Costa Rica-Real Estate Condos for sale in Guanacaste

While searching for properties one should always keep a detailed list of basic needs: land size, location, facilities required, construction age, and type of property, price range and such important details. Costa Rica land sales, real estate and property market is quite big and has and extensive variety, therefore, one needs to be wise before jumping into a business. Different type of locations includes different types of perks or issues. Most of the information is in fact available on the real estate listings; Costa Rica is in fact quite clear regarding property investments.

Dealing with companies may be a bit more expensive than dealing with the property owner, yet Costa Rica laws regarding real estate businesses with foreigners tend to be a bit confusing and realtors might be quite handy: requirements, partners, paperwork, all of those very annoying steps to follow might be easier to bear having someone who has certain experience on the field. From my own experience, Costa Rica realtors are very knowledgeable and helpful.

In Guanacaste, Costa Rica has an impressive variety of properties: condos, villas, apartments, lots, farms and many different opportunities. A luxury villa may sound pricy at first; yet, once you see the market potential and beauty, not to mention the unique locations, prices just become the smallest problem. Now, if you happen to find a lot while searching Costa Rica properties, building prices are actually cheap, as well as decorations, details and labor.

Regarding areas, I am afraid I have to repeat myself: be clever and investigate! Some places may sound incredible and the price may sound fair but, since Costa Rica is such a small country, an incredibly beautiful location may be surrounded by dangerous or crappy places and you will be losing money, no matter how amazing the property is built and finished. Costa Rica real estate blogs and forums are great places to find information, so check them and do not be afraid to ask any questions.

At this moment, several parties are discussing whether the new housing projects developing in Guanacaste are destroying natural resources in Costa Rica or not. As I have previously informed a few ago, Costa Rica tourism is one of the most important economic activities in the country and it has been set clear that all the projects were carefully studied before hand to prevent any kind of issue or problem with the natural environment on every area.

A prove of this is an official list created by Ethical Traveler which honors, in their own words, countries that consider and preserve environmental protection, social welfare and human rights in the world’s developing nations. In alphabetical order, these are the countries that made the top 10 of that list: Argentina, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Estonia, Namibia, Nicaragua, and South Africa. As you can see, Costa Rica thrives to increase and preserve their natural treasures and the developments approved on the different areas do not translate into a threat to either the environment or ay natural resource. Costa Rica, maybe a small country yet, it not blinded by money, they are still aware of what the true richness is and will compromise it that easily.

The resources used to create this list include big international entities such as Yale Center for Environmental Law & Policy and Columbia University’s Center for International Earth Science Information Network; progress made by countries in reducing infant mortality rates as measured by UNICEF; and reports on civil liberties and human rights from sources like Amnesty International and Freedom House.

So, if you have Costa Rica properties in mind as part of your investments, do not be hesitant about their commitment with the environment. Costa Rica real estate agencies also conduct detailed studies on the properties they offer in the case they seem fishy. Acquiring property in Costa Rica is in fact an investment worth to make, not an adventure in creepy places. 

Because of its location on the map, Costa Rica goes through several weather changes not only throughout the year, but also it varies from location to location. The weather you feel in the Caribbean coasts is definitely no the same you will see in Heredia or Cartago; Costa Rica actually takes advantage of all these differences and uses the natural resources as they have developed in each area. When you are checking real estate, Costa Rica weather must be on your check list as a priority, so I have come up with a small explanation about the different types of weather you may find depending on the location.

North Side: Limon and the Caribbean: The weather on this specific area of Costa Rica is very humid, most of the rain forests are located on the surroundings and it rains a lot in the area. The humid weather type is stronger the closest you get to the coast, since the sea breeze merges with the rainy ambience.

East Side: Guanacaste area: This area I am beginning to know like the back of my hand. One of the most impressive things about weather in Costa Rica is that it does change very drastically from one place to the other. Costa Rica rainy areas are only a few miles away from Guanacaste and yet, this is the driest place in the country. The weather in Guanacaste during the summer can be compared to dessert hot and the scenery resembles this accurately.

South Side: Puntarenas: This is where it all comes together. Although the temperature is mostly warm, Puntarenas does get a bit humid, especially on the rainy season. Some areas do experience dry weather depending on the altitude and believe it or not, Monteverde is extremely rainy and cold. Let’s say it has something for everyone taste.

West Side: On the west side of Costa Rica there are different parts of both Limon and Puntarenas, yet the weather is very much humid, like in the Caribbean side of the country.

Middle Side: As I have explained before, Costa Rica weather changes depending on the location. The middle area of the country changes its temperature depending on how high o below sea level each location is. Heredia has a quite fresh sunny weather, while Cartago is cold and rainy, Alajuela has awesome temperatures and San Jose tends to be a mixture of everything.

Once you have found a place you like and enjoy. Costa Rica will now be a whole new adventure to you and, to take advantage of any new adventure, you will need a “how to survive list. Although, living in Costa Rica is relatively easy there are a few things that will come in handy.

1. Hospitals: Costa Rica has very good and reliable health services. Yet if you are not a resident, state hospitals will only provide assistance in case of emergency. These are a list of the best hospitals you can reach while in Costa Rica: Hospital Cima: In Costa Rica, Hospital Cima has one of the biggest varieties of health professionals, so they are most likely to help you with any problem you may have. Emergencies: 2208-1144. Tel: (506) 2208-1000 Fax: (506) 2208-1001You can check out their website www.hospitalcima.com. Hospital Clinica Biblica: This is another well staffed hospital and they are very used to having patients from different countries. Their phone numbers are (506) 2522-1000 and toll free: 8000-911-0800. You can check their options for international patients following this link http://www.clinicabiblica.com/esp/departamento_internacional.html
2. Public Transportation: As I have explained before, public transportation in Costa Rica is quite reliable in most cases. Buses are well marked and bus stops are usually well located. Taxi cabs in Costa Rica are red and have marks on the side doors with their plate and province. Only airport taxis are orange. If you are going to use a taxi to move around make sure you check if their plate in the side door is real. This is what it should look like:
3. Banks and Currency exchange: Costa Rica has two types of banking entities: estate banks and private banking, yet both are managed by the Banco Central de Costa Rica. If you need to check on exchange rates, check theirs first since it is the most accurate. For business, Costa Rica has different choice on different banks regardless the type of bank, my recommendation: use a bank that has international affiliates you are familiar with.

This information is just to get you started. I will be adding more tips as the blog goes along and help you get around easily so you can be comfortable on your knew environment, also to help you find the best Costa Rica property you can have.

To continue with small guides on buying property in Costa Rica, here are a few steps to follow in order complete a successful investment. Costa Rica real estate businesses are not so different than any other in the world, yet there are a few things you should take under consideration:

1. Decide if want to purchase property under your name or if want to use an existing corporation. In the case that you are interested in using a corporation and don’t have one, you need to understand the exact protocols and procedures necessary to properly set up the corporation in Costa Rica.

2. Search for a good location. Costa Rica property markets are wide and have many different choices. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and do an extensive research. Some properties may sound like heaven and they could little hellholes described in fancy words.

3. Be aware that the registration process for properties in Costa Rica is still getting updated, so a few properties have not been incorporated to the “Folio Real” system yet and are still registered in special books that can be found in the Public Register.

4. If your plan is to purchase a Costa Rica home, keep in mind that Costa Rica has a “Condominium Law” that benefits developers of many different types of properties, residence projects, finished lot projects, condos and more.

5. Last but not least, remember that the law in Costa Rica establishes that foreigners cannot be majority owners of a concession property. However, a foreigner can enter into a partnership with a Costa Rican citizen where the ownership is divided 49% / 51% between the foreigner and Costa Rican partner respectively.

Acquiring a nice piece of land, a home or any type of property in Costa Rica, should be so difficult, find trustworthy legal aid so you don’t find ugly surprises during the purchasing process and make sure the property you buy fulfills all your needs before closing a deal.

Everyone is familiar with the phenomenon American Idol has been over the years and I am pretty sure that some of you have even follow at least one contestant at one point. In Latin America, they also have their own version of the show and at this moment Costa Rica has a very talented contestant participating. She is a very lovely 17 year old girl named Maria Jose Castillo from Heredia. Costa Rica has had two other contestants in previous editions of the show yet; it was not possible for the fans to vote since the telecommunications in Costa Rica were not compatible to the ones used for voting.

The girl is quite talented and I decided to make a small space here for her in case you are in Costa Rica lands next week. She will be featured on the show next Wednesday and voting will be enabled as soon as the show ends that same day. All of Costa Rica will be cheering for the teenager, if want to get a glimpse of her performance, be my guest, this was her audition:

YouTube - LATIN AMERICAN IDOL 2008: Maria Jose Castillo TOP 30

This is Costa Rica’s little idol

As you can see, there are even more Costa Rica treasures besides properties, beaches and rainforests. Although Maria Jose is the only Costa Rican participating she can definitely brighten a room with her voice. In Costa Rica, music has always been a big deal and you can actually feel it: lots of the most important compositors and musicians were born in Guanacaste; real estate wasn’t the most important thing after all.

If you liked Maria Jose’s audition, don’t miss her performance next Wednesday and if did like her and want to cheer for the little Costa Rica idol, voting will be enable after the show and you can access it sending the word MARIA to the number 43657.

If you happen to be in the Guanacaste area this weekend you are going to have a blast!

This weekend is the celebration of the Anexion de Guanacaste, the story I referred to a few weeks ago and that you can find on this link:

http://buildingzoneconstruction.com/costa-rica-real-estate-blog/2008/07/02/guanacaste-is-it-really-costa-rica/

This weekend there are a lot of activities planed and some will even last all night long. It is a great opportunity to check out the true Costa Rica party spirit and enjoy traditions and celebrations like you never have before. Costa Rica typical music, food and arts will be also joined by international artists such as Luis Enrique Mejía Godoy from Nicaragua, Infected Mushroom from Israel and Los Pericos from Argentina. Trust me, this will be a nice opportunity to enjoy yourselves and check out the scenery and real estate. Costa Rica has a very warm way of celebrating and being part of it is quite an adventure.

Don’t be surprised if you see one or two “Topes” going on this weekend.

Most of the activities will take place either in Liberia or the Nicoya Park, so make sure you swing by during your stay. There will be dancing, food, shows and a nice variety of entertainment. If you live in Costa Rica and have not had the chance to see how the traditional celebrations are, this is your chance. In Guanacaste, Costa Rica history will be portrayed by the music and the joy of these celebrations.

One of the most happening parties of the weekend will occur at Las Delicias property; Costa Rica is still a small country and this finca proves it, since it is hosted by one of the most opulent families in Guanacaste: The Espinar Brothers. Although it is quite an event, it mostly a party for youngsters and it lasts all night long, so if you are planning on going wear comfortable shows, there is going to be a lot of dancing.

A few years ago I decide that I was no longer going to put up with the crazy lifestyle of the U.S and decided to look for a place to rest and spend my golden years. After much research I found what I call now my home: a nice Costa Rica Villa in Guanacaste. I didn’t know being here was my dream until I actually came in the front door.  When I first heard of Guanacaste, Costa Rica seemed like a huge rain forest to me and I honestly thought I will not be able to find good real estate. Costa Rica seemed like a dark hole with lovely beaches, but not a place to actually live in, wasn’t I wrong.

At this moment I can tell you that there are many housing projects in all of Costa Rica: San Jose is being remodeled, sort of speak, and tall apartment buildings are being developed in La Sabana surroundings, providing lovely housing arrangements downtown. Also, if you take a quick look to real estate listings, Costa Rica is including more and more residential projects on the Alajuela and Heredia provinces. Cartago, especially Tres Rios, has been developing lovely residential areas for the past ten years and getting a big house near malls and offices is no longer a dream for anyone.

This could be your backyard….

But in Guanacaste, real estate choices are better, cheaper and so much nicer: A villa, like the one I live in, has beautiful sceneries surrounding the property, trees, palm trees, the ocean; fun loving animals of the area are part of your neighborhood and everyday life. The peaceful breeze and the fresh sea water smell cannot be compared to anything. Getting relocated can be quite stressful, but once you see that Costa Rica is in fact that dreamland you had always on your mind, you will see the effort paying up. Right now, there is a boom in Guanacaste, housing projects are all over the place and the prices are worth to look at. Most of these properties are built due to the fast development of the Liberia area, and since the industry is cleverly locating properties where the natural resources are not affected, you can be at peace and still enjoy Costa Rica nature close to your new home.

This weekend, while I was reading the newspaper I came across an article about some massage parlors that are actually sex businesses. Since the article was not so clear about the reality of the problem in Costa Rica, I decided to explain a little bit relaying on what I have seem myself. 

In Costa Rica, prostitution is a huge problem just like it is anywhere else. Yes, it is true that those business pose a massage parlors to provide sex services, but there are also regular massage parlors and they are really easy to recognize. Most of the “fake ones”, meaning the ones that offer sex services, try to advertise their services emphasizing the kind of girls they have and related items such as private bathrooms and how “frisky” the girls are. The professional massage parlors will advertise regular spa treatments. Costa Rica is a relaxing place and it is normal to look for spa services.

In Costa Rica, child protection law is very though on offenders so, if you think you can come here and have a wild “sexcapade” as it is advertised on some websites, you better think twice, even taxi drivers will drive to the nearest police station if you are planning on breaking the law. Be careful when you see websites offering young girls or similar types of trips, most of them work illegally and you might get in trouble.

Costa Rica services many types of industries: tourism, agriculture, crafting, technology and more and although there is a false idea about it, Costa Rica economy is not based on sex services. If you are planning to come to Costa Rica: vacations, business, extreme sports, fishing and related activities is what  you should be looking for, not only it is bigger help to their economy but you will have a nicer time enjoying yourself with all their adventurous activities.

The article did not show that difference at any moment, so if anyone was doing any research about Costa Rica, activities, services and such and found that article, might have gotten the wrong idea.

Today I have learned that the telecommunications in Costa Rica will be a lot more reliable. According to the Sun Herald, Global Crossing Limited, a company that provides computer networking services worldwide and legally domiciled in Bermuda, has joined forces with the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) and Radiografica Costarricense (RACSA) to develop a fiber-optic submarine cable will facilitate the expansion of ICE’s international network to the rest of the world through Global Crossing’s network.

In Costa Rica, services for electricity and telecommunications are handled by the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) and in the past few years the entity has been struggling to upgrade their services and walk and in hand with the technology available in the rest of the world. Although the services they provided have had some minor difficulties through the years, the new cable connection, which is an extension of the Pan American Crossing (PAC), which connects the United States‘ west coast, Mexico, Panama, Venezuela and the Virgin Islands will make things easier for Costa Rica telecommunications and their connections world wide.

This change is great news since it would be possible to have faster and better internet connections, phone services and such everywhere in Costa Rica, properties will increase their value due to better services offered in every area. Costa Rica is now part of a bigger technological channel and can provide top notch connectivity for everyone. With this change, the new bandwidth will enable the transmission of approximately 185 million e-mails per second, assuming an average e-mail of 20KB; allows 2.5 million people to watch a video online, assuming 1.5M per connection; and can handle 60 million phone calls, which is way bigger than what we have been using.

This is a huge step for the country and I am glad to actually be a witness of the positive changes made in the country. Costa Rica is going far and that is just another excuse to move here.