Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
[quote=”stephleanne26″]Howdy!
I am in the process of purchasing a rental property near Playa Grande/ Tamarindo area. The fella has a the property already under his corp so I will need to move it mine once I create it… Getting a Corp – do you suggest using a lawyer, especially since I will not be there in person…. I already have a lawyer there in Tamarindo, just wondered if there is another route…After corp is created, I will need to set up a bank account I guess in Tamarindo… Do you suggest a bank that deals with more Americans with rental properties ?
Also random question – I would like to have a dune buggy or four wheeler on the property. Would I HAVE to have insurance for CR travelers ? Just have them sign some sort of “if you crash and break your arm – its all you”
Steph[/quote]
I’m not going to touch the 4-wheeler question because I don’t think you should have one for use by your rental guests! I don’t think that the added “marketability” even comes close to the added “liability”.
For the corporation, I don’t know any way to do it WITHOUT a lawyer, and the lawyer should be a notary as well, and the lawyer should be (in addition to someone”you know”) someone that comes highly recommended, and YOU should definitely be sitting in front of him/her IN PERSON when it is done – – the ONLY way to get a bank account now days is IN PERSON, so you might as well plan on making a trip and getting everything done all at once. And yes, I would suggest using BNCR or BCR, especially if you will be funding the account by wire transfer on occasion.
[quote=”barbara ann”]My husband and I have been in CR for 5 years and have our residency. Our income is over 2000 combined. Mine,his wife, is under 1000. They go by the combined income. If something happens to him my income would also meet the requirements provided they dont change. Hope that helps[/quote]
DraginRat –
Please disregard barbara ann’s comment. It is incorrect!
They do not use combined income – only one of you has to have (and demonstrate) a “lifetime income” in excess of $1000/month. If you submit your “income” along with hers, then your Caja payment will be based on either the higher income or the combined income, and either way your monthy Caja costs will be higher – and Caja payments are becoming quite punitive.To add to and clarify Rosiemaji’s correct info, only one of you must meet the $1000/month threshold and you want to use the lowest amount possible!
[quote=”davidd”][quote=”sweikert925″][quote=”costaricabill”]I try not to worry about things I have absolutely no control over.[/quote]
Which makes you a very sensible person and a very rare one here at WLCR.[/quote]
only according to the world of sweikert..
[/quote]ddavid -not sure if you are saying that it is beneficial to worry about things over which you have no control, or that I am not a sensible person?
I concur that it is all to often necessary to be “concerned” about things that are happening in our big, bad world or your (my) personal world, but to me “worry” and “concern” are two different things.Scott – “but thankfully no big ones”
reference: 5 Sep 2012, Samara earthquake estimated at 7.6, lasted over 50 seconds, fortunately it was approx 40 miles deep and the energy radiated outwards over a very large area (San Jose & Puntarenas had more damage than Samara) and injuries were minimal.I try not to worry about things I have absolutely no control over.
Fixing Social Security….
The first step is to do away with the congressional retirement fund and make members of congress (senators, representatives, their staff members, etc.) – past, present and future – and all other government employees subject to Social Security Retirement Benefits, just like the rest of us.Take all of the money that is currently in the congressional retirement fund and the government employee retirement fund and pour it into the SSI fund. That, together with our senators and representatives receiving only SSI benefits in stead of their “salary for life” as retirement, should stretch out the SSI fund’s life span a few years.
It may also cause some of those on the government payroll to opt for a real world job and allow the US to return to having citizen representation instead of professional politicians.
SSI will never work until congress is forced to live under it, just like the rest of us!
Isn’t it great when everyone seems so happy and relaxed this afternoon – what day is it, anyway?
Oh, it’s Friday, so have a great weekend and enjoy your ice cold beer(s) of choice as well as your margaritas![quote=”jreeves”]It sounds like you need to make a few exploratory trips. The country is very diverse & only you can decide what area is best. Some of us are beach people, some are mountain people…& you don’t want to decide the area you’ve bought in is actually not for you after the fact, because it can take a long time to sell in CR if you expect to recoup your investment.
Jessica[/quote]
Tgannon – take a few minutes to read, and then re-read, what Jessica writes…….. there is a wealth of information and great advice packed into what, at first glance, appears to be three very simple sentences!
[quote=”Tgannon”]I am an Canadian (Alberta) looking to purchase a existing B&B in CR any suggestions on which areas are best? I am looking buy, move and operate one by Spring 2015. Which airport is the best to fly into? Any other suggestions would be a great help thank you.[/quote]
I doubt that you will have little problem finding plenty of options to choose from. Just decide on how large a B&B you want, and what part of the country you want to be in, and what your real budget is – – then publish that on this site and sit back and analyse the info you receive, then ask for the real numbers, back up by credit card and bank statements, plus actual P&L’s (if they exist). That will be your real problem – getting real numbers.
If you are interested in being on the Nicoya Peninsula, send me a PM and we can talk.
Scott – In my opinion, and I am no marketing or advertising genius, it is probably one of the poorest efforts to get a message across that I have ever seen.
I’m sure it was meant to mean
“It is essential that you come see Costa Rica”To some, it could mean
It’s essential for us that you come spend your money in Costa Rica.”
crbI thought the former slogan “No Artificial Ingredients!” was much more inviting and was better suited to represent waht CR has to offer tourist.
Scott –
Several things come to mind:The landing fees need to be reduced at Liberia Airport. The excessive fees cause higher ticket prices when compared to San Jose, sometimes as much as 25% differential. That’s not too bad when there are only 1 or 2 people traveling, but when you have a family of 4 or 5, it can make a big difference. (And yes Sprite, there are people that come to Costa Rica to enjoy the beaches warm weather, and for the most part they would prefer to fly to LIR vs. SJO.
Lower landing fees and resulting lower airfares may encourage other airlines to add LIR as a destination, as well as existing airlines to add more flights. I have a good friend that is Mayor of Tampa and, as such, serves on the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority. Tampa International Airport is on a big push to get more international flights (they just add a JetBlue flight to Panama City and a couple more to the Caribbean). I have pleaded with my friend to encourage flights from Tampa to LIR or SJO. He investigated and came back with news from various airlines, telling me “Gate space is a problem at SJO and landing fees are excessively high at LIR”.
While on the subject of airports, the last impression that travelers get on their vacation to Costa Rica is sometimes a meal or a snack at the airport. The company that runs the airport concession should lower the rent for those companies renting space, and that would allow those companies to lower prices of the meals and goods they sell. I continuously hear from family and friends that have returned home how expensive the airport food is (was). More than $15 for a non-descript burger & a coke! Recently while waiting to pick up someone at LIR I walked into the snack shop to get a regular size bottle of water (usually 650 -700 colones) and a small bag of chips (usually less than 1000 colones throughout Costa Rica). The cashier said “$9.80”. I looked at her in amazement, and replaced the items on the shelves and walked out.
When families have to fork out $50-60.00 or more for 4 sandwiches and 4 non-alcoholic beverages at an airport, that’s something they remember when they get home they tell others and it could impact the travel plans of those considering Costa Rica as a destination. Then to make matters worse, I remember reading last year that all of the food service operators at SJO raised their prices almost 100% overnight!
Rental car cost – especially the insurance. The cost of renting vehicles in Costa Rica is already high, then when you get “full coverage insurance” it can sometimes equal or exceed the cost of the rental. We recently had guest that rented a 7 pax Prada from Toyota Rental, and the cost for 3 days with full insurance was $522, and there were no delivery or drop off fees.
Almost every family member, guest or rental guest that we have complains about the high costs of rental cars here. Even if you have insurance on your credit card and you confirm it before you arrive, some rental companies are requiring a letter from your credit card company stating that their insurance covers the exact make, model and year of the vehicle you will be renting – and that is something you don’t know and usually cannot be assured of when you make your reservation.
Maybe addressing these things beyond reach, and maybe I make too much of them, but when I hear the same thing over and over I am sure that potential tourists are hearing it from the same people that complain to me about these things.
[quote=”Scott”]It’s not just Gringos…. We have wealthy Venezuelan clients (thank God for the Venezolanos) who are paying the same amount to the CAJA and more …
[/quote]That’s good for you, but I am confident that when the idea of new taxes comes up in the halls of government, more thoughts go toward getting the money Gringos than Venezolanos, or Columbianos, or Mexicanos, or ……….
[quote=”sprite”]Two or three hundred a month for CAJA still beats the hell out of what the costs are in the States. It doesn’t look like a deal breaker if it stays like this.
Regarding Guanacaste heat; NO WAY! I note that residents there say that they have learned to tolerate the heat without air conditioning. I have to wonder why anyone would resign oneself to “tolerate” such heat without air conditioning. What is given in return for such a sacrifice?
If it is nearness to the beaches, that can be achieved with a short drive from the Central Valley where the temperatures can be enjoyed, not merely tolerated. Life is too short to be living under tolerated conditions. After over 32 years of living in air conditioned Miami, I no not ever want to experience heat over 90 degrees, with or without a breeze. And I suspect those that do on a regular basis must put a hell of a spin on things in order to accept the unacceptable, uncomfortable heat.[/quote]
Sprite –
WHEN and IF you do ever move to CR then it is your choice to live where ever YOU decide to, just like it was my decision to be near a beach. I never said that I “tolerated” the heat or that I was “uncomfortable” or the the weather or heat was “unacceptable”. Those are labels that you choose to use, and you are free to do so for YOUR particular likes or dislikes, but it is unjust to apply them to others.For so many of us that have made the same decision as I have, perhaps you should accept the fact that we are not putting a “spin” on our decision, it is the lifestyle we choose and enjoy. I can’t recall criticizing anyone for choosing to live in the mountains or Central Valley. It just seems to me that those that live there have no comprehension of why we that chose to live near a beach made that decision.
The old saw “to each his own” comes to mind. I enjoy visiting the CR mountains, and I enjoy visiting the Central Valley – well, parts of it, anyway. I don’t like the basin of the Central Valley because like other large cities built in a basin, the pollution and petrochemical fumes burn my eyes and throat, and I find that “unacceptable” and “uncomfortable” and I can’t “tolerate” that for long. Perhaps those that live there get used to it, much like those of us that live at the beach get used to the heat and humidity.
I do find the areas of Atenas and Grecia to be very nice, but I enjoy living near the ocean. I guess after living in humidity my whole life I have become much like a mushroom – I need it and I enjoy being in it.
For me, I’ll take an afternoon of sitting under the trees at a local beach bar watching the kids play on the beach and the surfers and boogey boarders enjoy the waves while I enjoy a cool breeze and a cool one with or without friends anytime.
I like looking at the mountains as well, but unlike others, I guess I don’t see as much in a mountain view as I do in a beach view.
[quote=”Kwhite1″]Mr. Bill, looking at the Flamingo area and 10-15 KM north or south. I an from Tampa, have a house in Ft. Myers and currently way inland Belize (about 10 miles from Guatemala) , a/c is nice, but if there is a breeze I can manage. I installed a/c in my rental here is Belize, don’t get the sea breeze 90 miles from the coast!![/quote]
KWhite –
There are quite a few areas and developments in that area that offer elevated building areas close to the ocean that I am confident get a good breeze. Again, perhaps someone that lives in that area can chip in with personal experience.
I can, from my personal experience, tell you that it is quite a bit hotter and drier in that area as compared to Samara and AC may be more of a requirement there than here. I am up that way (between Tamarindo and Brasalito) on a weekly basis overseeing a project for a US investment entity, and that area generally starts getting rain several weeks after it starts here at home in Samara, and conversely, the rain up there stops several weeks before it does here. So the “dry season (aka “hot season”) is 1-2 months longer even though it is only 50-60 miles up the coast.
I can tell you that when I am at the project and down in the lower part of the land, it is much hotter than when I am at the beach areas or on the elevated parts of the property where the breeze is quite constant.
The other thing that may benefit Samara is that we are a south facing beach, and the prevailing daily winds seem to come from the south. Of course, this is probably more the cause of the land heating up, the air rising and the sea breeze being “sucked in” to replace the rising air. Being from Tampa, I’m sure you understand what I am talking about. The difference here is that the land seems to warm up quicker in the morning and the sea breeze starts around 8-9am, whereas in Tampa it generally doesn’t start until after noon.
In the evenings here, the seawater temps are higher than the land temps, so we get just the opposite effect than during the day – the breeze comes from the mountains between here and Nicoya toward the ocean, and it is a cool, dry breeze for the most part. The warmest parts of the day seem to be when the ocean and land temps are at par, and the breeze just stops. That is usually between 4 and 7 in the morning, and 5 and 7 in the evening. Without the breeze, it does hinge on the uncomfortable side, but a ceiling fan or box fan on the floor takes care of the problem.
Hope that helps,
crb[quote=”Scott”]It all depends on the location, a serious problem can be lack of water in some areas.
This is NOT always due to a lack of rain – although Guanacaste does get less – it’s often due to bad water management.
And if you are one of those Gringos that can’t live without air conditioning, you will pay a steep price to be comfortable in Guanacaste.
Hope that helps.
Scott
[/quote]
KW
Scott is spot on with his water comments. A lot of Asadas have plenty of water but they lack the infrastructure to deliver it to all areas under their control.
Perhaps if you were a bit more specific about what area(s) you are considering, someone may have real experience to share with you.
Scott’s AC comment is subject to additional conversation and analysis. At face value, he is correct “if you are one of those Gringos that can’t live without air conditioning”.
However if your home is located in a area where it gets a good breeze, especially a good ocean breeze, then it is possible to learn to live without. Before moving to CR I lived my entire life in Houston and Tampa, definitely two of the areas where AC is needed. My wife and i returned from the US on 2-November last year and as I sit writing this, 500 meters from the beach in Samara, we have yet to turn on one of our AC units since we arrived back home. Think about that, we went the entire “summer season” without any AC, day or night.
So you can learn to do without if you have the advantage of a good breeze. And one more advantage is I sleep so much better with fresh air!
I always get a chuckle from the “central valley-ites” that immediately and perpetually harp on the need for AC at the beach. It really would be better if they just said their preference is the cooler altitudes and locations, based on their lifestyles and experience.
