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…
Moving to Costa Rica and wondering how to bring your pets to Costa Rica? They’re family, right? If you have a dog, a cat, a horse or a parakeet, you will want to bring them with you when you move to Costa Rica. Of course, once you have decided where to purchase or rent Costa Rica real…
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…
Su Espacio – Your Space in Atenas was closed after this blog was written. Tina Newton did a very good job with Su Espacio in the past. There are still plenty of activities for you when you retire in Costa Rica. Then you will finally have all the time in the world to enjoy those…
When you buy Costa Rica real estate and you need to finance the purchase, you will need to know some important facts about the mortgage cost. Like, who will register the mortgage and who will pay for this? Of course, you will ask the bank or whoever finances the purchase for information first. In case…
Earth University is the most interesting university in Costa Rica. Allow me to tell you all about this tour that I took recently. Located just outside Guacimo (Limon) in Costa Rica is a unique university campus. The campus houses EARTH University: Escuela de Agricultura de la Region Tropical Humeda (EARTH); or School of Agriculture of…
Do you know what a Guanabana is? Weird word, right! It won’t kill you to shop somewhere other than Pricemart and AutoMercado, I promise! Now there is nothing wrong with either of these fine establishments. In fact, for some of those foods from home that we just can’t do without, it’s the only place to…