www.CostaRicaTicas.com

You should tell him you wish to make payments directly to the corporation or individual that owns the property. Or give you a letter from the registered owner staitng he is an autorized agent and the rental amount.


BKTUNA
I am never going home

For Capt. Cohiba

Scotland Apt. (Escocia apt.) are in Barrio California (or Escalante, whichever) about a ten/fifteen minute walk east of the Del Rey. Fairly nice ‘hood’. They are pretty secure buildings but no safes in your apt. In the office there are small safety deposit like boxes. The apartments I’ve stayed in on the north side had a closet that locked, but I don’t remember ever having a key to it. I never had a problem, but there was a robbery a year of so ago, the guy lost his laptop ect. They immediately grated over the second floor window to that apt. but he was phucked as the thieves took some medicine he couldn’t replace.

Making reservations beware - The hot tica (actually gorgeous) told me when I called the day before I arrived this winter - “ya sure your apt. is ready“. I got there with all of my shit and WTF “Sorry we are full“. Which worked out well for me as I ended up out of town in something better, but at the time I was sorely pissed off. Beautiful grrl in the office sometimes just not the brightest bulb in the box. Talk to Marlene if you can, hopefully she‘s still there.

Sanctified excrement! Green Go speaks troth in two consecutive missives.

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Pura Vulva! Wandering through the dark, I am El Ciego.

BK I had already decided to do what you suggested. Asked the guy for something in writing showing owner and his relation/ability to rent the property. And told him a friend was going to stop by to eyeball the building. And of course I needed a receipt. This is an excerpt of his (name David) reply.

Your request of verification is a first and also very weird. Unless you go to the National Registry here, you wouldn't have a clue who the owner is. Also, it's registered under a corporation name. The owner is away for the next five months. His wife is here living in the same building I live in and manage. She only speaks Spanish. I could have told you I owned it and you wouldn't know any better. Your request makes me think you're paranoid or something, and maybe not the ideal tenant. Likewise, if this is a problem for you, just forget it. I have someone else wanting to rent it on the 5th. I gave you first shot because I operate on a 'first come, first serve basis'. I always write receipts. ....Are you taking neuroleptics or other antipsychotic drugs? The more I do think about it, let's just forget it. I have a tenant living in the apartment building I also manage in San Jose, suffering from schizophrenia, I don't need another, and unless you can clearly articulate the cause of this last "off the rubber wall" e-mail you sent me, you're not renting it. Find someplace else.

For whatever it is worth - pass it along.

I've spent a lot of time looking for rentals. Craigslist is largely pretty good if you're looking for a large or medium sized place. Most of the good deals in CR come from people who have no computer or internet, so they don't even know craigslist exists.

Yes, you do have to be careful here about who you rent from. It's not unknown to get someone to "rent" a property they don't represent (Ask Magic of Magic's Motown). But you can be a little more diplomatic about it.

You have to ask yourself, what do you want? If you want an apt like you can get in the US, you're going to pay for it. If you are willing to put up with fewer amenities, then you can find something decent.

Most of the websites out there will be catering towards high dollar stuff. This isn't "look here if you're a stupid gringo", it's just targeted at people that want more than you are going to get from a low-rent place. If you don't want that stuff, you don't have to pay for it, but it won't be as convenient to find.

Real estate companies are usually a good bet. They make it their business to find rentals.

You struck gold, Q Dog. No reasonable landlord/rental agent would have found your request to be unusal...let alone offensive.

This guy is seriously pissed off at you... To my way of thinking, it looks like you caught him in his scam.

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Pura Vulva! Wandering through the dark, I am El Ciego.

MadGerman

Thanks for the advice. But I have to think I was not being unreasonable. Maybe formal but my words should not have elicited that response.

Old Q,

Good work, you may have just saved yourself a lot of time and money and headache. I am always leary of CL, b/c I see such a price difference between rental companies there and class ads in the papers. Good Luck and have fun in CR, I just got back last week and am already missing it.

PURA VIDA!

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Livin' & Lovin' in Key Largo....oh....And the one in The Keys, too!

Old Q, while it is not that uncommon for deals to be done that way down here, you did the right thing. You didnt feel something was right. And the guy having a bad reaction says something about his motives I think. If I was in the same position as he I would have been more likely to work out the situation rather than get pissed... Anyhow, right or wrong, if it doesnt feel right dont do it.

Thanks for the vote of confidence. Hopefully, I'm in the Aparthotel Sabana. Can hardly wait - a week and counting

So are these furnished places for $500-$600 a month. Do they include utilities, internet?