Exploring Costa Rica for Fun and Potential Future Living

juliaplotkina wrote:

Hi All!

We are coming to visit Costa Rica in a few months for fun and to explore for potential future living.

Outside of the tourist areas, what places should we explore for potential residence? Based on my limited research Grecia, Tinamaste, Rivas seem appealing.

Some criteria we are considering:

- Central valley for best weather
- Within 15 min drive to stores/services
- Some expats nearby since I barely speak Spanish and my hubby does not at all
- Diverse population with families with young children (ours is 7 year old)
- Farm-like setting with some land (not track homes)

Here's a problem I have observed about people looking for what you say you're looking for:

People say they want to live in the country (farm-like setting) with some land and not tract homes. But a) that pretty much doesn't exist because where there are farms there are Ticos farming so you won't have many if any Gringo neighbors there and you will have to speak Spanish to do well and will have to go into town to meet gringos because that's where more of them live (or in gated communities).

I have a place I am selling in San Ramon but when people come to look at it they complain about the dirt road and the 15-20 min. drive to town.

Well ,if you want to live in the country in a farm like setting, many such roads are not paved and you do need a 4x4 sometimes because the road will be bumpy/muddy at times. It rains a lot in Costa Rica. And as I say, chances are the nearby neighbors will be mostly coffee and cow and pig farmers because they own most of the land in the country side.

So what I am saying is that the "dream" of living in the country is often not practical due to the fact that living in the country you are not likely to have the other things you want like gringo neighbors and private schools and good roads and so on. You have to compromise if you want to live in the country.

My advice is decide to learn Spanish and then if you want to really live in the country adjust your thinking to accept driving on a muddy bumpy road with a 4x4 15-20 minutes or more from town. With these 2 adjustments you can live in a nice quiet country location like what I have.

Maybe someone else on here knows of a place like what you are looking for but I am skeptical you will find it.

The best thing to do, really, is come here and look around.

But look first on real estate sites and ask them for what you want, see if they have it. But often they will ignore your requests and show you things that don't fit your needs. So ask a lot of questions and be very clear what you want and don't want, or they'll waste your time showing you properties they want to sell, not properties you want to buy. At least you can get some idea of how things look and how much they cost by looking at real estate sites for certain areas.

Your child will have to learn Spanish by being thrown into a Tico school or you'll have to put him/her in a private school so that also will affect where you want to live.

I am not aware of areas in the Central Valley that fit your prerequisites though maybe ?? around Atenas?

I must disagree with the post saying you MUSt live with dirt roads  IF you want a farm country setting WRONG 39 years ago I found my piece if heaven which Little known on this site YET only 25 minutes from SJO Airport.Gringos wizz by Heredia Hills en route to where they have been told here THEY MUST live.I own my 3 acre piece of heaven as guests call it..Which is a Farm YET with excellent FIRST CLASS roads and 10 minutes from Charming town of HEREDIA..also little known on rhis site..We have all modern Stores 10 minutes from our trnaquil farm Even pizza delivery and UPSCALE restaurants within walking distance cafes and small convenience stores ON OUR road...I INVITE anyone giving out misinformation to come vist at no charge and SEE the REAL Costa Rica..No wonder the poster is selling !  ! living with dirt roads and needing a 4x4 is amazing to us ..
Let me tell you OUR COUNTRY SETTING  with awesome views is a 25 min drive from SJO INTERNATIONAL Airport.and just 10 minutes from a charming unspoiled town of HEREDIA.. the surrounding hills is where my 3 acre farm/ex lodge is.
we are 15 minutes  from ALL MAJOR Hospitals.Good doctors will not go work inth boonies THEY want the Central VALLEY OUTSIDE of San Jose a  Dirty Polluted , dangerous place BUT a 20 minute drive from San jose on FREEWAY.ROADS ( BETTER THAN USA.) . You will come to an offramp which says HEREDIA... this area which boasts of perfect climate (never too hot nor too cold )  warm and sunny year round with lovely showers in afternoon or night IN THE RAINY SEASON ONLY  SO Yes YOU CAN have a FArm with GREAT roads leading to it so I have the best of 3 worlds Trnquilty (The name if the farm is EL TRANQUILO google it..Before Covid It was always full with tourists in seperate  adorable Cottages ..ALL this and great roads will need a Miracle to get meout of my piece oof heaven .Many have tried but where could I find the came in CR NO WAY>>.sobelieve only HALF of what you read here PLeASE look up my profile I rarely come in here lately BUT my mail may still be listed Drop me a libne and pick my 30 year here Brain....Cheers
Pebs

Hi, you are selling lot in San Ramon near San Isidro ?

My family is selling a 15 room hotel with 3 private residences and 100M of Caribbean frontage between Limon and Puerto Viejo. It's under $2M USD and is paradise. Feel free to check out our video in English and Spanish.     

https://vimeo.com/648312371.   English Costa Rica Hotel

https://vimeo.com/648315005    Spanish Hotel Versio

gamedaylady1960 > could you please post your ad in the housing section ?

Many thanks

Julien