Finding a house to rent

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Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 21 total)
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  • #165774
    mattn63
    Member

    Hello,
    I am researching moving to Costa Rica and can’t seem to find a good listing of home rentals by area. The listings I find are for vacation homes, not long term rentals. The listing on this site has few homes listed. Can anyone point me in a good direction for obtaining homes for rent around La Fortuna? Any info/assistance would greatly appreciated.
    Thanks,
    Matthew

    #165775
    costaricafinca
    Participant

    You can check out ‘Craigs list’, but it is quite difficult to find a rental, especially a long time rental here. You would be better off to make arrangement for a months stay at a B&B or vacation rental in the La Fortuna area, while you search around the area, as when any rental appears, they are ‘snapped up’ so you really need to be here in person to physically check it out.
    Realize that you are legally, only allowed to stay for 90 days then you must leave to renew your tourist visa. Else you may be fined and/or deported….

    #165776
    mattn63
    Member

    [quote=”costaricafinca”]You can check out ‘Craigs list’, but it is quite difficult to find a rental, especially a long time rental here. You would be better off to make arrangement for a months stay at a B&B or vacation rental in the La Fortuna area, while you search around the area, as when any rental appears, they are ‘snapped up’ so you really need to be here in person to physically check it out.
    Realize that you are legally, only allowed to stay for 90 days then you must leave to renew your tourist visa. Else you may be fined and/or deported….[/quote]
    Thanks for the info. I checked out Craigslist, but it didn’t show much. I will be relocating and starting a Technical Services business. I plan to apply for Pensionado residency.

    #165777
    costaricafinca
    Participant

    It can take up to a year to gain any Resident status, so expect to leave, when necessary.
    I expect that you have read that you cannot do [b][i]any[/i] [/b]’physical/actual work’ yourself, so must hire local or legal workers.:cry:

    #165778
    mattn63
    Member

    [quote=”costaricafinca”]It can take up to a year to gain any Resident status, so expect to leave, when necessary.
    I expect that you have read that you cannot do [b][i]any[/i] [/b]’physical/actual work’ yourself, so must hire local or legal workers.:cry:[/quote]Yes, I have researched all of the residency and labor laws. The labor laws look like they were written by a union boss. Maybe I’ll meet a sweet Tico woman and get married. That would make residency easier.

    #165779
    costaricafinca
    Participant

    I wouldn’t guarantee it….but even then, it could take a couple of years to get your Permanent status, but at least you can enjoy the wait…:lol:

    #165780
    mattn63
    Member

    [quote=”costaricafinca”]I wouldn’t guarantee it….but even then, it could take a couple of years to get your Permanent status, but at least you can enjoy the wait…:lol:[/quote]
    I am coming to CR next month on a fact finding mission. I have a friend who has been there for 11 years. He tells me that people with experience in the IT field are in high demand. Are you aware of this sort of demand? Thanks for your helpful info.

    Matt

    #165781
    DavidCMurray
    Participant

    Depending on just what area of Information Technology you’re proficient in, generally there is no shortage of IT professionals in Costa Rica. Of course there may be niches.

    A couple of things to bear in mind are that, as costaricafinca has noted above, you are not permitted to do actual work in any enterprise so long as you are a temporary resident, a [i]pensionado[/i] or [i]rentista[/i], that is.

    The second thing is to understand that Costa Rican wages are laughably low as compared to those in North America. As an IT professional, you may be competing against equally competent Costa Ricans who would be happy to receive the U.S. minimum wage.

    #165782
    bogino
    Participant

    [/quote]Yes, I have researched all of the residency and labor laws. The labor laws look like they were written by a union boss. [b]Maybe I’ll meet a sweet Tico woman [/b][u][/u]and get married. That would make residency easier.[/quote]

    I’d be careful about that….I’ve read a number of horror stories about Foreigners that have married “Ticas” only to get totally ripped off and mired in legal problems. Not to say that’s the “norm” but just “proceed with caution” and Good Luck:lol::lol:

    #165783
    grb1063
    Member

    You can find long and short term rentals. We found a 4-unit apartment on a property with a house in Piedades (between Santa Ana & Colon) we stayed in for 3 months before, during and after our daughter was born. It is called LindaVista; the owners are Wilfredo & Sadie.
    http://www.lindavistacr.com/
    Also try La Nacion (Spanish or use translaton feature), local property management companies or search “aparthotels”.

    #165784
    wspeed1195
    Member

    [quote=”costaricafinca”]It can take up to a year to gain any Resident status, so expect to leave, when necessary.
    I expect that you have read that you cannot do [b][i]any[/i] [/b]’physical/actual work’ yourself, so must hire local or legal workers.:cry:[/quote]thats funny,the ticos I know won’t work for the paltry sum the americans so readily pay the nicas to perform the task n eeding to be done.

    #165785
    aguirrewar
    Member

    CRF:

    I read your post ans smiled but then I read it againg and started laughing.

    How TRUE.

    Nicas have taken over the manual jobs’ in CR and the government KNOW’s this and turn a blind eye to this issue. Just like in the USA but Arizona comes up with this immigration law and everyone is for or against. Let’s see 4,000 acres of tomatoes go bad because no one wants to harvest them in Florida.

    Close to 10,000 of Orange groves.

    25,000 of Strawberries

    and on and on

    #165786
    wspeed1195
    Member

    it’s deffinately A sad state of affairs for us in the states that do const.
    the american contractors are the one dumping on the american tradesman.
    when you can get labor at half the cost,that when the job runs out or they get fired you don’t have to match their unemployment,or werry about retribution when you break labor laws etc. etc. contractors are the biggest scourge.they promote the demise of the fabric that the U.S. was built on.
    fair labor fair wages.quality work.

    #165787
    grb1063
    Member

    The unions are just as guilty for turning a blind eye (i.e. Laborer’s International). If you are a sizeable contractor in Seattle, you are likely union. The union puts the responsibility to determine if [u]their[/u] members are “legal” with e-verify, which is a joke to begin with. Prevailing wage in Seattle is $47/HR for a journeyman laborer!!! The illegals don’t care if their med. benefits & pension money are going to fictitous SSN#, they just want the $31/HR wage. The gov’t. s still getting the FICA, FUTA & FIT taxes from the employer. It is symbiotic this way as far as the feds are concerned.

    #165788
    waggoner41
    Member

    [quote=”mattn63″] Thanks for the info. I checked out Craigslist, but it didn’t show much. I will be relocating and starting a Technical Services business. I plan to apply for Pensionado residency.[/quote]

    Once you get your documents in to Migracion they provide you with a document called “Expediente”. Keep this and your passport with you and get your CR drivers license before your 90 days is up.

    The Expedients proves you are in process, the passport identifies you and traffic cops require that you have the drivers license. You will no longer have to leave with these docs.

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