Where to go? Retire in Costa Rica

[bogus1]

I’m bringing my wife to CR 1/23-2/5 to show her various areas of the country where we would like to retire 6/08. A few questions I have are:

1. Will stay in the Atenas/Grecia area for 3 days. Is it convenient to stay in Grecia while checking out the Atenas area? I will have a car.

2. I was planning on going to Puntarenas and then down the Pacific Coast, but not sure Puntarenas is a good place to take her. Is there a better place in that area where we could look at retirement? Your thoughts?

Any information you can provide will be sincerely appreciated.

Thanks,

[DavidCMurray]

Grecia and Atenas are near enough to each other that either would make an acceptable base from which to explore the other.

[bogus1]

Thanks for your quick response – just made reservations at the La Terraza Guest House in Grecia based on the many positive reviews. Hope it is a good choice.
Thanks again

[mediatica]

Bogus. I don’t personally care for Puntarenas. If you are going south, check out Esterillos Este and Manuel Antonio/Dominical area. The Guanacaste area is nice too.

[mustardgirl]

I am also bringing my wife. will be in area Feb 12-15 Exploring several areas to retire
looking at Atenas-Grecia -San Ramon area . staying at El Cafetal. Make an appointment with a realtor- If interested let me know. Atenas seems really nice. Also San Ramon Housing is still afordable.
Best of luck

[rf2cr]

Before you make any decisions you might want to check out the Lake Arenal area, more rural and has quite a large expat population and is absolutely beautiful.

Ruth

[bogus1]

Mediatica,
Thanks – the plan after we leave the Atenas/Grecia area was to go to Puntarenas, then on to Quepos, Dominical, Uvita, and then back to San Jose’. Will check out Esterillos Este also.
Thanks again

Edited on Dec 23, 2006 09:52

[bogus1]

Ruth,
I thought about that, but I don’t think there is enough time in our schedule to go that far. Do they have power boating on the lake there? Right now, I own a boat brokerage company and would be interested to know. Thanks

Edited on Dec 23, 2006 09:51

[bogus1]

Mustardgirl,
Yes, we have an appointment with a realtor that we got from this website. I was there last January on an exploritory mission and really liked the Atenas area because of the mountains, climate and proximity to San Jose’. Will probably buy there as our main home, but I really love the South Pacific area and may want to invest there also. Hope you have a great trip.

Edited on Dec 23, 2006 09:51

[itsbutch]

I live in Atenas, and I also checked out Grecia, San Ramon, etc. and decided on Atenas. I would suggest you’re renting a house for a year and use that year to search out the area of Atenas you’d like to live. Many like “Vista Atenas” – my personal choice is “Roca Verde” and there are other areas too. I choice a “Quinta” just outside of town. I like the older homes charm with established green areas etc. Good luck – Atenas is a Great Choice…

[jenny]

It is so difficult to make a decision on which area is best. There are so many properties up for sale. People that now have decided that Costa Rica is not for them. We have met some people that purchased property on the beach and now have decided that it is not for them. You will see their ads in the classified section of AM Costa Rica and Tico Times. Believe me there are far more properties for sale that are not listed.

The suggestion about coming over and living here for a period of time is one of the best suggestions ever. There is a law of 1-5 years and it is actually true. We have seen many people return to the US after being here for five years or less. It really pays to do your home work and not to be moved emotionally. Emotions cost a lot of money, and things dont work here like they work in the US, it is a different world. Some areas where people have built homes can not get a telephone other then the cell telephone. It would be hard for me to live several years driving into town to use the internet or only having the use of a cell telephone. Then those are my feelings, but Ive seen many weather through the difficulty for a period of time, then they tire of it and decide to return to the US. It really is an individual decision.

Grecia is progressing, our community is rapidly changing. Many people come from Athenas to get services here in Grecia. There is a wonderful schedule growth program for Grecia within the next few years. The city will be expanding, but yet keeping the wonderful sense of a small town community.

[rf2cr]

bogus1,

apologies for the delay in answering, had a houseful of guests over Christmas and my computer was lost behind a blow up bed!

The major activities on the lake are wind and kite surfing, there does not appear to be much boating at all except for a bit of sightseeing from Fortuna. We plan to build or buy a smallish sail boat and use it for exploring. Since we are not yet living there (our bodega/house is being build now) we haven’t gone into why there is not more boating, but it is probably just because there are not enough interested boaters.

Good Luck with the property hunting – apart from San Jose, it does not really matter where you go – it is all beautiful.

Happy New Year.
Ruth

[Ripple33]

I agree totally with Jenny, You must do your homework. Dont set off to find a piece of property without checking out many different areas. If Grecia or Atenas are not exactly what you are looking for, keep looking. One of the nice things abour CR is that it has something for almost anyone. If you look long enough and travel around you will find your paradise. It all depends on what you are looking for. The best piece of advise I can give you is dont just deal with one realtor. Check out properties that all realtors have to offer. Ask around town and everyone has a uncle with property for sale that is not listed. Word of mouth is your best bet on getting a good deal on property. Many properties are overpriced targeting the gringo population. Get to know the locals and if you can have a local ask around for you

As far ss Puntarenas. I would not stay there. I would keep going south to Esterillos, Manuel Antonio, Dominical or my favorite coastal area Uvita.

Pura Vida

[bogus1]

Thanks Ripple – I was there for 10 days last January on the first exploritory mission. Our intent is to first bring my wife down on this trip to see the country and get to know the culture a little bit. She thinks that this is like doing the move from Detroit to Nashville – You know as well as I do that this is not the case.

We intend to move down there mid 2008, and rent for a year so we can really check out things. We do have tico friends here who have family there, and are willing to help us not get the shaft. Too many real estate companies down there. The reason for Atenas is the weather, proximity to San Jose, and the people.

Hope this gives you a better idea of our intent.

Kind regards,
Pete

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