Vacation Travelers Group Blog

I recently had an enlightening conversation with one of our clients and I asked him: “How did you decide on Costa Rica?” and his response was very analytical and logical, and eye-opening for somebody that lives full-time in Costa Rica.

As a background and to contextualize his response, keep in mind that he is from Central Europe.  His response below:

“I started thinking first about Italy, there are several beautiful places in Italy and areas that are very beautiful but only during certain times of the year.  A home there would become usable only part of the year, since the rest of the year the climate and conditions would be almost the same as where I am from, therefore it would not become a full-year vacation home.  I wanted somewhere that I know I could come and enjoy at ANY time of the year.  Therefore, I decided to get an old-style earth globe, and draw an imaginary stripe of 10 degrees north and south of the Equator, to find a place that would have warm climates year-round…

The north and central africa and the middle east are out of the question for obvious reasons.  I found myself looking at gorgeous places like Bali, but they are too far away, travel is not the best around to those places, and there would be significant language barriers also.  Hawaii was an obvious choice, but it is too expensive, too american and too developed, I wanted somewhere more natural.  Then it’s ocean all around, and then you hit central and south america.  Colombia and Venezuela are also out for political reasons and travel is also quite long, the north of Brazil has almost no available locations to think about, their developed areas are more to the center of the country.

Then that leaves you with Central America.  Easy plane rides to any location from different travel hubs in the USA, so getting there is a positive.

Guatemala has security problems, and their beach locations are not that famous.  Honduras also not known for their beach locations and they are too close to Guatemala.  El Salvador has gang problems, and also too close to Guatemala.  Then you come to Nicaragua, there are places that are supposed to be beautiful, but you have Ortega, the Sandinistas and a whole array of problems there.  Not the place where I want to own a home.

Then this leaves you with Panama and Costa Rica.  Both have certain pros and cons, but evidently the pros steered me towards Costa Rica.  Political stability, long-term democracy, clear laws for owning land by foreigners, beautiful places to visit, and an array of options to choose from when selecting a piece of land, from independent locations, to developed resorts.  The people are friendly, communication is easier since a lot of them speak at least some english, and there are gorgeous places to own a home.  This was definitely the choice”

This was overall a very interesting and thorough explanation, and heart-warming for a native Costa Rican to hear.

Three luxurious residences in Costa Rica’s Pacific coast were awarded by the prestigious international competition, America Property Awards, a global contest that rewards the best professional design and construction.

Two of them were designed by Costa Rican architect Andrés Morales. One was the home of Pin Residence, located in Playa Hermosa, Guancaste, and built in 2010. It received the award in the category Detached House Property Division (and architectural field).

The other house was Pura Vista, located in Manuel Antonio, Quepos, built in 2009 and awarded in the category of Single Family Housing in Architecture.

The third is the home home to award-winning South House, a project designed by Costa Rican architect Jaime Rouillon, in the forest and the sea, located in Nosara, Guanacaste. It won first place in category “Unusual Houses”.

The Americas Property Awards are open to residential and commercial property professionals from North America, Central and South America and the Caribbean.

There are 19 categories to choose from – up to two of the most outstanding entries will be given a Highly Commended Award, the best overall entry will be given a five star award.

All five star winners will be rejudged to be shortlisted for the Best International Property Award for each category. Up to five nominations from the shortlist will be selected. Only one company will win the top prize.

(CNN) — The rainy season is a good time to go to Costa Rica. It’s a lot cheaper and there are far fewer tourists. My visit was from July 22 to 31. Even if there is a lot of rain, chances are that it will come down during your afternoon nap and clear up just in time for cocktail hour at 5:30 p.m.

Getting in and around Costa Rica

The trip began with my flight into the San Jose area, which is where my Costa Rican host and friend, Jose, lives.

Another friend visiting from the States picked me up and immediately, on the short trip from the airport to their home, we were confronted by the strange, small, bad roads and terrible driving that would be a theme for the entire trip. Jose made us wonderful ceviche — also a theme — when we arrived, and we chatted about how Congress or President Obama would solve the debt deadline.

The next morning we set off. We rented a car for the week, a Toyota Yaris, which we immediately noted had pretty bad brakes and a clutch that seemed to have little life left in it.

We headed out of the city to Arenal Volcano, one of the country’s most popular tourist attractions for its activity and nearby hot springs. We stopped at La Cascada for lunch in the tourist town La Fortuna, which is at the base of the road around Arenal. Then we continued around Arenal.

The volcano, as it often is, was obscured by clouds. Usually at night one can see the glowing lava, which sounded pretty cool. We thought of stopping for the evening in one of the resorts lining the base of the volcano, some of which are luxurious, but we decided to push on to the west coast.

We stopped briefly at the seemingly out of place German/Swiss chalet Los Heroes, which is a hotel and fondue restaurant, but our timing was off for either lunch or dinner.

Experiencing the coast

We explored Coco Beach quickly but found it to be a little too noisy and busy. So we went one beach up to Hermosa and quickly found the Villa Acacia, which had clean, spacious villas, beautiful grounds and a nice small round pool.

It seemed to be frequented mostly by Costa Rican families. Hermosa Beach lived up to its namesake (beautiful) the next morning.

The water was calm, warm and clean. This was some of the best swimming we had the entire visit. Just swimming casually we saw a skate shark and a puffer fish.

Couple escapes it all for ‘paradise’ in Costa Rica

The next day we spent driving a considerable distance to Playa Carmen, on the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula. This drive was not for the faint of heart and had it been rainy, it could have been a dangerous, life-threatening drive.

There were times when the going was steep and rocky. There were times when the driver was screaming in terror.

The wear and tear on the car’s brakes and clutch were starting to make a lot of sense. Even traveling fairly short distances in Costa Rica should be considered carefully, because sometimes — and by sometimes, I mean often or always — there is a bridge out, necessitating a long, slow reroute. Sometimes potholes are so omnipresent that you have to travel at 10 mph for hours, even in a rental car. Unless you know the condition of a road, you can assume that you can make about 20 miles in an hour.

But the difficulty is worth it. Playa Carmen was beautiful and full of young, fun people from all over the world. There’s excellent surfing there. We saw the most amazing sunset from Carmen, one of those where the sun dips into the water at an alarming speed.

From Carmen we spent the next day traveling to Playa Samara, where we spent four nights in the wonderful and small Fenix Hotel, which had its own spot right on the beach. Innkeeper Bill was friendly without being intrusive or obsequious. He keeps a lame squirrel as a pet, so you know his heart is in the right place.

The six-unit hotel has a small pool, beach furniture and clean, comfortable suites with kitchens — including high-quality Osterizer blenders. They know what they’re doing there. Also, a highlight was the rare Mercedes Unimog that Bill has parked out front. We were very excited to see that and on the last day, Bill let us play with it.

Zip lines and hatching turtles

Another highlight was the amazing Wingnuts Canopy Tour, which I would highly recommend. We swept between peaks on zip lines to see views of the ocean. We heard a variety of birds and saw a blue-crowned motmot, one of the most amazing birds I’ve ever seen.

Our guides, brothers Manu and Yasha, were warm, smart people who loved nature. They also set us up with… see & read more

In today’s market many Costa Rican sellers want to know the secret to selling their homes in record time. Sellers want to know ways to salvage the equity they’ve accrued over the past years.

Unfortunately, there is no magical formula to determine the perfect sale. Selling quickly is no “sure thing” in the Costa Rican housing market of today, there are certain factors that affect how quickly and for how much your home will demand in price.

Here are Emerald Forest Properties top ten factors. Consider how these apply to your home, how they affect our marketing, as well as what focal points of your home you should “play up” to appeal to prospective buyers.

1. Price: Number one common misconception that location is the leading factor of whether or not a home sells. It is, instead, pricing. Consider this scenario, your home is located in a prestigious neighborhood, say Villa Real, yet your list price is tens of thousands of dollars over the comps for the area. No one will be interested. However, your property priced just below the competition should move in a timely fashion to the wise consumers entering Costa Rica. Money never grew on trees and now not even in the banks, so the savvy buyer are the ones looking into Costa Rica for more affordable living.

2. Location: Granted, location is important, it is secondary to price. A home that sits next to a factory, crime-ridden neighborhood, or busy street is less desirable than one that backs up to green space, golf course, national forest. If your home is in a desirable location, then by all means Emerald Forest Properties will talk it up in their marketing plan designed for you.

3. Livability: This is fast becoming the new buzz word in real estate, especially in Costa Rica. Buyers today are looking for neighborhoods that deliver amenities such as parks, restaurants, theaters. They want good schools, safe neighborhoods, and plenty of things to keep their families entertained. If you have but a few of these qualities then we will be able to assist you in moving your home in a timely fashion.

4. Condition: There is a certain percentage of the market that is made up of renovators, flippers, and investors. You will not find as many people these days as eager to buy a run-down property even if it is in a good location. They simply can’t sell the property fast enough before monthly mortgage payments start eating up their profits. If your home is well-maintained, or is in a move-in ready condition it will appeal to a broader range of buyers. Even simple attention, such as new paint, landscaping, or power-washed walks, can have a dramatic effect on the way our buyers perceive your home.

5. Competitive Advantage: Don’t make the mistake of assuming that you are all alone in this race to sell, you are not. Current desperate sellers willing to take a huge loss and foreclosures are your direct competition. You must take these facts into consideration when deciding on a list price for your home. What amenities and upgrades do these homes have? Are the homes in your neighborhood updated, with modern baths, kitchens, are the yards landscaped? These all play a key factor in what you will get for your home; you must be in line with your competition that boasts these same upgrades. The wise buyer always goes for his or her best options in values, now more than ever.

6. Curb Appeal: Curb appeal is our buyer’s first impression. You must keep the yard cut, trimmed, orderly and maintained when your home is on the market. First impressions set the mood for the rest of the viewing.

7. Staging: Once our potential buyers enter your home, they must be wowed, their senses intoxicated, light scented candles, put in a pan of brownies, make it… read more

Costa Rica Airport Daniel Oduber Quiros International, Liberia (LIR)

Located in northern Costa Rica, the Liberia International Airport or the Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport lies in Liberia, the capital of Guanacaste province. Set up mainly to cater to those tourists who wish to enjoy the wonderful weather and great beaches of the North Pacific Coast, the Liberia International Airport sits some 140 miles northwest of the capital city San Jose.

Fast becoming a major international airport exclusively for tourists who want to enjoy Costa Rica’s gorgeous Pacific coastline, arriving at the Liberia International Airport is the quickest way to reach places like Golfo de Papagayo, Playa Grande, Playa Tamarindo, Playa Flamingo, Playa Hermosa, Playa Panama, El Coco and the entire Nicoya peninsula including nine National Parks. November 2011 the airport will receive the first direct flight from Europe.

Named in honor of the former president of Costa Rica, Daniel Oduber, whose idea it was to build an airport in the region and who was an avid supporter of expansion and development in Guanacaste, this international airport was opened in 1995, with its first commercial flight arriving here from Miami, Florida.

Beginning November 2011, Germany will have a direct air link to Costa Rica’s most popular tourism area bringing with it revenues from European tourists. The initial program will be modest, as Air Berlin launches a twice-monthly flight between Dusseldorf and Liberia. On the other hand, this is the first direct connection between Liberia and a European city making travel much more easy and convenient.

Condor currently connects Frankfurt and San José. Meanwhile, Liberia has the advantage of being in Guanacaste and less than an hour by road from many of Costa Rica’s most popular tourism destinations on the Pacific coast, ranging from tropical beaches to national parks in nearby mountains.

The strong euro means more Europeans are able to travel to destinations, such as Costa Rica. Although most of Europe continues to struggle with the financial crisis it is expected that by end of the year, tourism for Costa Rica will pick up significantly compared to previous years.

Many tourists from Europe as well as the Americas will be searching for Top Deals on All Inclusive Holidays. Packages are available at very affordable rates right now due to the current lull in tourism. Costa Rica expects to see a spike in tourists coming in for vacation starting in this year’s high season, which should boost the economy and also the prices on these vacation packages. It’s advisable to go ahead and book your vacation now to lock in the lower rates.

Costa Rica is increasing flights into Guanacaste. Jet Blue flights will arrive in Liberia as President Laura Chinchilla and authorities in the tourism sector announced early this week in Zapote that the American company Jet Blue will provide four direct flights direct from York to the Daniel Oduber airport in Liberia from November 17. Jet Blue currently flies to 67 countries.

The country is diversified tourism. Following the announcement, the President stressed that the first year of her administration exceeded the number of tourists arriving in the country before the crisis. She said that in addition to Sun and beach, there soon will be medical tourism and conventions.
By the end of this year a new phase in the expansion of this airport will accommodate the increase in travel to an expected air quota capacity of 11 percent in the terminal.
This means that tourism for Costa Rica continues to rise as a global economy recovers bringing revenues to a country that has withstood a global recession.

With the impact of the economic recession gradually receding, Canadians looking for a second home have rediscovered Costa Rica, says the developer of a private residence club.

There have been more international visitors through the recently completed, 32-villa The Palms project, says Bob Spence of Spence Enterprises LLC.

“Canadians represent the second largest national tourism group traveling to Costa Rica -after Americans -and represent significant buyers of Costa Rican real estate,” he says. “The strength of the Canadian economy and the dollar provide Canadians with strong purchasing power and a tremendous opportunity to purchase Costa Rican real estate at very attractive prices.”

The Palms is in the heart of the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica’s northern Pacific Coast -The Gold Coast -on Playa Flamingo beach.

Renowned for its clear, warm waters and white sand, Playa Flamingo is one of the most popular beach areas in the Gold Coast area of Guanacaste and Costa Rica.

The Palms is only a 45-minute drive from Liberia International Airport.

The villas -which measure more than 2,300 square feet with two bedrooms, three baths, dining room, large kitchen and living room -are available under either whole ownership or private residence club purchase plans.

Whole ownership starts at $1.2 million US, while private residence club ownership offers a one-eighth share for $149,000 and an annual club fee of $7,058, or one-tenth at $129,000 and a fee of $5,646.

Amenities on the property include an outdoor infinityedge pool, spa, poolside bar, private dining facilities and a fitness centre.

There’s also daily housekeeping, secured clothing and equipment storage. a business centre and airport transfers.

Spence says Canadians are “very important” to the success of the Palms.

“First and foremost, Costa Rica is a tropical paradise and is an attractive alternative to long, cold winters,” he says, adding that other Central American countries have lost some of their attractiveness because of crime and unstable governments. “Costa Rica has attributes like the weather, stability and prices that are important to Canadians,” he says.

Activities in the area include hiking, rain forest trekking, scuba diving, golf, sport fishing and surfing.

Spence Enterprises purchased five properties in Costa Rica, and of the five, he considers The Palms to be the “crown jewel.”

Ownership at The Palms brings with it a host of services, such as a concierge service and pre-arrival shopping.

Spence says The Palms offers all the amenities of a first class resort but in a vacation home atmosphere.

“The private residence club appeals to those seeking access to beachfront real estate in an eco-sensitive country that offers value without sacrificing quality or luxury,” he adds.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

PROJECT: The Palms Private Residence Club. The 32 villas in the development measure more than 2,300 square feet with two bedrooms, three baths, large kitchen, living room and dining room. Property amenities include an infinity-edge pool, spa, private dining, fitness and business centers, poolside bar, and secure storage facilities. DEVELOPER: Spence Enterprises of California.

LOCATION: Guanacaste, Costa Rica about a 45-minute drive from Liberia International Airport.

PRICE: Whole ownership begins at $1.2 million US. A one-eighth share is priced from $149,000 plus an annual fee of $7,058, and a one-tenth share is priced from $129,000 plus a $5,646 annual fee.

INFORMATION: For information on the private residence club visit www.palms costarica.com, or call 1-800867-5762.

Villas Austria is a secluded nature, sport and health resort located in Nosara, on the North-West Pacific Coast of Costa Rica, with ocean, river and mountain views.

The main house features different lounge-areas surrounding the 90-feet infinity pool and offers space for relaxation, the hot tub sits in a palapago and is surrounded by the pool bar. The cottage is at the bottom part of the farm, between the horse stables and tennis court.

There are many activities to keep you occupied at Villas Austria including a language course, salsa dancing, hiking, surfing, golf, fishing, yoga, horse back riding, tennis, soccer, jogging, swimming and the fitness corner. You may also like to enjoy having a massage or a salt rub.

Villas Austria has numerous tours for you to enjoy that can be arranged for your convenience which leaves you more time to discover more of Costa Ricas natural beauty. Some of the amazing tours to experience include the Turtle Tour, Waterfall Tour, Canopy Tour and even spending a night on the beach of San Juanillo.

In the main house await you different lounge-areas around the 90-feet infinity pool and offer space for relaxation.

Our hot tub sits in a palapago and is surrounded by the poolbar, where our local staff spoils you with light snacks, refreshing cocktails and Costa Rican coffee right from the Italian espresso machine….

Whether you are seeking adventure, or rather enjoy the peaceful environment and relax, at Villas Austria you have the opportunities to do both!

If you like to be physically active, before you relax on the pool, you have plenty of opportunities to do so either right here in the tranquillness of Villas Austria or on the beautiful beaches of Nosara. We make sure you get the workout that makes you happy!

Your balance of body, mind and spirit is important to us.

Take in where you are at, enjoy the moment and leave it up to our skilled hands to lead you into deep relaxation…

Staying at our remote resort we are happy to organize tours for you to discover more of Costa Rica’s beauty.

Consider Villas Austria as your home that you love to come back to … as we do!

Costa Rica’s “Pura Vida” is well known. Celebrities have caught on and spend millions of dollars on beach and jungle retreats. Thing is: There’s more to this wonderful country than the north Pacific-Coast resorts with sticker shock akin to Aspen or New York’s upper east side.

My Costa Rica is nicer…and you can buy for as little as one-tenth what you would pay where the jet-set shop.

Little Costa Rica has it all. Towering cone shaped volcanoes that rise from rich pasture land and stare down on glass flat lakes. Caribbean beaches that are so picture-perfect you want to pinch yourself to see if it’s real.

And a Pacific coast with crashing waves, silent coves and rich green vegetation…nature at her most opulent.

If you think Costa Rica has been discovered—that the opportunity has past—you are wrong…and also right. Let me explain.

Costa Rica’s north Pacific Coast saw a tourism and real estate boom in the 90s and first half of the last decade as accessibility improved with new roads and the Liberia airport. It’s nice up there. I really like the Peninsula Papagayo. But quality condos here start from $850,000.

Costa Rica’s southern zone is nicer.

It’s much greener down there. The hills are steeper, clad with richer jungle and the beaches have better sand and bluer water.

In villages like Ojochal you can eat a gourmet meal from a European chef who came here to visit and never left. You can buy a lot for as little as $40,000. Prices stayed low because this area was difficult to get to. That’s changed with the opening of a new road.

Here it feels authentic and honest. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not complaining about the pampering I get in the Four Seasons up north. It’s a different thing. Also, a costlier thing—with ocean view lots in excess of $1 million in the Four Seasons Resort and the Peninsula Papagayo.

Costa Rica’s area of glowing towering volcanoes and lake that is the floor for rich elevated pastureland is surprisingly close to this $1 million lot. Arenal is less than a two-hour drive away. Her bubbling hot springs have been discovered by tourists and has a thriving expat community. It has great hiking, fishing, sailing, windsurfing and eating out. This is a fun and vibrant place to be.

You can buy a lot here overlooking the lake…with a view toward the towering volcano…for as little as $475 per month.

Finally, drive east from the capital San Jose and you might be surprised…very surprised. You wind your way around mountains and through a mythical cloud forest. There are no sprawling suburbs. It’s one big nature preserve. White foamy water falls from the mountainsides and crashes with a roar.

When you come out of the cloud forest 90 minutes from San Jose…the Caribbean’s blue waters stretch north and south along the horizon. With the elevation, the breezes are fresh and comforting. Farms with views to the ocean and jungle run around 20 – 50 acres in size…and go for $3,000 an acre. Here, you could have a retreat the jet set would envy. They just haven’t caught on…yet.

Editor’s note: This is the Costa Rica you will hear about at the Live and Invest in Costa Rica Conference in August. Ronan will be there, along with all our Costa Rica experts. And you’ll learn more about the types of real estate mentioned in this article, too…including that lot overlooking Lake Arenal for $475 per month. We haven’t officially launched registration for the Costa Rica event yet, but you can get advance information here (including how to be one of the first to sign up).

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