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This is tough, Cindy. Most major tire brands are represented in Costa Rica, and many of the common tire model names are seen here. That is not to say, however, that the tires available here are the same ones that you can purchase in the U.S. Some domestically produced tires may not meet the U.S. standards that the tires you purchase in the U.S. will meet. Other tires, made in other countries, may be exactly the same item.
I wouldn’t lose a lot of sleep over this matter. When the time comes to replace tires, some diligent shopping will reveal a good choice. If you destroy a tire on a weekend, whatever is locally available probably won’t be the same as what you’ve just ruined anyway, so you’ll either have to take whatever you can get or expect a delay and an inconvenience trying to match whatever is already on your truck.
With all the bases you have to cover in a move to Costa Rica, this concern should be very low on your list.
I think you’re going to have to shop around locally to find a surveyor to do this work. Certainly prices will vary.
Another thought: I believe you’ll want to engage an architect to help you decide how to divide up this property into buildable lots. When you do, be *certain* to also involve a knowledgeable attorney who can advise you about the legal limitations of dividing property for the purpose you have in mind. It’s my understanding that just because you can physically divide five hectares by into ten lots doesn’t mean that it can legally be done. And if it isn’t done legally, then you can’t expect to sell the lots, and your time and money will have been wasted. Bear in mind that any knowledgeable buyer will insist that his or her property be registered in the National Registry. I’ve heard stories about it taking years to get unregistered properties registered.
Sadly, all of these statistics are open to serious skepticism. For one thing, crime reporting by localities in the U.S. to the FBI is totally voluntary. Not all cities participate. What’s more, not every locality uses the same terminology or definitions. So, just exactly which cities have the higher rates of (say) housebreaking? And how are those definitionally different from burglaries? From breaking and entering?
What’s more, not all crime is reported, even by the police. Many rapes are thought to go unreported, for example. And crime reporting is typically lower in areas where the populace has less confidence in the police to apprehend the perpetrators. Doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen; just means it’s not reported. Even some murders are not reported as such by those jurisdictions that do report.
Bottom Line: Keep your doors locked and stay out of bad neighborhoods.
The cost of any survey will depend on the size of the property and the complexity of the project. In February, we spent about $280 to have two manzanas surveyed. That did not include registering the new survey in the National Registry — another $160, I think. A topographical survey of our property cost about $400 last year.
Stewart Title Co., who advertises in Tico Times, offers title insurance in Costa Rica at 1% of the purchase price. My attorney, who was not involved in our latest real estate venture, says it’s a waste of money. Sadl¥, I can’t reconstruct his argument, but it was convincing.
Hoover makes a small, lightweight, but very powerful cannister model in its commercial line. I *think* the model number is C8024 or something close. It’s one where you hold the vacuum in one hand and “sweep” with the other. There is a long power cord, good attachments, and a shoulder strap. You can outfit it with an option to use disposable “N” bags or use the permanent cloth one (a messy affair).
You’d have to buy one of these on-line. Do a Google search on “Hoover commercial vacuums”. You should find in listed for less than $135US plus shipping.
I can’t offer an opinion about Mr. Howard’s tours; however, last year I took George Lundquist’s tour of the Central Valley for those thinking of moving here, and I can endorse it without reservation. You can Google search “George Lundquist” and find his website. George tells me he’s just obtained a much more accommodating bus, and I think I know that his price has actually come down a little.
As a veteran of surf fishing on the Outer Banks of North Carolina and a couple of years working in a tackle shop there, I can tell you that there are many blind alleys to be avoided in getting started fishing in the surf. At the very least, I would look for an experienced guide from whom to learn at least some of the basics before investing in any tackle whatsoever.
The first thing to be determined is whether surf fishing from Costa Rican beaches is even productive. Are there any fish to catch? If yes, what’s out there and when. There is no use investing in heavy surf tackle, as many newcomers do, only to find that the largest or most abundant fish weigh just a pound or two.
It will also matter whether you’re typically fishing with live or cut bait or artificials. Again, there’s no point in investing in the wrong equipment, getting frustrated, and then buying what you should have bought to begin with or giving up in disgust. In the absence of a surf fishing school (do a Google search), look for a guide who can get you started (another Google search).
Good luck!
I should have asked . . .
Do you have a plan for how to support yourselves? It may be a bigger challenge than you think.
I would strongly recommend you and your wife invest $1,000 in George Lundquist’s four-day tour of the Central Valley which is designed for folks who are thinking of moving here. George will show you a variety of environments, community amenities, etc, and he’s a wealth of knowledge you can tap in the tour bus. I’m away from home and don’t have his website address, but it is elsewhere in this forum. Or you can do a Google search on “George Lundquist” and probably find it.
. . . and, once you have been granted residency status, you must spend four months a year in Costa Rica, although those four months need not be continuous.
My question is: If the weather in Atenas is the best in the world, why do all the houses advertised for sale to gringos have central air conditioning? We live at about 4,100 feet above sea level outside Grecia and have neither heat nor air conditioning. Since moving into our home last November, we have never had the windows closed.
So what gives?
Marilyn, when telephone numbers are available, the wise consumer grabs all they’ll give you. Three were available when we began building our two houses and we grabbed ’em. Now, our neighbors-to-be are having some trouble getting any lines at all. We may transfer one of ours to them.
We also have a friend who lives several miles from us who’s been waiting a year for a line and had a promise of one ” . . . in December . . .” Problem was, ICE didn’t way which December.
Lotus, it’s my understanding that if you have a Platinum VISA credit card (or probably its MasterCard competitor) and pay your rental car bill with it, that credit card will cover all the additional insurance you need. In fact, I once opted for all the additional coverage offered and when Tri-Color went to swipe my card and saw that it was a Platinum, they re-wrote the contract to exclude the cost of the additional coverage.
My understanding of the car rental agency-renter relationship is that in matters of liability it’s heavily slanted in favor of the rental agency. So . . . First off, take a very careful look at the car inside and out and make them note any existing damage or the absence of any equipment (spare tire, jack, etc) and give you a copy. Then, if your card doesn’t take care of additional liability, buy the insurance.
We do own a car in Costa Rica, and we are among that 10% of owners who carry supplemental insurance. The governmentally-mandated basic coverage is very minimal and affords no protection against physical damage (collision, etc) or theft. If your car’s worth stealing, it’s worth insuring.
Having said that, let me add that we have friends whose car was stolen three months ago and they’re still fighting through the INS bureaucracy to get their settlement. It has been an unholy nightmare. LESSONS LEARNED: Try not to leave your car in a vulnerable position. Add some sort of physical security system like a transmission lock, steering wheel lock, ignition lockout switch, fuel pump lockout switch, aggressive dog (or two), or something obvious that may cause car thieves to go elsewhere. Put on two or three, if you can. And if your car is stolen, get your attorney out of bed if necessary to start doing the INS paperwork right now (!), not tomorrow morning.
Oh! And if your car is stolen, call every cab company in town to report it. They have more eyes on the street than the police, and if you offer a reward for its return, they’ll have more interest in its recovery.
I sold flooring for a while after I retired. We always recommended a cup of white vinegar in a bucket of water. It leaves no residue, cuts modest grease and grime well, is universally available, and it’s cheap. That’s what I use on our floors and there’s neither a sticky residue nor any streaking.
I mop our floors with a string mop. We have a bucket with a mop wringer (PriceSmart). In damp weather, I re-mop the floors with a second string mop that I do not wet at all just to take up most of the moisture and speed up the drying process. The “towels on a stick” thingie would work as well.
