www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Whatever and wherever your decision takes you, you're gonna need a good "condo car". Here's 3 examples:
mid-scale http://www.autoexpresssouth.com/web/use ... a/8251861/
high-zoot http://www.autoexpresssouth.com/web/use ... a/8506868/
stodgy but practical http://www.autoexpresssouth.com/web/use ... /11009258/
As I said--come on down!
NOTE: no connection with these folks, just know'm to be good people with good stuff.

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"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED

Ed:

Are you kidding, I love it down here, my favorite place in the world to live, that's why most don't leave, thus "God's Waiting Room!'

sorry to be difficult but that phrase conjures up this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZwdCa0ynEw << I'm getting there quickly enough.

_________________
"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED

You need to be a little more descriptive about what you are looking for.
Close to amusements
Close to beach
High rise, low rise or pod type complex ( four plex). Basic units, luxury
New unit or older unit
Using public transportation, cabs, own car

Jazz:

I love that movie, some funny shit!!

Thanks to everyone for all the great info. CRT membership still has its advantages. Since we will be renting out the condo when we aren't using it ourselves, we need a desirable location . For that reason I think it will be necessary to buy a condo located on the beach in a popular/trendy area.

We would want something new(er) as we won't be around, and will have to pay the management company for any repairs. After doing some research it appears that it will cost us between 450,000-500,000 to get something new(er) with 3 bedrooms on the beach. If I am out to lunch on this, please let me know.

We are not looking to get rich off this, but simply want to break even at the end of the year and have a place to stay to get away from the cold Canadian winters. I know we can rent the place out in the winter but what about July and August? It will be interesting to do the math and see if the rental revenue will cover the mortgage payment, property management fee, condo fees, etc. We don't even mind losing a few dollars each year as we will have the asset to sell down the road.

I will be in Miami in a couple of months so I will spend a couple of days looking around.

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The most dangerous adversaries are the ones that come with a smile instead of a sword

Stop me if this is an old wheeze but...A full-floor, 5000 sq, ft. top-floor ( the 25th) condo, overlooking the Caloosahatchie River in Near-downtown Ft. Myers just closed for $500,000. Did I mention that our weather year-round is mellower than the other coast with a lot fewer hurricane worries? As I said before, a lot of canny Canadian and German buyers think we are superior now and into the future the upside is very, very good...especially for one who buys sharp (cheap [a negative] vs. inexpensive [a positive]).
Anytime you want to fly in and have me give you a tour, just ask. This offer is extended to all who see it.

_________________
"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED

I'm not too familiar with the Florida market, but isn't the timing a bit late? 4 or 5 years ago I was running into Brazilians on their stopover in Buenos Aires, just returning from buying 5 or 10 condos in Miami. They couldn't believe that prices were 1/3 of Rio, when it used to be the other way around.

If the rent can't create positive cash flow, I personally wouldn't consider it. There are lots of places with positive cash flow, as you must know.

Unless the rental market is wildly better in Orlando, I would definitely choose Miami. Orlando is Disneyland and nothing else. Horrible place. At least if you end up living there, Miami has its attractions.

K*ds can have fun on a beach for days on end, a lot less expensive than going to Disneyland.

Wildly mistaken opinion: http://orlandoweekly.com/ http://www.visitorlando.com/ http://www.orlandoinformer.com/universa ... d-orlando/ http://orlandoonthecheap.com/16-free-or ... is-summer/ << shall I go on or is the point made? Also in re: housing prices--Timing may be everything but solid deals are still to be had. And SW Forida was ignored in this disquisition. Try to add something of value, willya?

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"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED

The point's made alright!

Anyone who would prefer Orlando to Miami (in anything other than a purely investment-number crunching way), well, you're right, there's just nothing more that needs to be said.

Just as I am often surprised at guys' choices regarding women, there's no accounting for taste when it comes to real estate locations either I guess.

I'm very happy there are disagreements on things like this, as it leaves all the attractive women to me.

I was going to say it leaves the good real estate to me too, but that just isn't true. Most of the places in the world that I enjoy are unfortunately, invariably, some of the most expensive, so someone else must agree with me, dammit.

If you really want to know, Florida is the last place I'd choose to live or invest in. San Diego, Santa Barbara, San Fran, Carmel, just as a few examples off the top of my head, are so wildly preferably to the redneck swampland that is Florida.

Not many things in life are more enjoyable though, than trying to find the next Prague or Playa del Carmen, buying in early, enjoying living in a new, exciting place and watching it slowly become discovered and grow, and then selling out as it becomes one of those 'must visit' places.

Miami might still have room to run, but it's been on the upswing for years now. I'm just thinking the best part of the gains have probably already been made. But who knows? No one can predict the future.

My interest in CR real estate is partly due to hearing it has taken quite a beating in the last few years. That's what I like to hear. Not sure it's been beaten down enough to really interest me though, but we'll see. I hope the rebound hasn't started yet.

On the other hand, I hear the government could be swinging further left, and that would rule the place out for several years, as that inevitably means a property crash is in the cards.

(I'm hoping this DiBlasio idiot crashes the NY market, I'd love to get in there cheap).

Nothing like a calm, measured discussion...not here anyway. Now about this "...redneck swampland..." of which you prattle: won't speak about others but at least my community is filled with nice folks down from the Upper Midwest and Canada. Actually, there isn't enough swampland left, not after housebuilders and agribusiness took more than their share and came damn' close to ruining the wetlands and aquifers. For what's left, see this: http://www.crewtrust.org/ << before the anti-socialist rant begins, know this is a public/private undertaking begun by the private sector. And as for hoping the NYSE crashes and a new Depression begins just so you can profit...I think despicable or monstrous are 2 appropriate words. I understand you were talking about the housing market but these days, NYC being what it is, the 2 are closely intertwined. Then again, maybe you did mean the NYSE.
I thought your writing on Rio quite good; now how about quitting this political binge? Too much to ask?

_________________
"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED

Take a look in my backyard, Sunny Isles Beach on the south end to Dania Beach on the north end. Plenty of our northern neighbors call this area home for the winter. It has a mixture of newer and older units. While the west coast of Florida is nice it is still two hours from MIA or FLL.
Just make sure that the property will let you short term sublet.

I am not afraid of the Miami market crashing as I believe there will always be strong interest/investment from Latin America and the Caribbean (Cuba).

I had an informal chat with my banker the other day and he said getting a mortgage using the property as collateral with 25% down should be doable.

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The most dangerous adversaries are the ones that come with a smile instead of a sword

Both the above Posts get back to answering the OPs question. An essential as I see it is what kind of city does the OP AND presumably his family AND very probably friends/co-investors want to spend any time in--both genders and all ages are stakeholders. With that as a baseline, which city? Forget my boosterish wildcard--a nonstarter. Not to say financials, rentability and future appreciation aren't important--paramount though is usability and comfort...NOW.

_________________
"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED

I would have thought having property prices coming down to affordable levels would have been seen as a good thing, not monstrous, but whatever.

I sure don't hope for any kind of stock market crash, or any kind of disaster for the economy, quite the opposite, but it's inevitable given the path we're on. (Where people like Krugman actually say things like 'the deficit doesn't matter'). Scary.

I do my part to speak up against it (as you see) but the Keynesians have clearly won the hearts and minds, so down that road we go. I am positioning myself to benefit from both a property and stock market crash, although it's not easy, and timing will be everything, as always. I won't be able to escape unscathed, but the pain should be minimal.

If the Miami (or anywhere) property carries itself, it's hard to go wrong. Rents rarely decrease, even in a recession. Since you are (intelligently) looking to buy a newer place, the other source of problems (underestimating reno and maintenance costs) is also eliminated.

Then it just comes down to where do the numbers work best and where are you most likely to keep occupancy close to 100%.