Estimated Reading Time: 7 Minutes Do you think it’s possible that your dream of moving to Costa Rica can turn into a nightmare? So you see yourself sitting on the covered terrace of your incredible new residence, sharing delicious piña coladas and boquitas (snacks) with your friends while enjoying nature or an incredible ocean view?…
Estimated Reading Time: 7 Minutes What’s a perfect expat life, you might ask? It is, in my opinion, someone who is happy for having moved to Costa Rica, one who doesn’t find all the faults they can in their new home country and complains all the time. I have identified seven common barriers to having…
Estimated Reading Time: 5 Minutes When moving to Costa Rica, making friends is more important than you might think. Friends give you the emotional support that will make the transition to adjust to your new home country much easier. Of course, making new friends – amigos – among the local population is one of your…
Estimated Reading Time: 6 Minutes I’m sure you know that hiring a professional will allow you to enjoy many benefits, right? Would you hire an unqualified person as your real estate agent in your home country? Probably not, so why do it in Costa Rica? In Costa Rica, because licensing is not mandatory, ‘everyone’ sells…
Estimated Reading Time: 5 Minutes A tenant-landlord relationship can be exceedingly difficult, even if the landlord-tenant law is clear to both parties. Disputes are quite common and unfortunately, in Costa Rica, it is costly for either party to take the other to court. I always keep interesting articles on my computer, this one was written…
Estimated Reading Time: 6 Minutes A question I often hear from expats is, “How far from Walmart is this property?” This question is frequently misinterpreted by the realtor. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the person is a passionate Walmart fan. But the store might be a point of reference for them – a familiar place…
Estimated Reading Time: 6 Minutes Didn’t we all move to Costa Rica to be happier and not to become a “Nasty Expat”? We all had our own reasons to move here; some of us wanted to retire, others were looking for a change in their boring life. And most of us just wanted a better…
Estimated Reading Time: 4 Minutes You want to retire in Costa Rica and afraid you won’t have any recreation? Don’t be, there is plenty to do here. Of course, it might take a while to figure out what hobbies you want to have, and if you’re moving to the right area for them. Snow skiing,…
Estimated Reading Time: 8 Minutes Is Costa Rica your retirement goal? Are you fed up with the cold weather and the rat race, and can’t wait to get to warm Costa Rica, that tropical retirement paradise you’ve been dreaming about for many years. Or maybe you just moved here and you want to enjoy your…
Estimated Reading Time: 10 Minutes Is it possible to retire on social security in Costa Rica and live comfortably? Retirees on U.S. Social Security, or Canadians on the Canada Pension Plan, seem to be attracted to moving to our beautiful country (I, too, hate cold winters!) I often receive emails from future retirees asking if…
If you are over 50 years old and move to Costa Rica, there are a few things that you should consider for your retirement dream home before you buy or rent. Some people are still quite fit when they’re 90 years old. Others, as soon as they retire, start having all kinds of medical problems.…
When moving to Costa Rica, you may not know if you will rent or buy. Is purchasing a house in Costa Rica what you really want? A few will get suckered in by a realtor into buying right away, even when they had planned to rent in the first place. Before you make the commitment…
Estimated Reading Time: 4 Minutes Would you like to learn how to identify a motivated property seller? When buying a property, it’s like planning a vacation: you want the best quality at best possible price. Of course, you don’t want to overpay, you want to find a great deal. The best way to get a…