Author: Ivo Henfling

8 Things to Do Before Becoming an Expat Family in Costa Ricaiconwht

8 Things to Do Before Becoming an Expat Family in Costa Rica

Estimated Reading Time: 6 Minutes Before you become an expat in any country and move here with your family, there are some important things to do first. There’s nothing like going to a beautiful getaway to help you add adventure to your routine. Costa Rica offers incredible scenery and remains a solid destination for you…

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What do to with the Earnest Money Depositiconwht

Real Estate FAQ #3 | What do to with the Earnest Money Deposit?

Estimated Reading Time: 3 Minutes What you should do with the earnest money deposit is a real estate FAQ or frequently asked question for those buying or selling Costa Rica real estate. This question arises because, in Costa Rica, it’s customary for the buyer to give the earnest money to the seller. Local buyers rarely…

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9 Steps to Updating a Home in Costa Rica Without Renovatingiconwht

9 Steps to Updating a Home in Costa Rica Without Renovating

Estimated Reading Time: 6 Minutes Is renovating in Costa Rica difficult, or is updating a lot easier? While housing is more affordable in our beautiful country, most foreigners who need to renovate a home have their own standards. But renovating a house is a much larger headache than just updating. You will be jumping through…

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How to protect your property from a landslideiconwht

How to protect your property from a landslide

Estimated Reading Time: 8 Minutes Watch out for mud or landslide! A landslide can make your property disappear overnight; did you know that? The image on the left is in Cinchona, where an earthquake in January 2009 – Richter magnitude 6.2, took 34 lives and destroyed many properties. Buying a property in Costa Rica is not…

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The MV Realty’s Guide To Searching For A Real Estate Agency iconwht

The MV Realty’s Guide To Searching For A Real Estate Agency 

Estimated Reading Time: 4 Minutes If you don’t know where to start when searching for a real estate agency, this MV Realty’s Guide is your solution. Purchasing a property is one of the wisest investments you can make. The purchase allows you to enhance your equity, take advantage of tax breaks, gain more personal freedom,…

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6 Mistakes when Using a Corporation for Property Ownershipiconwht

6 Mistakes when Using a Corporation for Property Ownership

Estimated Reading Time: 4 Minutes For years, lawyers have recommended using a corporation for property ownership in Costa Rica for resident and non-resident foreigners. For many years, lawyers recommended a corporate structure to own a property because of personal liability, estate planning, tax planning, and a few other reasons. Also, real estate developers used to…

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Tico construction is very different from US built homesiconwht

Tico construction is very different from US built homes

Estimated Reading Time: 4 Minutes Did you know that Tico construction is very different from US-built homes? I’ve seen opinions from expats who think they know but don’t. We DO have construction codes here in Costa Rica, BUT they’re only a bit different. If you don’t believe that, check out the INVU construction regulations. And…

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https://ftnnews.com/tours/41984-10-peaceful-destinations-for-a-gap-yeariconwht

What to Do During a Gap Year in Costa Rica

Estimated Reading Time: 5 Minutes A gap year is a great opportunity for students to mature, explore the world, and learn new skills. Whether you decide to take it after high school, between graduate and postgraduate education, or after graduation – there are plenty of opportunities. A gap year can be especially helpful for those…

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8 Fun things to do when locked-up in a apartment during a pandemiciconwht

8 Fun things to do when locked-up in a condo during a pandemic

Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes Even during the pandemic, some of you have fun things to do, especially those who don’t believe you have one. But today, whether we’re in a pandemic or not is not in discussion right now. This pandemic changed the lives of most of us around the globe, being obliged or…

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The Primary Coffee Regions of Costa Ricaiconwht

The Primary Coffee Growing Regions of Costa Rica

Estimated Reading Time: 4 Minutes There are three primary coffee growing regions in the world – Central and South America, Africa and The Middle East, and Southeast Asia. These are along the equatorial zone, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, and widely known as the “Bean Belt.” In Costa Rica, eight…

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