Buying/Renting with Small Children and Pets

[Shamain]

Hello!
I am new to the board and hoping someone can help me.  My husband's employer has a call center in Costa Rica that we are considering volunteering to manage which would move all of us down there long term.  Some of the questions I had have been answered, such as schools, by other posters.  However, I do have some more questions.  We currently own our own home here in Georgia, but our credit is shot to put it nicely.  Also, we would want to keep our pets with us.  So my questions are this, is it possible for us to buy even with bad credit?  If not, is it possible to rent with our animals (4 cats and 2 dogs--luckily the 5 yr old has not earned his guinea pigs yet) long term.  Also, how long does it take to get from one side of San Jose to the other. Say if we lived on the east side in the mountains and the company was on the west side.  My husband wants someplace with some land to have fruit trees (maybe a coffee plant), is that even possible nowadays? Or worth it?  I'm sure I will have other questions, but those are my most pressing right now.

Thanks!  Shamain

[Russ]

Happy to help, in your case you might consider renting.  Financing is difficult for non-residents in any case.  The only way some qualify is using their U.S. credit to get a U.S. style loan, but that won't work for you. 

The good news is that once you are more established here, your U.S. credit won't affect your ability to get a loan. The banks here look at your income and ability to pay rather than what you have done in the past.  So once you are here, have established bank accounts and have a work permit or residency; then you will be able to purchase a home.

You should be able to find a place in a more rural area that will have space for your pets, you wouldn't get a furnished place that allows that many pets though! 

I would say that you should be able to find a home in a rural setting that isn't far from town.  Fruit trees are awesome!  However I would stay on one side of town.  Where is the call center located?  If it is on the west side you can look at Atenas, Naranjo, Ciudad Colon and San Ramon as possibilities.  If it is east, then Coronado, Cartago around the Irazu volcano or Cartago near Paraiso will have what you are looking for without being too far away from town.     

[Shamain]

Thank you for your response Russ!  Do you keep listings of rentals on your website as well as homes for sale?  Is it possible to get financing here for a house there?  What kind of deposits do they usually ask for?  Do these homes usually come with highspeed internet connections?  My husband needs it for his job and our phone is through the internet.  I understand these homes would not be furnished, but what about appliances?  Do they have electric or gas?  Can you usually get a good deal on a used diesal SUV?  Are they usually standard or automatic?  I know these are a lot of questions, but I have a tendancy to obsess and I like to know all the answers possible so I can plan accordingly.  Oh! what about automobile insurance.  Can I keep what I have or do I have to get new down there?  What about renters/homeowner's insurance?  Do UPS and FedEx deliver down there so I can ship things to myself so I am not starting completely from scratch (i.e. pots and pans)?

I said I would have lots more questions!  Thank you for any help you can give me!

Shamain

[Russ]

Happy to help, I'm sure many people have the same questions but haven't asked.

Do you keep listings of rentals on your website as well as homes for sale?   What kind of deposits do they usually ask for?

We don't have rentals in the Central Valley on our site, but once you settle on your location we can guide to a good specialist.  The normal security deposit is equivalent to 1 month of rental.  

Is it possible to get financing here for a house there?

Not directly.  Some people refinance or take a second mortgage on U.S. property in order to pay cash for a property here.

Do these homes usually come with highspeed internet connections?

Most of the Central Valley has either cable, DSL or ISDN Internet.

....  but what about appliances?  Do they have electric or gas? Do UPS and FedEx deliver down there so I can ship things to myself so I am not starting completely from scratch (i.e. pots and pans)?

You can find unfurnished rentals that do have refrigerator, stove and cabinets that come with the rental.  Many people here cook with gas, it comes in cylinders that can be exchanged at any super market and many convenience stores.  FedEx, DHL, and UPS operate here, but the shipping would be expensive and you would have to worry about customs.  I would buy those things here, unless it was some type of gourmet appliance or utensil that would be hard to find here.

Can you usually get a good deal on a used diesal SUV?  Are they usually standard or automatic?

The most bang for your buck SUV is a Hyundai Galloper.  ( See Diesel Gallopers for Sale in Costa Rica here )
A 1995 Galloper in good condition costs from $7500 to $8500.  A 1997 or newer starts at $10,000
 and a 2001 Turbo Diesel Intercooler Galloper with full extras would run about $14,000 or so.

They are available in both standard and automatic transmission.

Oh! what about automobile insurance.  Can I keep what I have or do I have to get new down there?  

Definitely you need new insurance, although may decide you don't need anything other than the obligatory.

Insurance – Obligatory (Marchamo)
The annual property tax and obligatory insurance is paid every December.  On cars being registered for the first time in Costa Rica it is paid on a prorated basis when the car is imported.  The insurances covers a minimum amount of liability (about $3000 in 2007) for injuries people suffer if your car hits them in an accident, regardless of who the driver is.  

Insurance – Coverages  
A guideline is that you will pay around 5% of market value for a vehicle covered by all 6 kinds of insurance.  Coverage A is Personal Liability – Injuries or Death paid on damages established by the courts, Coverage C is Property Damage – damage to property owned by others.  These are the base coverages, you must have these before you can get any others.  You can also add: Coverage B which is  Family Passengers – medical care for driver and family up to the 3rd degree; Coverage D which is Collision – damage to your vehicle; Coverage F which is Theft – the insured value of the vehicle is paid, or damages to car if recovered; and Coverage H which is Additional Risks.  

Roadside assistance, if you have Collision you get free roadside assistance anywhere in Costa Rica.  This will cover your car not starting, running out of gas, a flat tire and a tow truck.  The vehicle must be less than 15 years old though.

What about renters/homeowner's insurance?

INS home insurance
This page is in Spanish, but you might try looking at it. I was able to confirm that you can get insurance against theft, but the rates were not available.