Feb 02, 2018
With stock market indices hitting new all-time highs almost daily throughout 2017, and the economy (average 2% GDP growth since the Great Recession of 2008) performing not much above stall speed, a severe stock market crash and a major recession are in the cards. How did we get there, we ask ourselves?
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Jan 21, 2018
What is an MLS? It is a multiple listing service that real estate brokers and agents use to establish contractual offers of compensation (among brokers and agents). The primary purpose of an MLS is to provide a facility to publish a "unilateral offer of compensation" by a listing broker, to other broker participants in that MLS. In other words,...
Jan 17, 2018
Potential real estate buyers sometimes see reports in the news or hear from friends about real estate scams in Costa Rica. It is important for Buyers to be aware of the ways to protect themselves and what to look for to avoid real estate hoaxes.
The first way buyers can work toward protecting their interests is finding a knowledgeable real...
Jan 06, 2018
Is it possible to buy property in Costa Rica with Bitcoins?
Bitcoins are not new, they exist since 2009. The Bitcoin (BTC) is the first cryptocurrency that has been created and a cryptocurrency is a digital asset designed to work as a medium of exchange. Cryptocurrencies are classified as a subset of digital...
Dec 24, 2017
New Year’s is one of the most popular vacation holidays in Costa Rica. Thousands of Costa Rican’s leave the capital city of San Jose to visit the coast for a week of sunshine with family and friends. There are beach parties in almost every town on the coast, but what are the favorite activities for locals and expats to celebrate the New Year?...
Dec 06, 2017
While it’s technically possible for a foreigner to get a mortgage with a bank in Costa Rica, it is also almost impossible to go through the process without losing one's mind. For the purpose of testing it, I tried in 2012. After 12 months chasing the employee in charge, trying to get a list of things missing and get at least a confirmation that...
Nov 23, 2017
We are starting to see the high season for tourism start in Guanacaste, but the real estate sales for local real estate agents is year round. Most agents report more tours and showing requests in the months of December to April, but sales are reported 12 months per year. Statistics even show an increase during the months of July to December...
Nov 07, 2017
"I want a house". "I want a condo". Which one is right for you?
It is difficult to answer because it really depends on what you prefer and what you need. Here are a few scenarios to help you decide:
1. You are moving here. You have the options of being in town, outside town, in a gated community or not. You could look for a condo, home or...
Nov 02, 2017
Did you know that on July 25,1824 Costa Rica received Guanacaste with open arms, formerly known as “La Gran Nicoya”? With this, our nation not only enlarged its territory, but incorporated its major cultural asset. We all know Guanacaste is a great place, full of contrasts unlike other regions in Costa Rica. Measures 10,140 km2 and volcanoes...
Oct 24, 2017
For the Caribbean and Puerto Rico, this hurricane season has been one of the most damaging in recent history. The two hurricanes that swept through the region, Maria and Irma, were both category 5 hurricanes (with wind speeds exceeding 157 mph). Many people think that this trend of so many category 4 and 5 hurricanes touching land will continue to...
Oct 17, 2017
After Tropical Storm Nate we have been enjoying sunny days now in Tamarindo. The town of Tamarindo and the popular beach areas we serve were minimally affected by the storm Nate, however many outlining areas were affected by the heavy storms. Especially people inland that built in very low areas, or in riverbanks.
It has been amazing to...
Oct 09, 2017
October 9th, 2017
We have just been through Tropical Storm Nate in Costa Rica and it affected all of the country, some areas more than others, like the Southern part of Costa Rica where they experienced much more rain and strong winds. Our offices are located in the Guanacaste, Pacific side/North portion of the country where tropical storms are...
Oct 07, 2017
So, you bought a place in Tamarindo or Flamingo and you want to go to San Jose. Do you fly or do you drive? Well, let’s look at the pros and cons.
First, if you fly, it’s much faster! But.. Once you arrive in San Jose, where are you going? How are you going to get there? That is the problem. It takes about 45 minutes to fly to San Jose. 30...
Oct 01, 2017
If you could sum up the attitude, disposition, demeanor and the overall outlook on life of the average Costa Rican into two words, they would without a doubt be “Pura Vida”. Pura Vida is by far the most used phrase in Costa Rica and carries with it a host of definitions and uses, with its direct translation into English being “pure life”. If you...
Sep 16, 2017
Costa Rica’s warm welcome and pura vida atmosphere took it to second place on the InterNations list of top expatriate destinations for 2017. According to one expat, he loves Costa Rica because it "provides the freedom to live a peaceful, happy life, surrounded by peaceful, kind and happy people." We agree!
Costa Rica scored...
Sep 10, 2017
After moving to this beautiful country and securing your dream property, the next question on your mind may be: how do I buy a car in Costa Rica? Here are a few bits of advice. I'm going to break it down into points to make it easier:
1-The first thing that comes to mind is “hey we have a spare car back home why don't we bring it down?". Well,...
Aug 19, 2017
Sailing is a beautiful way to explore the Costa Rican coastline. You can often see turtles, dolphins, and even whales playing in the sea. There are a number of companies located in Tamarindo and Flamingo that offer sailing experiences. We would like to share a couple of our favorites…
Marlin del Rey
This established company offers tours from...
Aug 13, 2017
Many people come here for vacation and end up falling in love with Costa Rica. Day 2 of their trip, we see them coming in our office with many questions about buying property in Costa Rica. For those who dream of buying, I have a few pieces of advice in order to help to choose the right option.
1. It’s important to know that almost all...
Aug 05, 2017
Choose YOUR Community well
A community is where you do life. It is made up of the people and places that you are around most of the time. It is where you shop, play, eat, socialize, meditate, go to church, walk, volunteer, adventure and relax. Your move to Costa Rica is so much more than just the home or condo you will live in. It is a lifestyle...
Jul 28, 2017
Las Catalinas is a beachfront town, a gated community with no wall; it is a lifestyle that you will love! Lets talk about the details. The founders of Las Catalinas, the principal one being Charles Brewer, have a vision of life and a life style that does not exist anywhere else. A beachfront town that is designed to give privacy, and encourage...
Jul 14, 2017
Maybe many of you may have fallen in love with Playa Avellanas as I did back in 2001. How not to fall in love with this peace of pristine paradise? This blog entry is intended to share my insight knowledge about the water situation in the Avellanas area and also a bit about the road status from Hernandez to Paraiso.
My family and I own property...
Jul 09, 2017
I must admit living here in Costa Rica is awesome. One of the wonderful luxuries of living here is having access to an abundance of good fresh locally farmed & organic veggies and fruits. Farmers Markets in Costa Rica are called (Ferias). We have 4 of them in between Tamarindo and Flamingo/Potrero area. If you are frequenting the Tamarindo or...
Jul 01, 2017
A visit to the local fruit market in Costa Rica. Costa Rica has a variety of different fruits that you might not find in your home country. You can find the best selection in the local fruit and vegetable markets. In the Tamarindo area, you can find wonderful fruit and vegetables as well as many other local and handcraft items at the market...
Jun 23, 2017
When people move to Costa Rica, and mostly in the Tamarindo area, many ask us if there is a place to practice their favorite sport such as a gym, yoga or to practice their combat sport. Many people think that because they are in the tropics, the only sports available are surfing and trekking under the coconut trees. Some like this kind of training...
Jun 16, 2017
THREE TIERS OF MANAGEMENT FOR YOUR CONDO OR HOME
1. HOA - This stands for Home Owners Association. They are the organization that manages the condominium. It is made up of the individual owners in the project and they share the responsibility to manage the common areas. This group often hires an agency to do this management for them and is...
