Peñarol
1/22/2012 01:06 EST
Hello, I have been doing a ton of home location research in C.R. both to rent and buy.
I keep finding these two cities (or are they towns?) pop up regularly with more expensive prices.
Atenas self touts as best climate in the world and someone even claims that attribution came from National Geographic but I cannot find such assertion.
Someone else here posted that she could not stand Atenas as it was too hot.
Grécia is another very expensive town. Why is that?
Can someone give me a few names of bad places to stay away from in both Atenas and Grécia. I am sure every town has a bad section.
Any other advise regarding those two towns or offer another alternative to both (I need to have a coffee shop to go to every morning to sip on some capuccino or better yet, a café where to sip some wine at night)
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BOBJCR
1/22/2012 08:51 EST
I HAVE BEEN IN CR SINCE JULY '07, AND HAVE LIVED IN 12 PLACES IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY, ONE OF WHICH WAS ATENAS. I DON'T KNOW WHERE "THE BEST CLIMATE IN THE WORLD" CAME FROM, BUT, AS FAR I AM CONCERNED IT'S CRAPOLA. AFTER 2 MONTHS THERE, THE HEAT WAS TOO MUCH. DAMN NEAR AS HOT AS THE COAST. AND, UNLESS YOU HAVE A CAR IT IS ISOLATED. NOT MANY GOOD PLACES TO BUY A BROAD RANGE OF FOOD. AS FAR A grecia GOES, IT IS HIGHER UP SO IT IS MORE BEARABLE. BOTH OF THESE TOWNS HAVE ATTRACTED A LOT OF FOREIGNERS, SO THAT PROBABLY ACCOUNTS FOR THE ELEVATED HOUSING PRICES. I PREFER TO BE FARTHER EAST AND IN THE NORTHERN ENVIRONS OF HEREDIA OR ALAJUELA. BIGGER TOWNS AND A BETTER SELECTION OF COMMERICAL OPTIONS.
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CruzinCostarica
1/22/2012 11:08 EST
Happy Sunday everyone !
Another Beautiful Summer Day in Costa Rica. :-)
On this subject, I agree with what BOBJCR says, and I would include the also often mentioned San Ramon in that group of popular/ higher priced areas.
Here is some more data as to the "why" of those locations previous popularity.
For over 20 years, the primary 2 roads that would take you from San Jose/Central Valley to the Pacific Coast went from San Jose Airport by Alajuela down the mountain, one going through Atenas then Orotina, one going past grecia/Sarchi entrance and then San Ramon entrance and further down the mountain.
So Atenas and grecia and San Ramon were the 1st towns after San Jose for people to settle in if they didn't want to be in San Jose and surrounding suburbs.
And no different then "bedroom communities" outside of major metro areas all over the world, the flow of the bulk of traffic is what made those communities and real estate prices grow.
Frankly, I always thought those areas, particularly Atenas, were too expensive for what they offered, but then I am not a Tourist, and I am more of an explorer, so I already knew of other options.
Also, I think you will.NOT see those 3 towns have the continued growth and popularity and price increases going forward, again, because of the flow of people and traffic has changed. Those 2 roads that pass those 3 town have gone from carrying 95% of the traffic to the coast, to less then 20%.
The new San Jose-Caldera highway that leaves San Jose from the opposite side by of the 2 old roads now has the 80% bulk of traffic flow to the coast, and it will make the towns and communities and real estate along THAT highway be the new bedroom communities and popular growth areas.
It's already happening with the "old" higher elevation areas of the western edges of Escazu, and then in Santa Ana, Cuidad Colon, and the other towns that are close along that highway. It's even shed some light on the pretty little town of Puriscal, which I recommend people look at, nicer weather (IMO) then Atenas, and more of a real Costa Rica community, with WAY lower prices.
By the way, I currently have NOTHING for sale in any of the towns I just mentioned :-) Just passing on information.
But keep in mind, the central valley is HUGE, and has dozens of places to live that are inexpensive and nice, city close but a feeling of living in the country.
The point is to get out and explore yourself, the "lets see where this road takes us" philosophy. Make a new friend in each new area, a local whose family has been there for years, and you will be AMAZED at the hidden gems that the English language websites never mention.
Any questions, email me.
Have a Great Day, and Pura Vida !
Raymond Cruz ~New Business Director
Skype: CostaRicaTeam
Phone 1-330-449-0007
CostaRicaRealEstateTeam@Gmail.com
www.SanctuaryinCostaRica.com
www.CostaRicaRealEstateTeam.com
www.Youtube.com/user/CostaRicaRetirement
www.Youtube.com/user/SanctuaryCostaRica
www.Facebook.com/CostaRicaRealEstateTeam
www.Facebook.com/CostaRica.EquestrianWorld
www.Facebook.com/Sanctuary.CostaRica
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Peñarol
1/22/2012 14:10 EST
That's the kind of logistical information I need Ray. I am not an explorer type, it seems such exploration takes years to master but it pays good dividends. I am more sedentary. Again, when looking for property options, nothing in grecia appeared to be less than $200k. That's way above of what I want to pay for a retired 'stay-put' home. San Ramon had also come up in my search radar (now I know why). Although I am looking for a quiet/safe community, I am not interested in isolation.. My new home has to provide me with peace of mind from crime primarily and the ability to walk or bike to my local morning coffee place or wine and cheese place secondarily. I do not require to be around other expats (although that would be nice) as I am a very social person.
You have awesome imput Ray.
My ideal home is a tiny home (separate structure) in a big lot with the two attributes I list above.
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crazyfamof7
1/22/2012 22:39 EST
I agree with the posts about Atenas not quite living up to the "best climate" name. We arrived in August to what felt like a sauna...almost unbearable heat and humidity...and ceiling fans that felt like they were only for decoration! :o) But on cloudy days, the weather was quite nice and the evenings cool off quite a bit. I do know that where we were, at the same elevation as the Central School, it is warmer than in some of the other barrios.
Atenas does have a few coffee shops, but I'd bet that the type of cheese you want to enjoy with wine won't be found there...or at the very least for a VERY high premium. I recently bought a small bar of cheddar cheese (that SORT of tastes like cheddar) and it cost me almost $5. If you want more exotic types, you either won't find them or expect to pay at least $5 for 8 oz and up.
You can get by without a car in Atenas, just get used to the cheap bus system (very easy) to get to San Jose and Escazu for items not found locally...or make friends with someone who has a car. :o)
One thing about Atenas is that we felt SAFE, even at night, while we lived there. Now we're in San Pedro for my husband to get his English teaching certificate. I definitely wouldn't go out at night by myself.
Honestly, out family is going to be moving to another country in the spring to find somewhere more affordable. Chapala, Mexico and Antigua, Guatemala are tops on our list. Even though we won't be able to drink the water in those locations, the cost of feeding our family is driving us from the land my own mother is from.
Don't have any help in terms of grecia. But I will say this: if you want to pay Tico prices for real estate, look at the places Ticos look: on sites that are in Spanish. Encuentra24.com and economicos.com (La Nacion's online classifieds) are the best, in my opinion. Forget Craigslist...that's where all the Americans are. :o)
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Peñarol
1/22/2012 23:13 EST
Wow, thanks for your experience in Atenas. Here is my experience in Chapala: the lake has evaporated and its waters receded to about 30%. Great food though. I think the town will disappear within 20 years as the lake's water continues to evaporate (no one knows why) and in Antigua, while I love ixil culture and language (Mayense) I saw quite a lot of graffiti for MS13 gangs and that was disturbing. MaraSalvatrucha has ruined most of Guate, El Salv. and a good chunk of Honduras. It is now present in Nicaragua. I wonder when will it hit C.R.?
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GoingLikeSixty
1/23/2012 11:12 EST
Hi,
We live in Guacimo de Atenas at 2400 feet. The difference between Atenas proper and our house can be as much a ten degrees cooler and another 500 feet up a mountain will make it even cooler.
Atenas is a small town with a small town atmosphere. The OPs are right: the dining is limited and night life is very limited. But that's not what we came for. We enjoy seeing people we know on the streets almost every time we head to town.
You won't find a coffee shop / wine bar (yet) in Atenas.
Atenas has an exit off the Caldera Highway so it makes sense that it may still see some growth.
As with anyplace else (maybe more so because of the lack of MLS) one has to shop hard to find a good real estate deal. And of course that is always subject to various opinions.
As far as the slogan? It is pure hype. It cannot be verified.
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Peñarol
1/23/2012 19:12 EST
Thank you GoingLike60 for your information. You mention you are now in San Pedro. Is that a barrio of Atenas or a town altogether somewhere else?
You know, as uncomfortable as hot weather is, it is a thousand times better than cold. So, if it gets cooler at night, I will be able to sleep at night. It stands to reason then that a scant 500 meters higher up the mountain, the weather is cooler during the day but it is also colder at night.
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crazyfamof7
1/23/2012 23:27 EST
Hi Peñarol...
I was the one who mentioned now being in San Pedro and, no, it is not a barrio of Atenas, but about 1 hour 15 minutes away on the East side of San Jose. Totally different climate here than in Atenas.
All in all, our family enjoyed being in Atenas once we got used to how small it is. We have only been gone for 2 weeks, but miss Don Lalo's fried chicken, the friendly Henry at Super El Invo, and our wonderful maid and neighbors. Except the man next door that would constantly stare at the grey water flowing out from our rental to see what was coming out. Some ticos are crazy over their gutters. :o)
But the heat can be intense. Remember, if you haven't been here before, if you see a high of 85 degrees, that doesn't seem all that hot, but without a/c, direct afternoon sun hitting the house and no fans, it is HOT. There were times it was only bearable after taking a cold shower.
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crazyfamof7
1/23/2012 23:32 EST
Hi Peñarol...
I was the one who mentioned now being in San Pedro and, no, it is not a barrio of Atenas, but about 1 hour 15 minutes away on the East side of San Jose. Totally different climate here than in Atenas.
All in all, our family enjoyed being in Atenas once we got used to how small it is. We have only been gone for 2 weeks, but miss Don Lalo's fried chicken, the friendly Henry at Super El Invo, and our wonderful maid and neighbors. Except the man next door that would constantly stare at the grey water flowing out from our rental to see what was coming out. Some ticos are crazy over their gutters. :o)
But the heat can be intense. Remember, if you haven't been here before, if you see a high of 85 degrees, that doesn't seem all that hot, but without a/c, direct afternoon sun hitting the house and no fans, it is HOT. There were times it was only bearable after taking a cold shower.
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Peñarol
1/23/2012 23:36 EST
Wow, that is hot. Thank you Crazy for your comment. Maybe I should look at Grécia or higher instead of Atenas. Thing is, I love wine. Not as in I drink wine by myself but as in a social butterfly wine drinking.
I wonder if my idea of a wine bar would take off in a place like Grécia.
Any other personal stories about Grécia? such as what sections or barrios you recommend ?
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crazyfamof7
1/24/2012 00:15 EST
Sorry...never went to grecia, but heard they have a better farmer's market from friends who had a car.
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maxtmill
1/24/2012 22:37 EST
Hello All! The topic of where to live in Costa Rica is certainly interesting, but concerning at the same time. You hear so many things - Atenas is too hot & too expensive, grecia is too remote & run-down, Heredia is too too rainy, Puriscal is prone to mudslides, Arenal is too hot, the beach communities are hot, humid, expensive, & dangerous. Then there is San Jose, which is filthy & dangerous, Escazu that is expensive & prone to crime & home burgleries. Any town downstream from the Tarcoles River (spelling?) is polluted & full of human filth, plus the crocs at the mouth of the river are dangerous. Tilaran is sounding rather promising, as long as the medical facilities have been built as planned. Then there are the fer de lance snakes, who are aggressive ambush predators who will attack a human rather than slither away. Wow! truthfully, I would just love a simple clean little house with some property to garden, a little farmer's market, & some wildlife to admire & some neighbors to socialize with. A chance to volunteer within my neighborhood. No heat, no air conditioning, no car. Just a bicycle & perhaps a motor scooter. Gee Whiz! Perhaps my post is a bit tongue-in-cheek, but I have to say I am a bit concerned.
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Peñarol
1/24/2012 22:59 EST
Max, you describe exactly what I am looking for. It seems there is so much information that at times I wish I had no information. I don't know which one is worse.
Yes, not too hot, not too cold. No need for a car (I can bike anywhere if it is not hilly) some sense of community not having to travel hours to find a simple cafe but above all SAFE so I don't have to bring my two best friends Mr. Smith and Mr. Wesson (or Mr. Sig and Mr. Sauer/Mr. Heckler and Mr. Koch for those of you who fancy Eurpean hardware) and enjoy my last years on earth happy.
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maxtmill
1/24/2012 23:10 EST
Yes, Penarol, after years & years as a registered nurse, many of which were high stress nursing jobs, I long for a time when I can relax & enjoy. Not an easy task for a type-A personality, but I am really getting into the idea!! I am also a fanatic dog lover & plan to bring mine with me (could be as many as 6!)
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Peñarol
1/24/2012 23:37 EST
Truth be told, I am waiting on the passing of my dogs. I have 3 English bulldogs and they cannot fly. High altitude kills bulldogs and boxers due to repiratory problems (airlines won't allow those breeds) so unless I drive from the States or embark on a ship, I cannot bring them. Since they are all old, I will just do my research and maybe buy until at least two of them are gone to dog heaven. I couldn't deal with 3 at the same time on such a travel by sea.
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majbjb
1/25/2012 11:13 EST
Just got back from a real estate hunting trip and can comment on prices in the Central Valley. I had initially seen nothing but prices in the $150K - $200K range for houses in the "popular" towns of Atenas, grecia, San Ramon and Sarchi. Also prices as a rule seemed higher based on higher elevation. Of course these were mostly expat houses in gated communities or the such. What I found upon hitting the ground though is that there are homes at much lower price points, but generally your not going to see them listed on the popular expat realty web sites. You will find them once you actually start working with a realtor who is knowledgable about an area and has good contacts. I really enjoyed working with the folks from godutch realty. Very knowledgable and low pressure, they posted a response on this thread.
Just focus less on the higher priced and glossily advertised gated communities and look for more traditional neighborhoods and the prices go down amazingly. And you don't have to give up safety or comfort either. But you really need to get "feet on the ground" and talk with locals and nose around on your own to really discover this.
Good luck!
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ziller0604
7/31/2013 23:32 EST
That is about the same kind of place we are looking for. Where did you wind up moving to?
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Kohl
8/1/2013 09:15 EST
Finding out the climate and whether or not it suits YOU, is why you need to rent in the area, before you buy any property.
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samramon
6/30/2015 04:00 EST
I would like to say that grecia and Atenas are nice if you like to be around a lot of gringos and in a generally more densely populated area.
San Ramon is better in my humble opinion because there are less gringos and there are more options of lower priced real estate at various elevations and climates.
The climate can range from downright brisk - to me, cold - at 5000 feet in some areas in the general San Ramon area, to as low as 2000 feet. We are at 2850 feet and that's pretty perfect for me. I don't like too-cool weather nor too hot weather.
San Ramon is WAY cheaper than Atenas and grecia for real estate plus you can find less populated areas if that's your thing.
So that's my 2 cents. Yes I have some land for sale in San Ramon but that really doesn't influence my opinion. Rather I bought the land there BECAUSE of my opinion.
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ILuvCR
6/30/2015 07:21 EST
sam,
just wondering, do you have a problem with "gringos"?
"San Ramon is better in my humble opinion because there are less gringos "
ILuvCR/ Gringo!
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Kohl
6/30/2015 07:52 EST
Personally, I have found San Ramon to be way too foggy and damp.
Land be cheaper since with some nice views although in some areas you can only see them for 50% of the time...8-)
Could be good for orchids though...
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Waltercito
6/30/2015 10:39 EST
Your question seems odd...why would anyone want ro leave their home country, travel to a "foreign land," and hang out with people more or less just like the one's left behind? Perhaps you can explain...now that you're there, do you prefer to hang around other with gringos?
I live on a Colombian island of about 80,000, and there are two gringos here, me and Vince, and we go for months without seeing each other...neither of us came here to hang out with people that look just like us. But I hear that's different in Costa Rica...
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Peñarol
7/1/2015 00:18 EST
I finally bought on the coast, in the small town of Parrita. Between Jacó and Qupos.
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samramon
7/1/2015 05:42 EST
ILuvCR, yes I have a problem with moving to a foreign country and always hanging out with and around gringos.
Gringos tend to fight among each other a lot just like on this forum.
I know so many gringos in Costa Rica who are fighting/arguing with other gringos all the time! Again, just like this and every other gringo forum!
I do like having a few good gringo friends for sure but no I don't want to live in an area where it's thick with gringos.
As to San Ramon weather yes it can be damp and foggy depending on where you live. There are a lot of micro climates around San Ramon and many parts of Costa Rica as I'm sure you know.
My wife prefers foggy to too much sun so that's part of why we chose San Ramon. But hey, how many parts of Costa RIca are NOT rainy and foggy?
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ILuvCR
7/1/2015 08:49 EST
sam amigo, I hear what you're saying and I agree!
It's a point of interest to me the volume of inquiries here about "where are the "expats" " where can I live near the expats"?
I have friends back home that say " there are lot's of expats down there, you must have lots of friends, right?"
I don't know so much about fighting with each other, I haven't yet seen that but many are very so negative and down on the Tico's and some of the societal differences, right?
My favorite is what I consider to be an urban myth about "gringo" prices.
I came here for a different experience not more of the same.
We're on the same page!
Pura Vida!
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Kohl
7/1/2015 09:27 EST
We have had plenty of experiences of 'Gringo pricing', at the tire store, ropa americana and feria.
We have no 'gringo friends' in our immediate neighborhood and have never lived with many expats around us.
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samramon
7/2/2015 05:26 EST
Gringo pricing does exist. So far I've only encountered it with taxis and with a restaurant or two and buying things like pipas or pejibayes in the street.
My friend who's lived down there for 5 years says, when it comes to the big things like construction, rentals, etc. it's the gringos who will cheat you and so far I have seen that to be true.
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