Costa Rica-Real Estate Condos for sale in Guanacaste

The European Union is always on the look out for new business developing opportunities and currently their eyes are set in Costa Rica. The EU is formulating new proposals for exports between them and the Central America country.

They want to take advantage of the current business slowdown in the US to” invade” CR.

The United States buys nearly 40% of Costa Rica’s exports; never the less month-on-month export growth to the United States, registered a mere 0.31%. (January month-on-month exports to the U.S. actually shrunk, by 6 %.) We all know the reason why this is happening, and it is no surprise that the EU is looking to establish a business agreement with the Costa Rica government.

Let’s have a look at the numbers!

Export growth to EU countries came in at around 30%, with $149 million in goods crossing the Atlantic. Agricultural exports led that growth, with strong showings from pineapple, banana, and decorative plant exporters. The computer and electrical parts are also strong; the Foreign Trade Ministry officials singled out Costa Rica’s promising medical supplies manufacturers as a particularly bright spot. For a little over 30 multinational exporters including Baxter, Boston Scientific and Alergan are now exporting $660 million worth of medical products annually.

But the things are not going to be that easy for the EU!

Costa Rica had showed its dissatisfaction with the European Union’s initial proposal for the free-trade element of the association agreement under negotiation between the EU and Central America. The Costa Rican negotiators led by Costa Rica Foreign Trade Minister Marco Vinicio Ruiz released a statement saying that the offer was “not satisfactory” and omitted “many of Costa Rica’s key exportable products.”The Central American negotiating teams are meeting in El Salvador this week to come out with a unified negotiating position.

I’ll keep you posted on any new development with this one!

Just like you heard my friends, Delta Airlines has now direct flights from the Liberia Airport in Guanacaste to the “Big Apple”; these are just awesome news! (Especially if you have to visit your relatives over there, or vice versa, like me) The Liberia Airport has daily flights to Atlanta and LA; but this new service really is something else.

Delta Airlines is currently offering 2 weekly flights (Wednesdays and Saturdays), leaving at 3 pm from the Liberia Airport to reach the John F Kennedy Terminal at 11pm

Now for those that are planning to travel to the San Jose area in Costa Rica (Using the Juan Santamaria Airport) they also offer direct flights (5 times a week)

OK guys, you know what is next so, let’s take a look at the numbers!

Delta Airlines currently has 33 direct flights per week; 21 from the Juan Santamaria Airport, and 12 from the Liberia Airport in Guanacaste. But taken into consideration the new developing projects in the Guanacaste area, I wouldn’t be surprised to see some big changes for those numbers in the near future.

If you’re planning to travel from Costa Rica next month and want to use this new service from Liberia to New York, you will have to pay $292; and if you’re going from the Juan Santamaria the amount will be $178 (According to Delta’s Website)

As we advance through the year, the Liberia Airport keeps on developing more and more, bringing new options for all that want to visit one of the most beautiful regions of Costa Rica, Guanacaste.

An international group from experts known as OACI (International Organization Civil Aviation) will be coming to Costa Rica on April the 30^th to validate the proposal of a new Airport in Palma Sur, (Osa Area)

Before I answer your primary question, which is where is Palma Sur; or Osa for what matters, let me start giving you some information on this OACI group.

The OACI is a group of specialist on aeronautics, airport construction, transport economy, airport engineering, hydraulics, and electric engineering. (So yes they actually know quite a lot.) They will be working along the Costa Rica General Aviation Directory representatives to evaluate the quality of the terrain, environmental impact of the project, and climatologically studies.

So now that we know a bit more about them, let’s move on.

Palma Sur, is actually at a very short distance from Panama, in a quite unexplored zone in Costa Rica; there is a lot of natural reserves in this zone which could make the progress of the project a little difficult. (In terms of studies)

Just to let you know how serious these guys are regarding the project, let me tell you that the initial amount invested by JODESUR (The Developing Group for the South Zone) is of 600 million colones (Costa Rica currency)

Their goal is to finish the first part of the project by 2010, that is the terminal and a landing pad for small aircrafts (50 passengers) and eventually expand it to accommodate bigger transports (110 – 215 passengers)

The new Costa Rica airport proposal could certainly make an impact on the South region of the country, and the benefits regarding tourism would certainly increase a lot; never the less I have my doubts on this one. Mostly because of the location, and the lots of protected space in the region; this could limit potential developing projects.

I will be following this one with great interest.

One of the main issues you have to deal with in Costa Rica is what the local refer to as the “presas” (That’s Costa Rican Slang for traffic Jams) you can blame it on the working schedule, on the fact that there are just too many cars on the streets; or you can realize that the infrastructure simply needs to be upgraded.

Another problem has to do with the Fog and Heavy rain the drivers have to endure during their travels along the mountain highways in Costa Rica, and you better take my word for it guys, when it rains it pours. And when the clouds go down (even though it looks great) the visibility can be quite poor, so if your plan is to follow the lights of the car in front of you, you may need a new strategy.

Taking this into consideration the government has decided to take some action.

Well the bad news is that there are currently no major plans to upgrade the streets or main highways to deal with the “presas”; the good news however, is that the Ministerio de Obras Publicas y Transportes MOPT (Public Work and Transportation Ministry) is taking the necessary steps to help the drivers with scenarios as the one I described above.

Yes I’m talking about the fog and the visibility stuff

Before the year is gone, several road markers and special paint will be applied to 2000 Km (that’s 1240 miles) on strategic points along the Costa Rica highways. (According to a MOPT spokesman) This initiative also includes an upgrade on conventional road signalization, so that we “Non Costa Ricans” can find our way around more easily.

And yes I agree with you, it was about time!

Costa Rica has many things to offer to everybody on many levels, opportunities for developers, international companies, and off course real estate visionaries; however it also has to improve small but significant issues, like the ones presented by the “presas”.

Let’s hope this new initiative brings more changes in the near future.

Sometimes is quite hard to “nail” a good job, and the unemployment rate keeps going up in many countries in Central America; however in Costa Rica that seems not the case.

On my previous post: Hewlett Packard looking to hire 5000 new agents , well the title speaks for itself; and now on the same month EKA Consultores (EKA Consultants) is organizing another job fair in San Jose.

Take you pen out and get ready for the information!

The event will start next Friday 4^th and will continue until Sunday 6^th, the place will be Hotel San Jose Palacio; the job fair schedule will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. There will be an admission fee of 1500 colones.

As it is common during these activities, several international companies will be on the look out for “new blood”, so bilingual candidates will have a bigger chance to get hired during the San Jose job fair.

According to Carolina Marten (Event Manager for EKA) many of the employers will not only run interviews and take your data; but also could be ready to hire you on the spot, so if you are planning to attend the activity, bring all the necessary info with you.

Take several copies of your CV, personal ID, and a put on a good attitude; a new job opportunity in Costa Rica could be waiting for you.

The Cow Parade, the world’s largest public art event has finally arrived to the streets of Costa Rica; approximately 120 cows made of fiberglass will be on display in 4 different spots throughout the city:

Morazan Park - Avenida Central – Avenue 4 (National Park) – Ricardo Jimenez Boulevard.

This is certainly a pleasant surprise, and it does help to get our mind off the daily routine we experience as we move through the city of San Jose.

It does bring back some memories to me, as this event was also held in New York a while ago, (Actually 8 years ago to be precise) it began at the Pulitzer Fountain in front of the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan, even the Cow Parade Holdings President Jerry Elbaum was there.

Ok, now let’s get back to Costa Rica.

The cows, I mean the “art pieces” will be worked on by local artists throughout San Jose painted, and decorated in a mixture of different colors and other surprises. (Like hats, Wings and more stuff) Fortunately for us, the cows will be displayed from March until the month of August next year. Then they will be auctioned off to the public in order to raise funds to support different charity organizations.

Costa Rica is again #1, as San Jose is the first Central American city to stage the parade; an event that will not only help to showcase the talent of the Costa Rican artists; but will also give a little “face lift” to the city.

If you want to see more of this original art pieces, here is the link you are looking for:

http://www.cowparade.com/

Now get out of the office and check the cow parade in Costa Rica, it is worth it.

If you have been calling lately from the US and have had some problems to reach the people in Costa Rica, let me tell you the reason why. It all began last Thursday at midnight to be precise, an eighth digit was added to all current telephone numbers in order to make room for many more future telephone lines.

The decision was made by the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE), To prepare for these changes, ICE has made some serious improvements to their central computer systems, totaling about $8 million, or ¢4.000 million; and for us that live here, they distributed a new phone book this month that reflects the additional digit.

Many people were afraid that something could go wrong during the transition; however that was not the case at all. (Yet)

So for those of you that have no way of knowing this, here is a brief explanation on the new phone numbers:

For the land lines all you need to do is add an extra 2 in front, so if your old Phone number was: 297 54 76, the new one will be: 2 297 54 76. For the cell phones all you need to do is add an extra 8 in the beginning, so if the number was 899 65 43, the new one will be 8899 65 43. (911 and other services will remain the same)

And for those of you guys, who call out of country, the process will remain the same; so just follow the “procedure” described above and you won’t have a problem.

The ICE also has an internet page for those that are not so good with their Spanish, here is the link:

http://www.grupoice.com/esp/temas/camp/2_8_dig/index_eng.htm

So now that you now the news do me a favor and spread the word…LOL, sorry that must be the Semana Santa influence in the air; and please remember to update the Costa Rica phone numbers in your computer and cell phone directories.

In one of my previous post: The Germans are coming to Costa Rica, I promised to follow up on the development of the docks in Limon, and I am happy to tell you that the negotiations are going well.

But let me give you first a brief description of the current dock situation in Limon.

Currently the docks are being run by JAPDEVA (Administrative Group for the Development of the Atlantic Basin.) Over the years their performance in my humble opinion has been quite poor. Why I am saying this? Well it is very simple, they are suppose to provide 4 million colones (local Costa Rica currency) per year to be used on different development projects among the province of Limon; never the less 50% of the projects do not “see the light”, and most of the time 25% of the whole amount is destined to deal with “Administrative expenses,” leaving only 1 million of the original 4 to help the province.

Yes I know what you are thinking…I really do; but let’s move on to the good part.

The Costa Rica government has decided to take action and plans to hand over the dock’s administration to a private group. While preparing a good “pre jubilation” deal for JAPDEVA’s port employees.

(These negotiations are schedule to start on April)

Now I remember to have mentioned the fact that several German companies were interested in taking the challenge on the famous seaport in Costa Rica; and this is the name of one that is more likely to “nail” the agreement. Hamburg Port Consulting (HPC) They are providing several reports to the Costa Rica government regarding the future plans for the dock’s development, and are more than willing to follow the guide lines stated by the law in the Central American country.

All in all the “new kids on the dock” should be up and running this coming 2009; bringing a new mentality and job opportunities to Limon.

Costa Rica takes the 7 sacred day period preceding Easter quite seriously; being mostly a Catholic nation Costa Rica has several celebrations and also a huge Parade in store for the people to enjoy, including: a Easter Parade in downtown San Jose, firework shows, different celebrations on small towns, Bull fights and even rodeos (Yes I’m not kidding)

Most of the San Jose area is deserted for these days (except during the parade.) as many Costa Ricans are given a special time off to celebrate with their families. Most of the houses and different buildings are decorated with crosses and purple cloths during “Semana Santa” (Holy Week) and the different churches are carefully given a “face lift” in order to look their best for the celebration.

I know that so far everything sounds great; but here are some things to look forward for the Holy Week in Costa Rica.

And an average of at least 70% of the capital’s population used this period to head for the beach: This means not only that the major beaches in the country will be crowded; but that the regular prices for services, food, and others more likely will go up. (So if you want to go to the beach anyway try to stick to the more private beaches like Playa Avellanas or playa Negra; or do it on a tour with fix rates)

The Bars in the country are closed during this period: That is right my friends, so it is pretty much “no hay guaro” (There is no booze) for the Holy Week.

The Bus services are slow: Due to the fact that many of the usual customers for this public service will not be using it, the Bus companies have a “more relaxed” approach for the Semana Santa. And even though the service will be in operation, there will be no Bus services at all during Friday.

Grab your wallet and try not to leave anything in plain sight in your car: Just like in any other crowded place, it is common sense to put your money in a safe spot, and try also not to keep it all in one place but at least 2. If you went for a “car rental option” to get to the beach, remember not to leave any valuables in plain sight. (You can either leave them at the hotel/condo or below the seats)

Whatever you do don’t come back on Sunday: This is very important guys, as 90% of the people on the Costa Rica beaches decide to come back on the same day, making the high way looks like a Mall parking lot on Wednesday. (So avoid this mess and try to come back either on Saturday or Monday instead.)

There are lots of things to see and enjoy during this period, especially the parades in San Jose, just try to be careful and remember to ask a lot of question to the Hotel personal you decide to stay in during the Holy week in Costa Rica.

Let’s start with the basic stuff first, real estate is defined as: “Land and all physical property on, below or attached to the land. Houses, sewers, trees and fences are all real estate.” Any buildings or structures on it are also called realty, and that is of course the permanent value on which all the rest of the market value is based.

So now that we have a clearer image of what this is all about, let’s move on.

I know there are a lot of people out there that promise to teach you how to make some “big bucks” without spending a single dollar investing on real estate. (That is certainly unrealistic.) Many of those guys actually make their money hosting “seminars” or even selling “DVD’s” were they guarantee that your money will be practically untouched while the earnings from your real estate deals keep coming.

The real key to successful real estate investing in Costa Rica is as I have mentioned before, to do your home work and especially not to get overconfident.

Stick to your Budget: Yes that is important; however it is also important to be prepared for “unexpected” situations. (Lawyers, agents, house reparations, etc.)

Find an American consultant: As I have mentioned in previous posts, this is actually very important; never the less look for one that actually lives in Costa Rica, not one that visits the place. (I’ve been here for over a decade and believe me guys, is quite different just to spend your summer vacation here than to actually learn “the country ways”)

Learn about the land taxes in that area: Most people look only at the price of the land and the money for the lawyers and that is it; however it is extremely important to learn about the land taxes, the more you know about this aspect will translate in a better/smarter way of choosing the property and investing your money.

Infrastructure: I am not talking about services such as electricity or water, (those two should go without saying) what you should find out are things such as: how close is the property to the nearest highway, are there banks, hospitals, and groceries stores near by? (And once you do this learn if they accept US dollars or just local currency in the stores.)

So that is pretty much for today, after all I don’t want to turn this Blog into “Costa Rica real estate 101”, remember that your real estate investment project is not just in the hands of the agents, learn all you can before making the first move.

And stay tuned for my approaching Costa Rica real estate seminar next month!… LOL, just kidding