Author: Ivo Henfling

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Wow gardens and retirement in Grecia

Estimated Reading Time: 7 Minutes   The year-round spring-like weather and the volcanoes are the best ingredients for an entertaining retirement. Are you wondering what you are going to do with all that free time when you retire? Gardening is a great option, isn’t it? Therefore, wow gardens and retirement in Grecia are a perfect…

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16 Magnificent terrace views of Atenas homes

As you have probably noticed before, I like to use visual materials to show our clients and readers what Costa Rica is all about. Visual materials show the magnificent terrace views of Atenas homes better than any beautiful write-up, even though our Atenas agent does a real good job on that too. That’s the advantage of…

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Ned Nossaman and another Costa Rica poem

Estimated Reading Time: 3 Minutes Did you read Ned Nossaman’s Costa Rica poem last year? The title of this Costa Rica poem was Costa Rica ~ Pura Vida! in which Ned shared his feelings for Costa Rica with us. Is moving to Costa Rica a consideration for you? Ned wrote another Costa Rica poem, with…

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Can you pitch a lowball offer when you need owner financing?

Estimated Reading Time: 5 Minutes Cash is king, but you already knew that I’m sure. If you are looking for an incredibly good deal, you better bring cash if you want the seller of a property in Costa Rica to even think about accepting a lowball offer. Of course, if you are looking for owner financing…

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Can I use my cell phone in Costa Rica while traveling?

Wondering if you can use your cell phone in Costa Rica while traveling? You need to be able to stay in touch with your family back home while having a good time, right? You live in Costa Rica and you have family and friends coming to visit all the time? Of course, they want to…

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Why do Ticos talk about the mother of Tarzan?

Estimated Reading Time: 4 Minutes   You don’t want to be called The Mother of Tarzan in Costa Rica, you know why? In the past, I have been telling you about certain slang words used in Costa Rica, to give you the opportunity to go a little bit native when you move here. Learn the…

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How to select a Costa Rica real estate closing attorney

Estimated Reading Time: 5 Minutes How to select a Costa Rica real estate closing attorney Isn’t the internet a marvel? You are looking for a Costa Rica real estate closing attorney and you just go to Google and type “Costa Rica real estate closing attorney”. This is what you get:  8.5 million results. That’s worse…

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Should a couch potato look for a home in Costa Rica?

Do you want to become a couch potato? Probably you’re not, because you wouldn’t be reading this article. But maybe your spouse wants to be a couch potato? We have the solution for it: move to Costa Rica! Once you take that decision we can assist to look for a home in Costa Rica. You have…

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Use a self-directed IRA to buy a vacation rental long before retirement

You might not be able to retire for another few years. For sure you have the picture of your dream retirement home tucked away in a corner of your mind. Maybe it looks pretty much like the home in this photo? Did you know you use a self-directed IRA to buy a vacation rental? Retirement…

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Why rent a furnished home in Costa Rica?

Estimated Reading Time: 7 Minutes   Should you rent first? And if you rent, should you rent a furnished home in Costa Rica? Or would it be better unfurnished? Moving to Costa Rica can be a huge pain in the butt. Just taking the decision of moving or not is huge for most. Let me…

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What is Que Chapa in Costa Rica?

Estimated Reading Time: 4 Minutes The use of slang in Tico Spanish is just as common as it is in any other language. Que chapa is one of those often used words in Tico slang. It would be helpful for you to understand why someone might call you a chapa. Or maybe when someone is…

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The amazing views Grecia properties have

Did you know you can get amazing views in Grecia? There are many reasons expats want to live in Grecia. The amazing views from Grecia properties is one of those reasons. They’re amazing, those vistas, in case you didn’t know. Vistas mean views in English. In the rural areas of Costa Rica, you’ll hear the word…

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Please crack my neck – the best chiropractor in Costa Rica

Estimated Reading Time: 6 Minutes How did I end up having my neck adjusted by the best chiropractor in Costa Rica? It took me years to find Dr. James D. McLellan in Santa Ana. Now I visit Dr. Jim (506) 2282-3998 / 8702 -0172 just for maintenance, once in a while. When I don’t forget. As…

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How to purchase property in Costa Rica on remote control

Estimated Reading Time: 5 Minutes Maybe one day it will be necessary for you to purchase property in Costa Rica on remote control.  One good reason is that the wire from your bank, to pay for the property, needs to be in person. Most banks will not allow you to just put in a phone…

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The best solution to a cracked windshield in Costa Rica

Estimated Reading Time: 6 Minutes I had a cracked windshield and what started as a good story, ended in a disaster. Having a cracked windshield in Costa Rica is quite common. Lots of roads in and outside the Central Valley are unpaved. Especially if you are adventurous, you can find yourself driving on some pretty…

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What is manda huevo in Costa Rica?

Estimated Reading Time: 5 Minutes The translation of huevo in English is egg, but manda huevo is something totally different. When you move to Costa Rica, you will want to communicate with your local neighbors.  In their own language of course, not in yours. They speak Spanish. Spanish is a really easy language to learn…

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