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Costa Rica vs. Colombia – Both Great – But Different

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Costa Rica vs. Colombia - Both Great - But Different

Costa Rica has been near and dear to my heart since first arriving in 2001. However, 15 years ago something happened in Costa Rica that changed my life, forever. I married a Colombian lady named Lily!

And ever since then, Colombia has also been near and dear. I’ve made month long visits there ever since and even before we were married on November 29, 2009.

I’ve noticed that lately Colombia is also being considered as a place for expats to live. So, I figure it was about time I did a Costa Rica versus Colombia comparison post.

Although I have traveled to various parts of the country, Colombia is very large compared to Costa Rica. Most of my time has been centered around the department or province of Antioquia and its major city of Medellin. Therefore, my experience of the country as a whole is certainly skewed due to having spent the majority of my time in that one area.

Nevertheless here goes – I am going to address this country to country comparison along the lines of Affordability, Accessibility, Security, Culture, and Overall Beauty…

Affordability

The word is out – Costa Rica has gotten downright expensive. Now, I’ve written in the past that while Costa Rica is expensive compared to other Latin American countries, it’s not as expensive as the exaggerated claims made on many of the Facebook expat groups. You can certainly live in Costa Rica on a much lower budget than is possible in the States, as long as you don’t spend like a drunken tourist!

Colombia on the other hand is CHEAP! I usually say that Colombia is on average half as expensive as Costa Rica and about a third as expensive as the States. Now, I’ve not done any statistical study to verify that, it’s just my “gut” feeling. But it is way cheaper than either Costa Rica, or the States.

And cheaper in almost every context, such as eating out, groceries, travel, services, medical – you name it…

Here’s an example – my wife had to have arthroscopic surgery on both shoulders a few years ago. We were able to get the procedure done for both shoulders in Colombia for under $5,000. That’s about 1/2 what it would’ve cost in Costa Rica and only a fraction of the cost in the States.

And, yes, I can tell you the surgery went exceedingly well.

The current exchange rate between Colombian pesos and the U.S. dollar is around 4,200. I’m always amazed at how far $100 USD, or 420,000 pesos, goes!!

Colombia certainly has the edge over Costa Rica when it comes to affordability.

Accessibility

I’ve always thought of Costa Rica as the biggest small country in the world. I mean, it’s almost like if you squeezed the U.S. together, so that coast to coast would be around 280 miles rather than 2,800. And the diversity of the country is amazing. And it can all be experienced in the span of a couple weeks!

Forget being able to do that in Colombia. Colombia is 440,831 square miles and has a population over 50 million. Costa Rica has 19,829 square miles and a population of a little over 5 million.

One great thing about Costa Rica is that virtually the entire country is easily accessible, by land or air. Colombia is vastly diverse and there are so many areas worth visiting. However, getting to them can be difficult, and downright impractical by land. The good news is that Colombia has excellent domestic flight options that are surprisingly affordable.

Even so, I have always liked the fact that in Costa Rica you can jump in your car and experience any part of it in a day’s drive.

Costa Rica has the edge over Colombia when it comes to accessibility.

Security

Costa Rica is one of the most peaceful countries on earth and one of the few that doesn’t even have a military. Somehow, it has managed to stay out of all the violence and social upheaval that has befallen it’s neighbors to the north and south.

Colombia, on the other hand, has certainly had its history of violence, including one of the planet’s longest civil wars. The good news, long gone are the days of the Medellin and Cali cartels and the Farc (marxist revolutionary group) has disbanded and reformed as a political party.

Colombia these days has changed from one of Latin America’s most violent countries to one of it’s most peaceful. The city of Medellin, a huge city of over 4 million inhabitants, while it has its pockets of criminal activity, is now one of the world’s safest large cities.

Having said that, I would be dishonest if I didn’t tell you that the influx of tourism and foreign immigration (and yes, I’m talking about expats) in both countries has contributed to gentrification (or social displacement) and a corresponding rise in crime. In my opinion not to levels that should dissuade folks from considering either as a place to move to. But it’s something to be aware of and to take precautions against.

In Colombia the locals like to say, no des papaya, which translates to “don’t be stupid” and invite victimhood.

I would have to say that it’s a toss up between the two countries when it comes to security. Perhaps Costa Rica has a small edge due to the fact that there are not as many large population centers like Medellin, Bogota and Cali, where gang violence and drug related violence certainly exists in some areas. The same can also be said for San Jose.

Culture

I am a nationalized tico (Costa Rican) and I love my fellow ticos and ticas. However, I have often noted that Costa Rica is just not as rich and deep in culture as what you find throughout Colombia. I have heard many explanations and theories for why that is, but I really don’t know if I buy any of them.

I guess you can chalk it up to the fact that as diverse as Costa Rica is, Colombia dwarfs it by comparison. Every part of Colombia is home to a unique culture. And that’s one reason I really love it!

I’ll have to give the nod to Colombia when it comes to culture.

Overall Beauty

This is a tough comparison. Costa Rica is known for its flora and fauna and in being one of the most biodiverse countries on earth – for its size! Colombia on the other hand is the 2nd most biodiverse country on the planet and the first when it comes to species of birds!!

In terms of geographical and topographical diversity and beauty, I find both countries similar. They are chocked full of gorgeous green mountain landscapes, lush jungles, flatlands, and, of course, beautiful coastlines.

Costa Rica probably has the edge when it comes to the beauty of its two coasts, Pacific and Caribbean. Colombia has the same two coastlines, but not nearly as many gorgeous beaches scattered along them. And Colombia’s coastlines are harder to reach than Costa Rica’s.

When it comes to mountains, Colombia has the edge with its many Andean snow-capped peaks. It also has the highest coastal mountain range in the world, the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, with its twin peaks of Colon and Bolivar rising to 5,775 meters (18,947 feet) and 5,560 meters (18,2412 feet) respectively.

The cultural edge given to Colombia noted above also extends to the beauty of its architecture seen in its large cities and many small pueblos.

I’ll show my Costa Rica bias a bit and call this comparison a toss up, when the edge “technically” should probably go to Colombia. But seriously, both countries are just without a doubt, drop dead gorgeous!

I don’t like comparisons and I believe both countries to be wonderful and I loath to say that one is “better” than the other. However, I thought this post might be of some assistance to expats who are potentially considering both to make a decision as to which might be the best fit.

Agrarian Parcels in Costa Rica – What They Are & Why You Should Care

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Agrarian Parcels in Costa Rica

There are many considerations when buying real estate in Costa Rica that might seem “foreign” to the investing expat…

One specific area of weirdness are the rules surrounding so-called “Agrarian Parcels.”

For starters, let’s say what they aren’t – say you have your sites on a particular piece of real estate that happens to be directly accessed by or fronting a public road. In that case, everything written below is not a concern for you – your targeted investment is NOT an agrarian parcel.

Agrarian parcels are basically created when a large “mother farm” is subdivided into smaller pieces. Some of those will be on the public road. These lots can be much smaller than the required agrarian parcel size (see below) and are generally not restricted in terms of what you can build on them. However, those interior lots not touching any public road must be given access through what in Costa Rica law is called a “servidumbre agricola”, or agriculture easement. These lots then become known as agrarian parcels and are potentially restricted as set forth below.

So, if you’re buying a lot in a rural area that is accessible via an easement, then the rules I am writing about are more than likely going to come into play. You should proceed with increased caution.

These agrarian rules were first promulgated many decades ago when Costa Rica was still predominantly an agriculture based economy. The rules were originally quite simple and stated basically that parcels could be no less than 5,000 m2 in size and usage for non-agriculture purposes (such as residential) was limited to 15% of the total area of the parcel. So, if you bought a lot of 5,000 m2 you could build a 750 m2 house on it. That’s a damn big house (over 8,000 f2)!

Well, as often the case, Costa Rica loves to complicate things, often more than really is necessary.

By the way, these rules are regulated by the Costa Rican government agency known as INVU (Instituto Nacional de Vivienda y Urbanismo). That’s the same agency that regulates the setbacks for rivers, creeks, and springs, which is a topic for another post.

Nowadays, the 15% limitation has been expanded to 25%, but is further limited as follows:

  • Lots still are generally limited to 5,000 m2 in minimum size*
  • Only 10% of the coverage can be for “residential” purposes
  • And allowed within that 10% is the construction of a main home of not more than 300 m2 (3,229 f2)
  • Plus other dwellings for “workers”
  • Oh, and the other 15% for solely agriculturally related infrastructure and installations.

*Some municipalities, such as my own Perez Zeledon, have increased the minimum size of the agrarian lot to 10,000 m2.

Also, in general, if the municipality where your desired parcel is located is covered by a zoning plan, said zoning plan will take precedence. The way you find out about this is to order the “uso de suelo” for your lot. This is a document that will reveal any restrictions imposed for developing your property.

However, be careful here. I recently had a deal where the uso de suelo for an agrarian parcel did indicate that it was subject to a zoning plan. However, after addressing the issue directly with the muni, we learned that they would nevertheless impose the agrarian limitations! So, even if this document seems to leave you in the clear, best to check directly with the muni as to how they actually apply their zoning plan in practice.

Now these restrictions may or may not be a problem for you. It depends on your intended plans for development. If they do pose an impediment, there are some creative get arounds…

For starters, let’s say you’re buying an agrarian parcel that’s 30,000 m2 in total size (3 hectares). Let’s say for purposes of this hypo that the land is located in Perez Zeledon, where there is a minimize size of 10,000 m2 per agrarian lot. Let’s say you want to build more than a single main home of 300 m2.

Well, you could subdivide that 30,000 m2 parcels into 2 or 3 smaller parcels. Once subdivided the agrarian parcel restrictions would apply separately to each subdivided lot. Also, you would have to further create additional agricultural easements to ensure each subdivided lot has access to a public road.

There is also some leeway in interpretation of what “agrarian use” means. Munis have generally interpreted this loosely by allowing for the project to include a swimming pool as part of the 300 m2 for construction of the main home. In those areas where expat real estate activity is very active, usually you won’t find pushback against including a pool, as long as you’re basically complying with the spirit of the law and keeping things within the required size limitations.

Another area that could be interpreted loosely is that of ”worker’s houses.” Could that also include what would actually be intended as a guest house? Again, as long as you’re complying with the spirit of the law, probably yes. For instance, when submitting your plans to the muni for permits, your “guest house” could be labeled instead as a “caretakers” house. It probably wouldn’t hurt to throw in a green house and an area for cultivation of fruit trees as well.

While these agrarian parcel restrictions might seem a bit silly and outdated in today’s Costa Rica, they do serve the useful purpose of allowing Costa Rica to regulate development in a way that is consistent with Costa Rica’s general interest in sustainability. This is important in that it supports the prime reason millions want to come here, some just to experience the country as tourists, while others to actually live.

It was only back in the 1980’s when rampant clear cutting of forests to create pastures for cattle reduced Costa Rica’s total forest coverage to around 25%. After putting into place better laws relating to forest management and the cutting of trees, Costa Rica has managed to more than double it’s total forest coverage in the last few decades. Along with that, Costa Rica has been a model for sustainability throughout the word with practically all energy produced via renewable sources and over 25% of it’s total territory set aside for conservation.

These days Costa Rica is undergoing what could be described as an expat invasion and real estate developers, smelling blood in the water, are trying to grab as much land as possible to create more buying opportunities for expats, usually at prices the locals (or, “ticos”) can hardly ever hope to afford.

The agrarian laws, while they might seem to be a pain in the ass (believe me, they’ve killed a few of my deals!), are an important aspect of keeping Costa Rica green, clean, and pristine (as well as relatively affordable for its own people)!

Introducing the Coldwell Banker Vesta Group – Perez Zeledon Team

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Introducing the Coldwell Banker Perez Zeledon Team

The Coldwell Banker Perez Zeledon team and office is officially open for business and ready to serve buyers and sellers in the mountain (and beach) markets of the southern zone. Here are profiles of team members…

Scott Bowers

Associate Broker

Scott is a naturalized citizen of Costa Rica, who first arrived (from the U.S.) in 2001 to broker a deal that sold one of the country’s premier private universities to a U.S. publicly-held education company. From 2004 to 2015 he arranged eco-intensive Costa Rica vacation tours to locations throughout the country, as well as Nicaragua, Panama and Colombia. In addition to serving as an agent with the Coldwell Banker Dominical Realty team since 2015, he offers Expat Consulting and conduct guided Expat Tours.

In his former life, prior to becoming an expat in Costa Rica, Scott practiced tax and corporate transactional law in the Carolinas. He has extensive experience as a business valuation consultant and mergers and acquisitions advisor to companies in a wide variety of industries.

Scott is married to a Colombian born, but Costa Rica naturalized, wife since 2009. They are the parents of seven grown children. Scott loves exploring the nature of Costa Rica and is a life-long surfer. Scott has been a blogger about all things Costa Rican for the past decade and published the popular eBook entitled The Definitive Guide to Costa Rica Expat Living.

Ana Rodriguez

Agent

While Ana is the official ColdweIl Banker agent, she and her significant other, Johnny (pictured), work as a dynamic team in the Perez Zeledon market. Ana is a Costa Rica native originally from Colombia, fluent in both English and Spanish. She has a diverse background, including prior roles in consulting, accounting, and concierge services.

Johnny, originally from Colorado, with a background as a real estate broker in the United States, embarked on a life-changing journey to Costa Rica, driven by his deep appreciation for its natural beauty and lifestyle.

Their journey in Costa Rica real estate began with project management and the management of Airbnb properties. This hands-on experience allowed them to gain valuable insights into the local market and property management.

Ana and Johnny are committed to leveraging their local expertise to help you find the perfect property. Their deep roots in Costa Rica, combined with Johny’s real estate background and Ana’s diverse skill set, make them an ideal team to guide you through your real estate journey.

Pablo Fernandez

Agent

Pablo is a passionate real estate agent with 7 years of experience in the exciting world of real estate. His stated mission is to help you find the perfect property that suits your needs and dreams.

Being a native of Perez Zeledon, Pablo possesses a deep knowledge of the market and an unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction. Here is eagerly available to guide you every step of the way in your search for an ideal home or investment. Pablo hopes to have the privilege of working with you and making your real estate goals a reality!

Our office is located at Centro Medico San Isidro, one block west from the popular Delicias cafeteria and the central park of Perez Zeledon.

Stop by and see us sometime…

Oh and check out our new Instagram page, where you will fine upates on new listings and other team related stuff…

Pura Vida!

Costa Rica Real Estate – Where to Invest? – 7 Province Rundown

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Costa Rica Real Estate - Where to Invest?

With the Costa Rica real estate market continuing to boom in 2022, more and more wannabe expats are faced with that most important question of where to invest…

Here’s a broad overview of Costa Rica’s 7 provinces that might help…

San Jose

The province of San Jose is smack-dab in the center of the country, in the so-called “central valley.” It is where the capital is located, as well as Costa Rica’s oldest and largest international airport.

It is the seat of big business in Costa Rica. However, as a tourist attraction, it is lacking in many respects. Most tourists tend to want to spend as little time as possible in the big city.

It is actually the central part of the Gran Area Metropolitana (or GAM) where half the population of the entire country resides.

Even though tourists tend to want to skip San Jose, to the extent possible, many expats do call it home. After all, San Jose does have the largest and most cosmopolitan selection in terms of shopping, medical care, restaurants, nightlife, and services.

So, if you really want to be where the big city action is, San Jose could be the place for you.

However, the big city is not the whole story of San Jose, since it also encompasses a broad swath of the towering Talamanca mountain range (highest in the country) and the canton nearest and dearest to my heart of Perez Zeledon.

Perez Zeledon is home to Costa Rica’s highest peak, Chirripo, and the largest city outside of the GAM, San Isidro de El General. It’s a place where one can have his or her cake and eat it too, by living in high altitude coolness, while being an hour or less from the gorgeous Costa Ballena coastline. That’s why I moved here around 12 years ago.

Heredia

Heredia is the province immediately to San Jose’s north. Its principle city of the same name makes up part of the GAM.

Reasons to live there are similar to what was said above with respect to San Jose. However, there are some urban, yet more rural, communities like San Rafael and Santo Domingo that are quite nice and a bit away from the hustle and bustle, yet close enough for you to be able to engage in it on a moment’s notice.

Alajuela

This is the province that makes up the northwest quadrant of the GAM and it’s where the Juan Santamaria International airport is located.

However, it also includes areas to the north like the canton of San Carlos, with the popular tourist town of La Fortuna and the ever-looming Arenal Volcano.

The La Fortuna/Arenal area is also one that is popular with expats. It is covered in lush green tropical rain forest and it is where the country’s largest lake, Lake Arenal, is located. Lake Arenal is a man-made lake and damn that supplies hydro-electric power to a large portion of the country.

Since tourism is always a primary factor in the real estate market and Arenal is one of Costa Rica’s biggest tourism draws, the La Fortuna/Arenal area of Alajuela has seen some real estate action, albeit not to the extent of many of the beach areas.

Cartago

Cartago is the eastern quadrant of the GAM and includes the highlands of its principle city, also named Cartago, as well as Caribbean slope zones, like the beautiful area of Turrialba.

I’ve always thought that Cartago was a beautiful province and even considered moving there before I fled the big city and moved to Perez Zeledon.

Cartago is home to Costa Rica’s tallest (and active) volcanos, Irazu and Turrialba, the latter of which has in recent years been Costa Rica’s “most active” volcano.

The area I used to always enjoy visiting when I lived in the San Jose area for my first 10 years, is the Orosi Valley. This is a gorgeously green high altitude region where quite a few expats call home.

Puntarenas

This is the province that encompasses a large portion of the Pacific coastline, from the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula all the way down to Panama.

There are so many areas of Puntarenas that we could talk about in terms of both tourism and real estate. However, many expats confuse the port city of Puntarenas with the entire province by the same name. The port city of Puntarenas is the capital of the province, but it’s really not a popular city for expats to live in.

The most popular tourism and expat areas of Puntarenas, include the following…

  • Nicoya Peninsula Beaches (Santa Teresa, Mal Pais, Montezuma)
  • Jaco
  • Quepos/Manuel Antonio
  • The Costa Ballena Beaches (Dominical, Uvita and Ojochal)
  • The Osa Peninsula

As you can see, there is a lot to choose from with Puntarenas and all of the areas I just listed have long been major tourism draws and now are major areas of expat real estate interest.

The real estate market has been extremely active in all of these areas.

Guanacaste

The is the northwestern province that includes the northern Pacific coast all the way to Nicaragua. In fact, at one time most of this province was part of Nicaragua.

Guanacaste includes the “Gold Coast” beach areas of Tamarindo, Flamingo and Coco (and many others) that came to fame in the early to mid-2000’s. The market overheated and completely crashed around 2007.

However, these days it has come roaring back. Perhaps the hottest and priciest market in the country these days is the Nicoya Peninsula hip surfer beach town of Nosara.

Guanacaste has many beautiful beach areas to choose from. However, also keep in mind that it is the hottest and driest province of Costa Rica.

So, if you’re an expat looking for a cool micro-climate and year-round lush greenery, Guanacaste probably won’t do it for you.

Limon

Like Puntarenas on the Pacific, the province of Limon hugs and encompasses the entire Caribbean coast. Most of the areas to the north of the port city and capital of Limon are inaccessible and fairly uninhabitable.

However, to the south of the port city you’ll find some of Costa Rica’s most beautiful beach areas. I’m talking about the beaches of Cahuita, Puerto Viejo and many others. These areas are somewhat remote and they encompass a lot of protected zones and indigenous reserves. Therefore, the ability to invest there and have full title to your property could be an issue.

I’ve always thought of Limon as a great place to visit, but not the best area of the country to safely invest in. However, like always, a safe investment can be secured by adequate due diligence and I am sure that can be accomplished in Limon if you’re an expat in love with that area.

I hope this brief overview of the 7 provinces will be of some assistance in helping you decide where to invest and make Costa Rica your home.

Why Do You Want to Move to Costa Rica?

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Why Do You Want to Move to Costa Rica?

I came here 21 years ago for one simple reason, to make money. I didn’t even know Costa Rica existed until I was hired to broker a fairly large business deal here…

But I stayed for completely different reasons.

These days everyone seems to want to move here. The country is experiencing a wave of immigration from the U.S., Canada, and Europe.

Donald Trump might call it an invasion. Tucker Carlson might call it “brown replacement” (as in replacing the browns with the whites).

However, there are no “caravans” amassing at our borders. The folks moving here are flying in, often first class. And they’re buying up everything in sight, especially in places where they might’ve vacationed before.

By the way, just as an aside, Costa Rica has much more to offer than simply the place where you might’ve spent a week or two on vacation. If you’re the adventurous type, I’d encourage you to get out and see more of it. I assure you that you’ll be amazed!

But what are the real motivations for all these folks wanting to move here?

Why has Costa Rica become so popular as a place for expats to call home, at least for a year or two?

You probably know that I’m a realtor here. So, you might be asking yourself, why should he care? After all, the real estate market is booming as a result of this “invasion.”

Shouldn’t I be happy about it?

Well, I am to a point…

I’m the type that questions everything. And, frankly, I’m a little concerned at what I see happening to my adopted country.

From my perspective as a realtor dealing with different types of clients with different modes of motivation, it seems that most can be broken down, or generalized, into two categories…

  1. Those who want to adapt to a new culture and way of life that they imagine might be better, for a number of reasons personal to them;
  2. And those who just think Costa Rica is sorta cheap (at least compared to back home) and really pretty, so they’d like to live here, but couldn’t give a rat’s behind about things like “immersion.” After all, they’re from a superior culture (at least in their own minds), so why should they adapt to or adopt an inferior one?

It’s those of the second variety that are a cause of concern for me.

As I said at the outset, I first arrived to Costa Rica on a business deal. That was my motivation, pure and simple. However, something happened over those initial formative years that changed me, drastically.

The ticos taught me a simple, but important, truth. That you can be happier living a less materialistic and much slower pace of life…

We describe that style of life as being Pura Vida (translated, pure life).

I deal with a lot of clients that are motivated to immerse. Those will likely learn the same lesson that I did many years ago. It’ll probably take them a while, but I believe eventually they’ll catch on to it…

And the country will likely be better off welcoming those into its folds.

The others, the ones that will attempt to impose their “American” mode of dealing with life on an often unwilling tico populace, well, they might experience some frustration…

Or, they just might be successful…

And in some areas of the country where the immigration wave is the strongest, they seem to be succeeding.

And that’s what concerns me!

Of course, there are certain segments of the tico population that will gain from gringos spending bookoo bucks moving here. Especially those directly or peripherally involved in the real estate market, for instance…

However, that is a very small percentage of the total population. So, don’t regale me with anecdotes about how your tico lawyer, or tico builder, or tico realtor seems to be doing just fine.

The problem with all this immigration is that there is a tipping point that can be reached. One where the locals have just about had enough.

Signs of that can come in the form of culture clashes that might appear in the way of petty thefts, or worse, more violent types of crime.

Take an area like Nosara, where prices have been driven up so much that ticos can’t even afford to live there anymore.

My own Costa Ballena is unfortunately on the verge of being another example. Or, at least, I fear it might be.

Ticos are by and large a peaceful people. But even peace-loving folks can react less than peaceful when their backs are driven against the wall.

The title of this post poses the simple question, why do YOU want to move to Costa Rica?

I guess what I’d like this post to do is encourage you to question your own motives for moving here, if that’s what you’re indeed contemplating.

I would hope that once you do that, you’ll fall more in the immersion category than the one where Costa Rica simply seems like a pretty place to spend your money.

Where Growth is Going in the Costa Rica Southern Zone

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Costa Rica Southern Zone

A while back I published a post on why the growth story is compelling for the Costa Rica southern zone. This post will dig a little deeper into that topic.

According to well-known authorities (meaning, well, me) the southern zone real estate market is divided into three areas: mountains, beaches and the Osa Peninsula. Together they comprise the most untapped major area for growth in Costa Rica, for reasons stated in the above mentioned article.

I’m not going to get into the growth prospects for the Osa Peninsula in this post. I’ll only say that this area, which is “off-the-beaten-path” in every sense of the word, will be slow growing. And that’s primarily because the choice parts of it are highly protected as either national park (as in Corcovado) or some other form, such as private reserve or wildlife refuge. And that’s exactly how it should be since this in the most biologically diverse area of the country and indeed of the entire planet.

Therefore, the areas of focus will be Costa Rica southern zone mountains and beaches. When I refer to “mountains” I am speaking of the Talamancas that tower over the city of San Isidro de El General, which is the second largest city in the country, outside of the metropolitan area of the central valley, known as the GAM. When I refer to “beaches” I am speaking of the renowned area of Costa Rica coastline known as the Costa Ballena, which consists of the well-known beaches of Dominical, Uvita and Ojochal

There is an in-between area, which consists of the coastal range the sits between the valley where San Isidro is located and the coast. This smaller range features communities such as Platanillo and Tinamastes, which have been increasing in popularity and for good reason. Here you can be in the mountains and still have ocean view, not to mention spectacular waterfalls, flora and fauna! For the purposes of this article I will consider this area to be “mountains” as well.

So where is growth going in the Costa Rica southern zone? I believe the answer to that has to be “mountains” for the reasons I will lay out below…

Inventory is Thinning Out at the Beach – A common complaint I am hearing from the hard-core “beach agents” at our weekly Coldwell Banker team meeting is that inventory is getting thin. The beach market has been booming as of late and the 120+ agents down there have been enjoying good times. However, they are fast getting to the point where the “good stuff” has all been recently sold. I sort of had an inkling some time ago that this was going to happen. Will there be new product coming onto the market to fill in the gaps? Yes and No. Sure there’s always going to be some new projects and construction going on, especially when there’s demand for it and there definitely is demand. However, if you read further you’ll see that the Costa Rica government is not all that keen on seeing a lot of real estate development in the southern zone beaches.

The mountain market has lagged behind the beach one. The market here is different. You’ll not find too many million dollar homes up here. First, because it’s primarily a tico market and ticos by and large don’t have the money to build those sorts of homes, nor do they really have any desire to. Secondly, the expats who have built up here tend to be a more humble lot than those you’ll find at the beach. Many are fully content with a tico-style home surrounded by several acres that can become their personal natural playground. Prices are still affordable enough up here in the mountains to make that entirely possible for the average joe expat.

Prices are Getting Higher at the Beach – The strong market demand for ocean view homes and lots at the beach is naturally pushing up prices. And as inventories thin out that will only accelerate. Hey, that’s good old supply and demand, right?

On the other hand, prices in the mountains are low and haven’t seen that much movement, yet. I believe as more expats understand that they can get much more property for their money up here in the mountains, with a better climate and still be less than an hour from the beach, more will forego the ocean view for a breathtaking mountain one.

There’s a Development Crackdown Going On at the Beach – Our southern zone is blessed in many ways and one of those is that we have abundant water. Costa Rica law requires a legal source of water to be in place prior to the issuance of a permit to construct. However, the municipality that controls permits along the Costa Ballena has for past years seen fit to look the other way and issue permits without a legal source established, as long as you could show evidence that one was readily obtainable. That practice has recently stopped dead in its tracks. The municipality is now absolutely and without exception requiring a legal water source to be “in-place” prior to any issuance of building permits for all new construction along the Costa Ballena. So what, you ask? Well, the so-what is that much of that gorgeous ocean view land in the mountains that overlook the Costa Ballena does NOT have a legal source. Is there water? Sure there’s plenty of it, but access to it is not necessarily legal, or to use Costa Rica legalese, it’s not “concessioned.” Here’s a link to an article that explains all that in greater detail.

Why has the municipality all of a sudden gotten so strict? The logical reason is that they want to put the brakes on and control the Costa Rica southern zone beach development. They do not want to see happen here what happened back in the early 2000’s in Guanacaste. That’s a good thing from an environmentalist perspective. It also bodes well for growth in the mountains. Here’s an article where the Costa Rica government recently won a hard-fought case in international arbitration against a developer on the central Pacific coast.

The mountains around San Isidro simply have more infrastructure in place than those overlooking the coast. Chances are if you’re buying in the mountains you already have a legal water source from the community Asada or the AyA, which is basically, city water. And even if you have to get a concession from a spring, creek or dig a well, you won’t face the anti-development hostility that developers are facing along the coast.

San Isidro de El General is Destined to be a Major Costa Rica City – I already mentioned that it’s the second largest outside the GAM. And it is getting bigger and better all the time. I’ve lived in the mountain pueblo known as Quebradas for several years now and I can attest to the growth in new stores and restaurants that seem to open every week in and around the city. And there’s talk of expanding our airport to make it available for international flights. I believe that as San Isidro comes of age, people will begin more and more to take notice of the opportunity in the mountains of the Costa Rica southern zone. Heck, we’ve already got the best 5-star resort in Central America in the mountains just 30 minutes out of town, the Hacienda AltaGracia. Also there are major developments already underway, such as that of the sustainable community, Rise Costa Rica, and the new retreat center, Synergida.

Taking all that into account, I believe the handwriting is on the wall that the place where growth is going in the Costa Rica southern zone in the foreseeable future is without a doubt, mountains.

The good news is that in the Costa Rica southern zone you can live in the highest mountains the country boasts, with a near perfect climate and easy access to a major and beautiful city, and still be less than an hour from the beach!

To explore both beach and mountain real estate opportunities, click here.

Costa Rica Surfing

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I can remember it just like it was yesterday. I was living in a little cottage on the island of Holden Beach, North Carolina.

One day dad pulls up in the jeep with a monstrosity of a surfboard.  It must have been 12 feet long and weighed about three times what I did.  I was seven at the time, so this would have been 1967 and short surfboards had not been invented yet (yes, I know I’m getting old!).

That sparked one of the great passions of my life, surfing.  I don’t do it as much these days, but from the time I was seven until fifty-two, I loved surfing as much as anything. Still do, it’s just that other pressures of life, coupled with the fact that I am getting older, seem to get in the way these days (excuses, excuses).  That is sad considering that I’ve been living for the past decade in one of the greatest surfing locations on the planet.

Costa Rica surfing probably is some of the best the planet offers, with countless spots dotted along its Pacific and Caribbean coasts. What makes it even better is that the Costa Rica surfing offers water conditions that are simply excellent. The water is warm all year long. There are not that many sharks to eat you like in Australia or even California (well, salt-water crocs are another story). While certain popular spots get crowded, you can always find that perfect little “secret” place where it’s just you and the waves.

I can remember one of my first trips to Costa Rica back in 2001. I was traveling on business with an employee of mine. I told him that since we had a couple days before we had to start working, I was going to hop into a rental car and head to the beach to catch some waves (not being a surfer, he opted for San Jose nightlife).

I can remember the sense of adventure of crossing the mountains on the way to Jacó beach. Of being out in the ocean on my board just before sunset. The waves were small and fun.

Sitting on the board watching the sky light up with a thousand colors as the sun was setting on the horizon, I thought to myself, certainly I’d found my paradise on earth.

Maybe that (and a thousand other such epiphanies) solidified my great love for Costa Rica.

Costa Rica is a surfer’s paradise and once a surfer, always a surfer.  I guess it’s time to dust off my board and head to the beach!

Costa Rica Waterfalls

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My last post was on Costa Rica’s rivers. Well, as you might expect, where there are rivers and mountains, there are also lots of, can you guess?…

WATERFALLS!

Everybody loves those, right?

Costa Rica has some spectacular ones.

Here’s a list of ten that I really like…

1. The La Fortuna Fall

This one is located in La Fortuna, near the Arenal Volcano. It’s about a 30 meter fall (90 feet). Also has a great pool for swimming that is crystal clear and full of large trout.

La Fortuna Waterfall

2. The Cinchona (or San Fernando) Fall

This one is located near Vara Blanca and the La Paz Fall (see below) in what used to be known as Cinchona. This site experienced a very bad earthquake back in 2009 and the small community of Cinchona was completely destroyed in the quake. It was later relocated to another spot. But the San Fernando Fall still looms large with great views that can be had from the top of the canyon cut by the Sarapiqui river. The place where “old Cinchona” once stood is making a bit of a comeback and there are great places to view the fall once again. It is very difficult to actually reach this fall, so best viewed from a distance. Not sure of its actual height, but it’s a big one!

Cinchona or San Fernando Fall

3. La Paz Waterfall

The area where this fall can be viewed from the road also received major damage from the Cinchona quake of 2009. But now things are pretty much back to normal and the La Paz Fall is as beautiful as ever. La Paz is actually the last of a series of falls that can be viewed from the La Paz Waterfall Gardens just up the mountain. You will have to pay the entrance to see the others…but it’s worth it. The Gardens have many other cool attractions as well, including one of the most unique hotels in Costa Rica…The Peace Lodge.

La Paz from above

4. Rio Celeste Fall

The Rio Celeste Fall is famous for its sky blue color, made that way from the unique mixture of chemicals emanating from the now dormant Tenorio Volcano. This fall is somewhat remote, located near the pueblo of Guatuso about an hour or so north of La Fortuna. You will have to hike about 45 minutes or so to arrive at the fall through very lush jungle with lots of flora and fauna. Best viewed in the dry season (January through April) because when the rains come, it tends to muddy the waters.

Rio Celeste

5 & 6. San Gerardo de Dota 1 and 2

If you take the Pan Inter-american Highway from San Jose to points south, you will pass over the 11,000 foot high Cerro de la Muerte. Just about where the highway reaches the highest point, there is a turn down to a little valley known as San Gerardo de Dota. It is one of the most pristine and beautiful locations in Costa Rica and the best place in the country to view the Resplendent Quetzal. There is a great hiking trail that leads to a couple of gorgeous falls. The first is actually best viewed from a quasi-cave formed by falling boulders. The second one is further on down the trail and is larger. This is the source of the beautiful Savegre river, which is teaming with trout and a great place for fresh-water fishing.

Fall #1

San Gerardo de Dota 1

Fall #2

San Gerardo de Dota 2

7. Llanos de Cortes

This is a little known fall on the Pan Inter-american highway on the way to Liberia in Guanacaste. There is a sign where you turn onto a dirt road. Follow that road a ways and you will arrive at a parking spot. The fall is gorgeous and there is a large pool for swimming.

LLanos de Cortes

8. Diamante Fall

This one is located near my home town in Perez Zeledon. You have to take the Dominical beach road from San Isidro de El General to the mountain pueblo of Tinamastes. Hang a left down a dirt road and it will take you to some places where you can get a distant view. However, there is this one secret spot where you can really get an “in your face” view of the fall (note picture). To get there, however, you’ll need to be guided by someone in the know. This is known as the largest fall in Costa Rica at some 600 feet! Above the main fall there are two smaller falls. Behind those is a cave where you can actually spend the night. It’s a difficult hike and you’ll need the local tour company the leads these tours to guide you. Quite an experience!

Diamante

9. Catarata del Toro

An amazing sight to see near Toro Amarillo. This place is located not too far from the town of Sarchi. It’s a little hard to find and the road is narrow with very steep drop offs. Not for the faint of heart. But if you can survive the trip (just kidding…a little) and make it down to the valley known as Bajos del Toro, home to the property of my friends Will and Donais, you’re end for a treat. For a small entrance fee you can hike down to the pool of the fall. It’s quite a experience. They’ll even let you rappel down if you’re really daring!

Catarata del Toro

10. Nauyaca Falls

The place where I now live is home to an amazing number of rivers, swimming holes and waterfalls. That’s Perez Zeledon and as noted above, home to one of, if not the, largest fall in the country (Diamante). But perhaps the most beautiful is this one…Nauyaca. It is located on the road from San Isidro de El General to Dominical. You can either park and hike some 45 minutes to the fall, or do it on horseback. The lower fall has a very large and deep pool for swimming. The upper and larger fall is great for photos. Best experienced in the dry season (January through April) when the fall is a little calmer.

Nauyaca Falls

So there you have it. Ten of my personal favorite Costa Rica waterfalls.

Many of our Costa Rica vacation designs take you close to a number of these spectacular Costa Rica waterfalls and tours to any of them can certainly be arranged.

The Art of Nonconformity in Costa Rica

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Chris Guillebeau Art of Nonconformity

Read Chris Guillebeau’s manifesto for the first time this morning. I don’t know why it has taken me so long to do that. I am a big fan of this young guy. I have read $100 Start-Up and follow his blog. Chris is much younger than I am. I only wish I could have had his wisdom in my 30’s. Instead I was thinking like the typical conformista. Doing it the way it is “supposed” to be done. And as time did tell, that didn’t work out so well for me.

The manifesto is entitled, A Brief Guide to World Domination. In it Chris instructs us how to live a nonconformist life, and do things like take over small countries. In reality, his manifesto has impact mindfulness written all over and under it. He just uses different terminology.

I guess in some ways I did follow his advice. I did “occupy” a small country. And the manifesto inspired thought this morning on what that all means. What has turning nonconformist and occupying this strange place that I now call home really meant to my life? In other words, what is it that I really love about this place?

My entire worldview has drastically changed as a result of my over a decade long experience of Costa Rica. What can I honestly say that I like most about that experience? Is it the language, or the landscapes, the waves, or the women, the freedom, or the frivolity? As impressive as all of those things are…nope…it’s none of those things. What I like most is the change living here has wrought upon me…primarily in the following 3 ways…

Change #1: Learning Humility

When I first came to Costa Rica I was anything but humble. I was a lawyer-MBA type who was flown down to orchestrate a large business deal. It was a heady experience and one that indeed did go directly to that part of my body. I had what you might call a Mark Sanford-esque experience (and anyone from my home state of South Carolina will know exactly what that means).

But all that came crashing to an end and when the dust finally settled I did as well, in my new home. And I learned, gradually, to be humble. Living in a foreign country can do that to you, if you really immerse. Oh, there are plenty who come here and never do that. But that is not my nature. I did immerse and it changed me.

How? Well, I believe the natural grandeur of this place put me in my place. I was, and still am, humbled by both the beauty, power and fragility of nature. I was humbled into dismissing the notion that human progress can proceed in a way that puts us at odds with nature. Nature will either win that battle, or the “spoils” will leave a bitter taste in the mouth of the victor.

I was humbled by living shoulder to shoulder with people who were different. I gradually came to the realization that being from the world’s largest superpower doesn’t make me any more exceptional than they already were. Neither did my education, money, language, customs, intelligence, or anything else. That we are all just people striving for the same basic thing…to live a dignified life.

Change #2: Learning Respect

I came here thinking very firmly that I had all the right answers. That the indoctrination of my upbringing, education, church and nationality made me a much brighter person than I really was. I often notice that attitude with gringos who come here either to visit or live. If it is to live, you either learn to respect, or you are in for a very unhealthy experience. Those are the ones who grow bitter and continuously grumble about how the ticos have it all wrong. Well, they may have it all wrong, but they’re smiling (actually laughing at you) while you sit miserable.

You see, it pays to learn to respect other viewpoints. It enhances your human experience to learn to stand in the other fellow’s shoes, especially if those shoes are far different from ones you have ever tried on. It is one of the greatest lessons of life I have learned here. It has served to remove those impact blinders that I came here wearing. I began to see the world from a different and far more open-minded perspective.

Change #3: Learning Patience

For many years this came as a hard lesson for me. I did not understand the concept of time that existed here. It seemed as if time didn’t matter, or at least that these people certainly didn’t respect my incessant worry over its scarcity. They seemed to take the view that there really was enough time to go around and meet everyone’s needs. Maybe that’s because there is a far different definition of “needs meeting” here than exists up there. People here just get along with a lot less and are content with that. The idea of arranging your life to achieve maximum efficiency with the goal of having more just doesn’t occur to most people here. The goal of life is not to have more, but to live more. The two are not the same (I know that may come as a surprise to many).

So a much slower pace of life is what prevails. One that breathes deeper meaning into the concept of “relaxing and smelling roses.” And there are so many “roses” to smell here…maybe that’s the impetus. In the U.S. people strive to make a gazillion so they can have maybe 50% of the peaceful experience that a tico making less than half the poverty rate in the U.S. has simply by walking outside of his humble choza (home) and taking in the spectacular and completely free panoramic vista of his daily existence. So why should he be in a hurry? Not!!

So, first out of sheer necessity, and later out of a deeper understanding of true happiness, I slowed down. And I believe (hope) that it has added years to my life. It has certainly decreased the moments of panic and rage.

Maybe you expected something different with this post. Maybe you expected me to tell of my favorite location, activity, or experience. But no, my favorite things about living here are the life’s lessons it has taught me. I have learned the art of nonconformity in Costa Rica. I am grateful for that.

Oh, and if you would like to learn more about those lessons, you can always get my own Misfit Manifesto.

The Art of Nonconformity in Costa Rica first appeared in the Costa Rica Guy Blog.

Protecting Sea Turtles in Costa Rica

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Protecting Sea Turtles in Costa Rica

Costa Rica, a country blessed with natural resources, has several non-governmental groups working daily to protect and preserve the country’s biodiversity. Among these groups are those who strive to maintain a species that has been on Earth for millions of years: sea turtles.

On these shores, both in the Pacific and the Atlantic, the nesting of five species of turtles occurs: leatherback, hawksbill, green, loggerhead and Kemp. According to the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the populations of these marine animals are in extreme danger.

These local and international organizations protecting sea turtles in Costa Rica depend almost entirely on foreign donations and volunteer work, foreign and domestic.

Jairo Sandoval Mora, Costa Rican biologist, as a child watched the turtles arrive to beaches in his area.  He fell in love with them. He walked miles every night to protect and study them. A few days ago and at his 26 years, his life was extinguished.

Jairo was killed by drug traffickers, because he complained to a  national newspapers what is happening on those beaches. The traffickers are exchanging drugs for turtle eggs.

Today, the Costa Rican people and the international community call on the Government of Costa Rica to clarify the true reasons for his death.  We call for justice for Jairo.

Unfortunately, the Costa Rican government is sometimes weak on protecting the country’s natural resources. It allocates resources for  scientific research but offers little help for those like Jairo who work hard and under adverse conditions to conserve species and ecosystems.

Hopefully this does not happen again and that the life and death of Jairo will be an inspiration and motivation to us all for action so that evil does not prevail, for the good of all mankind, for the sake of protecting sea turtles in Costa Rica and our planet.

Jairo, thank you very much!

Written by YRD

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