Could someone offer advice please?

[Booker]

Hello;

This is my first time posting here. I have visited beautiful Costa Rica twice now. Both times I stayed in a resort. After my visits I wished I could win the lottery so I could purchase a home of my own in Costa Rica. So far no luck. If you are reading this and you own a home there you are “Oh so fortunate”. I am wondering if someone who has rented a home in Costa Rica for a month or two could guide me to a beautiful and safe location to start my hunt for an affordable rental for my family. I have 3 children (teens) so safety is high on my list. Should I be looking for a gated rental community? Is there such a thing? I would be looking for 4 bedrooms not to far from the beach. Can you still find affordable home rentals in Costa Rica even with the big building boom? I would greatly appreciate any advice you could give. I live in Canada and it is snowing and very cold outside my window. As I gaze at the computer it is to hard to look at pictures of rentals and take a leap of faith that all will be well. I have one chance to make memories with my children and perhaps my Mom and Dad so if some kind soul could steer me in the right direction I would be very grateful.
Thanking you, Tracy.

[cindyc]

What do you consider affordable? Would a tico style house be OK for you or something more along North American style housing? Rental prices vary wildly so if you could give us an idea what you are looking for and a price range, someone might be able to help you.

[rebaragon]

Hi Tracy, I would most definitely suggest a gated/organized community for safety since you’re just starting to get to know the place and if you’re looking for a rental home near the beach then, will your children need schooling or will this be during their vacation period? If you need schooling than you will have to consider an appropriate school which may limit your areas a bit (although there are many beautiful areas in Guanacaste that have access to a few good private high schools, some of the other beach areas in CR don’t have as many good academic options for teenage kids, but if you will be in CR during their vacation time, then you have a lot more options….Let us know so that someone can better help you. Best of luck, Rebeca

[dkt2u]

As was previously said or asked, what do you consider affordable? Another obstacle you have is you will have a very hard time finding a 4 bedroom house in a gated community that is affordable. You are not going to find a home of that size in your typical gated community and would have a hard time even finding a home with 4 bedrooms if you expanded your options to a home outside a gated community. You will increase your chances exponentially considering a 3 bedroom.

[Booker]

Hi;

Thank you so much for responding. My family and I would be happy to rent any style of house as long as it was clean. A 3 bedroom house would be fine as long as there was a pull out couch or a cot or two. We are a family easily pleased. We love nature and making our own fun. As long as it was in a safe part or (safer) part of Costa Rica we would be happy to take a bus to water whether it be a beach or lake. We love to swim and fish or just explore. We love meeting new people so we love to mooch at farmers markets etc. We could rent a car once a week for a road trip. As for what I can afford I think $1500 for a month (All inclusive, meaning hydro etc.) is as high as I can go. I do not have to worry about schools for my children. Do you think I am being unrealistic with what I can afford? Once again Thank you for any help you may give, it is greatly appreciated.

Thanking you, Tracy.

[dkt2u]

You are not being unrealistic at all. Given what you have said about you and the family being flexible really opens up your options. One of the reasons people that come down here and don’t make it is their lack of flexibility and understanding that they really are in a different culture, pace of life, etc. Those that can get beyond those things find out what Pura Vida really means.

[Author]

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