How to find the best Costa Rica Home

And yet again I come with my quick guides to help you make your relocation to Costa Rica easier. Today I bring you some information on how to actually get the house you need in Costa Rica without going through too much hassle., so without further ado, here it is:

• The most important thing is of course, housing. Think about how many of you will be moving, the ages of the people in the family and if any special requirement has to be included in the search of a home such as handicap access or special children’s schools.
• Location: In Costa Rica there are many different types of areas, not like the US. If you want to keep a similar live than what you had back home, your best bet is to get a home in the Escazu or Santa Ana area, which are very similar to any suburban place in the US. Some Ticos even make jokes saying that Escazu is a different country and that they need passports to get in (which is not true, but the differences are remarkable). A lot of north Americans that have moved to Costa Rica live in those areas, so the commerce has actually become a little too USA like, you should not have such a cultural shock there, yet it is just as nice and cheaper to find a home elsewhere.

• Schools: There are many different types of schools in Costa Rica. Education in this country is very important and very good, in some cases even better than many other countries. You can find good public schools as well as private schools focused in different values: arts, languages, religion, etc.  
• Services: All residential areas in Costa Rica, regardless the location, have all services available: water, electricity, phone, garbage pick up and such they only thing you will not be able to find are gas companies, so if you were planning on using a gas stove or some related item you need to purchase your gas in a container.
• Costa Rica Real Estate: As I have explained before, you need to make sure you are dealing with a serious company. Don’t be afraid to ask as many questions as you need. Be clear and precise about your needs and requirements. When they show you a place you are interested in and show a price, investigate about the location, just to make sure you are not overpaying. The most pricy areas of Costa Rica real estate are usually anywhere near the coast, the mountain side and the Escazu and Santa Ana, make sure you are aware of it.

This will be it for right now, in a few weeks I will come up with more advice about moving to Costa Rica and how to become a real tico.