There are many surprising ways a seller can lose the sale of a property in Costa Rica. In Costa Rica, we do not have lockboxes. So, we need to organize a day of showing ahead of time and adjust our agenda (and our buyer’s agenda) to the availability of the sellers. In Costa Rica real…
After the remodeling contract was signed between us and the contractor and House Hunters International Renovations in the rear-view mirror, it was time to get started. We had many plans and remodeling projects that we were intent that would eventually yield to us our dream home. I made that 30-plus minute commute from our rental…
We have to pick the best contractor estimate. Selecting the contractor with the best quotation is never an easy task. But for us, it was a very simple process of selection by default. I was always dubious regarding Builder #1’s enthusiasm to quote for a second time despite his agreement to do so. So, I…
Yes, we have mosquitoes in Costa Rica, lots of them! And also plenty of rodents, like cockroaches, ants and even fleas! Brooke Bishop, our Grecia expert real estate agent, went the extra mile as usual. She took care of the pest control or fumigation as we call it in Costa Rica, for an absentee buyer.…
Before closing, we had invited 3 contractors for the new home renovation. Two things happened at about the same time. Actually, it’s more accurate to say, our escrow closing HAPPENED. But having an acceptable contractor ready for the repairs and home improvements HADN’T HAPPENED…yet Brooke Bishop, one of the GoDutch “Realtors Extraordinaire” had made contact…
Estimated Reading Time: 4 Minutes I get questions by email about the annual Costa Rica corporation tax that was approved in January 2012. In a past article, I explained what this annual Costa Rica corporation tax is all about and why it was created. This is important information for most of my readers since many of…
It’s time to tell you about the home improvement quote. We passed the point of no return on our purchase of House #3. The decision could be responsibly taken after a favorable home inspection report. We decided to get serious about getting a formal home improvement quote from the architect and contractor who had visited…
Estimated Reading Time: 7 Minutes I’d like to show you 8 Grocery shopping secrets. That’s because shopping in another country like Costa Rica is a science. In today’s blog, I’d like to give you a hand with your grocery shopping in Costa Rica, you know how to get started and what to look for. Costa…
Estimated Reading Time: 6 Minutes Does my Costa Rican wife beat me? Mine doesn’t, but I know a couple of guys in Costa Rica who get beat up by their Costa Rican wives. And the women get away with it. Marrying is so easy, especially when you’re in love with a beautiful woman. But divorcing…
Estimated Reading Time: 5 Minutes Let me tell you about my first living experiences in Costa Rica, right after I purchased my coffee farm in 1993. The day after closing, I went down to set “things” up. I inherited a peon that I let stay on the job till I decided what I was going…