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Hire a professional architect or engineer who lives and works in the municipality where the property is located to begin the preliminary design work. Explain to the professional your desire to build your project on the property and give him a copy of the catastro and the informe registral from the Registro Nacional if they are available. Once you’ve gotten to know the professional a little better, ask if he/she can get a letter from the municipal building department that states your property is in an area governed by the municipalidad and that they permit new construction in that area. Whatever it costs you to hire the professional you should consider inexpensive insurance that you’re not going to end up with a property you can’t build on. You apparently like that area and if this particular property doesn’t work out then the preliminary design work done by the professional will be useful for another building site that is permitable in that area. Good luck!
Over the years I have been hired by several foreigners to inspect the construction of pre-fab home systems because the purchasers were not satisfied with the finishing of the walls. The initial cost and time to assemble the packages is attractive. Unless you’ve worked with a lot of concrete finish construction you could not anticipate the challenges to finish the plastering of the interior and exterior walls. Unfortunately, for the owners, the costs to finish these thin wall panel, pre-fab designs has always been more costly and time consuming than they anticipated because the purchaser was envisioning smooth finished walls like they have been accustomed to living in for most of their lives.
Additionally, the electrical conduits are pre-installed in the columns so the location of your electric plugs is limited by where you position the columns. The finished panels and posts have a difference of 1″ to 2″ that needs to be compensated for with plaster in the rooms that you would like to be smooth finished. Perhaps in your garage it would not be important to have normal looking smooth plastered walls but most folks want to live in finished rooms.
Take a look at the photos at; http://www.escosacr.com/galeria-vivienda-e.htm. If you can envision yourself being comfortable in a home like this then go for it. Just like with anything else anywhere you go, you get what you pay for. Also on this site we recently discussed a similar subject about Manufactured Homes in Costa Rica. https://www.welovecostarica.com/members/forum/openthread.cfm?forum=1&ThreadID=1598As North Americans, we have been conditioned to expect that we will be taken care of by the government that has taken our tax dollars for many years and the local police department, the insurance companies, doctors, lawyers and family. The reality of this implied security is that you are on your own when something really serious occurs. The government doles out as little as possible to social security and medicaid recipients and is betting on the fact that a large percentage of retirees die before they will ever exhaust their anticipated benefits. Your insurance company is always looking for the fine print to limit what benefits they will provide for you. Who prepares the contracts that protect the insurance companies and lenders that you have become accustomed to paying fees and interest to for so many years? The lawyers, and they need to charge massive fee’s to maintain their yuppie lifestyles and expensive liability insurance policies. Your doctors will not provide any services without your insurance information or credit card number. And if you need a serious medical procedure, you will be forced to sign a waiver so that in the event the doctor makes a mistake, you and your family have no recourse. The bottom line is that you are on your own. So why not try CR as soon as you can get away from the North American rat race. Take the plunge and rent a place down here for as long as you can sustain yourself and see what happens. You can easily go back if you don’t like it down here.
It’s comfortable to know that there are experienced people like you out there who understand what is involved with the finishing methods of the construction of homes in Central America. Over the years I have been hired by several foreigners to inspect the construction of pre-fab home packages they have purchased here in CR. Unfortunately, for the owners, the costs to finish these supposedly turn-key, pre-fab designs has always been more costly and time consuming.
As David points out, wood as the primary building material for housing construction is not practical here in Costa Rica for several reasons. We are approximately 10 degrees north of the equator. A prudent and responsible builder needs to factor in the effects of the suns rays as well as the seismic activity and pest infestation into the selection of building materials here.
I know an American of Latino descent who has lived and worked here for many years who bought one of the pre-cast concrete home packages years ago and he had additional time and expense with finishing the walls to look decent. Their system uses concrete structural posts that are thicker than the wall panels that fit into them. The pre-fab walls and posts still need to be plastered with concrete to complete the structure. Those systems are only good for storage sheds or other structures that do not need to be finished to look like normal interior and exterior walls.
Based on my 15 years experience here in Costa Rica, the best product to use from a cost and construction standpoint is traditional 40x20x15cm block with 3/8″ and 1/2″ steel re-rod for vertical reinforcement. As long as there are entrepreneurs there will be new products available and sometimes something new makes sense but perhaps it may not be practical for cost or availability reasons. Unless you have lived and worked in Costa Rica, one thing you wouldn’t realize is that transportation to the beach and mountainous communities can add considerable cost and time to your project. So any new products that are not distributed throughout the country by the major building supply companies will be a hassle to get to the building site, on-time and within budget.
Traditional concrete blocks have been used by builders around the globe since the beginning of time and more recently to build Habitat for Humanity homes throughout the world. The blocks’ convenient availability and ease of lifting was the selling point for the Habitat projects, as they are dependent on volunteer labor. These traditional blocks are all 40cm long and 20cm tall with three variable widths of 12cm ($.51), 15cm ($.64) or 20cm ($.90). Along with these blocks I would install steel reinforcement, re-rod, of 3/8″ ($3.51) and for columns 1/2″ ($6.24).
Another product available here is SuperBloque. This product is basically an over sized block that the local tradesmen do not like because of its weight and bulk. When a mason is installing these blocks the labor is complicated by the fact that each block must be lifted on top of the previously installed blocks and it is more difficult than regular sized block. Therefore the fit and distribution of concrete mortar is sacrificed for less quantity of blocks. The width and strength of the vertical steel reinforcement rods (columns) which support the block wall system and horizontal concrete support system (headers) that will support the roof structure that are part of the SuperBloque package are only 1/4″. These thin steel reinforcement rods and the smaller poured concrete columns that will support the entire structure are marginal and in the event of seismic movement would give out much sooner that a larger vertical steel reinforced column construction system like I install in my traditional concrete block construction method.
The additional hassle of using the SuperBloque is that they only sell them through a few distributors by the square meter ($25.75 m2) including the steel reinforcement, re-rods, which are only 1/4″ ($1.27) and in my opinion are inadequate.
Traditional vertical concrete support columns are 12″ x 8″ and reinforced with six 1/2″ thick steel rods and then the horizontal support headers are 12″ x 8″ with six 1/2″ steel rods. There is additional labor involved in order to assemble the steel reinforcement and install the quantity of blocks used in the traditional construction method but the tradesmen are familiar and accustomed to this method and therefore take pride in the quality of their installation therefore the consumer receives a higher quality finished product. I sleep much better at night knowing my building structures are anti seismic and do not develop fissure cracks prematurely which require much more maintenance for the owners. As was discussed in a previous posting, painting and preparation of poorly installed concrete surfaces is not only expensive but also unsightly until repaired.
I have close up photos of all the above construction methods as well as the Endless Beach Condos that were taken on July 23, 2007 on Potrero Beach, Guanacaste that I would be happy to send you offline. I built these buildings 50 meters from the salt water of the Pacific Ocean in 1993 and 1994 with the traditional concrete block construction method. In the photos you can see that during the last 13 years they have withstood seismic movement as well as constant salt water and radiation from the sun.
Well said Charlie. Knowing when to apply the brakes with your investments is the key to success and happiness.
Who’s to blame for the current US housing and mortgage woes?
Some folks are wondering if CR will end up with the same problems the US is now experiencing.I have had residency in CR for the last 13 years and have seen growth occur without the availability of convenient and affordable financing. Three of the largest banks in the world have opened up shop in CR and they are here grow their businesses by funding acceptable land development and housing construction projects. These banks have highly paid specialists who work full time to find opportunities where lending money will make them money. There is no doubt that the availability of funding is what makes an economy grow. Sometime in the future these same banks will pull back and maintain more conservative lending practices once the economy has reached its limit.
Knowing when to apply the brakes is an important part of learning how to do business anywhere in the world.I have made it my business to stay on top of the real estate investment market in Costa Rica and the USA because that is the business I have enjoyed for the last 25 years. I have experienced and understand all aspects of land development and the construction of housing in CR since 1992. And to a certain extent, the CR economy is inevitably tied to the fortune (or misfortune) of the US economy. However CR benefits from the investments of people from all over the world as well. The concept that the big ole USA is the primary contributor to the Costa Rican economy is outdated. Hundreds of MULTI-NATIONAL companies have opened offices here and are hiring more local employees than ever. Many of these local employees will buy housing, now that they have predictable incomes. Where does this income come from? Not just the USA. It comes here from all over the world.
Think about how many plane loads of tourists come here everyday and there is no doubt that a good percentage of these foreigners dream of investing in Costa Rican real estate. And now more than ever the banks are in place to help these real estate buyers make their dreams come true.
Many ex-pats that have been living outside of the USA for years are embarrassed by the pushy gringo mentality that the whole world wants to be like the Ugly Americans. I am appalled by the dominant attitude of American politics and the instant gratification driven marketing of big business in the USA. I lived and worked through two recessions in the USA and know what it’s like to work for nothing until the economy improves. Some of us live and learn and can control our inherent greed.
Focusing on the positive aspects of living healthy in CR and making enough money to be happy is a good thing many of us ex-pats are proud of. A wise man once told me, “don’t let your greed exceed your need”. Those are some words I remind myself of on a regular basis and continuing to make sure my brakes still work is an exercise I’ve found indispensable.
Here’s a brief description of the central valley communities that you may find interesting. Over half of Costa Rica’s population of just over 4 million people lives in the Central Valley also called the Central Plateau or Valle Central in Spanish. This valley lies at an altitude between 3000 and 4000 feet above sea level and offers a spring like climate year-round. It is surrounded by mountains and is Costa Rica’s primary agricultural region as the rich volcanic soil makes it ideal for growing almost anything including what is arguably the best coffee in the world. The capital city of San Jose is located here as well. It includes the cities of Alajuela and Heredia as well as Santa Ana, Escazu and Belen which are extremely popular areas for new arrivals as well as seasoned residents.
Sabana – Rohrmoser – Pavas: La Sabana Park is a large city park with lakes, trails, museums, sports fields, Stadium, Olympic pool and many more attractions open to the general public which is located just on the outskirts of the center of the city and has nice upscale neighborhoods to the north, south and west named after it. Just west and north of those is Rohrmoser which is an excellent neighborhood made up of mostly homes with some businesses along the main tree lined road of Rohrmoser Boulevard. Many embassy homes are located in this area as well as some very nice neighborhood parks. Most residents here are middle to upper class with a mixture of Costa Ricans and foreign nationals. There is excellent access to all major highways and to all types of services and amenities. Shopping in the area includes Plaza Mayor Mall, an English language bookstore and movie theaters. Pavas is just west and south of La Sabana and is highly commercial with homes there being mostly middle class. The main road is Pavas Boulevard and the US embassy is located on it as well as banks, restaurants, shops, cafes, bakeries, and just about any type of store you might need.
Escazú – Bello Horizonte – Trejos Montealegre: This is an extremely popular neighborhood with foreign residents and in fact as you go down the main road into Escazu and see the variety of stores and restaurants such as Tony Roma’s, TGIF, McDonalds, KFC, Blockbuster, Rooms to Go, and such, you have to blink twice to make sure you’re not back in the USA. Here you can find palatial estates, hi-rise penthouses, luxury accommodations such as Villas del Rio, ambassador’s homes and mixed right in you will also find simple local homes. Many of the finest homes in this area are owned by wealthy Costa Ricans who enjoy the beauty of the area and the convenience of having everything from great restaurants, top notch shopping malls, state of the art medical facilities, office buildings and great nightlife and entertainment nearby. This neighborhood is also home to the exclusive Costa Rica Country Club which offers golf and tennis for its members. Many private, bi-lingual schools are also located here or nearby. Known as the Beverly Hills of Costa Rica, this area’s popularity is going strong. The upscale neighborhoods of Trejos Montealegre and Bello Horizonte are both located here as well. Check this area out.
Santa Ana – Ciudad Colón: Just West of Escazu is Santa Ana and Ciudad Colon which is further west still. This area has seen the tremendous growth in this direction as the city extends itself outward. A big push has come from the beautiful highway that begins at La Sabana and currently ends at Ciudad Colon and which will continue on toward the Central Pacific beaches when the Ciudad Colon-Caldera highway project is completed in 2-3 years. This will put the ocean less than a half hour away!! Santa Ana is a great place to live as it offers a warm, dry climate year round and is near the CIMA Hospital and Medical Tower ( a state of the art facility ), Multiplaza – Costa Rica’s largest mall, Price Smart ( yep, just like back in the states ), the Intercontinental Hotel, Marriott Courtyard and the Comfort Hotel, the ultra modern Plaza Roble and Forum office complexes and so much more
Here again you will find a good mixture of Costa Ricans and foreigners enjoying life to the fullest in one of Costa Rica’s favorite neighborhoods. “Downtown” Santa Ana; however, retains its local small town flavor and is very much like the majority of small towns in Costa Rica with a church opposite a park and soccer field at the center of town. Santa Ana also has an interesting variety of restaurants including a great Tex-Mex restaurant downtown that is one of the most popular places on this side of town. Located a half-block north of the main church in Santa Ana, it serves up Tex-Mex cuisine in a lively atmosphere. Nearby is the 5 star hotel, Alta which also has an excellent restaurant. Definitely a boom area as the city grows westward.Belén, Ciudad Cariari: Known more commonly as Cariari, and located approximately 5 miles north of San Jose, this neighborhood has as its centerpiece, the Cariari Country Club, http://www.clubcariari.com/English, with its beautiful golf course. Located just off the highway from Juan Santamaria International Airport, you can find many top hotels here including Melia Cariari, http://www.solmelia.com/solNew/hoteles/jsp/C_Hotel_Description.jsp?codigoHotel=5894' defer onload=', Herradura, http://www.ramadaherradura.com/english/index/index.htm. as well as good restaurants and the American International School, http://www.aiscr.com. This is a great high-end neighborhood. Just across the highway is Real Cariari – a major shopping mall with a great kids carousel inside, http://www.plazarealcariari.com. Just to the west of Cariari is San Antonio de Belen. More commonly known as Belen, this generally laid back town has experienced rapid growth since INTEL’s huge microprocessor plant opened. You can also find a variety of housing available here in all price ranges as well as the luxurious San Jose Marriott Hotel. Belen consists of three primary villages, La Ribera where the Marriot Hotel is located, http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/sjocr-costa-rica-marriott-hotel-san-jose, La Asunción which is near the expressway that connects the international airport to the capital of San Jose and San Antonio, where the municipal government offices are located.
San Pedro – Los Yoses – Barrio Dent – Curridabat: These neighborhoods, located to the east of downtown San Jose, are well established and have a mix of both new and older high quality homes and businesses, especially Los Yoses. Curridabat is the furthest east and is an upscale area composed primarily of residences and many beautiful homes can be found here as well as Plaza del Sol which is Costa Rica’s first real mall. Lots of shopping available in these neighborhoods, as you will find Mall San Pedro – housing a major mall, an office tower and a movie theater complex. Further east is the University of Costa Rica campus and many surrounding restaurants and all kinds of entertainment venues, all catering to the university crowd and the local residents. Also the newer American mall and many shops of all types line the main road heading east as well as many language schools which call this area home. This is a great area to live in if you like the convenience of having everything nearby and don’t mind the more crowded environment.
Heredia – Alajuela: These towns are on the outskirts of San Jose and offer all the green areas and views Costa Rica is famous for with all the local flavor and a variety of housing options from inexpensive simple homes to multi-million dollar mansions. Definitely something for everyone here. Heredia is nice and cool and as you go higher up into the mountains in areas such as El Castillo, home to the beautiful La Condesa Hotel and several upscale residential developments, San Rafael and Barva. This area is located 25-30 minutes from San Jose and offers a beautiful rural environment with plenty of homes and lots available.
Alajuela is the second largest city in Costa Rica. Located about 30 minutes out of San Jose and home to Costa Rica’s major airport. As you pass the airport and head east past downtown Alajuela you will very quickly encounter the real feel of Costa Rica with lots of coffee farms, an oxcart or two, horses and lots and lots of green areas and spectacular views. Again plenty of homes and lots available for every budget and taste. As in most of Costa Rica, outside of gated developments and a few neighborhoods, you will find housing varies greatly with expensive homes often built near more modest residences but nobody seems toEdited on Aug 14, 2007 15:28
Many foreigners who are considering staying in CR for an extended period beyond the 90 day tourist permit wonder how they can remain here legally.
According to the immigration law a foreigner here as a tourist must leave the country for at least 72 hours after he or she has been in CR for 90 days. To travel outside of CR every 90 days for 72 hours to renew your tourist status, is not that big of a deal and can be fun! Many people travel to David or Bocas del Toro, Panama or Granada, Nicaragua on inexpensive bus tours or via airlines for a weekend. It gives you a chance to see the neighboring countries and absorb some of their culture. When you return your passport is stamped and you can legally remain in CR for another 90 days. Many foreigners who stay here under this status are referred to as “perpetual tourists”. There are rumors that the government will be cracking down on people who abuse this process but as far as I know it is currently not illegal to leave CR every 90 days and return 72 hours later.
Beware of local agents that offer the service of updating passports without the foreigner having to leave CR. These agents are paid a fee to take your passport to one of the borders and get it stamped by agreeable immigration officials and then return it to you with the official stamp that indicates you have actually left CR for 72 hours and returned. This process has been in place for many years and still is available but it is obviously designed to undermine the immigration law and is not legal. If an individual is caught in this illegal process they could be deported and according to the immigration law they would not be allowed to return to CR for 10 years.
In conclusion if you are serious about moving to Costa Rica and want to be successful and happy here you should first and foremost plan on learning the local language so you can begin to understand the Costa Rican culture. From my thirteen years of residency here and 15 years of business experience, I can tell you that no matter what problem pops up down here, there is usually an inexpensive solution that enables one to continue enjoying the pura vida! The climate is ideal, the Costa Ricans are friendly, peaceful people and the business community welcomes foreign investment. Hope to see you soon here in paradise!
I have lived here since 1992 and have utilized the same dentist for all those years. My trusted lawyer’s wife is related to this dentist and I have never seen a foreigner in his waiting room. On August 9, 2007, I visited him in San Jose. Dr. Rodolfo Hernandez Romero who is a 60+ years old, educated in Michigan and he examined my teeth and then (the dentist not a hygienist) cleaned my teeth. 1st he used his hydrostatic pressure cleaner. 2nd he scraped the teeth with the metal pick. Finally he polished my teeth with his electronic buffer using a very tasty gel. Cost was 10,000 colones for each step. So it cost me $58 for the exam and cleaning. During his exam he discovered that I had pitting on the front of several teeth which he said probably was caused by brushing horizontally over the years instead of vertically. He recommended applying the highest quality filling material that is manufactured in Lichtenstein to cover the craters. Cost for the preparation and installing the imported filler is $58.00 per tooth. His son in the same office is a dental implant specialist.
This week a friend from Florida staying at the Presidente Hotel in San Jose who came here specifically to have 6 implants installed and this is his 2nd trip to have this work completed by the same dentist. During his 1st trip he had 2 implants and crowns installed and the total procedure took 3 days. The dentist arranged for hotel and transport from the airport and daily for the office visits. The cost he paid is $500 per tooth for titanium steel covered with bone material implants. The actual procedure takes less than 30 minutes per tooth. The impressions and the porcelain crowns cost $250 each. This dentist makes the crowns right in his office so my friend had the impression made on Monday and the crowns installed on Tuesday. This dentist charges $70 for deep cleaning. My friend said that this dentist, educated at the U of Missouri, who does the implants as well as his son who takes the impressions and installs the crowns are not only professionals but great people as well. The dentist is Dr. Marco A Munoz Cavallini. http://www.aestheticdentistrycr.com
Folks want to know if the problems in the US will affect the market in CR. Not likely.
What occurred in the US housing and mortgage markets over the last few years was a result of low-interest rates which fueled the American dream of home ownership and greedy mortgage brokers and lenders who took advantage of thousands of consumers. Many mortgage contracts were collateralized and then sold as bonds for billions of dollars. Now, people are defaulting on the mortgages and the investment banks and other funds have lost billions and in some cases have been forced to cease operations, with the investors taking huge losses.CR immigration officials stated that 289,237 legal residents live in CR and only 8,400 are US Citizens. Perhaps a small percentage of these US citizens living in CR may have some ties to US based investment problems. But it is highly unlikely that that small amount of US ex-pats could have much of an impact on the financial health of this country. Don’t forget that Canadians as well as many Europeans purchase a lot of property here too and their currency is strong compared to the weakening US dollar.
As long as attractive mortgage money is available, housing markets continue to grow. One of the major advantages in Costa Rica is that more mortgage money is just now beginning to be offered at attractive rates by international lenders like ScotiaBank, HSBC and now CitiBank is entering the market to compete with the other big lenders. Remember, competition is always good for the consumer so expect more mortgage money to become available at better rates. Remember, mortgage money availability is the biggest indicator of a real estate market’s health. The U.S. market has lost millions due to the sub-prime mortgage fiasco and the CR market is continuing to gain strength. Additionally, CR has only about 4 million people, 27% of the land mass is protected, and 40% of the land is untitled offering many years of growth. Considering all of these factors, the CR real estate market has positive conditions that insulate it from the market downturn in the USA. So, if you’re here in CR, the investment opportunities are at your doorstep, but if you’re still in the states waiting for the economy to regain its strength, you better have a lot of patience.
There is a process which enables individuals and developers to subdivide raw land into lots and build a quality community with compatible architectural designs utilizing specific building materials to create a quality subdivision of equally valued homes. It can also protect home owners from neighbors who want to exploit a subdivision that was designed to be residential. Regulations can be put in place to limit the types of vehicles and other items that may be visible to the neighbors. This is great for prospective home owners who are accustomed to planned communities in other countries as well as those who desire to share similar lifestyles.
This law limits and restricts property with any covenant, condition or restriction that is not contrary to law as long as it was put on the property without cost and providing the restrictions do not violate human rights under the Costa Rican Constitution.
The process is much easier than going though the condominium law and therefore should require less legal fees. The property deeds need to include the legal development restrictions when they are sold. Any restrictions need to be included in the property deeds at the National Registry using a process that includes a previous no-cost transfer between owners. Lots developed in this manner will carry the rules, regulations and restrictions for 10 years. This process is not for vertical condominium buildings of more than one story. It is for horizontal properties or segregated lots that are next to each other in a subdivision. Ask your attorney what is involved with utilizing Article 292 of the Costa Rican civil code to create homeowners rules and regulations for your development.
