Ivo’s Blog by Godutch Realty

a Costa Rica real estate blog

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10 Most Read Live in Costa Rica blogs 2020

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…

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7 Ways To Make Wooden Furniture Last Longer in the Tropics

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…

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Get rid of collectibles and war trophies before showing appointments

Estimated Reading Time: 5 Minutes Do you have collectibles or war trophies all over your house? Having a tough time selling your house? Is there a slight chance you are shocking the buyers with your collectibles or war trophies? You’ll be surprised how often that happens. A while ago, I received a surprising call from…

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Who Are Costa Rica´s Greatest Sporting Icons?

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…

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The Art of Doing Nothing in Costa Rica

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…

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10 Important Lease Agreement Data Tenants Need to Pay Attention To

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…

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Please do not leave a message – Voicemail in Costa Rica

I hate voicemail. Please don’t leave a message, call me back later. You can also send me an email, a message on Whatsapp, or even on Messenger. But don’t leave a voicemail, please! Oh, and I’m not complaining, I’m just saying. Communications are supposed to get easier, but are they? I’m not even a real…

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Buying Atenas Property During Covid19 with GoDutch Realty

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…

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Travel to Costa Rica from Virginia during Covid19 in September 2020

My husband James and I recently had to travel to Costa Rica from Virginia as tourists. And I thought I would share my experiences and tips that might help others. This is a reminder that these processes are evolving and should only get easier as time goes by. At this time to enter Costa Rica…

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Clever Ways To Decorate Your Home With An Aquarium

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…

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10 steps on how to buy a building lot in Costa Rica

Estimated Reading Time: 9 Minutes Not necessarily you need to have an eccentric taste to prefer to buy a building lot for your future custom house in Costa Rica. Even the budget for that future house should not matter. There are other more important things to take into account. There are various reasons for wanting…

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Leasing VS Buying Commercial Property – Pros and Cons

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…

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5 Amazing Places to Settle Down in Costa Rica

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…

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3 Considerations When Buying Renovation Property in Costa Rica

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…

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7 Ways to Get American Products to Your Door in Costa Rica

Some expats do miss access to American products once they’ve moved to Costa Rica. Expats who live in the beach areas often find a drive into the valley not worth the hassle. Shopping around for days to NOT find the American products you’re looking for doesn’t make sense. Others ask around on Facebook groups, such…

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5 Important Things You Should Do After Buying a House

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…

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