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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
The rules for a lease agreement in Costa Rica are not as simple as you might think. I’ve seen 3-page and 10-page lease agreements. But if at one point during the lease there is a problem between the parties, there is no simple solution. Costa Rica courts are not known for being speedy. A lawyer…
Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes My husband and I were considering relocating to Costa Rica after one visit. So we signed up with Christopher Howard for a retirement tour of 10 days in January 2019. As part of the tour, we attended an extremely informative two-day seminar with ARCR. There, we were introduced to Ivo…
I know, you usually wouldn’t think of decorating your home in Costa Rica with an aquarium. That’s probably because Costa Rica’s natural beauty is a major draw for people moving here. And we have 763 miles of coastline, so we’re surrounded by an aquarium! When decorating your own property in Costa Rica, incorporating tropical fish…
Estimated Reading Time: 5 Minutes When starting a business in Costa Rica, you’ll need to make the decision of leasing or buying commercial property. The question is to buy or to lease? This may be a simple question. Nonetheless, it has posed a dilemma for many small business owners just starting a new venture or…
Estimated Reading Time: 4 Minutes Before you purchase a renovation property, there are a couple of considerations you should take into account. The minimum cost of constructing a Costa Rican house from scratch is about $750 per square meter, according to American-European. Depending on your budget, you might think it cheaper to just buy a secondhand…
After buying a house, but there are some things you need to do soon after you have bought your property. Buying a new home, whether this is your first or ‘umpteenth’ investment, is an exciting experience. You can look forward to starting your new life in a house that you have dreamed about for so…
Buyers usually ask how long a property is for sale and why it has not sold. And why it takes so long in Costa Rica, while in some other places property sells in a matter of days. I wrote this article originally for the real estate section of The Tico Times. On request, I am…
Buying a home is like a love affair, you don’t want to see any red flags. Some buyers don’t realize that a love affair can turn into a money pit easily. An experienced realtor usually knows when buyers fall in love with a house as soon as they walk in. In my opinion, it’s important…
Not paying attention to the tree maintenance on your property before the rainy season starts can do a lot of damage. Costa Rica is a diverse country of plants and is home to about 1900 different species of trees. Many of them know how to thrive in Costa Rica’s tropical climate and fertile soil. The…
Do I think there a science or psychology to pricing a property intelligently when you’re motivated to sell? Yes, I definitely do! In general, property in Costa Rica takes way too long in selling. Why is that? There are many reasons for a property not to sell for years. In this article, I will cover…
Of course, we love paying a referral fee. It’s an important ingredient in our real estate business. In my 30+ years of being a real estate broker, I’ve had people referring for a fee coming out of my ears sometimes. Everybody wants a share of the real estate commission in exchange for a name and…