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Since I started reading the labels on canned and packed food at the supermarket I barely buy those products any more. Reading the list of ingredients sometimes makes you think you buy a bucket of paint or some kind of weed poison.
I agree with Maravilla, check out the local veggie stores and organic farmers, almost everything can be bought fresh.[quote=”davidd”]
Maravillagreat post!!! question
I have never took the plunge with drinking reg unpasteurized milk reading on some of the bacteria can make you sick
any issues????[/quote]
There is no problem at all drinking milk fresh out of the cow (if the cow is healthy off course, and the farmer does not contaminate the milk with cow poop while milking). Even kept in the refrigerator it is still fresh the next day (I rinse the bottle with water + clorine before using it for fresh milk). When I make cream cheese, I pasturize the milk first = heat it to 72 degrees celsius and keep it there for a couple minutes, then cool it down to 35 degrees and start the process (adding cultures etc.). Pasturized milk keeps several days in the refrigerator. Never cook / boil milk !! It tastes burned and is not healty.
[quote=”Sailor”]elindermuller,
You will be surprised, what a boat, not money can attract. To keep my 44′ sailboat from sinking, I have to throw some of the lovely sting bikini Ticas, off the boat; while at the marina.[/quote]I actually meant, staring at a picture does not make much sense.
If you have a large variety of fresh meat at the market, and it jumps into your shopping cart for free, off course you take it. 8)
[quote=”critterhill”]If I buy a home in Costa Rica from an American with a bank account here in the states, can we keep our money transfer here in the states and the paperwork in Costa Rica to complete the transaction?
Would this be allowed? Recommended?[/quote]
Yes it is allowed, the registry only cares about their transfer taxes being paid in Costa Rica. You can also give a property away, in this case no money would be involved.
We handled a transaction where both parties, buyer and seller, wanted to do it this way. Both had granted POA to people in C.R. but the money transaction was done in the U.S. while all parties, including broker and attorney, were on a conference call. Some attorneys are willing to fly to the U.S. and have them sign the documents there, and overview the money transaction.Off course you can do it yourself. You go to your municipality, to the “Catastro” or “Coordinacion de Hacienda”, they give you a form you have to fill in . Bring your plano catastrado and your finca number. Also description and size/square meters of your house, pictures also help. They will give you an idea about the current value of the building and they tell you the current value per square meter in the area or your property. They can also help you to fill in the form. BUT, if your property plus building is registered at a higher value than the values at the Muni, they will take this higher value as a base for the taxes. The government always wins….. 😈
[quote=”Scott”]David:
Do you happen to know which cellphone we have available in Costa Rica is the best for shooting video and taking photographs?
Scott
[/quote]Samson Galaxy ….
my daugthers friend just got one as a “pre-christmas” gift. I have a great camera, but have to say that it can not beat this cel phone.
[quote=”barbara ann”]gonvicar@viquezoreamuno.com
we used him for our residency and a friend used him for a house transfer and problems with his overstay on his passport, His office is near the US embassy[/quote]
We are doing a lot of Business with Gonzalo, he is simply THE Best !!
There are a couple good attorneys in Tilaran as well, they do notary work mostly. They don´t like the “big fight” stuff.
There is one Notary (and one car mecanic) in Tilaran I would not use. Can´t put the names here. There was an issue with a car transfer, POA etc. The Mecanic had POA for the seller of the car, the attorney was supposed to transfer the car, receive the money and transfer the money to the car seller who lives in the U.S. I found out that the car has been sold in October, the seller never got her money. They don´t answer e-mails or calls. Maybe they are gone to the beach blowing the money.
Does the caretaker also get wages, or only free housing ? What kind of contract do you have ?
The other one, 1/12 is o.k.
They also get vacations, 1 day per month.
If they don´t take those days off, you calculate 1/26 of the received wages.
The new law was established in november 2008.
It is called “Ley de Impuesto Solidario para el Fortalecimiento de Programas de Vivienda”
The term “luxury tax” was probably created by us “Gringos”
It applies to assets worth (valor fiscal) more than 100,000,000 Colones, and not only to “Gringo” style homes. By law, the luxury-home owner has to fill in a new tax declaration every 3 (!!) years.
There are a bunch of complicated formulas and methods in order to do a real appraisal, but one probably has to be an appraiser in order to understand them.
Therefore the municipalities are providing a list of land values for each area (not taking into consideration certain details, such as paved public road front or horrible gravel private roads etc.
They also give you an idea about the current value of an existing building, but they rarely go out to do an appraisal.
I would guess, 80 % of all property owners are cheating when it gets to declare the taxes, and/or when they want to sell their homes… Guess in which case the value is much higher ? 8)
The new law was established in november 2008.
It is called “Ley de Impuesto Solidario para el Fortalecimiento de Programas de Vivienda”
The term “luxury tax” was probably created by us “Gringos”
It applies to assets worth (valor fiscal) more than 100,000,000 Colones, and not only to “Gringo” style homes. By law, the luxury-home owner has to fill in a new tax declaration every 3 (!!) years. There are a bunch of complicated formulas and methods in order to do a real appraisal, but one probably has to be an appraiser in order to understand them. Therefore the municipalities are providing a list of land values for each area (not taking into consideration certain details, such as paved public road front or horrible gravel private roads etc. They also give you an idea about the current value of an existing building, but they rarely go out to do an appraisal. I would guess, 80 % of all property owners are cheating when it gets to declare the taxes, and/or when they want to sell their homes… Guess in which case the value is much higher ? 8)
The few prefab homes in our area I have seen so far are not comparable with a well built cement block house. There are Tico-Bono-homes (government financed) and there are larger prefab homes built by expats. I know they were cheap, and they look cheap. Not to talk about the problems the had and have. Once finished, one home owner had to renew the electrical and plumbing because the price did not include decent labour. The other one had serious roof leaks, and after 6 months of completion the outside ceilings have mold spots and rotten areas. The walls are thinner than the aluminum door frames ! The woodwork (doors, closets etc.) is also inexpensive material and poor labour. Nevertheless, the prefab-home-owners, once they want to sell, are asking luxury-home prices 😕
In Germany we build exterior walls 15 inches thick and interior walls 10 inches, so I am kind of used to and prefer some substantial shell around a house.[quote=”sprite”]Over the last 6 years, I have spent a little time each year in Costa Rica. The one aspect of life nearer the equator that bothers me a bit is how short the days seem and how long the nights are. It gets dark every day at 6 PM. It stays dark till 6 AM. The days seem to be cut short and there is not enough day light. Since I only sleep 5 or 6 hours a night, I awake at 3 AM and I am left with 3 long hours of darkness waiting to start my day. No matter how good Costa Rican coffee is, I can only drink so many cups waiting for the sun
I suppose after some time, one would get used to this. One would have to.[/quote]
The extra dark hours are perfect for checking and answering e-mails, and do whatever else on the internet. You don´t need daylight for that. This way you have all the daylight hours for daylight activities.
If you pay via online banking (I pay at BNCR online), you will be asked at which bank branch you want to pick up the sticker and paper, and possible authorized persons. You can type in several names. Your authorized person picks up the paper and sticker and you put it in the car when you come back.
I am from Germany and we have a few such days. However, I am not a traditional person and do not care much about traditional events (only as a child, Christmas gifts were important, off course 8)). If I want to eat a turkey in February, I do so, and if I want to eat Tamales in August, I do so too. I don´t do and buy things just because the calender and the commercials tells me to.
