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Tom,
Thanks for adding to my list.
Yor’re right about the pharmacies. For many minor illnesses and injuries which would require a doctor’s visit in the States, the pharmacist can provide all the services you need. Most (not all) prescription drugs are much cheaper in CR than in the States and, of course, many are available for free through the Caja. Except for restricted drugs such as narcotics, the pharmacist can dispense them without necessity of a separate doctor’s prescription. The cunsultation with the pharmacist is free.
I also like the slower pace of life. Yes, it was a big adjustment for me but I’ve finally made it and don’t find myself getting annoyed or impatient with the “pura vida” attitudes as I did in my first few years here.
[quote=”DavidCMurray”]Jim, I’m not so sure that each and every real estate parcel in Costa Rica is, in fact, registered in the National Registry. As long as a parcel doesn’t change hands, why would the owner go to the expense of registering it?
Anyway, I stand by my advice to only purchase well researched property that is already registered in the National Registry. And ticorealtor’s advice to purchase title insurance, which is available here, is good, too.[/quote]
David, Article 460 of the Civil Code requires that all land titles be registered in the Registro Nacional. This law has been on the books now for many years and most properties are in compliance although obviously some titles are still not registered.
Anyone who buys a property without a registered tile is a fool and I won’t waste my time trying to give them advice.
I also don’t agree with the advice about relying on title insurance or title companies without also having a competent real estate attorney.
The problem is that there are too many exceptions to title policies that the layman doesn’t generally understand. For example, title insurance won’t protect you against any loss for matters which would be disclosed by an accurate survey, claims of parties in possession, etc. Additionally, even though a loss may be covered under the policy the claims process and actual payment of the claim are another matter all together.
Title insurance is no substitute for having competent legal representation. If you want to pay for title insurance as additional protection, fine, but my point is that you shouldn’t rely on title insurance alone. You need an attorney. Again, he should be hired directly by you, not be the attorney for the seller or for the title company.
PS: I have over thirty years experience as a real estate attorney, title examiner and real estate law professor in the US. The laws and practices in Costa Rica are very different than in the States but offer good protection to buyers provided you use due diligence and follow the best recommended local practices, which include using an attorney to represent you.
I don’t know what you mean by “finca titled”. As far as I know, all property in Costa Rica is identified in the Registro Nacional by finca number. It’s part of the legal description.
There are two separate documents recorded for each property. First is the escritura (deed). Second is the plano catastrado (registered survey map). Evey property should have both documents recorded. If not, or if they are not up to date or contain errors, you have a potential title problem which must be solved prior to closing.
Also, there are serious potential problems with the law of adverse possession (squatter’s rights) in many parts of Costa Rica. You should always physically inspect the property and have the survey updated with the boundaries clearly marked and be certain that there are no encrochments or trespassers on the property.
Title insurance is not yet very common in Costa Rica and I haven’t ever used a title company here so I can’t comment on their services or prices. I recommend that you use a competent real estate attorney to examine title and rely on his advice. Do NOT use the seller’s attorney to examine title. Hire your own attorney for this.
To me, it’s not worth the hassle and expense of shipping household goods unless you’re really attached to them. However (and it’s a BIG however), if you’re new to Costa Rica and don’t know your way around and don’t speak Spanish, it may take you a while to find what you want and need to set up your household here without paying and arm and leg.
In my case, when I came down over 10 years ago, I initially purchased only basic essentials and cheap furniture. Over the years I’ve gradually replaced and added items as I needed them and found what I wanted at prices I was willing to pay. Also, as an avid cook, there are some things that are really important to me such as good kitchen knives and cookware which are overpriced or unavailable here. Most of these items I’ve brought down in suitcases from the States over the years.
[quote=”DavidCMurray”]Many of the car rental agencies will require that you agree not to take a 4wd vehicle off road. While Costa Rica’s roads clearly do leave something to be desired in some areas, especially during the (current) dry season I see little need for four-wheel drive. We own a 4wd vehicle and have activated the 4wd mechanism about four times in over five years. If I had it to do again, I wouldn’t pay for it.
My choice would be an automatic transmission mid-size sedan. It’ll be more comfortable, easier on our expensive gas, and give you a lockable trunk to hide valuables in.
Be sure to check the physical condition of the vehicle you rent very carefully and to have the agency note every speck of damage. Assure that it has a spare tire, a jack, a jack handle, and the legally required emergency kit. Check the function of the air conditioning, too.
Don’t take possession of your rental car at the airport. There’ll be a fifteen percent surcharge on the entire cost. Arrange for the agency to meet you at the airport and take you to their nearby office to get the car.
And if you have a Platinum credit card, your company will automatically provide some of the optional insurance coverage that the rental agency will otherwise recommend to you. Costa Rican law does, however, mandate that you buy certain coverage.[/quote]
As usual, David, your advice is great. I have a 4WD Montero and I actually DO use the 4WD quite frequently, but that isn’t nearly as important to me as the higher ground clearance, larger tires and wheels, and heavy duty suspension of a mid-size/full-size SUV. Unless driving only on city streets and major highways, I still prefer an SUV for safety and comfort.
The compact SUV’s such as the Jimmy and Terios will usually be the least expensive but performance and comfort aren’t the greatest. You may find that you can rent a mid-sized SUV for not that much more if you shop around. Try Expedia, Orbitz, etc. Once you find the apparent best deals, go to the rental company’s own website to see if you can get a better price by booking direct.
Also, if you have an unlocked GSM cell phone from the states, bring it with you. You can buy prepaid chips here in which should work fine in most US cell phones.
Enjoy your visit!
I don’t remember the cost of the Registro certificate but it isn’t expensive and the process isn’t complicated or time-consuming. I was required to buy insurance at the border despite having INS insurance.
There are plenty of hotels in David in every price range. No advance reservation is necessary. Just look around once you arrive. If you’re on a budget, try Hotel Castilla or Puerta Del Sol, both in the range of $30-$40 per night for clean, basic accomodations. The Gran Nacional is the largest, best known hotel in David but is over-priced unless you get a promotional rate. There a numerous other options.
Take dollars with you and/or use your Visa/Mastercard. Don’t try to exchange colones at the border or in David. It’s a hassle and you’ll get a bad exchange rate.
There are no serious concerns about personal safety. In general, Panama is safer than Costa Rica. Just exercise normal caution. Shops are everywhere and prices are much lower on most items than in Costa Rica. Also, shopping at the frontier is good, on both sides of the border. There’s no problem bringing purchases across the border, although you’ll probably have to use your customs exemtion for the TV. There’s no special paperwork, just be sure you have the original receipt. The amount of the exemption is $500 per person every six months. It doesn’t matter if you are a resident or not. The CR customs officials will stamp your passport to indicate that you’ve used your exemtion. It can’t be prorated, so if your TV costs over $500 you can’t exempt it and will have to pay the customs duty. Don’t declare any of your small purchases, no matter the total value of your purchases. They won’t check them.
Panama City is quite a drive from David, about 200 miles, but the highway is very good and the speed limit fairly high (110 kph?). Another excursion from David is a day trip to Boquete, which is a nice, small mountain town popular with ex-pats and tourists.
Your best route from Grecia will be the Pacific coast highway – towards Jaco, Quepos, etc. There may still be ongoing construction north of Dominical. I’m not sure. During my last trip about a year ago it didn’t slow us down much. However, the section of highway south of Dominical (Palmar Norte) was in very bad shape. I don’t know if it’s been repaired. If not, drive with extreme caution or the potholes will destroy your car.
Be sure to take a cell phone with you in case you do have trouble on the road. Be aware that your INS insurance includes towing.
Enjoy your trip!
Crossing the border from CR to Panama in a private vehicle is a major hassle, particularly if you don’t speak fluent Spanish and aren’t thoroughly familiar with all of the documentation and requirements.
Among other things, before you travel, you must go to the Registro Nacional here in Costa Rica and obtain a certificate proving your ownership of the vehicle. You can’t take your car across the border without it. Also, your Costa Rican insurance isn’t valid in Panama. You’re required to purchase short-term insurance at the border, but it’s not expensive.
I recommend travelling and crossing the border by bus. If you want a car to travel around in Panama, rent one in David.
[quote=”bogino”]Is “INS” the Government healthcare system? When I think of “Government” healthcare I think of long lines…hours and hours of waiting…months to see a specialist…etc. which is why I’m differentiating between that system and the availability of private insurance.
Like you, I am diabetic and in the event I decide to explore living in CR I want to be able to have the ability to see not just an endocrinologist every 3 to 4 months but a retina specialist..podiatrist…etc. I am very “proactive” when it comes to my care because I feel that’s the best strategy to avoid complications and that involves the discipline of going to these various specialists on a regular schedule which I have here in the US. If that is not a realistic option in CR then it makes my decision making process very easy.
Thanks for the feedback.[/quote]
The health care system in Costa Rica, both public and private, is very good and very attentive to legitimate health care needs but you have to understand how it works and how to “play the game”, particularly with regard to access to specialists.
Most of the Caja doctors also see private patients and are affiliated with one of the many private hospitals and clinics such as Clinica Biblica, CIMA, Clinica Catholica, etc.
In your case, as a diabetic, you need to establish a relationship with an endocrinologist. What you do is to call around to the private hospitals and clinicas and ask if they have an endocrinologist who also works for the Caja.
Once you find one, make an appointment for a private consultation. The charge should usually be around 30,000 to 40,000 colones. Take your medical records with you and explain your needs. He should be able to prescribe your medications and schedule most or all of your routine follow up appointments through the Caja. If you need or want to see him more frequently or sooner than the Caja appointment schedule, bite the bullet and pay for another private appointment. Even paying for occasional private appointments, you’ll probably find your out of pocket expenses to be less than they are in the US.
[quote=”Scott”]I also prefer to hold a real book or newspaper in my hands rather than reading online.
Having said that, one of our very special VIP Members is sending me a Kindle as a gift and I LOVE the idea of having a thousand books in my hand instead of 6 large boxes of books in my bodega and a dozen bookcases in my apartment, and those are just the books I’ve bought in the last 10 years …
Many printed newspapers are dying and it’s difficult to disagree with your statement about the Tico Times.
I can’t imagine why anyone would want to ‘donate’ to a newspaper and certainly have never considered it a “privilege” to buy the Tico Times.
http://newspaperdeathwatch.com/ has some interesting information…
Scott[/quote]
Scott,
I’ve had my Kindle for about six months now. It’s great and I’m certain you’ll enjoy it too. Although I buy a few new books from Amazon, most of what I read is totally free – classics and other public domain books. If you need advice on searching for free Kindle books let me know and I’ll point you in the right direction.
[quote=”cancertomnpdx”]I would think any appointed State Department employees in Costa Rica should be able to sign documents for by virtue of their appointment and employment. It could be these days that only one of the several consular officer of State at the Embassy have the power to notarize official individual documents. I would call the Embassy to ask their process for notarizing documents. The last time I had it done many years ago on Guam, the signature came with the beautiful gold star with the seal of the United States pressed into the star. Pretty impressive!
Later,
Tom[/quote]No, that’s not the case. The laws are very specific as to who can notarize and authenticate documents and the process is handled through the consular service office at the embassy. It’s a simple, routine process they perform many times each day.
Here’s the legalize:
Notarial and authentication services are one of the oldest traditional consular functions dating back to Statute I, Session I, Chapter 24 of April 14, 1792, “An Act Concerning Consuls and Vice Consuls”. See 22 U.S.C. 4215; 2 U.S.C. 4221; Rule 44(a)(2) FRCvP, 28 U.S.C. Appendix; Rule 902(3) FREv, 28 U.S.C. Appendix; 28 U.S.C. 1740; 1741; 22 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 92.2 et seq. Only persons who meet the definition of “notarizing officer” may notarize documents at a U.S. embassy or consulate. See 22 C.F.R. 92.1(d). The term “notarizing officer” at a U.S. embassy or consulate includes consular officers, officers of the Foreign Service who are secretaries of embassy or legation under 22 U.S.C. 4221 and such U.S. citizen employees as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Overseas Citizens Services may designate for the purpose of performing notarial acts overseas pursuant to Section 127(b) of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1994-1995, Pub. L. 103-236, April 30, 1994. See also the Uniform Notarial Act, the Uniform Recognition of Acknowledgments Act and the Uniform Acknowledgment Act.
I don’t see much benefit to holding title to vehicles in a corporation provided you’re adequately insured. I do agree that it’s better to hold title to real estate in a corporation, not only to protect against liability but because it’s much simpler and less expensive to transfer title when you sell.
As for cost, I think you’ll find that its less expensive to buy a new car here than to buy in the US and ship it down after you consider all the costs of shipping, customs and title charges. Most but not all of the new car agencies are fairly cost competetive, with numerous promotions, financing offers, etc.
That being said, I don’t recommend buying or driving a new car here. You’re much better off buying a good used car. If you shop around and aren’t in a rush, you can find good deals and save money. With the high incidence of car theft, the condition of the roads, and the number of accidents, to me its just not worth paying the price of a new car with such a high possibility of damage or loss.
Since you don’t speak much Spanish, one place to start looking is Costa Rica Craigslist. Google will take you to the website. They usually have a fair number of good, late model used cars for sale. Most of the sellers are Gringos and the ads are in English. Some are in process of leaving the country and must sell quickly for the best offer they within a limited period of time. I wouldn’t normally consider buying a used cars from a dealer. They are almost always overpriced and you’ll usually do much better with private sellers.
There are exceptions, however. I’ve bought a couple of used cars here from dealers with deep discounts, far below open market prices. However, I’m fluent in Spanish, have lived here for more than 10 years and am culturally integrated in to Costa Rican society, with a wide network of friends and family, many of whom are involved in or have very good contacts within the used car market.
Remember, in Costa Rica, prices are always negotiable. You should expect to negotiate discounts of 20% or more on almost all asking prices. Ticos sometimes ask almost double the price they actually expect to receive.
I’ve frequently entered Costa Rica with two laptops, one carried on my shoulder and the other packed in my luggage. I’ve never even been checked, much less questioned or charged customs duty.
Watchdog is correct. A state-licensed notary in the US is not authorized to authenticate documents outside the state where he is licensed. I don’t recommend using a Costa Rican notary. It’s legal to do so but complicated and easy to mess up. Your best bet is to go to the embassy. They routinely authenticate (notarize) documents and their authentication is valid in all states and for all purposes.
