[JASON HOLLAND]

Hi Art,

When buying a business and the property where it’s located (as opposed to leasing the building or land) you should have a real estate agent and attorney working with you. The agent will help you find property and facilitate negotiations. And the attorney will help you make sure the title is clear and there are no issues with the property, as well as handle the transfer of the property to you. They can also examine things like business licensing, etc. to make sure the business is all set up properly.

I’d also advise hiring an accountant to examine the financial records and help you get set up with the Costa Rican government as far as tax filings, social security payments for employees, and other matters.

Jason

[JASON HOLLAND]

Hi Jim,

There aren’t really any public courses in Costa Rica. It’s not a popular sport. Plenty of soccer fields though! 🙂

There are private courses throughout the country, either part of country clubs, all inclusive resorts, or gated residential communities. If you want to be close to the water, that narrows things down.

Here are some options. These are located near expat beach communities. As far as Playa Hermosa, that’s a tricky one as there are at least two beaches/towns by that name in the country. One is in the northern Pacific next to Playas del Coco. And the other is on the Central Pacific near Jaco. Both have golf courses within 30 to 45 minutes or so. See below.

Central Pacific

Los Suenos Resort in Playa Herradura http://www.golflaiguana.com

Popular towns nearby: Jaco, Esterillos, Bejuco

Northern Pacific

Reserva Conchal (near Potrero, Playa Flamingo, Playas del Coco) http://www.reservaconchal.com/reserva-conchal-golf-course-en.html

Hacienda Pinilla (near Tamarindo) http://www.haciendapinilla.com/golf/

[JASON HOLLAND]

Hi Steven,

You might try some of these companies.

Aetna International; website: http://www.aetnainternational.com.
AIG; website: http://www.aig.com.
AXA PPP Healthcare; website: http://www.axappphealthcare.co.uk.
Best Doctors Global; website: http://www.bestdoctors.com.
Blue Cross Blue Shield; website: http://www.bcbs.com.
Cigna International; website: http://www.cigna.com/individualsandfamilies/international.
Global Response; website: http://www.global-response.co.uk/.
International Medical Group; website: http://www.imglobal.com.
Seven Corners; website: http://www.sevencorners.com.
Van Breda International; website: http://www.vanbreda-international.com.
Expacare Insurance Services, in Britain; tel. +44 (134) 438-1650; website: http://www.expacare.com.

It’s also possible you might need to have separate policies for the U.S. and overseas, as sometimes the overseas coverage is only valid outside the U.S. Check with the companies above. And consider maintaining your current U.S. coverage or getting a new plan to cover you in the U.S. if you don’t qualify for Medicare.

[JASON HOLLAND]

The San Jose metro area is really one of kind in the country as far as traffic, congestion, new development, and construction. It’s definitely a big city going through some growing pains and feeling the lack of urban planning.

But when you get into smaller Central Valley towns, it’s totally different. Towns like Grecia and Atenas are still bustling in the downtown areas. But once you drive 10 minutes you are back in the farms and forest. Very quiet and more of a rural/village atmosphere. For example, in Grecia, you might check out communities like El Cajon or San Isidro de Grecia, and in Atenas, Santa Eulalia.

Even a bigger town like Heredia (Santa Barbara de Heredia) or San Ramon (Magallanes) has little villages in the surrounding mountains that are largely rural and very quiet. This would be where most expats live.

You also have rural areas and tiny little villages all over the Central Valley where life is still very traditional and there are no crowds at all. A few that come to mind would be Tacares, Barva, Miramar, and Cachi.

[JASON HOLLAND]

Rental car insurance is very confusing in Costa Rica. If use your credit card coverage, they will often put a very large hold on your card ($5,000) as a security deposit. And keep in mind some credit cards void their coverage if you go off of paved roads, which tends to happen in Costa Rica at some point.

The only strictly required insurance is the liability, which covers damage to other vehicles, etc. The others are optional and cover damage to your vehicle, with a deductible paid by you. I personally usually get full coverage for the peace of mind. But it can boost the price significantly, sometimes the insurance costs almost as much as the rental.

When reserving a rental car online, they will often not include insurance in the price. So after making your online reservation, be sure to call and speak with someone about insurance options and the price.

[JASON HOLLAND]

I usually bring my passport when I’m driving, just to be safe. But from what I understand, it is usually permissible to only carry a photocopy of the picture page and the page with your visa stamp showing you are in the country legally.

But you will find in Costa Rica that sometimes the laws/regulations haven’t filtered down to the official you are dealing with, whether it be immigration, someone at the bank, or wherever you go. It can be frustrating.

Driving without any sort of passport or copy is definitely a no-no. Sometimes they will take you to immigration until you can get the required documentation. There is also a fine.

[JASON HOLLAND]

Thanks for sharing your experience, Michael. The U.S. embassy in Costa Rica also has a procedure for bringing and leaving with your pet:

http://costarica.usembassy.gov/catsdogs.html

[JASON HOLLAND]

There are some establishments, run both by expats and Ticos, who will charge a “gringo” price that is more than the normal price. But in my experience, this has been rare and has sometimes occurred when the merchant thinks I’m a tourist that they’ll never see again. Most merchants are good about charging fair prices to all who come in to their establishments. And once you become established in a community it will most likely not happen at all. In fact, once you are in a community and know people, you should start receiving “locals” discounts. Keep in mind that communities by the beach in tourist zones often have higher prices as a matter of course.

If you are traveling in Costa Rica and ever feel you’re getting the “gringo” price, don’t hesitate to walk away and patronize another place.

[JASON HOLLAND]

Hi! Great question.

I’m not 100% on this but I think that this job would qualify as a special occupation that could entitle you to a special visa to work in Costa Rica because this would be a job that only someone from outside the country could do. I would recommend you contact some facilities in Costa Rica to see what the situation is.

[JASON HOLLAND]

Hi Linda,

The Costa Rica event is held at the InterContinental Hotel is Escazu, which is a suburb of the capital, San Jose. It’s about 30 minutes from the country’s main international airport, easily reached by shuttle or taxi. You don’t have to stay at this hotel, there are others nearby. But I think trying to stay at the host hotel makes things a lot easier as you don’t have to worry about transport before and after each day.

The Las Vegas event is at the Red Rock Resort, which is about 8 miles from the Strip. As there few hotels nearby it is always advisable to stay at the host hotel if possible.

We don’t really recommend any airlines. But the good news is Las Vegas, of course, has lots of flights coming in. And Costa Rica has an increasing number of flights, so you shouldn’t have a problem finding one.

If you do decide to attend one of these events, it’s important to book your hotel as early as possible to ensure you get a room at the host hotel. And, of course, book your flight early as well to make sure you get the best price.

Also, if you come to the Costa Rica conference I would recommend you schedule some extra time in country afterwards to do a bit of a scouting trip. This will allow you to take a look at some of the regions and towns we discuss during the event.

There are tours available through IL partners to different areas of the country – more real estate focused. Or you can arrange for a tour with another provider. You also have the option of going out on your own, of course, taking public buses, tourist shuttles, or renting a car.

For events questions about travel and such, you can contact IL Customer Service. They have info on reservations, tours, transportation, and more: https://internationalliving.com/customer-service/events-questions/

[JASON HOLLAND]

Hi Linda,

The next Fast Track Costa Rica conference, held in San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, is Aug 3 – 5. This event focuses solely on Costa Rica, with lawyers, real estate folks, expats, and many others speaking.

The next Fast Track Your Retirement Overseas event, which covers all the countries IL writes about, is Sept 25 – 27 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

You can keep track of all upcoming IL events on this page: https://internationalliving.com/events/

[JASON HOLLAND]

Hi Kevin,

If anything, I would say Jaco is getting better. For many years it had a reputation as a party town for young backpackers and surfers and others. I was in Jaco over the last week and all the long-time expats I spoke with said the town has seen big improvements, although it’s tough to shake its bad reputation. It’s matured into more of a family and couple friendly destination. Lots of high-end hotels and restaurants. There is a large and active expat community there. And the local government has done a lot of community improvements and has an active police force.

Prostitution is legal in Costa Rica and there are some bars, nightclub, and hotels in Jaco that cater to the crowd seeking that. Along with that comes drug use. Outside of those places the town is fine.

[JASON HOLLAND]

Hi Christian,

I’m in Jaco at the moment on a research trip. Turns out they do have a UPS location here right in the center of town. Phone number: 2643-1048. I’m not sure why there are not listed online as one of their locations in Costa Rica.

There is a location of Aerocasillas also, which is a shipping company / courier service: http://www.facebook.com/AerocasillasJaco

[JASON HOLLAND]

Hi Michael,

They do have secure parking and luggage storage. I’m not sure what their policy is on long term parking with a single night stay, although I’m sure you could work something out with them. I’m sure guests have asked for a similar arrangement in the past.

You could contact them here: http://doubletree3.hilton.com/en/hotels/costa-rica/doubletree-by-hilton-hotel-cariari-san-jose-costa-rica-SJODTDT/about/amenities.html

[JASON HOLLAND]

Hi Michael,

I made some calls. It’s bit harder to find a pet-friendly hotel.

It looks like the Doubletree in Ciudad Cariari does accept pets though.

Jason

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