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Why not lend money to a friend or employee in Costa Rica?

Estimated Reading Time: 6 Minutes If you’re a nice person, you’ll find yourself obliged to lend money to a friend or employee soon after you arrive in Costa Rica. You know, they are poor, and you are rich. That’s how some will see it. Probably, where you come from, you’re too proud to ask anyone…

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Are vacation rental restrictions common on condos in Costa Rica?

Estimated Reading Time: 7 Minutes Before buying a condo in Costa Rica, you first want to know if there are any vacation rental restrictions in the condominium. There are already some condo owners in Costa Rica who have had their problems with the condo administration about their short-term rental clients in their condo. Some do…

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Is small town living possible in Costa Rica?

Estimated Reading Time: 7 Minutes Many expats, before they move to Costa Rica, ask if small town living is possible in Costa Rica. I come from a big city in Holland myself, so I do not have much personal comparison. I can only refer to the experiences of my clients and give you some guidance.…

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Why are Costa Ricans called Ticos and Ticas?

Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes Costa Ricans are proud of calling themselves Ticos and Ticas. The female Costa Ricans are Ticas. The males are Ticos. The general population is Tico. Costa Ricans use the term Tico every day, just like the word Pura Vida. Why is that? Where does it come from? Ticos have the…

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When is a good time to list a property in Costa Rica for sale?

When keeping up with international real estate news, I always see great international articles about when to list a property. Some experts like Catherine Sherman at Zillow say that it is best to list a property early in the year. Others have very different opinions. Maggie Wilson at Real Estate Daily says it’s best to…

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Don’t keep your AOL email account when you move to Costa Rica

Estimated Reading Time: 5 Minutes If you decide to keep your AOL email account even after you move to Costa Rica, you will ask yourself soon why nobody gets in touch with you anymore. If you keep using your AOL email account, you will stop hearing from your beloved family members, your former neighbors and…

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Why is it smart to buy turnkey real estate in Costa Rica?

Estimated Reading Time: 5 Minutes Did you know that buying turnkey real estate can be an incredible deal? Sad enough, there are lots of sellers in Costa Rica who want to move back home. Each one will have their story to tell, but that’s for another day. Many sellers don’t want to take their furniture…

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5 Cities in Costa Rica with the best temperatures

Moving to paradise is not easy. It’s even more difficult to figure it all out if you are looking for best temperatures and less rain. But, what are the best temperatures for you? Eskimos probably think that the best temperatures are under zero. On the other hand, residents of Atenas, Costa Rica believe their town…

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4 Top locations with outstanding Central Valley views

Estimated Reading Time: 6 Minutes There are 4 amazing top locations where you can buy or build a home with outstanding Central Valley views. Mind you, there are plenty of other locations too, but you’ll be ready to hang yourself when you try to sell again. Living on a property with a great valley view…

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Wearing flip flops to work in Costa Rica

Estimated Reading Time: 5 Minutes Those who know me personally, know that wearing flip flops to work is normal for me. Every day. I also wear shorts. But, I do dress up a bit when I have clients who have never met me before. I live in a country where wearing flip flops to work…

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