January 2000… our first, and only, vacation to Costa Rica, the start of our love affair. Love when you are not looking for it, when you least expect it.

We had been travelling the world, looking for a place to relocate to, far from the rat race, with a nice, warm and sunny climate, in a different culture, but Costa Rica was not on that list. In an unexpected twist our travel plans for the winter of 2000 were changed and we ended up in Costa Rica.

Jackpot! Two weeks later we returned home to the Netherlands, put our house on the market, quit the jobs, started making arrangements for the intercontinental move and on August 23, 2000 we arrived back on Costa Rican soil, this time to stay.
 

After travelling the country for about three months to find our most ideal spot to live and work, we ended up in Playa Tamarindo, Guanacaste.

We bought a dilapidated building with four rooms on the first floor and an owners apartment on the second floor on a hilltop just outside of the town center of Tamarindo, fixed it up with our own bare hands, added kitchens to turn the rooms into little studio apartments and rented them out for both long term and vacation rentals.

Without any previous experience in the hospitality business (other than being on the receiving end) we managed to make it a success story with a 90% occupancy rate in the lowest of low season months September and October.

When a buyer knocked on our door to make us that offer we could not refuse, we did not refuse. The business and our home were sold and in 2004 we moved to Playas del Coco, which has more of the Costa Rican vibe than Tamarindo, more to our taste.

We bought property, sold property and bought another property in Coco, in which we still live, with the beach and the town center within walking distance. Our business shifted from the hospitality industry to property management and rentals. Sort of the same… but different still.

We also advise and assist newcomers (part time and fulltime) on life and living in Costa Rica through our small-scale consultancy company. We’re kind of old hands at living in Costa Rica, we know the ropes.
 

In the 11 years that we have been living in Playas del Coco we have seen the town change, grow and get more and more amenities. It has become an international melting pot, without losing the original Costa Rican flair of the fishing village it once was and in a way still is.

Our love story, which started in 2000 is still ongoing in 2016 and will continue to do so. We love living in Coco, love life in Costa Rica. So much so, that we have never ever returned to our home country, not even for a vacation. Costa Rica is home, our home.

Of course life in Costa Rica has its downsides (we’re not blind nor dumb), but waking up with sunshine, putting on flip flops for a walk to the beach in the morning with our dog, being greeted by the friendly smiles of our Costa Rican neighbors, experiencing their helpfulness and hospitality, living the relaxed lifestyle in a beautiful and varied country, more than make up for it.

Costa Rica is Costa Rica. And that is how it should stay.

Roland and Nadene Tipper are Canadian citizens who have lived in Costa Rica since 2008. As professional real estate sales agents in the Playas del Coco area, they offer the best service possible by providing accurate and up to date information so that their clients can make an educated decision when it comes to buying real estate in Costa Rica. 

Their focus is on customer service from start to finish and beyond and the fact that their clients become great friends says a lot. 

For more information about Costa Rica condos for sale in the Playas del Coco area, please contact our Recommended Realtors in Playas del Coco Roland and Nadene Tipper using the simple form below: 

Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.