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I’ve met some of the people to whom you are referring — the ones who fork over a sizeable chunk of cash for property they’ve never seen in a country they’ve never been to. When I asked one couple what would make them do something so foolish they told me they were afraid of losing out and that in 5 years they would never be able to afford CR. They’re being told it’s like Malibu in the 50’s. Nobody in their right mind would do such a think in the States, but as you said earlier, people go to Costa Rica and completely forget their common sense.
I didn’t take your comments personally at all. But I do think that some of what you say is a tad inaccurate.Frankly, I don’t know anyone who’s gotten ripped off and if people do get ripped off in Costa Rica, I’m inclined to think it’s their own stupidity that led them to that result. You should talk to some of the people in a community not far from me in the States whose $700,000 houses literally fell apart — they have NO recourse as the builder is out of state. To paint Costa Rica as this renegade construction operation and to extoll the virtues of building in the US is simply not accurate. There are rotten contractors here by the hundreds. And it is standard procedure for contractors here to make 20% off every nail, screw, board, etc. that goes into a house. THAT’S how they make their money, so if my contractor in CR gets a discount of 10% for paying cash and puts that 10% in his pocket, I say good on him!! To make some of the sweeping comments you have such as nothing built in Costa Rica would pass US regulations is simply, in a word, inaccurate. I would not want to frighten someone away from the experience of building in Costa Rica by having them think that it’s a disaster looking for a place to happen. Maybe my experience is out of the ordinary, but I don’t think so, as it is the same experience of many people I know who did their homework and who had good contractors and are perfectly happy with the results and would do it all over again exactly the same way if they could.
“That is the problem we compare it to places in the US. Let me just say this, in Costa Rica the septic laws could not pass in the US, the electric laws would not pass the construction laws would not pass. You do not have streets nor sidewalks. No city council to govern or regulate communities.”
I can’t help but disagree with your statements here. I have a state of the art electrical system and a house that is built to withstand an earthquake. As for the septic system, mine in Costa Rica is every bit as safe and to code as the one I have right now. YOu make it sound like they are just digging a big hole in the ground. I don’t have sidewalks where I live now and I live in the 6th richest county in America. And the “road” to my house isn’t paved once you’re off the main road, just like in Costa Rica. Most new suburbs in America have no sidewalks, and certainly given the expansive sprawl that is happening in this country, nobody’s regulating that here. I don’t mean to be rude, but I still haven’t figured out what you are trying to say — you make it seem that Tico builders are slapping up over-priced, non-regulated houses that will blow over in a windstorm. I’ve not found this to be the case at all. Do you have any construction background?
And for which 85% does it not work for — the people who didn’t do their homework and paid $60 – $100 a sq foot to build? Trust me, you ain’t raining on MY parade, and I’m sorry if yours got soaked. Your statement about the prices jumping for Costa Ricans is completely contradictory to everything else you’ve said — basically, you’d said there is one price for Ticos and one price for Gringos, so how does ripping a gringo off raise the prices for a Tico? Makes no sense to me.
I’ve seem to have missed the whole point of your message. How much SHOULD it cost to build a house to gringo standards? I didn’t just hire some guy off the street — he is a certified contractor; I used a well-known architect; I have building permits and there were inspections. Now how is that different than the US? And how is my septic tank not up to regulations? I saw the plans; I know how it was constructed. You assume I haven’t been there — I’ve been there 5 times this year and watched what they were building. I get regular updates from the contractor and now that the house is 90% completed, I am going down for a month to do the finish work. Rather than telling me how I was told what I want to hear about building costs, why don’t you share how you were ripped off? I’ll never feel ripped off building the house I did with the people I used for the money it cost me. You couldn’t buy an outhouse in my neighborhood for what I paid for a luxury home in Costa Rica. And no, I don’t believe that a Tico could’ve built my house for $10,000. When I hear about people paying $100 a sq foot to build in other parts of CR, I think THOSE people are getting ripped off, but I don’t think I was ripped off. And I am not the typical gringo — I’ve lived in other Third World countries. I know the customs. I’ll take my Tico-built home anyday over the schlock they slapping up here inthe States, the luxury homes where the dry wall is coming apart, the foundations that were done with second-rate cement, the sink holes that are appearing in driveways. So much for our laws! LOL
But I did do plenty of research on building costs for the area I was in and for the home I wanted to build. My building costs were just under $30 per sq foot! Exactly how much cheaper could I have gotten it to have a house that is custom built to gringo standards and every amenity imaginable? I’ve seen every receipt for every piece of ribar and concrete block. If my contractor made money by paying in cash and getting a discount, I’m happy for him because I didn’t see where he was getting paid any other way. So how much did I get ripped off? How much does a Tico pay for building the same house? $20 per sq foot? Less? In my area in the States, building costs are $240 per sq foot, so of course in comparison, CR prices are rock bottom to me. The total cost of my house will be $44,000 — 3 bedrooms, two baths, a 520 sq foot terrace, custom wood throughout. So what should I do, lament that I could’ve gotten it cheaper? I don’t really care. I was more than happy to provide work for my six workman and my contractor.
I bought a lot just outside San Ramon in Los Angeles Sur, lovingly referred to as Angel Valley, which is turning into an eclectic enclave for all sorts of expats from all over the world.
I purchased property in Costa Rica last year and am in the process of building a house, the entire process of which will be the topic of an article for this website. Despite my impulsivity to buy on my first trip to CR, I have had the most wonderful experience and so far nothing bad has happened to me, and my house is nearly 90% done, so it’s on time and under budget. I spent a lot of time researching real estate in CR before I hopped on the plane. I had also been in an e-mai lfest with the developer for months before I went down there, so I had a good feel for him and his ethics. But to hand someone $25,000 JUST for the privilege of looking at a piece of overpriced property seems insane to me. Who would do that in the States? NOBODY! Maybe my experience isn’t typical, but so far, it has been the best experience of my life.
“The medical care is cheap but they do not have the money. In the US based on their retirement income they could get some assistance and medicare pays medical cost for most things except for medicines. Medicare will not any medical expenses incurred in Costa Rica.”
Why didn’t they get medical insurance when they moved to Costa Rica? This is a sad situation and one which I have pondered as my husband and I are planning to move to Costa Rica and we need to sort out medical coverage. We’ve decided that we wouldn’t go back to the states if there was a medical emergency; medical treatment is as good as what you get in the States for a fraction of the cost. Medical treatment is one of the top ten causes of death in America. I’ll take my chances in Costa Rica.
This misdemeanor will likely appear on your local police report. However, unless it is a serious crime, I was told that the CR authorities were not much interested in things that happened more than 10 years ago. I would consult either the CR consulate closest to you or an immigration lawyer. I was told by the consulate that they are getting really tough on this issue but her comment was more about people who have committed felony crimes more than misdemeanors. If you are thinking of fleeing the country to avoid legal financial obligations, there are some rumblings that people who have bad credit, are in serious debt, and might be leaving the country to avoid paying those debts, will not be issued a passport. I don’t know that this is actually true, but there have been rumors about imposing restrictions on travel that will be tied to your financial situation.
