The Costa Rica phone company (ICE) announces changes in important phone numbers. You really want to make sure you have those numbers, so you won’t have to look for them when needed. ICE, our government-owned telecommunications company in Costa Rica has competition now. So you can choose for the first time since the civil war…
We were asked to come up with 21 top activities for active retirement in Tamarindo beach. It amazing how most enjoy life at the beach and others get bored fast. Well, Tamarindo Beach is one of those Costa Rica beach areas where you should never get bored because there is plenty to do. No matter…
Do you know where El Valle de Los Santos is? On Tuesday, October the 20th, some of the real estate agents went on a visit to the not very well known (yet) Los Santos area. This great tour was organized by our Los Santos area specialist Tony Warren. The plan was to tour some of…
Last week I received a call from someone who bought a condo in Costa Rica from a developer. He ended up working for them after buying. We had a discussion about the size of the Costa Rica condo. Now he wants to sell the condo he bought there. Which is what made me write this blog.…
Have you ever realized that there are disadvantages to listing as a For Sale by Owner? Probably not. It is important to learn more about the sellers perspective of listing as For Sale by Owner in Costa Rica In another blog, Patrick Mulheren gave his views about the fact that there is really no benefit…
To FSBO or not FSBO Costa Rica: that is the question. Well, we’ll get to that. First, what is FSBO? Second, what are the advantages of using For Sale by Owner Costa Rica from a buyers perspective? FSBO stands for For Sale By Owner Costa Rica, which is exactly what it sounds like: a property…
Do you know how to find the perfect South Pacific Neighborhood the easy way? We have all been there at one time, especially those who live in the South Pacific of Costa Rica. We got our heart set on a property for sale without properly scouting out the South Pacific neighborhood. Then we realized that…
Who wouldn’t like to live in Costa del Sol? Costa del Sol = The Perfect Jaco Beach Community. Take a tour of Costa Rica beach properties anywhere in the country. You will notice that it is nearly impossible to find any single family homes in a gated community on or near the beach. My name…
An expat in Atenas tells all about her experiences of moving to Costa Rica. Some weeks ago, I posted a very nice blog by guest blogger and expat in Atenas Judy on my other website. Two sisters (Judy and Roxi) are creating a whole new life in Costa Rica post-retirement from the United States. Hear about their…
Ojochal is home to the nicest beach properties in Costa Rica. It is the reason the Southern Pacific currently offers some of the best Costa Rica real estate investment opportunities. Boasting one of the most beautiful landscapes in the world, this area is characterized by rich green foothills, white sandy beaches, and clear Pacific waters. This…
Antoinette, a North American expat who lives with her family in Alajuela, is good at making things happen. She is good at it because she tries, she tries hard. These are some of the experiences of an expat in Costa Rica who enjoys herself tremendously. Antoinette is happy in Alajuela, together with her husband and two…
Estimated Reading Time: 5 Minutes Christmas time is coming up and that means the Aguinaldo, or Christmas bonus, to your employees. The Aguinaldo is an obligation by the Costa Rican labor laws if you employ a maid, a gardener or any other employee in Costa Rica. The Aguinaldo, or Christmas bonus in English, is an…
Estimated Reading Time: 10 Minutes Learn which official vacation days and holidays in Costa Rica are paid and which are not. (updated 21/11/2016) Many of you have never had any employees and if you did have them in another country, the rules were quite different. Welcome to Costa Rica, the land of sunshine and the…
HGTV House Hunters International love Costa Rica. Therefore, Costa Rica real estate agent Barry Ashworth was also on HGTV House Hunters International a while ago. Everyone I know loves to watch HGTV house hunters International. This TV program is like you are realizing your dream to move to Costa Rica or another tropical paradise without having to…
Once you have decided to become an expat in Costa Rica, you’ll be checking your email often for email messages from Costa Rica. Moving to Costa Rica and doing your due diligence on buying Costa Rica real estate means nowadays being able to use the internet as well as your email. Email is part of…
Estimated reading time: 8 Minutes Like everywhere else, there are advantages and disadvantages to living in Costa Rica. This clearly shows in a letter from an expat in Atenas to his friend George. Hello George, I received the engine part you sent. But well, I must not have been clear when we talked about the…