Why Costa Rica?

- No Army
- High literacy rate.
- Low income tax rate.
- Low property tax.
- Safe healthy country.
- Potable drinking water.
- Diverse variety of microclimates in every sections of Costa Rica.
- Stable economy with an strong currency.
- White Sand beaches, Surfing and many Activities.
- Own title to your own property.
- Natural foods.
- Quality of life.
- Pura Vida, A great way to live!!!!!

Cost of living
The Cost of living in CR can be very inexpensive depending on your location.  If you live in a high-density tourist area, you will typically pay a little less then North American standards, but you can also find a good local place to eat the typical food like Casados (beans, rice, salad, fish, or meat) which will cost about $5.  Fruits and vegetables can be found at local markets for quite a bargain, and other imported groceries are about 2/3rds the cost compared to North America. Other material items in CR vary in price, as some import taxes are quite high (cars and electronics), but other items such as clothing are very reasonable.  Whatever it is you are looking for, it will most likely be cheaper here then where you are from, and if you are planning on moving here or have visitors on there way, have them bring you down your new DVD player so you can show them your CR home videos.

Safety
Costa Rica is generally a safe place for 99% of travelers, but it is a good idea to use some caution as you would anywhere in the world when traveling to a new place.  In most towns and Villages, you can find a small to moderate sized Police station, several residences use security guards in the night to prevent petty theft.  In Costa Rica, Petty theft is considered the # 1 offence, most violent crimes are case scenarios and rarely occur.  As you would in your country, use precaution and never leave items in your car or out of site.

Private Schools of our region
The most highly recommended and internationally accredited  private Preschool through high school schools offering experiential bilingual education to the culturally diverse youth of Guanacaste, Costa Rica:
La Paz: www.lapazschool.org
Country Day School: www.cdsgte.com
Waldorf School of Guanacaste: http://www.escuelanpv.com

Health Care
Costa Rica’s public health system is guaranteed for every citizen and the quality of care is one of the highest in Latin America. Tourists will always be admitted in an emergency. Veterans can contact; www.healthvisionscostarica.com and their are several very good private www.cimahospital.com hospitals; www.clinicabiblica.com and www.hospitalsanjose.net
Dental work and cosmetic surgery to US standards can be found at a fraction of the cost and is another benefit to living in this beautiful place.

Residency and Immigration
Provided By Marcela Guardian

Residency as a Retired Person or Retiree
A foreigner and family (spouse, parents, single siblings and children) can only apply for this type of residency if he is entitled to a lifetime pension of $1000 per month in their country of origin. This could be from a US IRA program, or a 401K retirement plan or a certifiable pension from a corporation, from a union or the US Social Security. The same applies for Canadian residents with their RSP program .The foreigner must obtain a certifiable letter to prove life time pension and this letter must be authenticated either by a Costa Rica Consulate or through the “Apostille”Process. The foreigner will be given a temporary residency and can work in Costa Rica only if he has his own Costa Rican corporation / business and not work for another company. After 3 years of temporary residency, the foreigner can apply for permanent residency with no restrictions.

Residency as an Investor
A foreigner and their family (spouse, parents, single siblings and children) can apply for residency as an investor if the foreigner owns investments in Costa Rica valued over $200,000. USD$. The Investment should be in specific areas as tourism, reforestation, and share ownership in a Costa Rican corporation, properties and/or any other activity supported by the Costa Rican government. The foreigner will be given a temporary residency and can work in Costa Rica only if he has his own Costa Rican corporation/business and not for another company. After 3 years of temporary residency, foreigner can apply for permanent residency with no restrictions. This is one of the easiest ways to obtain and maintain residency in Costa Rica. A retiree can purchase a property as in a home, villa, condo or even a farm that they will retire to, as long as the property is held in a Costa Rican corporation that is legally registered in the National Public Registry showing a value over the $200,000. To maintain the temporary residency for the 3 years all that is required is proof of value and proof of property taxes being paid.
 

Residency as a Renter
A foreigner and family (spouse, parents, single siblings and children) can apply for residency as a Renter, if foreigner receives a certifiable monthly income of $ 2,500.00 USD$ for the following 5 years or has verifiable bank investments in Costa Rica of $150,000. USD$. To prove the income, the foreigner must get a letter from a Costa Rican Bank, financial institution, foreign bank, CPA or Law Firm certifying he will be receiving a monthly income of $2,500.00 USD$  for the next 5 years. If the letter is issued outside of Costa Rica, this document must be authenticated either by a Costa Rica Consulate or through the “Apostille” Process. The foreigner will be given a temporary residency and can work in Costa Rica only if he has his own Costa Rican corporation/business and not for another company. After 3 years of temporary residency, the foreigner can apply for permanent residency with no restrictions. . (The Immigration Law will change soon and required the bank investment in Costa Rica to be $60,000.00 USD$ for 2 years or the foreigner must prove he will also receive a certifiable monthly income of $2,500.USD$ during the 2 years)

Weather
www.theweathernetwork.com

Costa Rica lies in the tropics, between 8 and 11 degrees north of the equator. You can expect moderate temperatures but the rugged mountain chains’ effect on factors such as wind and rain create many microclimates. Most people are surprised to learn that frost and ice can settle on some of the loftier peaks, such as Chirripó. Temperatures are somewhat higher on the Pacific side than on the Caribbean at the same elevation because clouds are more frequent. At sea level on either side, the annual average is always above 75°F (24°C). Some of the highest peaks average 54°F (12°C), though temperatures there can fall below freezing.
There is no spring or fall in Costa Rica. The seasons are called “verano” (summer) and “invierno” (winter). Summer is also called the dry season and stretches from December to April while the rainy season, or winter, lasts from May to November. However, temperatures vary from night to day more than between seasons. The difference in daily temperatures averages 14°F to 18°F (8°C to 10°C). From November to January, cool breezes from the north funnel through the mountains of North America causing a small drop in temperature. This is one of the few countries in the world in which polar air gets this close to the equator. The warmest months are March, April, and May, and the wettest months are September and October. Rainfall varies from less than 59 inches (1,500mm) to over 190 inches (4,800mm) during these months. The country’s average rainfall pattern is in the range of 79 to 158 inches (2,000 to 4,000 mm). Precipitation can come in the form of a tropical downpour with impressive lightning and thunder (“aguacero”), steady rain or, the least common, continuous light rain for several days (“temporal”).
Even in the rainy season, it does not rain all day, every day. The rain usually begins in the early afternoon in the Central Valley and other highland areas and later in the afternoon it reaches the Pacific lowlands. Each season has its own beauty and unique characteristics. In the rainy season the wealth of flora is plentiful and copiously vibrant. The dry season witnesses the flowering of orchids, bougainvilleas, “reina de la noche” (queen of the night), as well as beautiful colorful trees that only flower at this time.

Some of our favorite spots and activities in and near Tamarindo

-GOLF http://www.haciendapinilla.com/eng/categories/golf/course-details.html
-SURFING www.witchsrocksurfcamp.com www.magicseaweed.com
-VOLCANOES
-TENNIS www.15lovebedandbreakfast.com
-SNORKLING www.aguarica.net
-FISHINGS www.kingpin-sportfishing.com
-HIKING AND NATURE ADVENTURES www.canopypuraaventura.com
-ZIP LINES www.guachipelin.com
-MOUNTAIN BIKING http://www.puravidaride.com/tours/mtb/
-SAILING www.marlindelrey.com
-B&Bs www.tamarindomirador.com
-DINING www.nibbana-tamarindo.com,
-SHOPPING http://www.papayaconleche.com/home

Traveling Here

-COMING TO CR www.jetblue.com www.spirit.com www.aircanada.com www.aa.com www.united.com www.taca.com www.delta.com
-TRANSPORTATION IN CR www.graylinecostarica.com www.tamarindoshuttle.com
-RENTAL VEHICLES www.hola.net www.avis.co.cr www.budget.co.cr/
- AIR IN CR Sansa Air www.flysansa.com and Nature Air www.natureair.com

Popularity

The graph below shows which countries rack up the highest number of searches for real estate online based on the generic country-followed-by-real-estate search phrase. As you can see, there are more searches made for “Costa Rica real estate” than for “El Salvador real estate.” And every day the search term ”Belize real estate” is typed into search engines more times than “Guatemala real estate.”
 

Risk and Rewards

The real estate opportunities available in Central America span a range of risk / reward profiles.  There is real estate on offer to suit different investment goals.  Properties that are good candidates for short-term capital appreciation exist as well as properties in lower risk environments with the promise of an immediate rental income.

Of course there are markets within markets so the graphic provides only a general representation of relative position of the country as a whole. The Costa Rica real estate market is the most mature, Panama and Belize real estate represent classic middle markets – not quite emerging and not quite developed – with Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala at earlier stages of the development curve.

Political

The Ex-President is a Nobel Prize Winner, Oscar Arias and his predecessor the current governing President Laura Chinchilla.  One of President Chinchilla’s’ main goals is to open up trade with the United States and other foreign leading countries.

The government has remained stable since the army was disbanded in 1948, in order to keep the country neutral and promote a climate of respect for citizens with a strong focus on civil rights, in contrast to neighboring countries.

Make sure to sign-up for our HGTV episode filmed in Tamarindo
featuring Daniel Talbot, your trusted agent.