Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
I forgot to mention this one fact. Just the other day the FBI in the US said crime has risen, I believe, 1.8% since 2004. This may indicate a worldwide trend in the upswing of crime. This was an article on Microsoft’s Internet explorer newspage. If I can find it again I’ll post the link.
There are no simple one solution answers to the problem worldwide. No one wants their rights infringed upon by police state tactics, and no one wants their lives scrutinized by officials in every possible way. We all look to Costa Rica because of the sense of freedom we used to enjoy back home, in the good old days. This is a new and changing world, and with it comes different situations which we all have to deal with.
Society is evolutionary, new challenges will always be coming our way. We all have new issues which threaten our comfort factor, and we will have to find our own ways of dealing with them. Airing opinions on issues like this, while sometimes disturbing, will ultimately help us all in figuring out what is best for us to do.
The purpose of this website being “We love Costa Rica” means that even though we discuss negative issues, we try to come up with positive solutions to help us enjoy our stay in CR, and perhaps the new life we have chosen to have there.
Ticos and expats alike want security and a better life. It is one thing culturally that binds us.
I’m sure all will work together to bring as good a life as possible, in this ever changing world, for Costa Rica.Sooner rather than later Costa Rica will have to address this issue. Tourism is one of their major sources of income. They are not going to kill the goose that laid the golden egg. New York City did it under the Giuliani administration in order to protect tourism, and it worked. I would not mind paying an additional entrance tax so they can hire more police and pay them a decent wage. To their credit, they did institute the tourist police force. I think they will need many more.
These types of threads always get the largest amounts of respondents because they are of real concern to many of us. Having news reports of these acts also makes the government aware that crime is a real hot button for us and they have to do something. Especially now that they might be competing for tourists that may not be traveling as frequently if there is an economic turndown in the US and Europe.We like Taca as well. Can’t beat the free drinks.lol. This year it seemed like there were less direct flights from them.
We are trying to go down Dec. or April. Thanks Lotus for the update. I’m sure a lot of us will want to book with those fares.Raihnman, If this is the same Jezek, Thursday’s Inside Costa Rica has her being nabbed for something other than selling real estate.
Maravilla, These types of “business” dealings are one of the oldest in the book. I’ll relate one that happened to me. I invested in a motion picture once. I was in the video business at the time, and we would have gotten first rights on rentals, plus a theater cut and residuals. The movie, which I won’t name, was a part III version of a successful movie. It had already been filmed during the making of part II, and was in the can for a couple of years. In fact, the lead actor I believe now lives in CR. No, it’s not Mel. Anyway, It was a kind of a had to do it deal. I sent this guy my money, not all that much, but I’m sure a lot of other people did too. I was always in contact with him, and it seemed like we were getting close to buying the rights.
Well, after about a year, he couldn’t raise the $3 million or so to buy it. This was in the early 1990s, when 3 mil was still a fairly good sum. So after about a year I got my money back, all fair and square…Except, no interest! I don’t think the money was sitting in a no interest bearing account all that time. So, somebody profited on the float.
The movie was bought by someone and finally released in the theaters and video. And it did make some money. I don’t even know if I was scammed or not. I just know I lost interest on my money for about a year.Too good to be true deals usually are just that. Before you part with your money, you must investigate thoroughly to see what it is you are buying, and from whom you are buying it.
I’ve been taken a few times. Every screwing was a learning experience. The key is to learn from your mistakes, and don’t take the attitude it can’t happen to you.
Ahhhh, Making money on the float. The safest and best investment there is. (OPM) Other Peoples Money.
Here’s a little tidbit from our local newspaper yesterday. Our county is raising the county portion of our property taxes here a whopping 40% this year. While this is a small part of our total property taxes, school tax being the largest, they are going to whack homeowners with an average of $280 per year more. The increase alone is more than many pay in Costa Rica for total annual property tax.
So, I wouldn’t complain about the luxury tax on homes in CR. In the US, it is becoming a luxury just to live here. Can’t wait to see next year’s school tax hike. Once they start, they can’t seem to stop.I just love the particular practice they have for riding during a driving rainstorm, without slowing down at all. Here in the US if you get caught in the rain you pull under an overpass or just stop on the side of the road until it passes. In Costa Rica you just stop long enough to get out the poncho, then its full steam ahead!
Randall, I thank you for the offer. I am sure we will be needing your services when we finally settle there.
Muchas gracias por todo,
AlfredRandall, Thanks. I see how it works, and now it makes sense. I think it is a good idea and should benefit Costa Rica. I just hope they can come up with a way to justly value homes.
David, Costa Rica will need assessors to value property in the coming years. There is no way they can equitably manage value and collections unless they do. Carving by half the value of a home is, what can I say, Corrupt. There has to be a mindset change by Ticos, and expats, and international owners, in order to help solve this dilemma. Maybe Ticos can’t afford the real estate taxes, but I bet enough of us foreigners can. Possibly we should be charged more…OUCH! Did I just say that. Sorry guys, I know it adds expense and another layer to the burdensome bureaucracy that exists there already, and most of us want to avoid that. It is one of the reasons we want to go to Costa Rica anyway. Still, the country needs to run, and it needs money in order to do so.
If the real estate taxes on a home in CR were half what I pay in the US, it would still be a steal and not deter us from going there.Lotus, I suspect there has to be a tightening of mortgage lending. It would be foolish to continue doing business the way they have. Sill, there are companies making these crazy offers. I just got a popup when I logged on, showing a $150k loan for $349 a month. I guess some of these Bozos are still at it.
