Costa Rica Expat Living Archives - Page 3 of 13

10 Tips for a Successful Costa Rica Exploratory Trip

March 22, 2021 by Costa Rica Guy 2 Comments

There are a lot of North Americans down here these days doing “exploratory trips.” And it’s apparent to me that some are doing it right, while others are doing it, in many ways, wrong…

So, here are 10 Tips for a successful Costa Rica exploratory trip that will help you avoid some very common mistakes I see many people making…

Trip Duration: 10 – 14 days

Unless you know the exact area where you want to end up, I don’t believe a week is enough time and certainly not less. You have to consider that drive times in Costa Rica between locations are about twice that of back home. That means that 60 miles (97 kilometers) will likely take you 2 hours, or more! Also, you want to spend a few days in each location you will visit. This will really give you time to explore AND immerse…more on that below…

Locations to Visit: 3 – 4

Again, unless you know the exact area where you want to end up (most don’t have a clue), you will want to visit 3 – 4 locations on your trip.

A typical exploratory trip for one of my clients will be something like the following: fly into Liberia and spend 3 days in Tamarindo; drive to Manuel Antonio for another 3 days; then further south to Dominical and Perez Zeledon for another 3 – 4 days; then back to San Jose for the last night or two before catching a flight home. That’s 4 locations (if you include San Jose) over 11 – 12 days, a very typical trip.

If you add in a visit to the Caribbean coast, or other mountainous locations, like Arenal, or the many bedroom communities outside of the capital, you can see how this can eat up some time. Driving to these locations, which I believe is the best way to go, can eat up hours, even days. In fact, your itinerary will have to build in several days of pure driving from Point A to B, which can be exploratory in and of itself…again, more on that below…

Self-Drive

The best way to really see and experience Costa Rica is to drive through it. There are many alternative options that would eliminate the need to self-drive. On vacation-centered trips, as opposed to exploratory ones, I generally recommend NOT self-driving. If you’re on vacation, why take on the responsibility and stress? However, if you’re “exploring” the country, then you need to do it in Jack Kerouac style, i.e., “on the road!”

Don’t worry about all the hype concerning Costa Rica’s bad roads. Number one, the roads have drastically been improved over the years and, number two, if you’re planning on living here, you’d better learn how to drive here (yes, there’s a bit of an “art” to it).

Include Mountains and Beaches

Unless you know you’re a “beach person” (and are clear about how hot it can be down there), I’d recommend mixing the trip up with mountain and beach locations. Costa Rica has both in copious quantities and they are each quite lovely. One thing that differs greatly between the two is climate. Costa Rica’s coasts, while gorgeous, can be oppressively hot and humid (as well as buggy). You can beat that heat simply by going up, in altitude.

In some areas, like Perez Zeledon where I live, you can live at a cool altitude and still be very close to the beach, perhaps even with some ocean view! I also find life a little more laid back (or less busy) and certainly less expensive than many of the touristic beach locations. Check them both out! You won’t be sorry.

Fly In to the Right Airport

Plan out your itinerary carefully, perhaps with some help, and then fly into the right airport! There are two international airports, one in the northern Pacific town of Liberia and the other in the center of the country in the capital city of San Jose. Sometimes, depending on the itinerary, you might want to fly into one and back home from the other. Choosing the right airport will save you valuable exploratory hours.

Don’t Be So Property Focused

I find that most folks don’t buy anything on their first trip to Costa Rica for exploratory purposes. However, many spend too much time looking at properties. Don’t get me wrong, I do believe it’s a good idea to look at a few things in each area visited, to get an idea of the market. But you are here trying to figure out where you want to live. Once you have that nailed down, you can move on to actually finding the right property in your chosen area.

Looking at properties in Costa Rica can eat up a lot of time that could be better spent getting to know the areas of interest on your itinerary. Also, use local experts, i.e., real estate agents, in setting up showings. Trying to go out and find properties on your own will be difficult and very time consuming. Strike up a relationship with a particular agent in each area you will visit and set up a day to see properties. Get that out of the way and focus on exploring and immersing…more on that below…

Don’t Worry About the Legal Stuff

Is it important to meet with lawyers, bankers, accountants, etc., during your exploratory trip? Not really. You can do that, but a lot of what you need to know, initially, can be found online doing research. And, truth be told, you don’t need to get involved in all that until after you’ve determined where you want to be and what you want to buy. On your initial exploratory trip, you’re quite a ways off from all that.

Utilize Advisors

I said above that using real estate agents in each area is an efficient way to go about things. I think it also can be beneficial to have a consultant-type helping you plan out the entire trip. Of course, I do offer that service, as do others. It’s not that expensive and it really will help you to focus in on what’s most important…figuring out where you want to spend the rest of your lives in Costa Rica!

Actually Be Exploratory

I suggest spending more time exploring, meaning getting out and and seeing and experiencing each area, than doing pretty much anything else. Having a car at your disposal will certainly help, which is another reason I recommend a self-driving trip. Don’t be afraid to get lost, or stuck, or have to manage asking for directions from someone who doesn’t speak a word of English. The process of managing all that will go a long way towards helping you know what it’s like to actually live in Costa Rica!

Practice Immersion

In addition to being exploratory, act “as if” you’re already a local. Find out what the locals do and where they go and do the same. Visit the local feria, or farmer’s market. Go to a grocery store or two. Hang out in bars (if you drink) and ask a lot of questions. If you’re a church going person, try out a local church. Walk around town and visit shops. Walk around neighborhoods and chat with the people there. Acting like a local for a few days in each area visited might help you decide whether you’d actually like to become one!

Some of what I wrote above probably goes against the grain of what you thought an exploratory trip should look like. You’re probably not going to get everything done in one trip. Be ready to make two, or three, or maybe even more, before you’re actually ready to pull the trigger.

I really believe if you follow these 10 tips for a successful Costa Rica exploratory trip, you’ll go back home better equipped with the information you need to make an informed decision about living as an expat in Costa Rica.

Costa Rica Exploratory Trip Video Testimonial

Helping Your Costa Rica Real Estate Agent Help You

February 28, 2021 by Costa Rica Guy 2 Comments

“Help Me Help You”, the immortal words from the great film, Jerry MaGuire, also provide wise guidance for helping your Costa Rica real estate agent help you…

My last post offered some advice on how to move to Costa Rica, in 4 simple steps…

Step 2 was choose your agent. So, obviously in my humble opinion, having a good agent in your corner is important to your success.

However, once you have that, how can you best utilize the services of that agent in the most efficacious manner possible…

Of course, I’ve reduced the answer down to 3 simple steps…

Step 1 – Communicate

Your agent can’t read your mind, or at least this one can’t. Maybe there are some out there who can (there are probably a few who boast the talent). But for the most part, we can’t!

I don’t know how many times I get inquiries from prospective clients that simply say “tell me more about this or that property.”

Or, the oft asked, can you provide more photos, or video? The answer to this one is usually no. For starters, the photos (or video) I have (at least the ones worth looking at) are already on the listing for your viewing pleasure. And, no, I don’t have time to do a private photo shoot for a prospective buyer. At least, not until I have a clear picture about where his or her head is at.

Let me let you into a little secret. Believe it or not we real estate agents are quite busy down here. And that’s even more the case with the current market uptick.

I am more than happy to answer specific questions about a property. In fact, I attempt to answer the most basic questions in the listing itself. However, what I don’t have time to do is to write you, prospective buyer, a book about it!

Of course, I’m being a little facetious, but only a little. I love specific questions that I can really sink my mental teeth into. I don’t like vague questions that only leave me guessing about what you really want to know.

Here’s a little tip that certainly works for me (and I would assume perhaps other agents as well). Down here we use WhatsApp as the main medium of online communication. We use emails too, but I find that mode way more cumbersome and time consuming. I love it when a buyer client provides a number we can connect with on WhatsApp. By the way, mine is 506-8559-2686.

Once connected on WhatsApp you can quickly send me links to listings of interest you come across, as well as ask me questions on the fly. I will usually respond with a voice message, as I hate to type on an Iphone and when I do, spellcheck sometimes provides disastrous and embarrassing (if not humorous) results.

Here’s another tip. Provide your agent with detailed (but not overly so) set of criteria for your dream life/home in Costa Rica. If you haven’t thought that out yet, my 4 C’s of Costa Rica Expat Living could help.

Of course, you generally want to be dealing with an agent who actually covers the area of your interest. You’re not always going to know that, however. I welcome contacts from prospective buyers looking in other areas, because, well, I like to help people. But don’t be surprised when I refer you to a more appropriate agent (for a potential referral fee, of course).

Step 2 – Investigate

Once you’ve communicated with your agent, that doesn’t mean you get to sit back, prop up your feet, and expect the agent to do ALL the work for you. The agent should prove you some tools you can use to continue your investigation. In my case, I provide links to our agency website, my personal (Point 2 Homes) website, my blog and my eBook. I also might provide you with some 3rd party links that I believe are helpful, like the Tico Times, or maybe a local source of info (in my immediate area, that’d be something like the Pura Vida Connections website).

If you remember from my last post I advised that you can utilize the services of your agent for any properties you uncover, regardless of who they are listed with (as long as they’re in the agents purview of coverage). So, while you’re doing your investigation, keep the lines of communication open with your agent about anything you find on your own.

Step 3 – Coordinate

As I stated in my last post, ultimately, to do it right, you need to make the trip down to see for yourself. I for one am always more than willing to help my clients set their trips up. After all, before I got into real estate I owned a tourism company in Costa Rica for about 15 years! I would assume many other agents are equally willing to help their clients with the logistics of making an exploratory trip to Costa Rica. Logistics could include accommodations recommendations, tips for getting from Point A to B, activities that you might find enjoyable, and anything else you might need to know about travel to Costa Rica.

So, keep your agent informed of your travel plans. Don’t go dark (or silent), as many clients do. I don’t know how many times I’ve had the situation occur in which after a month of whirlwind communications, I lose complete contact with the customer, only to find out they already made the trip and just didn’t bother to let me know.

Also, we generally cannot show properties down here on a moments notice like agents do in the U.S. Depending on the time frame, the property is likely to have renters. Arrangements have to be made, with renters, owners, or perhaps a caretaker, to have the property ready for a showing. Most of the time that takes from 24 to 48 hours notice to really do it right. That’s another reason you need to coordinate your visit to Costa Rica with your agent.

The most fulfilling part of being a real estate agent is when I get to help you find your dream home and life in Costa Rica. However, it will go a long way towards helping your Costa Rica real estate agent help you do that if you follow the simple guidelines set forth above.

Serious Advice on How to Move to Costa Rica

January 31, 2021 by Costa Rica Guy 2 Comments

View Post

Despite all the craziness that’s been going on in the world over the last 12 months, there’s been a noticeable uptick in Costa Rica real estate demand…

In fact, I think that the reason for this uptick may in fact be all the craziness that’s been going on in the world over the last 12 months!

It seems that many out there view Costa Rica as a safe haven from all that craziness…

That may or may not be true, but this post is not going to address that issue.

I have seen (and continue to see) a lot of really bad advice about how to move to Costa Rica. Much of that bad advice is anecdotal. In other words, many times it stems from one person’s bad experience that he or she tries to pass off as a general rule, as opposed to an exception that perhaps was motivated by the advice giver’s own ignorance.

So, I thought I’d chime in.

Caveat Lector: I am a real estate agent in the southern zone of Costa Rica. Therefore, my advice could be seen as biased. Nevertheless, it is my genuine and heartfelt advice that you are free to either take or leave.

I am going to address the issue of how to move to Costa Rica from the standpoint of someone who wants to come to Costa Rica, buy a home and live here. That’s the first step for many. I will not get into the second, third and following steps of getting residency, integrating into the culture, etc., etc. And, of course, some choose never to buy and instead rent a home to live in. I am also not going to get into renting, as opposed to buying. I will probably get into these topics in other posts (and I indeed have in my eBook), but this post will focus on much of the bad advice about buying a home that I would like readers to avoid.

In that light, I believe there are 4 main steps to accomplishing your goal…

Step 1: Choose Your Location

I have written in the past that this is the most important consideration for a would-be Costa Rica expat and will largely determine your future happiness. I have also written a framework that I call the 4 C’s of Costa Rica Expat Living to help you determine the best place to live.

Costa Rica is diverse and there are many areas to choose from that are very different in terms of those 4 C’s of Climate, Convenience, Culture and Context.

The best way to choose your location is on the ground, as opposed to on the internet. That is, you should plan a trip of sufficient length and spend some time in each area that you think might interest you. I would caution greatly against trying to make this decision exclusively through internet research, largely because of all the bad advice that’s out there. However, research can at least help you narrow your choices to a manageable few. There are some out there offering help in setting up expat exploratory tours, like me for instance.

My advice would be to get as much help as you think you need. Plan a trip for 10 days to 2 weeks and visit 3 to 4 areas that you think might work. Don’t spend all your time looking for your dream home on this initial trip. For sure look at some properties, with agents and perhaps on your own. However, spending time in the prospective community, walking around, talking to the people, and getting to know the area is even more important initially.

Step 2: Choose Your Agent

Now this is an area in which I might seem biased. But the truth is, all that advice you’ll read out there about how you should NOT use a real estate agent to buy property in Costa Rica is predominantly BS…

For starters, the best homes in most areas where gringos want to buy are probably listed by realtors. Now in my area, the southern zone, there are a couple exceptions to that rule. Around Perez Zeledon there is a strong tico market and many of the homes in that market are not listed. Also, much of the land that is for sale in the area is not listed. Nevertheless, practically all homes along the coast are listed and even in Perez, some of the choice properties are listed (many of them by yours truly!).

You’ll also read the bad advice that unlisted homes usually carry better prices. In my experience, the exact opposite is true. I turn down listings routinely because the owner is unrealistic about price. And then what does that owner do? He tries to sell at that ridiculous price on his own for a few years until finally coming to his or her senses.

During your exploratory trip you may have come into contact with a few agents. You may have been communicating with one or more agents via phone and email from home. Pick the one you have the best rapport with.

Don’t make the mistake of dealing with multiple listing agents. The reason is simple. Those agents aren’t going to be interested in helping you find your dream home. Their objective is going to be to sell that listing, pure and simple.

A good buyer’s agent will know how to find properties in your area that match your criteria, regardless of who those properties might be listed with. In Costa Rica most areas operate under an informal MLS “non-system.” You’ll need a local expert to decipher it for you.

I see a lot of folks make the mistake of dealing with every agent in an area and not really getting the service they need from any one of them.

A good buyer’s agent can be worth his or her weight in gold as a trusted resource. You will likely need help on the ground when you go back home before your deal is sealed. The buyer’s agent can be instrumental in providing that support, as well as really rolling up the sleeves and assisting you with your property search.

So, pick your agent and stick with him or her. If you’ve chosen well, you’ll be glad in the end. And you’ll probably have a long-term friend in-the-know in Costa Rica for years to come.

Step 3: Choose Your Home

Say you’ve looked at a dozen properties and think you’ve found the home of your dreams…

Now is when the real work starts and your agent should greatly assist in this effort…

Once you’ve made an accepted offer and have the property under contract, you will enter an important phase called due diligence. That is when you get to inspect the property from all angles, legal and otherwise, to make sure there are no “gotchas” that could make your transition to expat life in Costa Rica a miserable one. After all, you don’t want to become one of those trolls in expat FaceBook groups, handing out bad advice as if your bad experience was a general rule.

Your agent should assist you in hiring your advisors and other professionals who will help you complete due diligence in a thorough manner. Of course, a good attorney is essential. However, don’t believe the bad advice that a good attorney is all you need to complete a successful transaction in Costa Rica. I know of zero “good attorneys” who will also assist you in finding the right home! That’s just not their job.

Step 4: Choose Your Attitude

Much of your success in this process will depend on the attitude you bring with you. Costa Rica does not operate by North American rules, standards, or on a North American style timetable. Things are slow, sometimes maddeningly so, and you just have to go with that flow.

However, you do need to stay on top of the flow. Just make sure to do so wearing a big smile and with a healthy dose of patience.

One mistake I often see made is for people to adopt a warrior’s stance of distrusting virtually everything and everyone. After all this is a foreign (3rd world) country and my damn money is at stake, by god!

In my opinion, a healthy dose of skepticism is a good thing. However, harboring a suspicion that everyone down here is trying to rip you off will more than likely help you to get ripped off.

Once again, it pays to have good advisors. Once chosen, unless any one of those advisors gives you good reason not to trust them, then you should in fact trust them. If they tell you the sky is blue, don’t argue that it’s red!

Many people get themselves into trouble by “trusting their instincts” over their advisors. Don’t adopt the position of being the smartest person in the room when the room is located in a country you know very little about.

So, there you have it. My ten cents on how to move to Costa Rica without losing your shirt and having a little fun along the way.

Costa Rica is An Event-Focused Society

November 26, 2020 by Costa Rica Guy 2 Comments

I guess I could be accused of being somewhat of a “Pollyanna” when it comes to Costa Rica. I mean even the name of my old blog, 365 Reasons I Love Costa Rica, used to invoke nausea in some of my less optimistic perusers.

I mean, some of you are probably thinking, come on Costa Rica Guy, isn’t there anything you don’t love about the place?

Well, my answer to that is sure one can always find things not to like anywhere.

But why focus on those things?

What joy does it bring to your life to focus on the negative?

Anthony Robbins (the motivational guy with the big teeth), whose teachings helped give birth to my unbridled optimism, often does a little exercise where he tells people to find everything in the room that is brown. Then he will have you close your eyes and tell him all the stuff in the room that is green and red and orange and blue, etc. Generally no one can remember those things because their focus was only on the brown…

Ah ha, you see the moral of the story is why would one want to go around focusing only on the brown…

the so-called “feces” of life, when there are so many vibrant and beautiful colors.

That is certainly true here in Costa Rica.

Sure there’s plenty of brown, but for me the vibrant greens and reds and blues (the things I write about in many posts) drown out the brown.

So, to get back to the topic of today’s post, I am writing about an aspect of culture here in Costa Rica that can sometimes be humorous and other times be maddening…just to please those potential readers out there who demand to hear about something that could have a tinge of negativism.

And that is the fact that Costa Rica is an event-focused society. Or, at least the the culture here tends to be “event-focused” to a far greater extent than what most North Americans will be accustomed to.

What is an “event-focused” society you ask?

The best way for me to describe it is with an example.

Take a minor fender-bender for instance. When that happens in the middle of one of San Jose’s busiest intersections, guess what occurs next? The two vehicles involved remain precisely in the position of the accident for hours while they wait on the INS guy (the national insurance company) to arrive on his moped to inspect and assess damages…

In the meantime, the largest traffic jam in the history of the world is occurring, but the principal players in the accident, the drivers, the police and, of course, the INS guy, remain completely oblivious to what is going on around them. I mean women are giving birth in cars and shit.

Why?

Because of their intense focus on the event…the minor fender-bender.

Why don’t they just move the damn cars out of the road?

Because in an event-focused society one does not take action to alleviate the repercussions, or aftershocks, simultaneously occurring due to the event. One remains focused exclusively and intently on the event itself.

Another example are the many fairs (or ferias in Spanish) that take place everywhere seemingly every weekend. It seems that there’s no thought whatsoever put into planning in order to alleviate the havoc that closing off every single potential ingress and egress has on people that need to get from point A to point B.

Why?

Again, because it is all about the event, the feria. What is happening on the periphery of the event is never of any importance in an event-focused society.

I could provides scads of additional examples showing that Costa Rica is an event-focused society. Such as the habit almost all ticos have of stopping their cars, literally in the middle of the road, putting their flashers on, and carrying on a cell phone conversation, or whatever “event” that motivated them to stop…

Of course there are also advantages to this event-focused-ness in that it can make some events all the more engaging.

Hell, you better get engaged because to try not to be is certainly to be swimming upstream! Much better to join than fight.

So there you have it, a “potential” negative about my beloved Costa Rica.

Satisfied?!

What can you do about this phenomenon that Costa Rica is an event-focused society?

Absolutely nothing, but sit back and just chuckle to oneself. It is the culture here and that’s just the way the cookie crumbles in Costa Rica.

My advice is to just smile and “focus the green.”

Pura Vida!

Costa Rica and the Corona Virus – 2020 Update

October 24, 2020 by Costa Rica Guy Leave a Comment

2020 has definitely been a strange year…

It all started out fairly normal. Then in March after Donald Trump announced, on that infamous TV broadcast to the nation, a closing of borders to Europe, Costa Rica slammed its own doors shut, right in the middle of tourism “high” season…

And things have pretty much been that way since, with only a partial opening to certain U.S. States and other countries, whose citizens must comply with a laundry list of entry requirements, including a negative COVID test within 72 hours of arrival and health insurance to cover you in case of COVID contraction while in country. A total opening to all 50 U.S. States was recently announced for November 1. And, surprisingly, they have just announced that the requirement for a negative COVID test has been dropped…

And this is coming at a time when Costa Rica’s COVID cases are certainly not experiencing any downtrend. While early in the pandemic Costa Rica was touted for being a shinning success with one of the lowest fatality rates on the planet, it now has one of the highest infection rates in Latin America. Nevertheless, its current case fatality rate, at around 1.2%, is still less than half that of the U.S. at 2.6%.

Will things get back to some semblance of normal anytime soon?

We shall see, but on many fronts, highly doubtful.

The closing of Costa Rica’s air, land and sea borders certainly has had a negative impact on the economy. Costa Rica’s unemployment is now the highest it has ever been in recorded history. The coastal areas, with economies that are largely based on tourism dollars, have been hit particularly hard.

The Costa Rica government was already in a fiscal deficit before COVID and it has only gotten worse. Recently the Alvarado administration announced that it had accepted a loan from the IMF (International Monetary Fund) of $1.75 billion. In exchange, certain fiscal adjustments were required, which came in the form of a package of tax increases. The impact of these taxes would be largely felt by higher income earners. Nevertheless, a populist group known as the Movimiento Rescate Nacional (National Rescue Movement) announced in protest a series of road blockages along key commercial traffic arteries throughout the country. This persisted for over two weeks and in the end they turned violent, as protesters clashed with police.

I have seen various huelgas, or strikes, during my time in Costa Rica, but I have never seen anything turn violent on this level.

Like I said, 2020 has been a very strange year.

I predicted way back at the outset of this whole mess that the COVID pandemic, coupled with the political division in the U.S., which has reached a fevered pitch as we approach the upcoming November 3rd presidential election, would send a wave of expats wanting a more peaceful existence in Costa Rica. I said that this could ignite increased demand for Costa Rica real estate…

Well, I hate to say I told you so, but I was right!

Speaking from my own experience, I have closed two sales within the last 30 days and currently have 4 more under contract that will close prior to the end of 2020. More offers are on the way!

I can only scratch my head (and count my blessings) that in a year that has turned dark and ugly in so many ways, the demand for Costa Rica real estate is one bright light shining through amidst the persistent cloud cover!

The economic woes Costa Rica is facing have taken a toll on its currency. The colon has breached the 600 to $1 USD limit and the rate is still climbing (meaning the currency is de-valuing). This is, of course, both good and bad. It can be good for gringos wanting to buy Costa Rica assets with dollars. However, ultimately, if not stemmed, it could spell disaster for the general Costa Rica economy. Luckily, Costa Rica still has a fairly healthy reserve of dollars it can use to shore up its currency, for the moment.

I can’t see the surge in real estate demand abating anytime soon. I’ve got real estate clients on both sides of the political divide. The Trump supporters swear that if Biden wins, they’re moving. The Biden supporters say the same regarding a Trump victory. So, I guess I’m safe in either regard.

By the way I did already vote by absentee ballot and I can tell you for 100% certain that regardless of who wins, I ain’t going nowhere!

Real estate is flying off the market right now. So, if you’re thinking about a move, I wouldn’t expect prices to get any lower in 2021. In fact, quite the opposite might very well occur as inventories of listings grow thinner.

I’m getting a lot of requests for mountain properties, with home, acreage, privacy and a cool climate altitude. People seem to be tired of the rat race and are ready to live a more laid back and self-sustainable life-style. Costa Rica definitely offers that. And, as I’ve often said in this blog, there’s no better place than our southern zone mountains. Here you can live amidst incredible flora and fauna, at an altitude offering a near perfect climate, and be less than an hour to the ocean.

Of course, if you’d prefer to be 10 minutes from the waves, we’ve got you covered in the southern zone for that as well.

I have read online some tales of woe (usually in some Costa Rica expat group) that perhaps Costa Rica has seen its better days and that dark times loom ahead. While I don’t have any crystal ball and there are certainly challenges moving forward, I believe Costa Rica will be just fine. After all, the things that draw people to this country, both for vacations and to actually live as expats, haven’t gone away. In fact, this whole COVID crises has given nature some needed breathing room. Costa Rica is just as beautiful as ever, even more-so.

So, if you’ve been dreaming about an expat life in Costa Rica, there’s no better time than now to make your move…

And I am here to help!

We’ve recently opened a Coldwell Banker office in downtown San Isidro de El General. If you make it down, please stop by and see me!

Costa Rica Realtors – To Use or Not to Use?

August 1, 2020 by Costa Rica Guy 2 Comments

Being one of those “dastardly” Costa Rica realtors myself, it sort of smarts (and makes my blood boil a bit) whenever I read, in one of the many Costa Rica expat Facebook groups, the “sage” advice that one should NEVER EVER use a realtor in Costa Rica…

After all I am a U.S. borne and Costa Rican naturalized citizen who makes his meager living selling real estate down here!

So what is the truth about using Costa Rica realtors?

Like most things in life, a proper answer to that question, well, it just depends…

There are many nuances to the Costa Rica real estate market that make it so…

Those “experts” who tell others never to use Costa Rica realtors, usually do so based on the fact that there is no real estate licensing regime in Cost Rica. So, yes, anyone can claim to be a realtor in Costa Rica…and many do!

Does that mean all Costa Rica realtors are incompetent, crooked, downright evil and greedy?

Of course not…

Virtually all of the major real estate franchises operate in Costa Rica. I work for Coldwell Banker. In fact, the agency that I work for, Coldwell Banker Vesta Group, is the franchise owner for Coldwell Banker in Costa Rica.

Brokerages that operate under a franchise, like Coldwell Banker, Century 21, or Remax, of course have reputations to uphold. Franchises are not cheap to either acquire or maintain and certainly losing one due to bad behavior is not a desired result. So, agents working for a major franchise are “policed” by their brokers and the bad ones often let go of.

How about independent agents? Well, certainly there are some very good ones out there. However, since independent agents are policing themselves, the risk for the client can be a higher.

While there is no licensing of Costa Rica realtors, there are certifications, such as those offered by the CBR (Cámara Costarricense de Corredores de Bienes Raíces) and CRGAR (Costa Rica Global Association of Realtors).

As of this past year the SUGEF (the arm of the Costa Rican government that polices money laundering) is requiring those working in real estate to be registered. This will likely at some point weed out some “fly-by-nighters” since registering essentially requires one to either be a citizen or resident of Costa Rica.

In fact, a good question to ask your realtor nowadays is whether he or she is SUGEF registered. Short of that, it pays to know your proposed agent’s immigration status. A realtor who is working in real estate as a “perpetual tourist”, while not necessarily a bad thing, is one to be a little more cautious about.

Like with the hiring of any “professional” you should do a bit of homework. It always helps to receive a recommendation from a trusted source. Short of that, you should inquire a bit into the background of your proposed agent, especially if he or she is working independently.

Most of the above is just common sense, so I won’t dwell on it…

What you might not know, when it comes to the hiring of Costa Rica realtors, is that there are generally, in many of the locales of prime expat interest, two real estate markets operating concurrently, with some overlap…

First, there is the local, Costa Rican, or “tico” market. This is a market that primarily operates in Spanish. Where I live in Perez Zeledon there is a vibrant tico market. A lot of the activity in that market occurs without a realtor being involved at all. Most of the homes and lots in this market are owned by ticos and are being sold to ticos.

Now and then I will have a North American, or gringo, buyer tell me that they want to buy a “tico house.” What they generally mean by that is that they want to buy something at a price lower than where homes in the “gringo market” are generally priced.

For sure there are some great properties in this market at very affordable prices. However, I find that these types of homes are generally not what my predominantly North American buyers are looking for. Since I don’t have buyers for these types of properties, I usually shy away from listing them. And that is not only true for me, but for other realtors as well who primarily operate in the gringo market.

What I am leading to is that if you are a buyer looking to buy in the tico market, then yes, I would agree that you might do better to look on your own without a realtor.

The primary challenge you will have doing so is that, as was alluded to above, this market operates almost exclusively in Spanish. If you don’t speak the language, you will have problems. You can find someone who will help you, but be very careful about who you trust.

I often find that it’s in these scenarios, where a gringo is venturing into the tico market and using the help of an independent “agent”, that problems can occur that are then used as overgeneralized examples as to why you should never use Costa Rica realtors, in any situation.

I should also say that this market transacts in a far more informal manner than the gringo market that I will now address…

The major problem with this ubiquitous Facebook advice about never using Costa Rica realtors is that almost all of the types of homes that North Americans want to buy and that are in the locations where they want to buy them, will be represented by realtors, usually English speaking ones who make their living selling real estate.

So, if you’re looking for this “type” of home, you will probably have to use a realtor.

That’s certainly a bit of a generalization and there are exceptions. Speaking primarily about the market I work in, the southern zone, what I just said is certainly true for the most part.

It also matters what type of property you are trying to buy. If you are looking for a “farm”, which in Costa Rica real estate parlance means a property of considerable acreage (perhaps raw land), then you will find that many such properties are in fact owned by ticos, albeit, these days, fairly wealthy ones.

But let’s get back to the typical property being bought, meaning a home on an average size lot of an acre or two. Let’s say you want to buy an ocean-view home, for a budget of $500 to $600K. So, a fairly luxurious home in a touristic location like Dominical, Uvita or Ojochal (I could just as easily say Jaco, Tamarindo, or Manuel Antonio).

And let’s say you’ve read on Facebook not to dare use one of those awful and stinky Costa Rica realtors to help you buy your desired home…

Well, good luck with that!

You’re going to quickly find out that virtually every home you want to buy is represented by a realtor, probably on an exclusive basis!

This so-called “gingo” market is also going to be one in which transactions are carried out in a formal step-by-step manner. I have written a post explaining the Costa Rica real estate purchase process. It is one that has been used over and over and, well, it works! Your realtor should be intimately familiar with it. He or she should be willing to help you through each step of it, as well as help you engage with other professionals, like lawyers and such, who will be essential in making sure your transaction is successful…

So, in this case, your use of a realtor is not only advisable, it’s probably damn near unavoidable!

Of course, you can dismiss everything I’ve said since, after all, I am one of those Costa Rica realtors (I do bathe regularly!) and I OBVIOUSLY would advise you to use me!

Nevertheless, the above explanation is pretty much how it works down here.

And please be careful about getting your real estate advice from the comments section of a Facebook expat group!

The Definitive Guide to Costa Rica Expat Living – 2nd Edition is now available on Amazon!

I hope you thoroughly enjoy this new edition. It is structured much like its predecessor, but I’ve gone through each chapter and changed what needed to be changed and added what I felt should be added. I also added a new whole section on Costa Rica’s southern zone…

The Costa Rica COVID-19 Cleansing

July 11, 2020 by Costa Rica Guy 3 Comments

Darn! We were doing a pretty good job here in Costa Rica, in terms of the collective effort towards taming the COVID-19 bug…

and then June happened!

Costa Rica now has one of the highest reproduction numbers (R₀) in Latin American at 1.97. Our daily case numbers are skyrocketing, with one day this past week setting a record 649 new cases.

Hospitalizations are also on the rise, as one might expect with an exponential increase in confirmed cases. And that’s what is most worrisome, since Costa Rica’s health care system could quickly reach capacity if this trend continues.

Deaths have been on the rise as well. But with a confirmed case fatality rate of .39%, and only 5 deaths per million of population, Costa Rica is still doing quite well compared to many nations in the statistic that counts the most.

The majority of the cases are still in the GAM, or gran area metropolitana. For that reason this area, as well as others, predominantly in the northern part of the country, have been put on orange alert and essentially locked down. At the moment residents of those areas cannot drive at all, except on certain days (depending on tag number) and then only for food and emergencies. All non-essential commercial business in those orange alert areas must remain closed under July 19.

Here in Perez Zeledon we have not seen a real increase in numbers, yet. Therefore, we remain at yellow alert status and essentially open for business. I have noticed, however, that almost everyone in the streets these days is donning a mask and you are generally required to wear one to enter any commercial establishment.

One thing Costa Rica has shown itself capable of, as opposed to the U.S., is the ability to muster a coordinated national response to this crisis in a definitive manner that informs its citizens how serious all this really is.

Nevertheless, many frequent commenters in various expat Facebook groups that I peruse continue spouting nonsensical conspiracy theories about the COVID-19 “hoax”…

The cold hard facts are that (1) this is a virus, not a conspiracy, or hoax; and (2) this virus is far more dangerous than any common cold or flu.

Generally those who spout such nonsense do so either in furtherance of some political ideology, generally far-right and pro-Trump, or because they feel that all this government interference in their economic pursuits, in the name of collective health, is, well, just downright un-American…

But refusing to sacrifice for the less fortunate and more vulnerable is also un-American!

Granted, this is a tough situation, especially for business owners and their employees. Here in Costa Rica, the tourism industry has been decimated by the fact that Costa Rica’s borders have been closed to tourists since mid-March. We are supposed to open borders on August 1, but with the recent surge in cases, who knows if that will happen and to what extent?

This pain is real. Lives are being disrupted and if this continues much longer (and by all appearances, it probably will), maybe even permanently damaged.

Even so, the ticos, by and large, seem to be taking it in stride, while the gringos in their midst tend to be the ones complaining the loudest.

As I’ve stated before, the culture here is far less materialistic than in the U.S. It’s no surprise that ticos would take their health more seriously than their pocketbooks. And I certainly haven’t seen any ticos throwing temper tantrums about the requirement to wear a damn mask!

OK, enough of all that already…let me get to the point of the post…

What do I mean when I speak of the Costa Rica COVID-19 cleansing?

I listened recently to an interview with the legendary primatologist, Jane Goodall. Her words were very inspirational, especially for these trying times. The overall message was that everyday you live you impact the planet, so why not try to make your impacts positive.

Goodall pointed out that human encroachment into the natural world, usually in the name of profit, can indeed result in problems of the type the world is experiencing right now.

While it’s a stretch to try to blame the COVID-19 crisis on climate change and the man-made reasons that phenomenon is occurring to the detriment of people and planet, the truth is that increasing human encroachment into the natural world can result in problems, like the passing of a novel virus from a bat to a human, as well as a warming planet.

During normal times, Costa Rica welcomes over 3 million tourists annually. Of course, this year that number will be quite a bit lower.

And even though the business of tourism is being negatively impacted by those lower numbers, the underlying reason people come here to begin with is actually undergoing some improvement.

Take away Costa Rica’s natural beauty and acclaimed biodiversity and you lose its primary appeal. Costa Rica has understood that for the most part. For that reason, Costa Rica has long been considered a world model for sustainable tourism.

Nevertheless, 3 million tourists traipsing through its verdant jungle-laden beaches, pristine mountains and national parks does tend to take its toll.

I have seen various reports about how animals are making their return to Costa Rica’s national parks and wildlife refuges. Human traffic in those areas, which has grown dramatically since Costa Rica first burst onto the scene as a highly sought after tourism destination, had begun to motivate a mass critter exodus to deeper and less accessible regions.

I don’t have any hard date to demonstrate that Costa Rica’s air quality is improving, its watercourses becoming less contaminated, and its greenery even more green, but I think it less than a wild guess that all of that is indeed occurring during this period of suppressed human activity.

And of course Costa Rica’s many delightful boutique hotels have had time and space to do some serious “spring” cleaning!

The entire world, Costa Rica certainly included, is learning the hard way that we really are all in this boat together. False ideologies that fictitiously separate are being exposed for what they are…dangerous lies, or half-truths…that are economically rationalized as “good,” but do not serve the best interest of people and planet.

We are all learning (some of us a little more slowly than others) that science effects all, equally, regardless of political ideology, or socio-economic status.

Maybe the Costa Rica COVID-19 cleansing will prove in the end to have been worth it…

Perhaps that goes for the rest of the world as well…

I guess that only time will tell.

The Definitive Guide to Costa Rica Expat Living – 2nd Edition is now available on Amazon!

When Will Costa Rica Reopen?

June 21, 2020 by Costa Rica Guy Leave a Comment

Costa Rica’s borders remain closed, officially through July 30. However, most folks in the know will tell you that borders will probably not reopen then…

When will Costa Rica reopen is anyone’s guess at this point.

And that’s a problem, especially for tourism…

Tourism represents an important chunk of Costa Rica’s overall economy. It is also married to other sectors, especially foreign investment. According to the OECD, around 150,000 ticos are directly employed in tourism. If you add in both direct and indirect employment, that number swells to around 450,000, or 28% of total employment.

Just this week the Costa Rica unemployment rate reached 15.7%, the highest in its history.

Costa Rica has only 12 COVID-19 related deaths. That represents 2 deaths per 1 million in population, which is one of the lowest figures in the world. Compare the U.S. rate of 369 deaths per 1 million.

Nevertheless, cases have been on the increase as of late. Much of that trend seems to be stemming from problems with Costa Rica’s northern border with Nicaragua. No one knows for sure what the real situation is in Nicaragua, but by all accounts, it’s very bad.

The Costa Rica government seems to be willing to allow its vital tourism industry to suffer, if necessary to protect the health of the overall population. The logic of that becomes clearer when one considers that Costa Rica’s health care system does not have the capacity to handle a huge wave of hospitalizations related to COVID-19.

Countries around the world with strong tourism industries are beginning to open back up, albeit cautiously. Check out this article from CNN Travel to see what countries are opening up and to what extent.

You’ll notice, however, that Costa Rica is not on that list.

I am being asked daily by my real estate interested customers, many of whom are considering a move to Costa Rica, when will borders reopen so that they can make their exploratory trips? I don’t know what to tell them.

I recently interviewed Casey Halloran, the founder of Costa Rica Vacations, one of the largest independent tour agencies in the country, for my World Changers Expat Podcast. I asked Casey, when will Costa Rica reopen? He thought the date would be August 1st. However, that interview took place prior to the recent wave of new cases.

Just today, Sunday, June 21, Costa Rica reported 86 new cases. On Friday 119 new cases were reported, the highest daily increase since the very first case was reported on March 6th. The Costa Rica government quickly throttled back on its plan to go into a Phase 3 of relaxing restrictions on economic and other activity. This weekend they imposed the same stringent driving restrictions that we endured during Semana Santa, basically meaning no driving except for emergencies and to buy food.

Health Minister Daniel Salas said that an eventual reopening of Costa Rica to international tourism will be “gradual and controlled”, only allowing visitors from locations with low coronavirus transmission. He did not provide an estimated date on when that could occur.

Does gradual and controlled also mean imminent?

Will folks from the States be allowed in?

What restrictions will be imposed and will those restrictions discourage travel to such an extent as to make an opening meaningless?

I am very concerned about the situation, especially as it relates to tourism. Businesses and workers who have been sidelined by this crisis cannot endure this much longer. Surely the government understands that. Hotel owners in particular are urging the president to open the country back up! In a letter published this week by the Costa Rican Hotel Chamber (CCH), its president, Javier Pacheco, said the hotel sector “can no longer endure” the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

What are the restrictions likely to be imposed once the country does open back up? I believe what might be imposed could be similar to what Iceland has done…

Iceland opened back up on June 15. Travelers have the option to either submit to a COVID-19 test on arrival, provide proof of a recently taken test with a negative result, or agree to a two-week quarantine. A $112 testing charge will be implemented from July 1.

Visitors to Iceland will also be encouraged to download the app, Rakning C-19, designed to help trace the origin of transmissions, which is available in seven languages, including English, Polish, German, French, Spanish and Italian.

I think there is a significant difference between what travelers might be willing to endure who are traveling to Costa Rica to consider it as a place to live, versus those who just want a vacation.

And that doesn’t bode well for the tourism industry, or for the economy of Costa Rica as a whole.

How will this effect the real estate situation?

In my “silver lining post” I predicted that the COVID-19 crisis, coupled with the political and social unrest occurring in the States, would drive demand for Costa Rica real estate. Even though borders remain closed, we realtors are already seeing that prediction come to fruition…

Just in the last week I’ve had two situations where offers that I submitted on behalf of my clients were met with competing offers from other buyers! That rarely occurs, even during the best of times.

I also predicted that real estate that is more closely tied to tourism, especially high-dollar homes in normally high tourist traffic areas (such as Costa Rica’s popular beaches), that are marketed as “income producers”, will face a tougher time selling in this environment.

There will likely be some very good deals coming available, however, especially with tourist properties, such as boutique hotels.

I still believe, perhaps even more strongly, that things will play out exactly as I predicted.

I can only hope, for the good of Costa Rica’s tourism industry and economy as a whole, that Costa Rica can open back up and revive the industry before it’s too late…

The clock is ticking!

P.S. Since this article was written the government has vowed to open up in some form or fashion on August 1, 2020. However, with cases surging in the GAM (San Jose metropolitan area), which is currently completely locked down under an “orange” alert, who knows. There may be only a partial reopening, which does not allow certain countries (with high infection rates) in. The U.S. could very well be on the “out” list. We shall see.

The clock is still ticking…

How to Do Your Costa Rica Deal During COVID-19?

June 1, 2020 by Costa Rica Guy Leave a Comment

We are getting more real estate leads from wannabe expats than ever before. I can only guess it’s due to the upheavals in the U.S., as well as other parts, stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic and, more recently, the George Floyd protests and riots.

So, let’s say that you’ve found the perfect property and you’re ready to pull the trigger and do your Costa Rica deal during COVID-19…

Now, I would never recommend buying something in a foreign country, site unseen, but hey, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do. Right now it’s impossible to enter Costa Rica as a foreigner and we really don’t know how long it will be that way. And I realize that some of you out there just don’t want to wait any longer. Due to what I’ve seen on the news from back home lately, I can’t really say that I blame you.

There’s also a financial rational in making a move sooner than later. I’ve written about my opinion that when things do open back up, Costa Rica will see an influx of demand that could stabilize, or even lead to higher, real estate prices. Therefore, there is some logic in taking advantage of the uncertainty that still exists with the hope that perhaps it will lead to a better deal and/or better terms.

I’m going to assume that you the buyer are buying the property sight unseen in the scenarios below. The seller might be in Costa Rica, or he or she might not. We’ll cover both of those situations below…

Scenario 1 – Seller in Country – Buyer NOT in Country

If you’re doing your Costa Rica deal during COVID-19 site unseen you will of course want to pay special attention to due diligence. Many realtors are doing “virtual tours” with their buyer clients, trying to give them as close to an actual on-site viewing of the property as is technologically possible.

Things that you won’t be able to see, however, are the surroundings of the property (i.e., neighbors), its specific location, and the access to get to it (dirt road, paved road, 4×4, helicopter?). Hopefully, you have a good agent who will accurately fill you in on all of that, since those are very important considerations.

Perhaps you have seen a property online you like, but aren’t sure if that general location of Costa Rica is the right one for you. Well, in my opinion the “general location” choice is perhaps THE most important decision you’ll make. I would never let a particular property drive that location decision, but rather carefully choose the location first. Only then should you narrow down what specific places within that general location that you like and what properties are the best fit. You might want to check out my 4 C’s of Costa Rica expat living, which offers a simple framework for deciding on location.

If you’ve never been to Costa Rica and just have no idea about location, then my recommendation is wait until you can make that all-important exploratory visit.

OK, so you’re sure about optimum location, you’ve found the perfect property, gone through your due diligence and you are ready to purchase…how do you accomplish that?

Note that as far as “the money” is concerned, the deal would be handled through escrow the same way it would be if all parties were present in Costa Rica. However, that could be different if the parties to the deal agreed to transfer money outside of Costa Rica. Nevertheless, the closing costs, commission, due diligence costs, and any other expenses that would need to be paid in Cost Rica, would have to be transferred to and handled by escrow in Costa Rica.

There are essentially only two ways to do your Costa Rica deal during COVID-19, while not present in Costa Rica. First, you can set up a corporation (or LLC) to take title. Historically, most expats have done this, although more recently, due to the increase in “red tape” surrounding owning a corporation in Costa Rica, some expats have begun opting to take title in their individual names.

However, if you aren’t here and indeed can’t possibly even be here to close, then setting up a corporation will facilitate the transaction. That’s because you can sign a simple document your Costa Rica attorney will prepare called a proxy letter, which authorizes your newly formed Cost Rica corporation to grant a power of attorney to someone in Costa Rica to sign at closing in your stead. The proxy letter need only be notarized by a regular U.S. notary, then scanned and sent to your closing attorney.

In this scenario we are assuming the seller is in Costa Rica. He (or she) will therefore be present at closing to sign…no problem!

What if you just don’t want to set up a corporation to do your Costa Rica deal during COVID-19?

Well, in that case you’ll have to make a trip to the nearest Costa Rica consulate, where you can sign a power of attorney in front of a Costa Rican notary. Your attorney can prepare the document and once prepared you will send it to the consulate of choice in order to set up a meeting. There are only a handful of consulates scattered across the U.S., so this is likely to entail you getting on a plane.

As you can see, the option of setting up a corporation will definitely simplify the situation of you not being able to be present for the closing of your Costa Rica deal during COVID-19.

Scenario 2 – Neither Seller Nor Buyer in Country

As far as the buyer is concerned, the same issues arise as were addressed above. But now we have the added wrinkle of the seller not being present, or even being able to be present, as well…

If the seller has the property in a corporation, then he or she can use the same proxy letter process as was described above. However, if it is not in a corporation, then the “trip to the consulate” option is going to be essential in order to close the deal and record the transaction in the National Registry.

It should be noted that getting a meeting with a consulate can be a time consuming endeavor, especially in the midst of a pandemic. So, be prepared for a potentially lengthy closing process. It is vital to begin work on getting the power of attorney properly executed and returned to Costa Rica, in order to be present at closing, as soon in the purchase process as possible. Don’t leave it for the last minute!

With regards to powers of attorney executed out of country, they have to be returned to Costa Rica in order to be registered and valid for use at closing. Attention to detail is vital. The language of the power must be crystal clear about what powers are granted. I believe it is best to use a special power, which is granted only for a specific purpose, such as to sign at closing. General powers are tricker and problems can arise when the attorney tries to draft a general power, but then limit it by language in the document. If the National Registry deems it unclear, they will refuse to register it and you’ll be right back to square one! There has been a history of fraud associated with the use of powers of attorney in real estate deals in Costa Rica, so any power will be carefully scrutinized by the government before it is allowed to be registered.

Bottom line, it is possible to do your Costa Rica deal during COVID-19 and buy your piece of Costa Rica paradise, even while borders remain closed. However, it pays to know the approaches and the complications that can arise.

Of course, there are nuances of doing your Costa Rica deal during COVID-19 that are not addressed in this short blog post. If you’d like to discuss your particular situation, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

The Costa Rica Health Care System – How is It?

May 24, 2020 by Costa Rica Guy 3 Comments

Like in many countries of the world (the U.S. excluded), the Costa Rica health care system is two-tiered…

A two-tiered system is defined as one in which a government-provided healthcare system provides basic care, with a secondary tier of private care that exists for those who can pay for additional, better quality, and/or faster care.

The Public System

The Costa Rican Social Security Fund, or Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (as it is known in Spanish), is in charge of the nation’s public health sector. Worker and employer contributions are mandated by law. Residents are also required to make contributions to the Caja.

Public health care services are guaranteed to all residents, including the uninsured. This includes undocumented immigrants as well.

The Costa Rica health care system employs the majority of Costa Rica’s doctors. However, many doctors in the public system maintain private practices as well.

The Costa Rica health care system is generally rated as one of the best in Latin America, as well as in the world at large. However, as with any public system, there are break-downs and one will experience long waiting periods for all but life-saving procedures. Seeing a “specialist” in the public system can be difficult and time-consuming. That’s why many expats opt for private care, especially when it comes to appointments and procedures requiring a specialist.

Private Health Care

In addition to a very respectable public system, Costa Rica has some of the best private health care in Latin America. The main private hospitals in San Jose, primarily CIMA and Clinica Biblica, are top-rated. Larger cities, such as San Isidro de El General, also have good private care.

Private care in Costa Rica, while cheaper than in the U.S., is still not “cheap.” Many expats simply opt to pay out of pocket for procedures. However, health insurance is available, but it will not cover pre-existing conditions. For those, you will have to seek assistance in the public system.

The quality of private health care in Costa Rica has given rise to a robust medical tourism industry. Most tourists seek private medical care in Costa Rica for non-essential, cosmetic, procedures, as well as dental care.

Getting Your Meds in Costa Rica

Many drugs (like birth control pills, high cholesterol medication, migraine medicine, etc.) are available in Costa Rica without a prescription. Common problems can be accurately diagnosed and treated by pharmacists. Most major pharmacies have a doctor on staff. Costa Ricans will often head to the pharmacy first and consult with the pharmacist or doctor on staff, before enduring the waiting lines at the hospital or clinic.

Expats needing to continue taking certain medications think they can simply have the medications shipped to them from back home. However, meds and/or food supplements generally cannot be shipped to Costa Rica by mail or courier, unless you have an import license.

Dental Care in Costa Rica

Costa Rica has become a popular location for medical tourism, especially when it comes to dental care. Most dental procedures, even the most invasive ones, are 1/3 of the cost you will pay in the U.S. There are some very good dentists in the country and not just in San Jose. In almost all high tourist traffic areas you will find good dental care. Here where I live in San Isidro de El General, there is excellent dental care. I have had many friends and family members from the States come visit and have dental procedures completed while here.

My Personal Costa Rica Health Care System Experience

I have thankfully remained relatively healthy for my 20 years in Costa Rica, knock on wood. I am getting older now though, so I shouldn’t remain so confident in not having to get more involved with Costa Rica health care system in the future.

Of course, I have had dental procedures done, both in San Jose and in my current home town of San Isidro de El General. I have never had a bad experience with a Costa Rica dentist. I was not one of those who looked for the cheapest possible option and I don’t recommend you do that either. However, the procedures I have had were far less expensive than what I would’ve paid in the States and I have been very satisfied with the service and results.

I have also had a few emergency room visits to both public and private hospitals. As you might expect, the public hospital emergency rooms I have been to were veritable zoos of chaotic activity. Nevertheless, I remained patient and calm and finally was treated and, of course, lived to write about. Seriously though, I believe that for minor mishaps, the public emergency room visit is the way to go.

I have not maintained any private care insurance since I’ve lived in Costa Rica. My wife and I do pay for pre-paid care with a company called Medi-Smart. However, since we live in San Isidro de El General, about 3 hours from San Jose, and the main providers that are in the Medi-Smart system are all in San Jose, I question its efficacy for us. I will probably be looking into private health insurance soon because, as was stated above, I am not getting any younger.

For private insurance you can go with the national provider, known as INS. However, nowadays there are also many private company options as well.

Of course, probably the best thing about living as an expat in Costa Rica is the ability and the motivation to stay healthy. Eating healthy is certainly no chore in Costa Rica, since virtually every vegetable and fruit known to our planet earth grows here. And the beauty of nature is always beckoning you to get outside, breath the fresh air, and move your body a little!

In short, Costa Rica is indeed a healthy place to live.

I should also point out that Costa Rica’s performance in the recent world-wide pandemic known as COVID-19 has been stellar. Costa Rica has shown the world what putting health above profits is all about and I am proud of them for that!