New addition to San Jorge

Here is the latest addition to our farm neigbourhood.  This little guy was born on the early morning of June 14 and we took these pictures at noon.  He is pretty shakey but up and around.  Not sure where he got the long legs!!   The little guy is jet black with just a little white star on his forehead.  Name to be determinded.  Our great neighbours Mielady and Huber are very proud of this their latest!

American Friends and Clients - ask me how to turn your IRA into a Real Estate Investment!!

This is another option for your retirement.   Your stockbroker will not tell you this!

Chances are if you have an IRA your money is invested one of these three – stocks, mutual funds or bonds.  I am here to tell you about another great option for investing in your retirement – Real Estate! 

Real Estate is a great option especially in today’s markets where the prices of vacation properties are low and on the rise.  Real Estate has always been a steady asset for investors.  I am no stock expert but I know what they say.  You have to buy low and sell high and right now in real estate it is a perfect time to buy low especially in paradise. 

So where do we get the money?   As long as the real estate is for investment purposes,  you can use a Self Directed IRA to purchase real estate (vacation rental properties) and take advantage of todays great market. Converting your existing IRA into a Self Directed IRA is not complicated when working with the right professionals. 

The advantages are that your rental income and profits stay in your IRA and incur no tax issues while in the IRA.  Expenses for your property are paid from the IRA as well.  Pura Vida!  

The Gold Coast is Booming!

Click here to read about the increase in tourism to our piece of paradise.  The Gold Coast is getting busier and busier every years.  Do not miss out on owning your little place in Eden!

Video of San Jose and area!

Here is a great video of San Jose and area.  Just click here - San Jose Video  A great way to see some of the central valley without the traffic! Enjoy!

Rosewood Resorts coming to Costa Rica

Exciting news as more upscale resorts come to Costa Rica.  Click on this link to read about the latest - Rosewood Resorts    This is a great time to buy before the hoards of retirees hit the shores of paradise. Pura Vida!

I taught I taw a putty tat!!!

Here is a rare sighting and rare photo taken by our worker's cousin while driving from our nearby village San Jorge to the town of Guayabo.  Jaguars are nocturnal and to see one during the day is rare and to have one pose for a picture is even more rare!    Closely related to the leopard the Jaguar is the king of the jungle here in Costa Rica.  These big cats and can take down any animal in Costa Rica.  We have been told one of their favorite prey and favorite foods are dogs!  So we keep our two pooches in side at night.    Here is a you tube video of a Jaguar taking down a caiman in Brazil.    Just click on the link.  Amazing to see!  Great swimmers as well!

At Last - Easier Banking for Foreigners!

The Banco de Costa Rica (BCR) reports the opening of 15,000 new accounts in the three weeks it simplified account opening, that included foreigners in Costa Rica without a residency cedula.

The bank says majority of the new accounts were by Costa Ricans (86%) and 13% were foreigners. The majority, 92%, opened a savings account, with 48% of the new customers women.

The BCR was the first institution to allow opening of an account online, immediately issuing an account number, followed up by a visit to the local branch.

Related: No Residency Required To Open Bank Account At The BCR

The BCR is also the first, since reforms to the banking system were made several years ago, starting on January 19, to allow foreigners in Costa Rica without legal residency to open a bank account in their name.

Up to January 18, foreigners could not open a personal bank account at any of the country’s financial institutions unless they were either a legal resident or become nationalized. The option for many, and expensive, was the creation of a corporation and opening a business account in said corporation.

In addition, many a foreign resident – ie foreigners buying property in Costa Rica or visiting the country occasionally, preferring to have a bank account for use while in the country –  found their bank accounts suspended (legally the banks cannot close them) for failing to have “ties” to the country, ie owing property or legal residency.

“It contributes to facilitating access to bank accounts,” said Kattia Morales, brand manager at the BCR.

The process is simple and unique. A visitor to the BCR website clicks on the link to open a new account, in colones or U.S. dollars, at a branch of the user’s choice, and within minutes is issued an account number, confirmed by an email and follow up by a personal visit to the chosen branch a few days later, and receive their personalized Visa debit card linked to the account.

Opening the account online requires a cellular phone number, for the bank to send the confirmation messages and notify its new customers when to make a visit to their branch. The notifications are also sent to the new customer’s email.