Author: Ivo Henfling

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5 Best Places for Buying a House in Chicago

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes Are you moving back to Chicago and buying a house there? Even though it’s pretty cold in Chicago, some expats have reasons for moving back. I’ve had quite a few clients moving from Chicago to Costa Rica over the years. Kathy D. Peterson even wrote about her experiences.  Kathy has…

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Tree Upkeep In Your Costa Rican Garden

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes If you have a garden, no matter where in Costa Rica you have your home, tree upkeep is indispensable. There are over 2,300 different species of trees in Costa Rica, including the national tree, the Guanacaste. This tree is also known as the monkey-ear tree. With the average temperature between…

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4 Things to Know Before Buying a New House

Estimated Reading Time: 5 Minutes Are you buying a new house? From a real estate developer? Buying or selling a new house in Costa Rica is no easy task for a common man. It’s an everyday routine for a real estate agent, but it takes the savings of a lifetime for a buyer. One little…

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5 Best Seafood to Try in Costa Rica

Do you enjoy seafood as much as I do? Before I moved to Costa Rica, I was strictly a meat person. I would kill for a medium-rare steak! When I married Nina, who is a seafood person, I was introduced to the world of seafood. And I really never went back. When straddling both the…

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7 Ways to deal with bad neighbors in Costa Rica

Estimated Reading Time: 7 Minutes In this blog, I’m not going to solve the problems you have with bad neighbors. I’ve heard complaints from readers, who often forget that back home there are bad neighbors too. Everywhere! Hence the decision of writing this blog, so you can pick any of the 7 ways to deal…

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A Condo in Costa Rica well explained

Estimated Reading Time: 7 Minutes What is the definition of a condo in Costa Rica? To many, it’s not very clear. However, we have a wide selection of condominiums for sale. Therefore, I invite you to learn more about them. In other countries, a condominium is often something different than it is in Costa Rica.…

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What is a Soda in Costa Rica?

Estimated Reading Time: 4 Minutes The definition of a soda in Costa Rica is different from soda in North America. The word soda has different meanings here, but they are easy to tell apart. Quite often, expats move to Costa Rica without taking the time or making the effort to learn the language of the…

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2 Powerful Reasons Your Business Should Use Solar Energy

Estimated Reading Time: 4 Minutes If you have a business anywhere in Costa Rica, you could be using solar energy. As a business owner, your success relies on giving your customers what they want. Their needs are what puts you in business and make you thrive as a company. Did you know that over 80%…

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Property Management: 7 Ways To Do It Right

Estimated Reading Time: 5 Minutes Property management can be an exciting and rewarding career. Whether you have your own property management business or you simply manage properties for a particular company, it comes with a lot of responsibilities and demands. In order to succeed, it is important to know what is expected of you and…

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Why do most homes in Costa Rica do not have an open floor plan?

Have you ever wondered why large single-family homes in Costa Rica do not have an open floor plan? They always have the kitchen enclosed, unless they’re built for expats. You’ll find larger homes with an open kitchen only in Atenas and the beach areas. There are several reasons for this. I think it’s all a…

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Is Vinyl Plank Flooring Right For Your Costa Rican Home?

Have you thought about using vinyl plank flooring in your home? Costa Rica is characterized by the beautiful balance between indoor and outdoor living. Spacious verandas, large glass sliding doors, and nature-inspired flooring are just a few features that blur the line between life within homes and their outdoor spaces. For many homeowners in Costa…

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What is dar en el clavo in Costa Rica

To nail it – dar en el clavo – is usually a miracle in Costa Rica, especially when dealing with a governmental institution. Things always turn out differently than you expected. Oh, and don’t expect them to be logical. Their logic is quite different from yours. When you finally think you figured it out, next…

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What is a Media Naranja or half an Orange in Costa Rica?

Estimated Reading Time: 4 Minutes   In Costa Rica, the ideal person to spend the rest of your life with is “la media naranja” or half an orange. According to Plato’s story the banquet in the Symposium, Aristophanes narrates that in the beginning, the human race was almost perfect, and they were spherical like oranges.…

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What Can a Horse Lover and a Casino Fan Expect in Costa Rica?

Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes Are you a horse lover or do you love to bet on horse racing? Then Costa Rica has plenty of great options for you. Not every horse lover can afford to live on a horse farm. For those who do, check out our horse property listings now. Costa Rica has…

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International Money Transfer Companies option for real estate purchase

A money transfer is key to any international real estate transaction. It’s no secret that traditional banks are dinosaurs in the modern economy. Although banks still have an important function in our society, tons of fintech start-ups have begun providing financial services. Although they provide these services in a more modern and efficient way. When…

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Where To Get a 24-hour Covid 19 Test In Costa Rica

Estimated Reading Time: 5 Minutes We receive questions about a 24-hour Covid 19 Test from clients every day. Visitors from the U.S. are not confident about flying to Costa Rica so because they don’t know where to get the test before flying back into the United States. At GoDutch Realty, we do all we can…

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