Costa Rica Real Estate Magazine

ARTICLE | REAL ESTATE

and big towns in a small community or just be away from it all and sharing only with nature? Or are you someone that enjoys the hustle and bustle of living near the city with all the entertainment and art and culture it has to offer? Are you still young enough that a constant nightlife scene is very appealing? It is these and many more factors that you must consider including your monthly budget. Living in or near the city center is usually significantly more expensive than if you are living in a small town 30 minutes to an hour away. Living in a gated community is significantly more secure and specially if you spend weeks or months away from your resi- dence but again it is generally more expensive to do so, however, you not only get more security but also the use of common areas like pools, gyms and paths to walk, run or pedal. Also, if you are someone who looks forward to hav- ing a large garden with your own fruits and vegetables then you must consider that you will need a minimum land area in order to do so and the lots or lots with homes in gated communities are usu- ally not large enough for more than an herb garden with one or two small trees. Over the last 26 years I have been for- tunate to live in just about every resi- dential environment and area of Costa

Rica. I have both rented and owned and I have rented homes from $300 a month to as high as $2500 per month. I have done city living, rural living and beachfront living and have also built and developed homes and residential communities both inland and beach- front. I have learned from each experi- ence and my tastes have also changed over the years from being a single guy in his late 30´s wanting to live luxuri- ously and to have a great time to a per- son in his 60´s wanting to be in a qui- eter and more rural environment (but still within 60 minutes or less from all amenities and services offered by the big city) and wanting to build a home with lots of space to grow my own food and be off-grid capable should the need arise. I still enjoy the beach a lot, but I only need to drive an hour on well paved roads to get my quota of beach life when I feel the need and it is not much further to go and retreat deep into the mountains and tropical or cloud for- ests. That is the beauty of Costa Rica, there is so much to see and experience and yet the distances are such that you can experience an early breakfast on the Caribbean side and watch the sun come up and enjoy an early dinner on the Pacific Coast while you enjoy an- other spectacular Costa Rican sunset!

So, going back to the initial ques- tion of renting or buying, just ex- amine your experience, needs, wants, budget and your ultimate goals and make sure you are ready to take a step that will in- volve a significant outlay of your hard-earned cash. Do your home- work and have the help of a good bi-lingual attorney so that you can be happy in Costa Rica. PURA VIDA LIVING AWAITS!

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24 COSTA RICA REAL ESTATE MAGAZINE