Estimated reading time: 6 minutes Of course, everyone says they have done their due diligence before they buy a property. Unfortunately, many think they do. They end up buying in the wrong place and say it’s everyone’s fault, except their own. This happens more often than you think. That’s one of the reasons I always…
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes Ethical Traveler keeps supporting countries working to maintain strong environmental, human rights, and eco-tourism values. This nonprofit organization, Ethical Traveler, started placing Costa Rica in its Top 10 in 2011 of the best ethical destinations worldwide. Costa Rica did it again in 2012, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. Ethical…
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…
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…
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…
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.…
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…
Estimated Reading Time: 10 Minutes The best part about writing blogs for those who want to live in Costa Rica is that thousands of people read them. These blogs are the reason we receive so many visitors to our website. And, they assist our agents in answering all these questions you ask. Just like last…
Wooden furniture from Sarchi is quite commonly found in expat homes in Costa Rica. Nowadays, you’ll find many artificial materials in the market like plywood, partex board, etc. Those materials have gained a place in the furniture industry, but none could replace the appeal of wooden furniture. Especially being a homeowner, you’ll want most of…
Estimated Reading Time: 5 Minutes As a country of sports lovers, it is no surprise to see that Costa Rica has its fair share of Sporting Icons. There might not have been many ‘Ticos’ in NFL, NBA, or MMA Odds by BetAmerica. However, in soccer, there are plenty of names, as it’s the sport that…
Estimated Reading Time: 4 Minutes Doing nothing is pretty easy in Costa Rica. I know a lot of people who spend their entire day doing nothing or idling. When I want to do nothing, which almost never happens, I just sit on my terrace and enjoy the weather. A friend gave me the idea of…
When moving to Costa Rica you’d want to settle down in one of the most amazing places, right? A nice aspect regarding Costa Rica is that it is a fairly small country. This implies that you can get to pretty much anywhere in a few hours. Costa Rica is split up into five regions: Central…
I feel I’m a lucky guy every day when I wake up. It’s another day in Paradise. Of course, sometimes I do feel unlucky. But that only happens when my wife’s car was hit by a taxi. Or when my internet connection doesn’t work for 3 days. There are also days that I’m just lucky.…
Same-sex couples health coverage through CAJA is now possible. Although Costa Rica is way behind on some human rights issues like the “in vitro” case, the CAJA has been able to make a huge change in its rules and regulations. On November 19, 2014, the CAJA or C.C.S.S. (Social Security system in Costa Rica) approved…
Estimated Reading Time: 4 Minutes Rainy seasons can get rough in Costa Rica, so I’d like to give you 3 simple landscape tips to follow. Because this year’s season starts, it is vital to prepare for the many changes that could occur in your landscape. Yes, your plants and lawns love water. But too much…
Estimated Reading Time: 7 Minutes There are many ferias in the Central Valley, but are they all farmers markets? When people talk about going to the market, we assume this is the farmers market. Well, there are many different types of markets. The farmers market is probably the most visited because it’s every week. Any…