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Somebody correct me if I’m wrong . . .
I think you have two choices: You can seek out a predominantly English-speaking community which you’re most likely to find in a couple of areas immediately around San Jose and maybe in some “touristy” areas. Many such places are gated communities with little opportunity for meaningful interaction with the Costa Rican community. If you like being inundated with Americans, you’ll love this.
The other choice is to seek out a predominantly Costa Rican community with a significant sprinkling of gringos. We live outside Grecia where almost all (but not all) of our neighbors are Costa Ricans. They have been most warm, friendly, patient and helpful. But it is nice to be able to have a multi-sentence conversation with someone who speaks the same language you speak, so I think having some socially compatible gringos around is important.
Appliance prices here are higher than in the U.S. at least for imported items. Atlas appliances are made here.
If you approach Mario Villota real friendly-like and make a substantial purchase, you can get a very attractive discount.That said, we just bought a self-cleaning Ceran (smooth) top electric range for about $800 (not cheap where I come from, but cheaper than equivalent models from Whirlpool or GE).
The ferreteria(sp?) called Ferraloza in Tibas has the best selection of tile we’ve found and probably the best prices. Ask for Jaime and tell him Dave Murray (Agent 006) sent you.
LaArtistica in Pavas is a source of Maytag appliances. Ask for Mario Viollota whose English is excellent and who has always been very helpful.
The Constru Plaza on the autopista in Escazu is a good source for plumbing fixtures, some lighting and general hardware.
Ziruma on the same autopista but west of the Forum Santa Ana seems like a very professional operation who can supply stone (granite, marble, slate and limestone, at least) for countertops, floors, etc. They can fabricate an elegant sink of the same material as the contertop and at tolerable prices. Ask for Olga.
And always offer to pay by cash or check (“effectivo”) to obtain the best price.
Unless they’re moving an entire container from the same point of origin as yours, no one except the mover can give you any meaningful information on costs. There are too many variables.
If the only “household goods” you’re shipping consist of electronics, then a crated shipment should suffice. That will probably take longer in transit and cost more per cubic foot than sending an entire containerload.
As for the Hummer, it can be shipped by itself (or maybe loaded with the electronics??). Do consider, however, the implications of owning and operating it here where gasoline, insurance and the marchamo will be very expensive. It’s not an easy task getting a car imported here, either, due to the bureaucracy, import duties, inspections and certifications, etc. That, of course, applies to any vehicle, but the operating costs of the Hummer will be very substantial.
In the Central Valley, at least, there are 4,200 foot elevations everywhere. Many of the ridges go up well above 5,000 feet.
I’ve said in the past here that I think there are three essential considerations in looking for a place to settle: climate, amenities and community. Climate we’ve covered.
Amenities are those things that you need or want to make your life comfortable — shopping, medical care, transportation, etc.
Community refers to the social network you’ll find in one location or another. If you speak no Spanish and move into a community where no one speaks English, you’re probably going to feel pretty isolated. Likewise, if you move into a touristy area where the neighbors all move out every week or two, there will be few opportunities for longlasting social relationships. Think about it.
ABC Mudanzas and SG Global are both based here in Costa Rica and can accomplish your containerized move, or your local (Nevada) worldwide mover can do it. There’s a lot of bureaucracy which has been discussed extensively here but it’s not rocket science.
As to the Yukon . . . There are lots of pros and cons. Importing any vehicle can be a nightmare, and once here, you’ll be astonished at how expensive a Yukon will be to insure, fuel and pay tax on. And then there’s the matter of parts and service . . .
As a general rule, the climate in Costa Rica is closely aligned to altitude. The higher you go, the cooler it gets. In the main, altitudes between 3,000 and 5,000 feet are the most desirable. In those areas, you’ll need neither heat nor air conditioning. At 4,200 feet, we rarely turn on the ceiling fans and sleep under a light blanket at night.
GringoTico is way, way overpriced. I’ll make you the same deal for $15,000. Contact me by e-mail and I’ll give you my Cayman Islands bank account and routing numbers . . .
All I know about Atenas is that it’s reputed to have the best climate in the world, according to an article in National Geographic magazine which no one seems to be able to cite. Even the Atenas busses crow about the climate.
As I’ve opined before, it’s odd that all the houses in Atenas that are being marketed to gringos seem to boast central air conditioning. If the climate’s so great, why the A/C? We don’t have or need it outside Grecia.
Lic. Romulo Pacheco, who is housed in the same building as the Ass’n. of Residents of Costa Rica in San Jose, took very good care of our residency application and those of several friends. I wouldn’t look anywhere else.
You can reach him at 506-255-1592. If you send him e-mail at crlexs@racsa.co.cr, put “COSTA RICA RESIDENCY” in the Subj: line.
Is there something especially appealing, something unique about this property or this development? Is there no other similar property in the area? While I’m not conversant in all the real estate developments in Costa Rica, everything I read suggests that there are plenty of options. Why not focus some attention on the competition?
Please bear in mind that an honest, competent attorney can prepare registration documents and submit them in good faith but that does not assure that they will actually be registered or that they’ll be registered anytime soon. And the verbal assurances of the developer’s representative are just that — hot air. What backs them up?
Odd, too, that you’re being encouraged not to purchase this property outright. Is there an ulterior motive for that? I can think of at least one . . .
Phil, if you’re thinking seriously about retiring here, and if you’ll be limited to spending $1,000 per month or so, then you’ll probably be best off planning to settle in the Central Valley. With that in mind, I think George Lundquist’s four-day tour is a must. Not only will you see every type of environment available, but George is a wealth of practical information about virtually every aspect of making Costa Rica your home.
A question I would pose to anyone trying to sell me a piece of property is whether it is registered in the National Registry. Also, is it free of any liens? I know competent real estate agents who have spent years trying (so far unsuccessfully) to get a plot registered for the first time. It’s not a shoo-in. What if, for some reason, it never gets registered? Then what will it be worth? You won’t be able to build on it; you won’t be able to sell it; and you won’t have a registered property to even register ownership of in your name.
Better to give this company a small deposit to obtain an option to purchase, at a stated price, pending registration in the National Registry by a stated date. At least this minimizes your exposure.
Or, you might shop for a plot that’s available to sell right now. There’s no shortage of them.
