For the past few weeks beautiful Costa Rica has hit the headlines. Rains from Hurricane Tomas affected many parts of the country including the South Pacific.

Such an event only highlights the importance of how you decide to search for a property in Costa Rica.

If you were considering a move to Costa Rica but have since changed your mind after hearing this news, you might be interested to know how this paradise country has bounced back and as your search for a dream home continues, what important factors you need to take into account prior to purchase.

Parts of Costa Rica Wake Up Under Water

The night of Wednesday the 3rd of November will be remembered by many Costa Rican residents, with heavy torrential rains continuing throughout the night. When daylight broke, Costa Rica awoke to one of the worst natural disasters in its history.

The South and Central Pacific of Costa Rica bore the brunt of Hurricane Tomas’s wrath. Although nobody could have anticipated the true effects of Hurricane Tomas, many experts agree that populated areas which experienced flooding and landslides had previously been highlighted as locations of potential danger, including the town of Parrita in the Central Pacific of Costa Rica.

Restoring Our Paradise

Even though Costa Rica experiences sometimes turbulent tropical weather it should be noted that such natural disasters are a rarity.

Work commenced to restore access and communications with remote parts of the country immediately after the storms passing. Reparation works are underway on the Costanera Sur highway south of Dominical, Puerto Jimenez and Dominicalito and the Costa Rican Institute has carried out repairs to restore electricity to the hardest hit areas. Power and water were returned within a few hours and any necessary power cuts over the initial few days were kept to a minimum.

Business As Usual

Inevitably as news broke internationally, local tourism operators reported cancellations. But now, just three weeks after the storm, tourists are returning. With Dominical playing host to a sun kissed wedding it’s a clear indication that paradise lovers have not lost faith in the South Pacific of Costa Rica.

Costa Rican solidarity has prevailed during a time of great devastation and the government lead by President Laura Chinchilla has demonstrated their capabilities. It is evident that the country has come together and proven that it’s capable of riding out any storm.

Tips To Remember When Buying Costa Rica Real Estate

It’s important to reiterate that although the storm did cause destruction the majority of affected areas where already prone to flooding and landslides. Several expert reports clearly detailed danger zones that should have been evacuated long before the arrival of Hurricane.

After such an event, you may be wondering if it is safe to invest in property in the South Pacific of Costa Rica. A simple answer to this would be, yes! There is no doubt that there are significant changes going on with the climate around the world and inevitably this affects where we decide to buy property.

Make sure you hire a professional Realtor with significant experience in South Pacific property market because without local knowledge, without knowing the topography and location well, you may find out that your Realtor has sold a property full of complicated and very expensive problems.

Of course, being in a flood risk area does not necessarily mean your property will be flooded but a qualified and experienced Realtors will know where the flood risk areas are located and will encourage you to get soil tests done prior to purchase.

Professional Realtors who are familiar with the area should also be able to show you how to build flood defenses just in case….

Properties that pose a moderate flood risk can be professionally assessed. Also remember that the installation of personal flood water defense systems are feasible solutions providing the investment is minimal.

[custom_script adID=191]

Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.