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Now that’s an angle I did not know about TICOREALTOR. Most of us want something in the 50″-60″ range for the main home screen where real futbol can be viewed (not NFL…go playoff bound Sounders!) that can double as a monitor. Print that large will come in handy later in life and it is so convenient with everything wireless these days.
hulu.com is a great sight if you missed you favorite show.I knew you two would come through.
If your stuck with a fiat currency regardless, would you not stick with the one that holds its value better? You would have made a killing on USD vs. Euro in the last 6-8 months. Your scenario Sprite, which is completely within the realm of reality, will not happen in the 1/2 live’s most of us have left. Physical holdings of precious metals is not an option from a transport perspective, unless you just own paper on it, but it has been a very good bet in the last year. I myself have capitalized on it, but need a safe to store it. Most savier people will make the best of barter; it is how I am getting my house resided, stone installed and painted + equipment. Anything “under the radar” pays big dividends if you are consistent with it.
As of late, maybe it would be more appropriate for CR to switch to the Yuan???Waggoner & Sprite? Surprised you have not thrown in your economic knowledge on why it may be a mistake to run with a losing horse, not to mention the potential psychological outfall with Costa Ricans’ patriotism.
Personal transport of funds is all that is left. The US FINCEN computer automatically flags any single transaction over $3,000, with more significance being placed on transactions above $10,000, which is also the thresshold for having to report cash or equal sum in negotiable instruments leaving the country on your person. That would be $9,999 that can take with you and double if travelling with spouse. Just keep withdrawls well below $3,000 far enough ahead of a trip. 4-$2,500 withdrawls four days in a row before leaving the country could trip something up, especially since FIONCEN also looks for patterns.
Our BC/BS in Washington state covers 70% of out of state expenses, which includes out of country. We used it last year when we had our daughter at CIMA, but it would of worked just as well at Biblica. More and more insurers are offering out of country coverage. After all, it saves them money.
Tools are a must, especially construction tools if you plan to build [u]anything[/u]. Try an easily find a HILTI, Makita or Bosch tool or Porter-Cable, Senco or Bostich pneumatic nailer. If you do, the cost will make you wish you brought them. Even the little quality tools like Stanley wonder bars or 5 in 1 tools are hard to find. Appliances are the other big ticket item that are irreplaceable for the same cost in CR. Quality, custom made furniture you can get in CR often for less than the cheap garabage you buy in the US. Unless its an heirloom piece, leave it behind unless you have spare room in the 40′. Lastly, we would not part with are Tempurpedic matress if our lives were at stake.
Synthetic stucco, more commonly know as the trade name Dryvit is all about application technique, especially around openings and corners. With the wind driven rain so often found in CR, these details have to be right on the money or you are just asking for a water intrusion problem like so many buildings in the pacific northwest = mold. It seems it would be a challenge to find these tradesmen on the coast, let alone CR. Normal stucco is ubiquitous to CR, but it is only as good as the substrate preparation. Having lived in several US west coast homes, my next home will be stone, split face CMU and stucco. No maintenance except pressure washing.
Try these folks. Furnished and you get a break on a monthly basis. Located in a nice neighborhood (Piedades) with quick access to the freeway. We stayed there for 3 months.
http://lindavistacr.com/At BN you must show account activity every 90 days or the account will become inactive. I only learned this when I could not use by ATM card. On the next visit in-country I went to the Escazu branch and reactivated the account without any fees. Since then, I have developed a personal relationship with a banker at the branch in Cobano where the account was opened. Now if there is a problem, an e-mail usually takes care of it. Personal realtionships + fluent Spanish go a long way in CR.
Good luck with that one. Everything is for rent in CR and most people that could afford a house sitter have a domestic staff that spends the day at the house. Short term rentals are very difficult to find outside of Aparthotels. There is an Aparthotel in Piedades between Sanat Ana & Colon called Linda Vista that will give you a break for weekly and monthly. There is a business one in Santa Ana, but they are very pricey. Costa Verde Hotel also has weekly/monthly and they are on the hillside above SW Escazu near the cemetary.
Good call on the car seat Rosie. Most airlines DO NOT charge for car seat transport because it is required by law in every state + most developed countries. Car seats are double the cost in CR.
No vaccinations required, just passports, which are only good for 5 years for minors and the fees recently went up significantly. You keep your eyes on your kids at all times just as you would in the US, however, I believe CR is much safer for children since the penalties are 15 years minimum.
I think the biggest concerns are water dangers (surf and rivers can easily kill an adult), sun protection and insect repellent (Burt’s Bees natural)/insect monitoring (scorpions like to hide in backpacks & shoes).I have a heat pump on my house, which acts as AC and uses the ground as a heat sink; we live in a coastal climate (Puget Sound). Arizona uses “swamp” or evaporative coolers, but these function much better in arid climates. Most of what you see in CR are wall mounted electric AC units with the coompressor/fan coil portion outside (LG is popular), thus the argument for solar to provide the elec. A heat pump runs $5,000-$7,000 installed here. What does the typical CR AC system run installed?
The pipe loop system that is used in most commercial applications of geothermal heat (many new schools utilize it) is also very exepensive in initial cost. The typical depth of these systems I have seen is 250-300′ and there are 100’s of thermal loops. On a $50 million + project, the life cycle costing probably works out in 20-30 years. Solar is a lot cheaper and much more efficient on the Nicoya peninisula.
