About lovecostarica

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Some Forum Posts:

Costa Rica: Looking for a vacation home..:

Check out www.PacificLots.com for a good option for rental property and rental management, the development is nice, the location is nice, they've been in business for 23 years, have no debt and are the largest builder of custom homes in Costa Rica. Steve Linder

Costa Rica: Best places to retire -why not Costa Rica:

I can tell you exactly why. The article was written by Kathleen Peddicord. She was the author of International Living before she sold it to Agorra Publications. Kathleen sells editorial content, now under the Live and Invest Overseas label. She and her family live in Panama. She uses Costa Rica as a scapegoat in her writings, saying it is too expensive but she always refers to Guanacaste if you ask her for details, never having been to the southern region of Costa Rica. At one point she approached me about advertising Pacific Lots of Costa Rica (our company) on their website. She'd asked me to pay $20,000 to her if I wanted to work with her. I did a report about her site, the traffic they get versus sites like Expat Exchange, Boomers Abroad, Escape Artist and some of the other expat sites as well as some of the other venues we advertise on, like www.AMCostaRica.com, www,insidecostarica.com and more. I showed her that their site was getting significantly less traffic than the others yet she wanted to charge me 5 times what advertising on a site like hers should cost. Needless to say, I did not earn a bunch of brownie points with her by sending her the report and she continues to diss and ignore Costa Rica ever since. That's the real answer.

Costa Rica: Should you trust a Costa Rican Realtor?:

With any development be sure to ask the following questions, there have been a lot of failed projects in Costa Rica • Is the developer financially stable? • Is any of the development funded by loans (potential for default)? • Is the infrastructure complete (road, water, electric)? • What is the track record and history of the development? • Is your potential purchase in a development or stand alone, is it secure when you are not there? • If you will be building, do you have a reliable, experienced, financially sound builder? • Are there time limits that you must comply to, can you build your own home or hire any builder of your choice? • Is the development sustainable? Is there adequate water supply, environmental issues? • Are their environmental permits in hand (Minae, SETENA) from the regulatory overseers? • What services are available from the developer/builder? Rental management? Property management? Residency assistance? Landscape services? Pool design/build?, Interior design? Help with banking? • Is there a resale market readily available? • How is the property zoned, farm zoning or residential zoning, mixed use, commercial, en condominio, can you do what you want? • Is there an HOA and CC&R’s? HOA’s in Costa Rica are important to ensure funds are available for future maintenance but be sure they are reasonable, ours average about $300 per year • How large is the expat community? Are there services readily available: shopping, domestic help, gardening, pool cleaning, things to do? • How safe and secure is the community, the development and the individual property? • How far away are healthcare services and what level and quality of service is available? • Are there ample restaurants, retail, philanthropic activities? • How accessible is the area by air, bus, taxi, car, 4 wheel drive or 2 wheel drive? Drive time from International airport? • Stability of the government, currency, democracy, property rights, banking system? Political stability? • What is the level of income in the area compared to you, will you be a target, rich and poor in the community and the local crime rate. • What is the social community like, unemployment level, opportunities, happy people? • Economic conditions within the country and area in particular? • How is the cost of living, specifically property tax, cost of healthcare, insurance, inflation? • What is the future outlook of the area you are considering? Accessibility, infrastructure, major projects, healthcare? • Any environmental issues, volcanoes, flooding, dry spells, fires, rain, cold, hot? Steve Linder Pacific Lots of Costa Rica www.PacificLots.com 305-295-0137 direct 877-481-0300 US only toll free Read our blog: www.PacificLots.com/Costa-Rica-Blog/ Photos of our Developments http://picasaweb.google.com/pacificlots

Costa Rica: Ticos dislike all foreigners?:

I too agree that most Ticos and Ticas like Americans. We've been a huge positive influence in the economy and sure there are always a few ugly Americans that even I don't like but I am warmly greeted with sincerity but nearly everyone I interact with. I think the closer you are to San Jose, the more you may think Ticos don't like Americans but it's really that they're pretty shy people and not the gregarious bunch you may be used to in the states. Steve Linder Pacific Lots of Costa Rica www.PacificLots.com 305-295-0137 direct 877-481-0300 US only toll free Read our blog: www.PacificLots.com/Costa-Rica-Blog/ Photos of our Developments http://picasaweb.google.com/pacificlots

Costa Rica: jobs:

Working in Costa Rica has some challenges. You cannot work for a Costa Rican company until you have been a resident full time for three years. You can however start your own business, in fact they encourage you to do so since you end up providing employment opportunities for Costa Ricans. Most of the businesses in our town are owned by expats, they hire Costa Ricans to do the work, whose wage scale is much lower than US workers. The tax climate on business income is also easy to swallow. You pay 10% flat tax on net income after expenses on the first 72k, 20% on any income from 144k to 72k and a flat 30% on any income over 144k. Any tax you pay in Costa Rica on income is tax deductible as an expense on your US income taxes (which you will have to pay for the rest of your life unless you rescind your citizenship, which is difficult to do). Costa Rica does not want people coming there to work and take jobs away from Ticos.

Costa Rica: SCHOOLS in Costa Rica...need advice:

Not cheap to live you say. As a resident, we pay $29 per month for access to free health insurance, our property tax is less than $400 per year, our home owners insurance is $399 and my recent root canal & crown was $300 total. Sure food has gone up but how you can say it's not cheap to live, you are focusing on the small stuff. Our maid is $2.50 per hour and I just got my hair cut for $4.00. Steve Linder Pacific Lots of Costa Rica www.PacificLots.com 305-295-0137 direct 877-481-0300 US only toll free Read our blog: www.PacificLots.com/Costa-Rica-Blog/ Photos of our Developments http://picasaweb.google.com/pacificlots

Costa Rica: Costa Rica vs Panama:

Here is a comparison of both countries looking at standardized items. What you'll see is that Costa Rica is a bit more expensive than Panama but Costa Rica's main source of income is tourism so there's more to do as you travel throughout the country. Costa Rica “Pure life” is the rough English translation of “pura vida,” the national phrase of Costa Rica, which is used as a greeting, as a way of saying thank you, as a way of expressing anything from great satisfaction to mild indifference. It means enjoying everything life has to offer, and life in Costa Rica offers quite a lot. As part of the land bridge between North and South America, it’s one of the most bio-diverse countries in the world, with an estimated 6% of all the world’s species of flora and fauna contained within its relatively small borders. Costa Ricans doesn’t take this abundance of nature for granted, either -- an entire quarter of the country has been set aside as parks and nature preserves. It’s no wonder that this is one of the top eco-tourism destinations, or that it’s ranked as the “greenest” country in the world. The tropical forests aren’t the only thing that stands out about this place. Its healthcare system ranks above that of the United States, and its literacy rate is among the highest in the world. This is partly because Costa Rica has no military, which means more public funding can go to education and healthcare. Don’t let these positive figures fool you, though – Costa Rica is still a developing country, and you shouldn’t expect all the comforts of Westernized nations, but if you are willing to adjust your expectations you’ll find that it has everything you need to live the life of pura vida. Costa Rica is currently one of the most popular places for North Americans and Europeans to retire, due to its tropical climate, friendly people and low cost of living. Property values are not the dirt-cheap bargains they were ten years or even five years ago, but beach front condos in Costa Rica are still considerably cheaper than in Miami. Many expats report of being able to rent decent-sized houses for US$500 a month, and couples can probably live on US$1500 a month while in Costa Rica. That’s a good thing, because foreigners aren’t allowed to work, although they can own businesses. Becoming a citizen is a possibility, but that takes years, however gaining permanent residency is quite easy. If you’re just looking for a place to settle down and relax, Costa Rica has a lot to recommend about it. Country Overview Costa Rica lies on the Central American isthmus between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, bordering Nicaragua to the north and Panaman to the South. It is made up of costal plains separated by moutain ranges in the center, or "spine" of the country, which is the origin of many river systems. The climate is tropical year round, with a rainy season from May to November and a dry season from December to April. Facts and Figures Costa Rica’s population was 4,195,914 in 2008 and is estimated to be 4,983,000 by 2015. Most people speak Spanish, which is the official language. In terms of crime, the rate of intentional homicides is 11 per 100,000 people. Political Instability Index (out of ten): 3.5 Quality of Life ranking (out of ten): 6.624 Economics In terms of currency, one US dollar is roughly equal to 511.3 colons. Price of a round-trip flight to San Jose: From New York: $493 (Expedia), NA (American Airlines) From Los Angeles: $490 (Expedia), $667 (American Airlines) From Miami: $443 (Expedia), $488 (American Airlines) Price to rent an economy car for 10 days in San Jose: $201.50 Median price for an apartment in San Jose’s city centre: $1,654 per square meter Panama Panama is one of the world’s great crossroads, and has long attracted people from many countries and cultures. The United States government maintained a large presence in the country until December 31, 1999 when it handed over control of the Panama Canal to Panama. The American influence can still be felt, although today much of the American population is made up of investors retirees who are attracted by Panama’s substantial financial incentives for foreigners. There are two easy ways to come to Panama to retire – if you purchase a house outright for at least $200,000 mortgage free, or if you can prove have a minimum income of $1000 a month you will be granted a residency visa. These aren’t the only ways to become a resident, but they might be the most straight forward. There are a number of financial incentives to living in Panama as well, including property tax exemptions for a number of years. The country so actively courts retirees that it offers one of the best senior citizen discount programs in the world to both foreigners and Panamanians, including 50% discounts on entertainment, 25% discounts on restaurants, airfares and energy bills, 15-20% discounts on healthcare and other benefits. Plus, because Panama uses the US dollar for currency, you won’t have to worry about paying conversion fees when transferring money. Despite all these benefits, Panama is far from the least expensive place to live in Latin America, and you’ll probably need at least $2,000 a month to live comfortably. It’s also worth considering that although Panama City is a major metropolis, the country itself is still developing and not yet a first-world nation. Still, it has one of the fastest developing economies in the world and does not suffer the same levels of poverty that exist in most other Latin American countries. Despite the American influence on Panama, English is not commonly spoken, and knowing Spanish is important for expats to communicate with the locals. Country Overview Panama , the southernmost country of Central America, is located on the isthmus that connects North and South America. It has a rugged landscape, laced by nearly 500 rivers and twisting highland streams. The climate is constatly hot and humid throughout the year, with lows of 75 °F and rarely exceeding 90 °F. The rainy season is long -- from April to December -- and can bring between 50 to 100 inches of rainfall. Facts and Figures Panama’s population was 3,309,679 in 2008 and is estimated to be 3,774,000 by 2015. Most people speak Spanish which is the official language, although many Panamanians are bilingual and also speak English. In terms of crime, the rate of intentional homicides is 12.9 per 100,000 people. Political Instability Index (out of ten): 7.1 Quality of Life ranking (out of ten): 6.361 Economics In terms of currency, one US dollar is roughly equal to 1 balboa. Price of a round-trip flight to Panama City: From New York: $489 (Expedia), $620 (American Airlines) From Los Angeles: $572 (Expedia), $620 (American Airlines) From Miami: $285 (Expedia), $496 (American Airlines) Price to rent an economy car for 10 days in Panama City: $166.09 Median price for an apartment in the center of Panama City: $1,549 per square meter. Steve Linder Pacific Lots of Costa Rica www.PacificLots.com 305-295-0137 direct 877-481-0300 US only toll free Read our blog: www.PacificLots.com/Costa-Rica-Blog/ Photos of our Developments http://picasaweb.google.com/pacificlots

Costa Rica: Wildlife:

The southern Pacific region and Osa area are the absolute best for wildlife. Steve Linder Pacific Lots of Costa Rica www.PacificLots.com 305-295-0137 direct 877-481-0300 US only toll free Read our blog: www.PacificLots.com/Costa-Rica-Blog/ Photos of our Developments http://picasaweb.google.com/pacificlots

Costa Rica: Just beginning the trek:

With any development be sure to ask the following questions, there have been a lot of failed projects in Costa Rica • Is the developer financially stable? • Is any of the development funded by loans (potential for default)? • Is the infrastructure complete (road, water, electric)? • What is the track record and history of the development? • Is your potential purchase in a development or stand alone, is it secure when you are not there? • If you will be building, do you have a reliable, experienced, financially sound builder? • Are there time limits that you must comply to, can you build your own home or hire any builder of your choice? • Is the development sustainable? Is there adequate water supply, environmental issues? • Are their environmental permits in hand (Minae, SETENA) from the regulatory overseers? • What services are available from the developer/builder? Rental management? Property management? Residency assistance? Landscape services? Pool design/build?, Interior design? Help with banking? • Is there a resale market readily available? • How is the property zoned, farm zoning or residential zoning, mixed use, en condominio, commercial, can you do what you want? • Is there an HOA and CC&R’s? HOA’s in Costa Rica are important to ensure funds are available for future maintenance but be sure they are reasonable, ours average about $300 per year • How large is the expat community? Are there services readily available: shopping, domestic help, gardening, pool cleaning, things to do? • How safe and secure is the community, the development and the individual property? • How far away are healthcare services and what level and quality of service is available? • Are there ample restaurants, retail, philanthropic activities? • How accessible is the area by air, bus, taxi, car, 4 wheel drive or 2 wheel drive? Drive time from International airport? • Stability of the government, currency, democracy, property rights, banking system? Political stability? • What is the level of income in the area compared to you, will you be a target, rich and poor? What are the demographics of the area, age, education, nationality? • What is the social community like, unemployment level in the area, job opportunities, happy people? • Economic conditions within the country and area in particular within Costa Rica? • What is the future outlook of the area you are considering? Accessibility, infrastructure improvements, major projects, healthcare options? • Any environmental issues, volcanoes, flooding, dry spells, fires, etc? Steve Linder Pacific Lots of Costa Rica www.PacificLots.com 305-295-0137 direct 877-481-0300 US only toll free Read our blog: www.PacificLots.com/Costa-Rica-Blog/ Photos of our Developments http://picasaweb.google.com/pacificlots

Costa Rica: Best place to live with good weather and access to good fishing:

Depends on your budget, being north of Jaco would keep you near enough the coast yet not hot. Try Orotina, half way between downtown San Jose and Jaco. If you have a big budget, try Los Suenos resort, has condos and single family homes as well. Steve Linder Pacific Lots of Costa Rica www.PacificLots.com 305-295-0137 direct 877-481-0300 US only toll free Read our blog: www.PacificLots.com/Costa-Rica-Blog/ Photos of our Developments http://picasaweb.google.com/pacificlots

Date Joined:

3/5/2012

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34

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