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diane,
hi! i am a new resident of atenas and have lived there off-and-on for the last 2 years. i had the same problem when i purchased some ac units for our house. if you need an air conditioning unit or other refrigeration appliance installed, i am pleased to recommend Urena Servicios Tecnicos out of Palmares (453-3026). I have dealt with the owner and he charges reasonably($80 for ac installation and hookup). if in the future, you are planning on putting a split ac unit in your house, stay away from Sankey brand as I had bad after sales experience with them.
davebooks are always good companions. unfortunately, after you have read them they occupy space and collect dust. books you don’t mind reading again or books that you will refer to from time to time while in CR like cookbooks, travel books, self-improvement and do-it-yourself books i would definitely take. the rest can be donated to the local librarary or cocal organizations that have a book sale once a year.
we built out of the proceeds from an equity loan. if you currently own a house with substantial equity, you can borrow enough to pay for construction in cash. another option is to take a second mortgage on an existing property to generate cash. take advantage while the interest rates are low. we did. we took an equity loan 3 years ago with no payments for a year. we held on to the cash until we were ready to build and paid for construction with cash as we go. of course you still have to pay the loan but not at exhorbitant rates. we have explored local banks for construction loans and what they are basically telling us is to deposit in cash as security the amount of the loan we are seeking for the construction. it did not make any sense, but the message was clear without telling me that i cannot do what i had in mind without saying no. it’s the tico way. good luck.
if your intention is to retire and experience the culture and beauty of CR, it makes more sense to minimize stuff you think you need. if you are prepared to live a more simple life, you can buy most things locally. except for beddings, linens, drapes and a few handyman tools,we stayed local. a lot of the stuff important to me can be transported in suitcases, if it cannot, i probably don’t need it. always remeber that this may not be your last move. the less stuff you bring, the easier it is to ge rid of it should you move again, not to mention potential losses.
we, too, have invested in atenas. i am currently living in there part time until we are ready to retire. we have rented the house on a few occasions but we chose not to rent it on a longer term basis. we wanted to have the freedoom to come and go as we please and with the interest level from family and friends who want to experience CR, we should have a pretty good use of the house. however, i wouldn’t be too naive to leave the house unoccupied or empty for months at a time without somebody taking care of it, or at the least watch it. for the cost of a home insurance policy, we have asked a local couple with 2 kids to watch the house for us. in exchange, they keep the house cleaned and maintained as well as the yard trimmed, utilities paid, plants and trees watered. likewise, we have made the house available to them but ready to move at a moments’s notice to accommodate friends and relatives visitng CR. they are happy and so are we. pura vida!
