Costa Rica Real Estate Magazine

ARTICLE | REAL ESTATE

amazing the Costa Rican people are, and they will feel welcomed. There is a real sense of community in this area. For those looking to relax and unwind, there is no better place to be. For those look- ing to experience new adventures like surfing, hiking, fishing, kayaking, or even ziplining, this part of Costa Rica has it all. How did the Pandemic affect your office and what do you see for the 2021 thru 2022 timeframe? The first few months of the pandemic were very challenging. With the airports closed to international travelers, and with more than 95% of our clients being for- eigners, we had to quickly adapt to the new ‘normal’. We started doing live vir- tual tours for our foreign clients, and we before long we were writing offers even without the potential buyers seeing the properties in person. When the airports reopened in October and November 2020, the market became very busy. No- vember and December 2020 were both record setting months for our offices, and January and February 2021 continued to set new records. We predict that the real estate industry in Costa Rica will see an impressive increase in the number of properties sold, and the sales price well into 2022. I see that in the last couple of years you and your office have won several very prestigious awards. Would you tell us a little bit more about that?

What made you choose the Uvita-Ojo- chal and surrounding area of the South Pacific Coast as your principal area of expertise? We first chose the Southern Pacific re- gion of Costa Rica to live in, because it is at the tip of the Osa Peninsula, which is said to be the most bio-diverse area on the planet. We fell in love with this area because it is always lush and green, the beaches are unspoiled and uncrowded, and the topography here is much different than the rest of Costa Rica. The moun- tains are very close to the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean, so the views are ex- traordinary, and the sunsets are amazing. It should also come as no surprise that we also chose this region because of the abundant wildlife. We decided to locate our offices in Uvita, Ojochal, and Manuel Antonio because these towns are the ‘hubs’ which connect the adjoining com- munities. What do you consider to be the main attractions of the South Pacific area for someone visiting for the first time? And what about for someone living there as a newcomer to the area? In my opinion, the main attraction is the wildlife and the dramatic vistas. It is like taking a walk through paradise, and it is like seeing nature for the first time. It is actually moving. For someone living here as a newcomer, they will be amazed at how friendly the expat community is, how

I have been so humbled by the success that Blue Zone Realty International has achieved over the past several years. We are members of Leading Real Es- tate Companies of the World, and were awarded membership into the Global Alli- ance Club in 2019 and 2020. This mem- bership is granted to companies who close a high number of incoming refer- rals. We were also named ‘Best Real Es- tate Agency, Costa Rica’ for 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 by the International Prop- erty Awards. In 2019 we were named the exclusive broker in Costa Rica for Haute Residence/Haute Living and this exclu- sive advantage was renewed in 2020 and 2021. We were named ‘Company of the Year, Costa Rica’ in 2021 by the Lat- in American Quality Institute, and I was named “Entrepreneur of the Year” by the same organization. Also, in 2021wewere named ‘Costa Rica’s Most Outstanding Luxury Real Estate Agency, 2021” by Lux Life Leaders in Luxury Awards. I like to say that documentation beats conversa- tion, but make no mistake, Blue Zone Re- alty International owes all of the success that we have enjoyed to the dedicated team of professionals who work hard ev- ery day to make sure that we are exceed- ing the expectations of our clients. Finally, with all your experience in Costa Rica Real Estate what would be your ad- vice to a potential buyer as to the best way to go about finding that extraordinary home in Costa Rica? The most important advice that I can give to a potential buyer is to make sure that you are working with a reputable realtor, and that you are also represented by a real estate attorney who is accessible, responsive, and whom you can commu- nicate with. I also would encourage all potential buyers to ask as a lot of ques- tions, and to expand those questions be- yond the typical real estate process. The only silly questions are those that remain unasked.

COSTA RICA REAL ESTATE MAGAZINE 39