An Expat Talks about Moving to San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua

What is the name of the city or town that you are reporting on?

San Juan del Sur

Name three things that you wish you had brought and three you wish you had left at home.

Wish I had brought:

More Frontline Plus for the dog, water hose caddy/reel, and back-up battery charger for the computer

Wish I had left:

Oreck vacuum cleaner (all tile floors), gas grill, automatic dog feeder

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Traveling Mailbox

Traveling Mailbox serves thousands of travelers, expats, digital nomads, businesses, individuals and others in over 47 Countries by scanning their postal mail so they can view it online anywhere in the world. They provide customer service 7 days a week so if you need assistance, it is just a phone call away. Traveling Mailbox works with Evernote, Bill.com and Dropbox. And, there are Traveling Mailbox apps available for iOS and Android devices.
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What advice would you give someone preparing to move to your area about the actual move, choosing a neighborhood and finding a home?

Spend as much time prior to moving as possible in different months of the year to experience the seasonal changes. Also, try to stay as near as your choice property if not in/on it to experience everything that will be around you. Roosters crowing, dogs barking, pigs grunting, early street cleaners or whatever can make a real difference, good and bad.

What type of housing do you live in? Is this typical for most expats in your area?

A large old Colonial house, right on the main street in town, just across the street from the ocean. This house is one of only 2 in this town. Most of the expats live either on the hillside or just out of town

How did you choose your neighborhood and find your home or apartment?

I would stay in different parts of the town each time I came to get a feel for the different sights, sounds etc.

Are your housing costs higher or lower than they were in your home country? What is the average cost of housing there?

In comparison, the housing is less expensive than in the US

New construction is around $40.00 a sq. ft.

Upscale, 3 bedrooms with a view and pool are renting for $500-700.00 per month.

Smaller local houses rent for $200-300.00.