www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I've made four trips over the past 8 years and finally feel like im in a position to make a move over the next few years. I've noticed that Escazu and Alajeula seem to be 2 suburbs that are often mentioned on the boards.

For those living there now, is moving to CR for part time living, something you would recommmend? I am single, with no K*ds, have a business that can be handled over the Internet, would keep my current rent stabilized apt in nyc and work over the winter months down at my new place, in theory.

Any cautions or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

As far as I'm concerned, just make sure it comes with a guest bedroom...

Or with any luck, maybe we'll be neighbors eventually. Everyone seems to focus on the the westside suburbs of Escazu and Santa Ana, but Curridibat and Tres Rios on the east side look like they have a lot to offer as well. And Rohrmoser just on the other side of Sabana Park seems pleasant and is even closer in.

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Check out http://weluvlatinas.com/ for the web's best info on the latin american monger lifestyle...

Hey if you're considering...maybe we should talk; i could be flexible if someone wanted to go in on a place. I would probably be down there 3-4 months out of the year. At least that's what i'm thinking now anyway. If i could find somebody to go in on a place, since i dont have silly money, that could be a great way to go. If 2 people came up with 10K$ each up front, that should equate to a pretty nice place, no?

Hope you do not take this the wrong way but I am going to be very blunt.

You say you have made 4 trips to CR over 8 years. How many days have you spent here? How many trips outside of the gulch did you make? Were they typical tourist stuff or investigation of how and where gringos live? Being a monger tourist does not prepare you to live full time in this or any other foreign country. Ever wonder why over 40% of expatriates return home within the first two years?

Reading the quote, of your post, above makes it abundantly clear you should abandon any idea of buying any real estate in Costa Rica. It is evident you have done little, if any, investigation and research. For example, Alajeula is not a suburb of San Jose.

If you are serious about your plan do a lot of research and then, and only then, rent until you get some actual experience living here.

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Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

I strongly suggest renting a furnished apt for six months first. They are relatively inexpensive and many can be month to month.


BKTUNA
I am never going home

If you think that $20,000 USD will get you a pretty nice place, then you definitely need to read Irish Drifter's (and BkTuna's) post again, and don't even think about moving down there until you've got a better (much much better) perspective of the scene down there. No flaming, just trying to help. Good luck.

Respectfully,
MG

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You ALWAYS have an option ....... "NEXT" !!!

Indeed I would rent a place for a month or two first.

I am staying near the San Pedro mall, not a bad neighbourhood, a few BMW and Mercedes parked on the road.

I would think that the popular areas such as Escazu are going to be more expensive, even for day to day stuff,

It is getting expensive here for food and appliances, especially if it is imported.
I ask the local tico drivers and girls " how do they manage "?
they just do, and often do without.

for me I would think about living out of town,
south of Cartago was nice near the hydro dam.
or into the mountains south of San Jose.

just keep putting in time to get a gut feeling,
and remember that things change, 3 or 4 years from now you may have a diffrent feeling about an area.

Fiedler.

You mean if you came up with 20,000$ cash as a down payment, that wouldnt be enough to buy a nice place in costa rica? I'm not talking entire property value, just cash investment up front. I've seen numerous places listed in the $100-$150K range. Is there no financing or mortgaging available to gringos?

I know to a lot of old timers, you read my post and thought..."Another Green Gringo got laid and now he wants to move here." Ive been traveling for the past 8 years in Central America, Mexico, Europe, and the Carribbean. This is not a wild impulse.

My motivation is not simply because I got laid. I like the pace of the city, I like a lot of the Ticos, the favorable exchange rate, and the challenge it would offer and i am fortunate enough to have the flexibility in my life to experience a new culture.

At first I thought the responses were typical, "only I am wise enough and knowledgable to live here" type of responses. But on looking further I guess it does make sense to rent first. Maybe i could try it for 3-6 months and see how it all works out.

If anyone would like to give me a line on rental possibilities that would be cool. TIA.

Mistersmooth,
I thought you were expecting to pay $20k TOTAL for a home. My bad. But that brings up another good point. If you want to finance a home in CR, you're going to pay an extremely high interest rate on a CR bank loan. And that's IF you can qualify for a loan at a local CR bank. If not, you'd need to have cash, or pull some equity out of your home in the U.S.

And to do it this way, and then factor in another partner, it could get kinda funky, if ya know what I mean. Now you got two gringos putting down a deposit, and two seperate loans, from different guys, from two different banks, etc. etc. etc.

I've built 3 condo's in CR (in Guanacaste), and I've been through this situation before, but never with a partner. The interest rate at the bank (in CR) was ridiculous, so I just pulled money out of my home in the U.S., and built the units, one per year. The whole thing was kind of a pain in the a$$, but I got through it. But I can't imagine if I had to go through the entire process as a joint venture with a partner. Could get kinda messy.

Good luck on your decision.

MG

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You ALWAYS have an option ....... "NEXT" !!!

Rent, do not buy in Costa Rica.

The ownership law of land is not the same as in the USA.
Ownership of land is a bundle of rights which are loaded
with dangers in CR.

It is a problem area which others have discussed.

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PacoLoco: "You pay for it one way or another."
Ace: "Rent everything, do not buy in Costa Rica"

I am a Realtor. One of my gringo clients was very particular but(t) of limited resources.

the best I could do for him was point out cardboard shanties.

finally, after renting cardboard boxes in many different locations, we placed him in a very nice spot under the sidewalk level overhang next to the former Nasty Rasta store and very close to his beloved Morazon Park.

Location. location, location

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The difference between a Sea Story and a Fairy Tale is that a Fairy Tale starts out 'Once Upon a Time..' and a Sea Story starts out 'This is no Shit...'

(export version only, some restrictions may apply, some assembly required, not valid where the sun don't shine...

if you live in the states of Poverty, Darkness or anywhere outside of The Blessings of Civilization Trust, Inc...other rules may apply)

cali

I agree, live here first before you make plans to buy. You mentioned living here part time. I did it for two years and it worked well for me. I spent 2 weeks here then 2 weeks there to pay bills etc. Some like it farther out, some need to live closer to town. The closer to town the higher the costs. Rents from $ 125.00 to 5,000.00. Small new homes in Alajuela go for 52k, but the same house in Tibas runs 100k.
Try it part time, what do you have to lose?

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WE WORK FOR YOU

how about that area where the new pedestrian walkway is going in?

probably a safe investment if you're insistant on buying something now and like an urban setting.

my favorite area is around the SL, but that's just me. it is expensive by CR standards.

_________________
The difference between a Sea Story and a Fairy Tale is that a Fairy Tale starts out 'Once Upon a Time..' and a Sea Story starts out 'This is no Shit...'

(export version only, some restrictions may apply, some assembly required, not valid where the sun don't shine...

if you live in the states of Poverty, Darkness or anywhere outside of The Blessings of Civilization Trust, Inc...other rules may apply)

While we're on this subject can someone please explain to me where the Orisi Valley is. I saw a nice house there on a site and I'm familiar with Atenas and the Central & Southern Pacific Coast but I'm curious as to where Orisi Valley is. Obrigado!!