Author: Ivo Henfling

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Are bathrooms in Costa Rica different?

Estimated Reading Time: 5 Minutes Are bathrooms in Costa Rica different than they are in your home? Maybe you expect to find a different bathroom in Costa Rica than you are used to? It’s important to learn all you can about bathrooms before moving to another country, isn’t it? Some might think that in Costa…

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Best Indian food in Costa Rica Taste of India506

Looking for the best Indian food in Costa Rica? Then read on. Taste of India506 is an incredibly good choice if you enjoy the taste of Indian food in Costa Rica. Located in Escazu Village, just southeast of the Escazu toll on highway 27. Their phone number is, for any reservations 2208 8879, and you…

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Pull a cake – Jalarse una torta

Have you ever tried to pull yourself a cake or jalarse torta? That doesn’t make a lot of sense in English, but it does in Spanish. You really wouldn’t want to pull yourself a cake, believe me. That’s why learning a new language can be so difficult for many. You cannot just translate word for word…

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Can someone steal your property in Costa Rica?

Can they steal your property in Costa Rica? Yes, they can! Sadly enough, it happens. Charles emailed me this question a week ago: Can someone steal your property in Costa Rica? A great question, which needs an even better answer! It’s sad this happens, and it’s bad for our business. We assist buyers and sellers…

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10 Important Tenant Requirements and Frequently Asked Questions

Estimated Reading Time: 7 Minutes I always try to keep track of important tenant requirements, so we can include them in the listings. For years, we didn’t pay attention to the fact that people who moved to Costa Rica wanted to bring their pets. Now we included “pets allowed” in our listings. We learn as…

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New condo towers in Costa Rica offer a change of lifestyle

Estimated Reading Time: 5 Minutes Life in the suburbs is changing, tremendously, with new condo towers everywhere. I remember like yesterday, that we had cows and horses in the street a while ago. Jeez, time flies. And the world has changed so much. And Costa Rica is now a whole different world than the one…

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What does Tuanis mean and how to greet in Costa Rica

When you live in Costa Rica, you’ll hear the word tuanis quite a bit. You’ll hear tuanis used by the younger population, it’s a “cool” word to use. It’s a word that you wouldn’t use in a business meeting or with your doctor unless you grew up together or are drinking buddies. Tuanis is a…

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How to check Costa Rica property title yourself

GoDutch Realty’s real estate agents all check property title before listing a Costa Rica property for sale. But, we still like to share our knowledge with buyers and sellers, so you understand better what we do for you. Many of you do not speak or read Spanish and it is not too easy to know where…

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How much are sales commission and other fees to list a property?

A property seller asked what the sales commission and fees are to list and sell a property. The seller’s second question was: what happens if an outside source provides a buyer. So I’m taking advantage of these questions and put it all in one blog. All GoDutch Realty agents charge 5% sales commission at closing.…

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Can household mold in Costa Rica affect your health?

If you live in Seattle, WA and you have a mold problem, you can just call a specialist to eradicate this household mold problem. If you live in Costa Rica, and you have a household mold problem, you’re in trouble. The reason is that there are no household mold specialists in Costa Rica. Does that…

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How important is a clean house on closing day?

Estimated Reading Time: 5 Minutes   Wondering how important a clean house on closing day is? Often, everyone involved in a real estate closing overlooks this because everyone is too busy. Many sellers move out on the closing day, so they don’t have to stay in a hotel the night before the closing. So everything…

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Why is the rooster so important in Costa Rica?

Did you know that a rooster is a very important animal in Costa Rica? Wherever you turn, you’ll hear people talk about the rooster. I’m sure you all know about Gallo Pinto (no, not Pinto Gallo Kathy!) and más Tico que el Gallo Pinto if you follow my weekly blogs.  If you’re a good Catholic, you’ll…

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How important is a real estate for sale sign on a property?

Should you place a real estate for sale sign on your property when selling, or not? When selling your property, you want people to know it’s for sale, right! In most countries, you’d list your property with only one agent. Then, that agent will place a real estate for sale sign in your yard or on the…

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7 Disasters absent property owner can suffer for not having a property manager

Having property in another country and being an absent property owner is not so easy. Worse, it can easily turn into a disaster. Just yesterday, someone called me to tell me his story about having to pay an attorney a “ridiculous amount of money” to recover lost property. Of course, this absent property owner didn’t…

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Plaza Tempo Escazu gourmet plaza – a huge variety of international cuisine

Today, I’d like to tell you all about Plaza Tempo Escazu Gourmet Plaza. It has been a while since I’ve recommended any restaurants. The last time, I recommended a restaurant, I recommended you to Go Fish, which I still like a lot. Escazu has always been an amazing place for wining and dining. There are…

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12 Reasons to buy a second home in Costa Rica

Estimated Reading Time: 7 Minutes How far are you willing to go to buy a second home? Some people drive for days to get to their second home and don’t realize that it is quicker to fly to Costa Rica. How would it be to own a vacation house or a condo in Costa Rica?…

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