Comments on: This is Really Irritating!

By: Dennis

Dennis — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:15:50 +0000

I must be living in a different country then I thought, This is still Cost5a Rica. The crime rate here is lower then my former home of Tampa Fl where they had 4 seperate gang shootings in one night last week when I was visiting, I got on a plane and came home the next day where i fell safer. Yes there is crime here don’t i hear about it third or forth hand, huh has it been made bigger than it really was. I don’t know I never have any problems so far, How about the person that said that Jaco beach was hot and humid, DUH where are you from all beach areaseven in the states are hot and humid…..

By: Tim

Tim — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:45:53 +0000

Well if that is what you got out of it… probably worth reading again from the beginning. You missed the point… completely.

By: Dean Hughes

Dean Hughes — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:18:48 +0000

Well…this is one huge informative site. Of ALL the information you can absorb…..it comes down to a varible common denominator…..DO NOT BUY….and…CRIME IS A REAL PROBLEM !!!!

After so many folks cramming this into your head…..why not just shut the site down….It’s the only thing you get….

By: Tim

Tim — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 16:32:52 +0000

Once you have found the area you really want to live, after renting and testing, I think it makes sense to buy a house. Purchase prices are cheap compared to rents in Costa Rica.

It is common to see rents about 10% (per year) of purchase price — e.g. a place selling for $200,000 rents for at least $1,000 a month. In North America rents are normally 5% of value. Of course it is true that the house will take a long time to sell, so be sure (as one can be sure) you won’t be changing your mind.
I have lived here for many years and I have never yet found one good reason to buy a home here other than maybe to rent it out.

Houses are easy to buy and VERY hard to sell… and most folks pay too much as they have no idea how much to pay.

There are no tax advantages… your $$$ is tied up. You cannot move when/if you want.

Rent? The laws protect the renter but NOT the owner/buyer.

Sorry Len… I am not with you an that part of your comment.

By: Michael

Michael — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 05:03:09 +0000

I currently live in the United States and I want to move to a country that is less populated and has a lower cost of living. You have provided a comprehensive site that has taken a great deal of time to create and it shows that you are a man of intelligence. My comment is in regard to the Feb. 23 post about how you were angry about a certain comment. You spent a night being upset with an unfavorable comment (1% of all replies) and that is a shame. However, I do the same thing on a consistent basis. I am a teacher and if I effectively teach a concept to 27 students and 26 are successful when tested, I feel upset about the one student who did not succeed. I focus so much energy and thought on that one student. Why do we focus on the negatives so much? Perfectionism maybe? In your case it is a little different because a person made negative comments about the information on your website when they did not take the time to read ALL of the information completely and thoroughly. I wish you would not give people who make unjustified negative comments the “ability” to make you upset for a whole night. Those comments do not deserve the time of day. For our health, you and I both need to focus our energy on the positive comments and the negative ones that are appropriate to help us learn and grow. Anyway, I do not feel Costa Rica is the right place for me to live and it is through your candid website that I was able to come to that conclusion. Thank you and I hope that my preaching did not offend you. Michael

By: Len Petry

Len Petry — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 04:41:19 +0000

A few cautionary comments.

Once you have found the area you really want to live, after renting and testing, I think it makes sense to buy a house. Purchase prices are cheap compared to rents in Costa Rica.

Second point. Many people who defend their choice to live in Costa Rica do so by criticizing their home country (mainly the USA, perhaps because most of the posters are Americans?). That may not be the best way to make up your mind, because disliking the USA is NO guarantee you will LIKE Costa Rica. You may just be trading one list of complaints for a different list. Maybe a different country would suit you better, and you might as well check this out before moving to CR. It gets expensive changing countries.

Third point. There are good and bad people in every country. But after 6 years in CR, I think that there may be a national or cultural difference between Costa Ricans and Canadians (I don’t know enough Americans to judge). This difference can be difficult to adjust to, because it often seems like Ticos are being inconsiderate — this despite their reputation for being peaceful, friendly souls).

For example, the have noisy parties and seeming don’t care about disturbing their neighbours. Is this joie de vivre or rudeness? Depends on the point of view, I suppose, until you’ve lost too many nights of sleep, at which point it seems like rudeness.

For example, Ticos have a well-deserved reputation for being bad, aggressive, and even rude drivers. How to square this with their reputation for being a peaceful, friendly people? I won’t bore you with my analysis, but the paradox exists — daily.
And are they ill-trained as drivers or downright obtuse when they block intersections during rush hour — again ignoring the blaring horns of oncoming cars. But they will blithely block the intersection themselves when the light changes again, seemingly unaware of the contradiction, and oblivious of the effects of their behaviour.
Like when they stop in the middle of the road to chat to their friends, letting cars stack up behind them, oblivious of the blaring horns.

These are the stumbling blocks that send some extranjeros raging and racing back to the home country, while others can adapt, relax, chill out, and focus on the positive. You should decide which type you are before settling down, before making decisions that will be expensive to unravel.

By: Ken

Ken — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 15:30:59 +0000

Maria: Please email me kenc174@hotmail.com. I will try to assist.

By: Ken

Ken — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 15:24:41 +0000

Furniture:
For those that are tired of being ripped off because you are a gringo, I have found,for your help, a furniture maker that displays prices up front, delivery included and he accompanies delivery and set up to make certain all is correct. I have absolutley NOTHING to do with this store but rather to share when something is honest. It is a basically a bedroom furniture store but can make anything.
Take Sarchi exit (you do NOT go to Sarchi) and enter Grecia (pehaps 6 minutes). It is 3Km after the radial. You will go up a slight which will bear to the left and ALPIZAR Y CHACON is on your right(look closely because you can drive by it) with a small painted BLUE area in front of store on the road.
If you do not buy off the floor, it will take about a week for them to make your furniture for you.

For the novice…when a gringo is seen, the prices go up 30% minimum and sometimes double with the average being 40%-50%. So, here all is upfront. I bought a beautiful bed, modified to the matress and box spring. I have purchased before in Sarchi but knew very little at the time.

By: Tim

Tim — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 23:52:04 +0000

First, reading of this blog and the main web site will answer your questions.

As for moving here without spending a few months here FIRST, why that is just crazy. I can almost guarantee a disaster if you fail to check out the country before making a long term move.

By: Ernest

Ernest — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 00:06:57 +0000

I have visited CR many times. But since 96 I have not returned. I am pleased to find this BLOG. Some of the advise makes lot of sense.

For those who are complaining about crime, corruption and insecurity. Try Mexico, that’s where the action is. My God you could not breath without having someone sticking their hands in your pockets, or worst getting kidnap and after your family pays; they just kill you,

And the icing of the cake is that deep down inside most Mexicans resent the gringos. They blame us for everything.

Costa Rica here I come.