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[quote=”dustymar”]We are coming to Costa Rica this summer to see if it’s the place to retire (I’m so hoping it is). I’m wondering how hard it would be to rent a Tico-style small farm — very simple living, but a place where I could grow my food, and raise horses and goats (and who knows what else?) in the Central Valley.
We’ll be mostly living on Social Security, so we’re not looking to buy a coffee plantation or a fancy place in a gated community. We currently teach ESL and would probably like to do some kind of volunteering in that area.
I’ve looked on Craig’s list and a lot of the real estate sites, but I’m not finding what I feel really is available — I guess I just don’t know how to track it down.[/quote]The first thing you must realize is that the real estate industry in Costa Rica is unregulated.
[b]There are no licensing requirements for agents or brokers.[/b]
Be very caerful in who you select to represent your interests as many of the agents have a responsibility to the seller.On our arrival here in December 2007 we had the services of a very competent attorney who oversaw our interests in purchasing our one acre property and helping us through the immigration process.
[quote=”davidd”]
waggoner
and I bet you use one of the old rotary phones :)[/quote]
A WHAT???
[img]http://www.telephonearchive.com/phones/assets/we/we-wd-3wide-1890s-de/we-wd-3wide-1890s-de-300.jpg[/img]
[quote=”DavidCMurray”] And that leads us to the final conclusion: The advice and opinion proffered on this website, free as it is, must be worthless inasmuch as it comes at no cost, because, of course, cost = value.[/quote]
You are quite right.
I expect the local police to keep the peace in the community and they do a very good job of that in our area. 😀
To say that they “protect” gives the impression that law enforcement has some type of foresight denied to the rest of us. 🙄
Law “enforcement” responds when they are called and they are sometimes injudicious in their response but they are, after all is said and done, human.
If you expect more than the above you had better hire someone in whom you have implicit trust to lay their life on the line to protect your interests. Good luck with that.
Sorry, Scott.
I am just as guilty as anyone in being concerned about what goes on there as it all seems to affect us here. 😥
[quote=”sprite”]The last time I looked, the odds of suffering from violent crime in Costa Rica out side of the bigger cities are pretty slim. I should think a few dogs and a pistol would be more than sufficient.
People in the States seem to need quite a bit more.[/quote]
The greatest reason for crimes against tourists and ex-pats in the big city is the utter stupidity of the victim.
Driving a nice vehicle or flashing cash or cell phones or anything of value left in a car unattended results in loss of possessions. On top of that the guys with guns gravitate to places were those things can be had.
Out here in the boonies the ladrones never have guns and are prone to burgle anyhting of value to feed their addiction to drink or drugs.
When we first arrived in 2008 I faced down a guy with two machetes in my hands. We haven’t been bothered since. The family occasionally refers to me as “Gringo Loco”. 😯
We love our American electic and electronic devices, don’t we.
I don’t see bills of less than $200 and I live at 2900 ft. We use no A/C but do have a cooler set up in the master bedroom.
There is also the freezer, two refrigerators, computers, and many other electrical devices..
Seems like a lot of the “squad cars” that you see roaming the streets of America have the saying “[b]To Serve and Protect[/b]” painted in some form or anither on the side.
In point of fact, the local [b]police are peace-keepers not protectors from crime[/b]. They are very good at settling neighborhood disputes and complaints.
[b]IF[/b] we assume that they are protectors from crime we must assume that they have some foreknowledge that a crime is about to be committed, where it is to be committed and who will be involved.
Anyone who assumes that any police force can protect them from crime must be of limited intelligence. 🙄
[quote=”imxploring”]
Next question….
Under which of these presidents did the (acknowledged) National Debt increase the most?
We’ll ignore the debt to the SSA and Medicare programs just this once… since that opens up a whole other debate.[/quote]
We can take a look at two web sites that will give insight to when the debt was created.
http://zfacts.com/p/318.html
http://www.usgovernmentdebt.us/spending_chart_1940_2018USp_14s1li011mcn_H0f_Accumulated_Gross_Federal_DebtNote in the second web site, “U.S. government debt” that just after WW II the debt amounted to 121.96% of GDP. That debt was paid down every year at a rate of 2 1/2% per year until 1981 when it stood at 31.82% of GDP.
The years 1996 to 2001 were the only years since 1981 in which the debt to GDP was reduced.The figures are extrapolated out to 2018.
Debt to GDP is expected to peak in 2014 and slowly be reduced thereafter.
costaricafinca’s advice should be taken to heart.
There are many micro-climates in Costa Rica and there is one that will suit you.
You also need to consider what services you will need and make sure that you have everything easily available to you.
[quote=”davidd”]anyone want to take a gander as to how much this whole trip with the U.S. king will cost the american taxpayer???
i avoid saying names because in case secret service is tailing this forum :shock::shock::shock::shock::shock::shock:
I would wager including airforce one and personnel and $$$$ gifts to CR
$5 million
what say wagonner???
[/quote]http://www.factcheck.org/2011/07/the-traveling-president/
It would pay you to read the entire article.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_international_trips_made_by_the_President_of_the_United_States
For comparison Obama has taken 26 trips so far during his presidency with four more planned this year.
George Bush took 140 trips during years in office
Bill Clinton took 133 trips during years in office
George H W Bush took 60 trips during years in office
Ronald Reagan took 49 trips during years in office
Jimmy Carter took 31 trips during years in office
Gerald Ford took 19 trips during his year in office
Richard Nixon took 43 trips during his years in office
Lyndon Johnson took 27 trips during years in office
John Kennedy took 16 trips during years in office
Dwight Eisenhower took 37 trips during years in office
Harry Truman took 6 trips during his years in office
Franklin Roosevelt took 52 trips during his years in officeThose who criticize the cost of Obama’s flights do not want you to know that George W. Bush spent at least $20 million taxpayer dollars just on flights to his ranch in Crawford.
[quote=”critterhill”]Do most of you have one lawyer that handles all your business? Or is it more common in Costa Rica to have lawyers more specialized?
In the next 10 months, we will be hiring a lawyer to help us with the residency application as well as buying a place.
Also, does anyone have a lawyer(s) to recommend in the San Isidro area? [/quote]
After being left swinging in the wind by two different attorneys, we found an attorney who handled our home purchase and our residency. She now handles all of our needs. Her office is in San Sebastian just south of San Jose proper.
[quote=”davidd”]just read thru this article and am shocked at some of the stats..
crazy times for sure but i am glad i am raising my kids here.
http://www.wnd.com/2013/04/americans-snapping-by-the-millions/%5B/quote%5D
I have to agree with davidd.
[quote=”johnnyh”]The problem Davidd is that the United States is exporting inflation worldwide, and just about every nation is churning the printing presses. As a consequence politicians are more corrupt, and citizens in turn skirt the law to stay ahead.
I remember inviting friends to the Arrasti theater matinee in Puerto Limon, and we could all get in at 1 or 2 Colones each, and then go to the Acon theater and watch another movie. But this was back in 1959! The exchange rate back then was 6.65 Colones per Dollar.
If you have been following the articles by Jim Rogers, Marc Faber, The Mogambo Guru, and Gerald Celente, you can get a feel of what we are looking forward to. It just doesn’t look good regardless of what Obama and the politicians tell us.[/quote]This isn’t just a sudden development. Psychiatric conditions have been increasing since at least the 1980’s.
It has been geting tougher and tougher to make a living. Families are increasingly living off of credit and going deeper into debt.
Up through the 1970’s I was able to keep up with inflation and set aside savings for my retirement on a single income but during the 1980’s it became increasingly necessary to have two incomes to stay ahead.
The stress of declining wages and increasing inflation stresses the entire family not just the parents. Kids are very aware of the difficulty of maintaining the family.
Ticos are more laid back and heve had lower expectations but how long before the stress of keeping up hits here as well?
[quote=”sweikert925″][quote=”imxploring”]
People keep throwing out numbers telling us how long the trust fund is secure for and able to continue making it’s promised payments to those that paid in. But keep in mind that’s ONLY if Uncle Sam can make good on the IOUs the fund is full of.
[/quote]What you don’;t understand is that the trust fund is invested in treasury bills that are bought periodically, those bonds mature and are then redeemed and new ones issued. It is NOT like a collection of IOUs that someday have to be redeemed all at once. This has been going on for decades. There has never yet been a case where treasury bills issued by the federal treasury go unsold. Is it possible that someday that will happen? Well, yes, I suppose, but it is also true that someday I may win the Powerball jackpot.
Read more about how SS funds are administered here:
http://www.ssa.gov/oact/progdata/fundFAQ.html#n6
[/quote]So, finally, someone who understands that the feds are more likely to be unable to redeem the treasury notes before SS becomes insolvent.
Congress, both sides, is playing games with federal finances and prolonging the recovery interminably.
There are combination of fixes for Social Security but the only fix for congress is to vote them out of office.
[quote=”kwhite1″]
http://news.yahoo.com/medicare-increase-could-ding-middle-class-141951719–politics.htmlHere ya go, interesting read, the people that saved and were fiscally responsible get to pay more, just another example of rewarding bad behavior.
I wish I could understand the mindset of the law makers, it would make my life less complicated and my blood pressure would return to normal. I just don’t understand how one can be “punished” for being a good stewart of thier money?[/quote]
I agree with you. Obama is being pushed further and further to the right in order to get his deal done.
The key paragraph in your article is:
“Obama administration officials say Obama’s proposal will help improve the financial stability of Medicare by reducing taxpayer subsidies for retirees who can afford to pay a bigger share of costs. [b]Congressional Republicans agree with the president on this one, making it highly likely the idea will become law if there’s a budget deal this year.[/b]”Republicans get what they want at the tapayers expense and Obama gets the blame. 🙄
[quote=”VictoriaLST”]That video was so creepy. Sort of an “all sweetness and light” version of Germany in the 1930s.
[/quote]
or North Korea currently.
I have never been committed to either party. I just voted for the man I thought best for the job but mostly Republican.
Over the past 20 years or so the Republican Party has moved further and further from my beliefs.
I do support Obama but I disagree with what we saw in the video. I don’t think those kids really understood what they were singing about and I don’t approve of teachers getting kids involved in political brain-washing like that.
