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…
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…
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…
Estimated Reading Time: 7 Minutes Buying a home in Cariari is not such a bad idea at all, and you will agree with me once you’re done reading this. Cariari, also called Ciudad Cariari, is not very well known. It’s a master-planned community, for those residents who are looking for value. If you and your…
Estimated Reading Time: 10 Minutes When you come from a different country and you want to use hand gestures in Costa Rica, you have to be a bit careful. Even if you’re not planning to learn Spanish, although you should, you might want to learn a bit about hand gestures. You might be saying something…
When moving to Costa Rica or just visiting you will need to change money for your day to day expenses. Often, clients ask if it is difficult to change money and if it is really necessary. The legal currency in Costa Rica is the Colon. Nonetheless, U.S. dollars are used for more expensive items like…
Estimated Reading Time: 7 Minutes Now that you found this article, I’m sure you’re looking for a new lifestyle in Costa Rica. You’ve done the same thing all your life and you’re now totally fed up with it. It’s time you start thinking of yourself now and not everyone around you. Costa Rica is so…
Have you ever had the need to block the neighbor from your life? Well, I certainly did. And I’m pretty sure you do too. When you buy or rent a home, the neighbor comes with it. And … maybe you’re ready now to block the neighbor from your life. If you own or renting doesn’t…
Is there a chance that vacation rental accommodations will have to start paying taxes soon? Many vacation rental owners are probably wondering what’s happening with that topic. Paying or not paying taxes makes a huge difference to your ROI if you have a vacation rental investment. It’s a fact that if you have income from…
Estimated Reading Time: 6 Minutes Even though we all wake up early, almost everyone comes late for an appointment in Costa Rica. Is it hard to adjust to that? Yes, it is, unless you make the rules. Doctors, dentists, lawyers, and salespeople, few have respect for someone else’s time. They are always late for an…
Estimated Reading Time: 7 Minutes Not very often buyers ask if they lose earnest money in escrow if they will not close on time. Most of the time, they have an agreement to back it up. You don’t want to lose part of your nest egg because you made the wrong decision. It’s horrible to…
Estimated Reading Time: 6 Minutes Potential buyers often ask how to finance vacation rental investment in Costa Rica. Owning a vacation home in paradise is a beautiful dream but not always financially possible. Does having a vacation rental make sense financially or not? You can expect an annual net return of 4 – 6% on…
This year, for the Holiday Season, I’ve decided to re-publish the 4 Most Popular Living in Costa Rica blogs 2017 as well as those that I wrote for the Tico Times. The Most Popular Living in Costa Rica blogs means those that were visited most and readers took at least 2.5 minutes to read them.…
When you move to Costa Rica, utilities are very important, if you purchase or even rent. Some just forget about it, others leave it for the last possible moment. How can you figure this all out? Imagine having to live without the internet for 3 days? Not ready to buy a house but planning to…
I’m pretty sure you don’t know what a chorreador de cafe in Costa Rica is. In simple English, it’s a Tico coffee maker. The correct verb for using a chorreador is chorrear café = to pour coffee. Ticos swear by a real cup of coffee. Why wouldn’t they, we have the best coffee in the…
Estimated Reading Time: 5 Minutes Did you know that we are the ultimate solution for terrace homes in Atenas? By we, I mean GoDutch Realty, your preferred real estate company in Atenas. Ever thought that a terrace home in Atenas would be your choice? Last March, I did a blog on terrace views but this…