Possibly moving to CR - Mountains preferably

@SRutan23 ........Your post doesn't indicate if you have even visited Costa Rica ? It only mentions moving here.....

Mountains are best for sure. 

@SRutan23

My daughter and I are going through the same process right now.  We are at a level of around 1000 feet but I would like to be a little higher for a little cooler weather.  But at the level we are at now we do not need either heat or air conditioning.  The rain is not really a big problem, and in fact it makes it easier to keep the gardens watered.  One problem is that usually the places we are interested in are on dirt roads and a lot of them are not good.  Where we are, the fog is not a problem. 

@karenskrill

Hi,

  How long have you lived there and how do you like it? What area are you in? I ask because I am a  72 years old  woman and plan to visit  CR this year in anticipation  of moving there. The fact that you don't need heating/air conditioning  is very appealing.  Safety and comfort are priorities for me. Thank you for whatever information you can provide.

Well, I have a couple years on you as I am 78.  We are in the central valley near Turrialba.  We really like the area as it is off the highway with 2 small villages where we can get our basic needs and pay our taxes and utilities without having to go to Turrialba which is a 45 minute drive.  We have made some friends here and there are three other expats in our immediate area.  One of them has a property for sale with a very nice house.

@karenskrill

What is approximate rent nearby?

I know one lady who pays 500 a month for the house she is renting.

You may want to consider San Ramon area.  You have the benefit of local yet all the amenities needed.  It's a great town and the weather is fine.  People say it's cold - seriously?????  Yes the fog comes in but it's all part of the landscape.  People here are very friendly (expats and locals).  There are expats living in the surrounding areas but it's not overrun like Atenas or Grecia.  Hospital in town and the university is here so you get an upbeat vibe.  Would highly recommend the area for sure.  Have travelled most of the country so have a little experience on the different climates.

@SRutan23 Hi! I live in Tilaran, mountains, quiet, lots of nature, and everything you mentioned. If you have any questions, just let me know.

@SRutan23

You might want to take a look at Turrialba region. Great mountain landscape with two volcanoes, intact, with lots of forests and wildlife. Pleasantly cool climate (no heating, no air conditioning needed). Not too remote, cities and also the Caribbean beaches are easily reachable. There is still enough land available at reasonable prices.

We own a finca here and produce coffee, fruits and some food crops. Our intention is to help creating a group of like minded people in the neighborhood, all with a house and some land of their own. So far there are four of us, speaking four different languages. Living in a community of trusted neighbors offers various advantages, like sharing of agricultural workers, household staff, maybe even a professional cook to prepare meals for everybody who wants to participate. Equally important are security (the house is never alone, there is always somebody around) and personal safety (for example in case of an accident or a sudden health problem). There is lots of potential for joint activities, from music to bird watching to language classes to sports to joint excursions.

To answer your specific question: Keeping horses is easy and inexpensive here. There is enough pasture (horses are quite welcome as natural lawn mowers). Many possibilities for tours on horseback away from the roads.

If you want to know more or feel tempted to come and see us, please write to Cristina + Edwin, [link moderated]

we would love to meet you or visit your farm.  We are still looking for an appropriate place.

We are seeing rains that we haven't seen in 25 yrs, this last rainy season.It is imperative for those looking to buy property to come at the height of the rainy season.....You would be surprised how many buy inaccessible property or land that will need a lots of $engineering$ to make it work.Again---most importantly before you roll the dice here, have your own independent legal consul.The stories don't end of North Americans getting taken advantage of in life altering investments.

@SRutan23

Hi,

Thanks for your reply. I see that you already got quite a few responses. If you still would like to come and see us, please do. My problem is that I don't know how to get our coordinates through to you, as my mail address gets censored out. If you understand this system better than I do, please send me your coordinates and I will get in touch from my side. Or you can enter "gentecontiempo" in Google Maps.

Best regards, Edwin

First, Grecia is hardly "overrun" with expats. Yes, we are represented here but it's not as if we are the dominant group in town or nearby. And in the 17 years we've been here, the expats have yet to leave a footprint in our beautiful central park.

Second, the suitability of the climate in the area you choose has almost totally to do with elevation -- the lower the warmer, the higher the cooler. I'm surprised that the contributor (above) finds 1,000 feet above seal level to be comfortable. We are at 4,200+/- feet and find that to be ideal. We have neither heat nor air conditioning and never close our windows. Much of the Central Valley has rain from early May to late November. It rains mostly in the afternoons, so we do our errands in the morning. The dry season (December through April (mas o menos) is beyond description. We feel like we've died and gone to heaven.

After the environment you choose, the next most important consideration is amenities. From Grecia, we're an hour to the best hospital in Costa Rica, the best grocery shopping, the airport, etc. And the town is large enough to support additional amenities such as an x-ray clinic that Atenas does not have, plenty of dentists (including specialists), general practice and specialist physicians, pharmacies and physical therapists, a CAJA hospital, veterinarians, and a large and well-stocked farmers' market that's open Fridays and Saturdays. We have two department stores, a number of building supply stores (ferreterías). We're also blessed to have an abundance of attorneys, accountants (you're going to need both), and architects if you're thinking of building.

And I must add that, in our time here we have never had an unpleasant or unsuccessful encounter with any native of Grecia. These are the warmest and most tolerant people on earth.