Have you noticed that Ticos have flaws, just like we all do? But let me show you that they have different flaws than you and I have. Sometimes these flaws are funny. And sometimes they’re quite the opposite. And that’s when you need to keep your cool! Costa Ricans, we call them Ticos, have a…
Estimated Reading Time: 5 Minutes Disappointed about living in Costa Rica? All that glitters is not gold! Some who have moved here found out that is also true for Costa Rica. At least for a few. I personally think it’s terrible to have to live in a place that you hate, no matter where it…
Stopping at a traffic light in Costa Rica can bring a lot of surprises, driving is different. A traffic light in Costa Rica creates a surprising business center. A traffic light is a great place to try to sell you something or beg for money. Because there is nowhere to go but wait for the…
Estimated Reading Time: 5 Minutes There are always reasons you should NOT purchase a Costa Rica property. Cultural differences can be obstructive, especially if you are not aware of them and your neighbors could be one of them. Some of those issues, your real estate agent might or might not be aware of. Your agent doesn’t live there…
Estimated Reading Time: 5 Minutes Those who own a vehicle in Costa Rica should know about the Vehicle Inspection or RTV, also known as RITEVE or DEKRA. All new or used vehicles must pass RTV every year before they’re allowed to circulate on the country’s public roads. At Godutch Realty, we sell homes and land…
Today’s turn is for the no passing zone and the lack of it. Como, qué dice? A no passing zone? What’s that? I have written quite a few blogs about driving in Costa Rica and strange and funny things you might find on the roads of Costa Rica and show you that driving in Costa…
Estimated Reading Time: 5 Minutes Do you lock your house in Costa Rica well enough when you go away? It is summertime again in Costa Rica and that means trips to the beaches and national parks for all of us. For sure, you will have family and friends from back home visiting. They will want…
Beware of the brush fire during the dry season! If you own property in Costa Rica, you should pay attention to the windy months of December, January, and part of February. Brush fires are easily started and might be a danger to your property as well as to you and your family. If you are…
Not allowed to flush the paper down the toilet? How is that? Once in a while, people who visit me in my office, ask if they can use the restroom. Some, who have been staying in an older hotel or Bed & Breakfast or live in a rural location, open the door of my restroom,…
Who would have guessed that we have Black Friday in Costa Rica now too? Black Friday in Spanish is Viernes Negro, but almost nobody uses that. Last Friday, I saw no Black Friday signs on any Costa Rica real estate offices. I have asked a couple of sellers but they didn’t think I was serious.…
Estimated Reading Time: 6 Minutes Moving to Costa Rica? Be smart and first take Christopher Howard’s famous Live in Costa Rica tours. Too many property buyers end up running all over the country without having a clue where to purchase or rent a vacation home or retirement home in Costa Rica. You have heard friends…
Sidewalks in Costa Rica? What’s that, a sidewalk? Who needs sidewalks anyway? Costa Ricans don’t use sidewalks, even if they have one. Costa Ricans walk on the road, mostly for lack of sidewalks or there are too many obstacles. A few weeks ago, I wrote about obstacles on the roads of Costa Rica. This blog…
Do you like bife de chorizo? I had never heard of this Argentinian restaurant in San Jose, though I had driven past it many times. I don’t go to San Jose that often anymore, but it looks like the city is becoming a good place for great restaurants again. Once in a while, when I…
Be careful when driving in Costa Rica, there are lots of road obstacles. Driving in Costa Rica can be overwhelming when you first arrive. I compare it to driving in Paris, Rome or Madrid, any Latin American city in Europe. It’s mainly the lack of discipline that turns roads into a madhouse, especial at peak…
Most people know a chorizo as a sausage made of minced meat and spices, usually dark red or brown and of elongated cylindrical shape. In Costa Rica, we have two types of chorizo, a legal one and an illegal one. Most butchers in Costa Rica make their own chorizo or sausage, some good and some…
Estimated Reading Time: 4 Minutes You are living in Costa Rica and need a new mailing address, which seems like a simple task. It can be a very simple task, depending on how easy you want to make it yourself. When ordering online, you’ll find that the space for the address is very small. Some…