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Tomasino: I agree with you. My cousin is a builder in the Playa Hermosa, (GTE) area and he is so busy with work he can’t see straight. He is a great builder, and in high demand. While some of his workers hail from Liberia, the majority come from San Jose. Because of that, they must build on site shelter for the men and in most cases, provide meals as well, which raises the labor costs and overall building costs for individuals and developers. Materials go up constantly (especially concrete and steel) and my cousin has had to raise worker wages a few times this year to keep his crew and compete with other builders in the area. Living at the beach is great for us, but things do cost more than in the central valley. I guess that is just the way it goes. However, remember that no developer can do just ‘whatever’ they want as the subject article (Guanacaste gone mad) had pointed to. There are codes, and if people are building illegally, they WILL be shut down. I’ve seen it with my own eyes in various parts of the beach where I reside. Also, there are good and bad projects, and you need to align yourself with someone who knows the difference if you can’t figure it out yourself!
I pay just over $600 per year for our house which has a value of about $175,000 for rebuild value. This covers theft as well, which, if I remember correctly is a separate policy. Still, this is much less than what we paid in Tampa…all of the hurricane prone areas of Florida have really seen an incredible hike in Insurance, which is really dissapointing.
I really like the VRBO site. I would also recommend http://www.homeaway.com. I’ve seen many rentals on both these sites for the above mentioned area.
Although Tamarindo may not be your thing Alvaro, realize that there are many beautiful beaches within 30 minutes of Tamarindo which I think are great. While I think the Tambor area is great, it is still isolated and hard to get to, so while GREAT for a 2nd home, I wouldn’t rely on getting rental income 50-75% of time and Bruno is banking on that. Facts just show that when it is harder to get to a property (ie: drive is long or roads are really rough) your rental rates drop significantly. I also like Playa Avellanas (south of Tamarindo) and Playa Grande, Playa Real, Playa Conchal, Potrero, Surfside, are all great alternatives to Tamarindo. There are still condos available for around $200,000 in these areas.
Hi Bruno. How are you? I figure since you are posting this question (and I’m seeing you in a couple of weeks), I should reply honestly, and I am always am.
First of all: If there was a hostage situation in Tamarindo, I never heard a thing. And I work everyday on Main Street in Tamarindo. So you would think I would know, unless I missed something this major! It was never written about in our local papers (Beach Times, Journal, Howler, Tamarindo News, etc). If someone else has heard different, that actually lives in the area, please chime in!
As for safety: Do I feel unsafe at my office? NO. Do I feel unsafe walking the streets in Tamarindo? NO. However, I also do not hang out ‘late night’ in Tamarindo when I feel that element of drugs and prostitution is seen. Have I ever been offered drugs in Tamarindo? NO, but my co-worker has. I did get my wallet stolen while at a crowded restaurant, but I partially blame myself because I wasn’t watching my purse. Petty theft an issue: Definately, just like most other touristy spots such as Jaco, Manuel Antonio, etc. That seems to be a problem in most of Costa Rica. I would never say that Tamarindo doesn’t have issues, but I just find it funny when people who don’t live in this beach area (or who havn’t visited many times) try to commment on the crime, infrastructure, etc. I think those who live here can paint an accurate picture of the state of Tamarindo, and not those who have visited once two years ago. Things do change…
Infrastructure: Needs improvement in Tamarindo BIG TIME. There is a 2nd route leading out of Tamarindo that is being earmarked as we speak. There is also a group that is going to be paving the road from Tamarindo to Langost in the coming year. So, while very SLOW, things are improving. Pro Mejores de Tamarindo is working with business, goverment, and individuals to get this area going in the right direction.
I enjoy Tamarindo for restaurants, shops, the beach, etc, but I chose to live in an out of the way spot (still within 20 minutes of Tamarindo). I personally moved to Costa Rica for the quiet, so Tamarindo is where I work, but not where I live.
Kates: The group of men that owned the land in Miramar in a corporation. Since then, 3 of 4 of the owners have passed. The remaining owner is a man by the name of Stearns Poor who lives in Tampa. He may even be online in the Tampa, Florida phonebook. I don’t have his contact information anymore, but I am sure with some googling you could find him. The world is pretty small these days with the help of internet! Good luck.
Tom: Addresses here are not like addresses in the USA. Romulo’s office is located in La Sabana in Casa Canada, 2nd floor. If someone has a better address, you can chime in. His address is not on his card, but you can call him (number above) and ask him personally or his assistant. Good luck!
To add to Davidcmurray’s comments: My parents, my husband and myself all used Romulo Pacheco as well. He was quick to get all our paperwork filed. We became legal residents last October and the paperwork was filed in July. My husband and I paid around $1,300 for the both of us and a $600 deposit and of course, about $75 for all the other documents needed. I would recommend him to others.
Boomerjen: DO a search on Paragon properties on this forum. You will find a ton of information and threads on this topic. As I tell all my clients, do your due diligence and then make your decision. I have not personally had dealings with Paragon, so I can’t comment on them. Good luck!
Edited on Mar 22, 2007 15:06
Donbuc, as a Realtor in Guanacaste, I can tell you that we have lots of product, but with the hotels that sell out, I push my clients to rent condos. The buyers and renters are here…It’s actually a more cost effective way to stay in Costa Rica. If you have a good property management company, you should be able to get your property rented 40-60% of the time depending on the beach area. The fact that you are close to the beach is another great rental/buying feature. Best of luck to you!
My cousin’s wife just had a baby and they paid $2,500 USD at a private clinic in Liberia for a scheduled c-section. That inluded all the doctors visits leading up to birth. They were happy with how everything turned out. Sorry I can’t shed light on hospitals in San Isidro. I would personally have a child in San Jose, but that is just my personal opinion from research. Congrats and buena suerte!
I shipped a 40 ft container last October for $6275 including taxes on the household goods. My container was basically my household furnishings and my car. Note that the $1,500 in taxes did not pay for my car import taxes… Shipping something smaller can make sense depending on where you are moving from. We shipped from Tampa, so obviously shipping from a city on the water (Port City) is cheaper than shipping from inland USA.
I wish I had left behind my car. We brought furniture, clothes, household goods, yard tools, personal effects, etc. I am glad we moved our things. trying to buy everything all over again would have been a hassle and more expensive. However, with the car, if I had to do over again, I would have bought here. It’s a long story, but you’ll have to trust me on that.
Hi all: I just applied for a new construction loan with Banco Cuscatlan. They DO NOT CARE if you are a resident or not. The process of applying is similar to the U.S, but more paperwork heavy. However, we have assets and own the land we want to build on plus a few other lots, so the bank will look at the big picture. They also run your credit in the states and use your credit score in the states as a deciding factor as well. I was a non-resident when I applied, although I just got my Cedula today. I am still applying as a non-resident since I just moved here 4 months ago.
