Have you ever dreamed of living in a tropical paradise where, as the song says, “the weather is fine and the life is easy?” For many people, Costa Rica appears to be that place and Costa Rica condos are their natural target. Perhaps, along with 1.5 million or more North American and European tourists a year, you have had the chance to enjoy the beaches, surfing, big game fishing, mountains, volcanoes, rivers, and tropical forests of this beautiful country. Situated between the sandy beaches on its Pacific and Caribbean coasts, Costa Rica also boasts numerous national parks and reserves throughout the country where protected bird, mammal, and reptile species live in Eden-like environments that bring tourists back again and again.
As a result, Costa Rica real estate is a popular buy for investors, especially condos as rental properties and/or for personal use, with eventual re-sale or conversion to a full-time retirement home. However, maybe you are ready to retire now and take advantage of Costa Rica’s low cost of living, temperate tropical weather, and possess a marvelous home for children, grandchildren, and old friends to visit.
If you come to Costa Rica, chances are that you will land at Juan Santamaria International Airport outside the capital city of San Jose on the central plateau and nearly equidistant from the Pacific and Caribbean coasts. Known for its surf, rain forests, and Tortuguero National Park, Puerto Limon is 120 km (75 mi) to the east on the Caribbean coast. The old coffee-shipping port of Puntarenas on Golfo di Nicoya and the Pacific coast lies 90 km (56 mi) to the west.
You can stop at Puntarenas or veer off to the Pan-American Highway and head northeast to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve for long walks on comfortable trails and incredible views, but a guided Canopy Tour of this rainforest is a must. Alternatively, you can head northwest to the national parks near Liberia, or the beaches of Tamarindo and Coco on the Gulfo di Papagayo noted for its year round deep-sea fishing.
If you head south, you can follow the oddly shaped province of Puntarenas (“Sands Point” in Spanish) stretching along the Pacific coast to the Panamanian border. Along the way are the beaches of Jaco and Manuel Antonio National Park, the smallest but among the most popular national parks in the country. In this park, visitors can travel paths leading from idyllic beaches to rainforest and mountain terrains.
Continuing south to Rincon and Puerto Juarez on Gulfo Dolce, you can find the richness of dense green jungle at the Corcovado National Park standing as an unspoiled showcase of tropical nature. Incredibly, these are still only a fraction of Costa Rica’s attractions that full or part time residents can enjoy all year.
All of these towns and surrounding areas boast Costa Rica condos for sale at prices that are a huge bargain to anybody expecting to see prices similar to those in the United States. Actually, the area around San Jose has a such a low cost of living that it would cost substantially more to live in a middle class suburban neighborhood in the U.S or Canada. Besides condos in Costa Rica, the country offers other real estate investments such as time-shares, single-family homes, and even working farms. Though they are not the most expensive approach, condos in Costa Rica are likely the best investment and/or retirement realty.
With such a small country, you can live in San Jose or its suburbs and enjoy the amenities and culture of the modern city and still have easy access to the rest of the country. In the San Jose suburbs, ,000 can buy a very nice condo. However, if you opt for Costa Rica beachfront property or a mountain retreat, these properties are still available for much less than similar, choice properties in North America. Coastal properties can cost less than 0,000 and Costa Rica beachfront property will start at under 0,000.
Residency requirement have relaxed restriction with minimal proof of income and the status cards are easily renewable every two years. Costa Rica does not tax foreign residents on income earned outside of the country and most importantly the Costa Ricans, or Ticos, are friendly and welcoming to foreigners.
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