Annelise Pedersen

I second, third, fourth etc. the advice that you have received. The beach is beautiful; the restaurants and clubs are exciting; a golf course is not too far away; nature at the back of the town is exquisite. However, the climate is more moderate (still tropical) farther from the Pacific beach area making it liveable without heat or air conditioning. In addition, nowhere is very far from your location, where ever you pick, in this small country. Live there for a time, find out if you need a quiet place to relax once in awhile, then look for a place with that experience in the back of your mind. My favourite beach area is Flamingo (I chose when it still had a marina) but we decided to buy further inland and make trips to the beach when we are in the mood. Enjoy, and know that whatever you chose....it will be perfect for you!

Other countries do not all have addresses formatted like the ones in The United States of America. Eg. ......village name...Rural Route # 7 is neither a street nor a house number. Moreover 100m north of the Catholic Church in ....... is a perfectly good 'direction' However, it IS frustrating to try to fit one set of data into the form requesting a different set. Good Luck! meant in a friendly manner, NOT sarcastically.

Dear Paul; "Not sure why you posted the above, but rest assured that is not my feeling at all. In fact, gardening is the one thing that I cannot do at my apartment in CR that I wish I were able to do. I am an avid orchid hobbyist and in Florida have a large collection of them, plus a number of other plants that I enjoy, including roses, ferns, gingers, bananas, and some exotic tropicals." I am sorry if I hurt your feelings by my remark about horticulture. I knew from previous post that you were something of an orchid specialist and have a lovely garden in Florida. I come from the FAR north and can live there in an apartment, but here I love my garden. I posted the refute in this stream because the negativity expressed annoyed me and seemed extreemely one-sided. When looking for "a big garden with a little house" I enjoyed the company of many real estate salespeople who kindly showed me properties that were almost perfect. At times I even felt guilty for taking so much of their time without making a purchase, but I only needed the one perfect place. Several salespersons drove me as far as Orotina, Atenas, Grecia and San Ramon from San Jose. Others showed me places in the hills behind Flamingo Beach in Guanacaste. I even saw properties between Dominical and San Isidro.At NO time were any of the many salespersons rude, pushy, or in any way unprofessional. Sometimes the people who look for bargains are the ones who push too hard.

Marsrox; You are interested in purchasing another 'dream home' so I will not repeat any of the many reasons for purhasing rather than renting as I have in the past. Paul; enjoy your apartment, please, but do not assume that gardening is an unimportant pass-time for 'little old ladies' like myself. Why move to a location with a perfect climate and fertile soil and not gain pleasure from watching, and helping things grow? There are a number of steps to take when PLANNING to purchase: 1. Make a list of NEEDS and WANTS in a property 2. Research the climate; natural and man-made, of the area 3. Read the adds in the local paper and call real estate salespersons who list likeable properties 4. Send the lists #1. to the real estate salespersons who advertise in magazines and request that they call you if they have a property that meets your parameters. 5. Spend the time needed to look carefully at the properties recommended. 6. Have a lawyer help you check the national registry when you have discovered a likely property. Many of the problems with which potential buyers have to deal can be avoided by proceeding slowly and carefully. Much like safe driving in Costa Rica. (This is not the autobahn) Enjoy and Good Luck!

My husband and I have been 'snowbirds' between Ontario, Canada and Costa Rica for 10 years. We enjoy both societies and would not give up the colours of September and October in Ontario. A white Christmas with grandchildren is also a pleasure. I have been picking fruit from trees that I planted and watched grow in Costa Rica. The enjoyment of gardening is one of my reasons to buy rather than rent. Other reasons include the ability to participate in village activities and to meet young people from the village who remember me from the English practices during their grade school days. The health care here is excellent. We have only needed emergency care as we have been free from chronic diseases. We have used opticians and dentists as well as stitches for minor accidents.

They're known as smelts on the northern shores of the great lakes...bbbut Lake Michigan has no 'northern' shore...so maybe they're grunions down there?!?

Hello Gayle, I'm happy to hear about your activities with the adult learners of English. Although not recommended as great literature, I have found that the Harlequin Romance and adventure books are useful for several reasons: 1: the vocabulary is easy, contemporary and repetitive 2: the settings are familiar and comfortable 3: plots can be guessed, which speeds up reading 4: there are rarely situations, activities, ie. sex and ghosts that need to be explained or avoided. 5: they are really cheap at used book sales Since you mentioned Canada, Barbara Greenwood's books are all great for historical accuracy and pleasant problem solving, as are Farley Mowat's stories. Classic children's stories ie. Hans Christian Andersen, Brothers Grimm are as good for adults as for children, meant to be read out loud, and the stories are familiar which makes it easier to read them in a foreign language. Keep up the good work!!

There are advantages to buying. 1.The landlords may want to use their property at a time when it is inconvenient for you to move. 2.You get to know your neighbours and your community. ie. grocery stores, hardware stores, taxistas, routes to take to favourite places. 3. Stability for family. ie. schools, sports, local activities 4. You get to plant a garden and watch it grow. The joy of seeing a Heliconia bloom where you planted it or the satisfaction of picking ripe fruit from a tree that you planted as a sapling cannot be measured. AnneLise

I found the ideal property in the canton of Puriscal. It is rural and not terribly touristy. The main town, Santiago, has all the infrastructure that I need. Several Grocery stores, several national bank branches, hardware stores and farmer's co-ops,restaurants, bars, schools and a university outreach campus. There are also doctors, dentists,lawyers, veterinarians, a small but modern hospital. There are small farms or land available near many of the villages in the canton. As I said before the natural vegetation indicates a perfect climate for human habitation. No need for air conditioning, heat or (except for modesty) even clothes. We now have a house on the property and the neighbour is the caretaker as we only live there as seasonal snow birds, because we no longer ski or skate and only watch ice hockey. And, yes, do have a surveyer check out the measurements and a lawyer check the national registry for accuracy. If you have the property for a few years before building, you can see the effects of the seasons on the property and the waterways that may traverse it. A friend and neighbour-to-be has spent 3 years leveling interior roadways, driveway, planting hedges and watching how the land behaves before deciding the exact location for their house. A very wise plan in my opinion. Good Luck, AnneLise

Loraine, I'm sorry that I cannot tell you about the winds around Arenal. However, although the advice to rent is excellent for many people, it would not have been right for me. I could tell by the plants growing on the property, flowering plants, bushes and trees, that the area that I was investing in would be right for me. I was aching to see a hibiscus hedge (not just one plant in a pot indoors) and bamboo grow where there is enough water to sustain them, the direction and strength of the winds will be shown in the growth pattern of the native trees. Moreover, the climate that is good for coffee plants is also perfect for human habitation. Lake Arenal is if not completely man-made then certainly man-enhanced, is famous for windsurfing so it may have an effect on the micro climates around it. I am glad that I invested 10 years ago and have been able to see cuttings and seedlings grow and flourish, which I could not have done by renting in various places. Good Luck. AnneLise

We used a lawyer and real estate 'helper' recommended by ARCR and found the service to be helpful, accurate, timely and not as expensive as the lawyers and agents in the north. Naturally, they charge a fee.....their children have to eat too and their mortgages also have to be paid. No one took advantage of us!

Grandpop, Having worked as a volunteer in relatively isolated villages, I have seen that where chronic care is needed, transportation becomes a major obstacle. Your family probably doesn't have a car, taxies, although seemingly cheap for us Gringos, are beyond the reach of many laboourers. I have seen mothers with seriously ill children on local busses in order to get to the nearest clinic, where treatment is indeed free. From mountain villages, or those off the main roads, the trip can often be several hours long - not the best scenario for an ill person or the other passengers. Consequently, although doctor's treatment and medication are covered by CAJA, transportation is not. Moreover, should a child be hospitalized, a parent would need to be close by. What if the parent lives in Guanacaste and the child is hospitalised in San Jose? A single school uniform incl. plastic shoes costs about $60.00 for an elementary(gr.1-6) student and somewhat more for secondary(gr 7&8) and collegiate student. A student ought to have 2, as one is being washed and ironed while the other is worn. Backpack, notebooks, pencils, pens, photocopying fees, gym outfit and sometimes fees for extra protein (eggs, chicken, fish) in the free lunches can easily add up to another $100.00. Moreover, transportation to centrally located secondarios and collegiates is also often paid by the parent. Consequently, BLESS YOU, I don't think you are being abused, and I wish more of us would follow your example. Mormor, Abuela.