how on certain groups, negative comments are not allowed to be posted by the moderators for the above reasons.  They just don't want anything bad to appear before the group of pigeons that might drive away business, as making money off of you is their primary motivation for offering this great "free" service!

In addition, most of these groups are literally invested with real estate people and other salesmen, so they also engage in constant happy talk and refer the pigeons to other members of the group.  They literally pass you around the school of sharks that comprise the core of the group so that they can pick you as bare as they can.

So, beware that this so called free advice often isn't so free after all, but is simply bait to lure you in to dealing with a certian group of people whose only motivation is to make as much money off of you as humanly possible. 

When you look at it this way, it is indeed much smarter, and cheaper in the end, to deal with someone who is a paid professional on your side.