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.

Dole Bananas in Costa Rica

Click here to see a very interesting video on how bananas are harvested here in Costa Rica.  DOLE BANANAS   You will be that much smarter about how you get your tasty bananas back up North.
Pura Vida!

Hard Rock Cafe - Playas del Coco

The Hard Rock in Coco is now open.  Click here to see the REMAX crew get together this past week.  A great addition to our sleepy little fishing village - Hard Rock Coco  Look for me I am the old white guy who can't dance:-)

Cost of Living Comparison - USA vs Costa Rica 2015 - Interesting!

United States and Costa Rica Cost of Living Comparison!

Posted by crie on Aug 26, 2015 in Cost of Living, immigration, News, Real Estate Investment | 0 comments

The cost of living  is one of the main considerations when contemplating moving to Costa Rica. 
Did you know, Costa Rica’s cost of living is substantially lower than that of the United States? 

Please don’t shoot the messenger!!! If you think the price is wrong you can edit it yourself below.

The information below is from the good folks at numbeo.comNumbeo is the world’s largest database about food prices worldwide!

Do you live in Costa Rica? We need your help: Add data for Costa Rica 

…

Indices Difference

Consumer Prices Including Rent in United States are 42.35% higher than in Costa Rica
Rent Prices in United States are 107.57% higher than in Costa Rica
Restaurant Prices in United States are 46.90% higher than in Costa Rica
Groceries Prices in United States are 27.42% higher than in Costa Rica
Local Purchasing Power in United States is 108.12% higher than in Costa Rica

…

Costa Rica Cost of Living

	Costa Rica	United States	Difference
Restaurants	[Edit]	[Edit]
Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant	6.58 $ (3,500.00 ₡)	11.00 $ (5,855.30 ₡)	+67.29 %
Meal for 2, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course	33.82 $ (18,000.00 ₡)	50.00 $ (26,614.99 ₡)	+47.86 %
McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal)	6.76 $ (3,600.00 ₡)	6.75 $ (3,593.02 ₡)	-0.19 %
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter draught)	2.25 $ (1,200.00 ₡)	3.50 $ (1,863.05 ₡)	+55.25 %
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)	3.57 $ (1,900.00 ₡)	5.00 $ (2,661.50 ₡)	+40.08 %
Cappuccino (regular)	2.37 $ (1,259.30 ₡)	3.74 $ (1,988.81 ₡)	+57.93 %
Coke/Pepsi (0.33 liter bottle)	1.52 $ (807.97 ₡)	1.65 $ (877.49 ₡)	+8.60 %
Water (0.33 liter bottle)	1.32 $ (703.97 ₡)	1.34 $ (711.94 ₡)	+1.13 %
Markets	[Edit]	[Edit]
Milk (regular), (1 gallon)	5.23 $ (2,783.24 ₡)	3.76 $ (1,998.83 ₡)	-28.18 %
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb)	1.61 $ (857.05 ₡)	2.26 $ (1,204.05 ₡)	+40.49 %
Rice (white), (1 lb)	0.94 $ (499.39 ₡)	1.50 $ (796.71 ₡)	+59.54 %
Eggs (12)	2.74 $ (1,456.06 ₡)	2.48 $ (1,319.69 ₡)	-9.37 %
Local Cheese (1 lb)	2.82 $ (1,499.63 ₡)	4.48 $ (2,384.76 ₡)	+59.02 %
Chicken Breasts (Boneless, Skinless), (1 lb)	3.17 $ (1,688.74 ₡)	3.83 $ (2,038.80 ₡)	+20.73 %
Apples (1 lb)	1.82 $ (969.84 ₡)	1.84 $ (981.79 ₡)	+1.23 %
Oranges (1 lb)	1.11 $ (591.50 ₡)	1.82 $ (966.95 ₡)	+63.47 %
Tomato (1 lb)	0.94 $ (498.65 ₡)	1.79 $ (952.40 ₡)	+91.00 %
Potato (1 lb)	0.81 $ (433.16 ₡)	1.18 $ (630.34 ₡)	+45.52 %
Lettuce (1 head)	0.84 $ (446.05 ₡)	1.58 $ (839.70 ₡)	+88.25 %
Water (1.5 liter bottle)	2.42 $ (1,288.10 ₡)	1.76 $ (936.56 ₡)	-27.29 %
Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range)	11.27 $ (6,000.00 ₡)	12.00 $ (6,387.60 ₡)	+6.46 %
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)	1.93 $ (1,027.59 ₡)	1.76 $ (936.92 ₡)	-8.82 %
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)	2.74 $ (1,461.14 ₡)	2.37 $ (1,259.76 ₡)	-13.78 %
Pack of Cigarettes (Marlboro)	3.19 $ (1,700.00 ₡)	6.15 $ (3,273.64 ₡)	+92.57 %
Transportation	[Edit]	[Edit]
One-way Ticket (Local Transport)	0.75 $ (400.00 ₡)	2.00 $ (1,064.60 ₡)	+166.15 %
Monthly Pass (Regular Price)	56.36 $ (30,000.00 ₡)	64.00 $ (34,067.19 ₡)	+13.56 %
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)	1.20 $ (640.00 ₡)	3.00 $ (1,596.90 ₡)	+149.52 %
Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff)	1.93 $ (1,029.98 ₡)	2.50 $ (1,330.75 ₡)	+29.20 %
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)	13.15 $ (7,000.00 ₡)	30.00 $ (15,969.00 ₡)	+128.13 %
Gasoline (1 gallon)	4.89 $ (2,602.26 ₡)	2.86 $ (1,523.28 ₡)	-41.46 %
Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car)	24,891.98 $ (13,250,000.00 ₡)	21,000.00 $ (11,178,297.90 ₡)	-15.64 %
Utilities (Monthly)	[Edit]	[Edit]
Basic (Electricity, Heating, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment	74.63 $ (39,726.36 ₡)	157.23 $ (83,694.50 ₡)	+110.68 %
1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local ( No Discounts or Plans)	0.06 $ (34.27 ₡)	0.16 $ (83.55 ₡)	+143.80 %
Internet (10 Mbps, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL)	52.21 $ (27,790.09 ₡)	47.97 $ (25,536.24 ₡)	-8.11 %
Sports And Leisure	[Edit]	[Edit]
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult	42.57 $ (22,658.24 ₡)	37.22 $ (19,809.67 ₡)	-12.57 %
Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend)	17.11 $ (9,108.64 ₡)	18.20 $ (9,685.61 ₡)	+6.33 %
Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat	6.58 $ (3,500.00 ₡)	10.00 $ (5,323.00 ₡)	+52.09 %
Clothing And Shoes	[Edit]	[Edit]
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)	68.16 $ (36,281.80 ₡)	41.14 $ (21,896.94 ₡)	-39.65 %
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store	51.24 $ (27,273.14 ₡)	35.78 $ (19,045.92 ₡)	-30.17 %
1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range)	103.15 $ (54,905.09 ₡)	76.97 $ (40,972.49 ₡)	-25.38 %
1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes	94.74 $ (50,430.40 ₡)	87.05 $ (46,334.16 ₡)	-8.12 %
Rent Per Month	[Edit]	[Edit]
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre	428.51 $ (228,093.24 ₡)	1,006.62 $ (535,826.19 ₡)	+134.92 %
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre	361.47 $ (192,409.67 ₡)	786.88 $ (418,857.12 ₡)	+117.69 %
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre	879.62 $ (468,224.08 ₡)	1,727.44 $ (919,515.19 ₡)	+96.38 %
Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre	669.14 $ (356,182.24 ₡)	1,333.84 $ (710,004.95 ₡)	+99.34 %
Buy Apartment Price	[Edit]	[Edit]
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre	129.07 $ (68,706.08 ₡)	204.19 $ (108,692.80 ₡)	+58.20 %
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apart. Outside of Centre	118.58 $ (63,117.85 ₡)	132.28 $ (70,413.71 ₡)	+11.56 %
Salaries And Financing	[Edit]	[Edit]
Average Monthly Disposable Salary (After Tax)	903.18 $ (480,762.31 ₡)	2,675.72 $ (1,424,286.23 ₡)	+196.26 %
Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly	13.25	4.19	-68.41 %
Last update	August, 2015	August, 2015
Contributors:	199	11052
Data from past:	18 months	18 months

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An Interesting Take for Canadians Looking to Buy a Vacation Home in Paradise!

Changing lifestyles affect the decisions Canadians make on how and where they choose to live. Second homes are very popular for winter and vacation getaways. Good news; it is possible to finance a second property with owner-occupied (best) interest rates and rules.

A Primer on Getting a Mortgage for a Foreign Property

Understand that Canadian lenders will only provide you a mortgage if they can register their mortgage against a Canadian land title or deed in a Canadian (not foreign) land title system, using Canadian lawyers in order to enforce the contract in a Canadian court, if ever required. 

This rule holds true for lenders in other countries as well - they will only lend on properties within their legal jurisdiction.

So a Canadian lender mortgage on a foreign property is a non-starter.

Here are some options:

Option 1 - there are a number of Canadian banks operating in foreign countries, and a borrower typically must deal directly with the foreign bank office, not a Canadian branch.

For the USA, where language and rules are quite similar to Canada, this can be fairly straightforward.

In other countries, getting a mortgage locally can be time consuming, exhausting, and expensive

Ask us for a referral if you would like to try this option.

Option 2 - for many, refinancing your principle Canadian residence and using the equity to purchase your foreign home is by far the simplest finance solution.

Up to 80% of the value of your home can be refinanced, for example: if you have a home worth $500,000 and only hold a mortgage of $250,000 you can refinance to $400,000, payoff the $250,000 mortgage and use the other $150,000 to buy a vacation home.

The interest rate will be lower because you remortgaged your permanent residence and have no mortgage owing on the vacation home.

Makes it simpler and faster to buy in the foreign location.

There are no restrictions on the use of the vacation home, such as if used for a rental

A Visit to the Veterinary Store

Always an adventure!  Every week we visit our favorite Veterinary Store in Liberia on our way home to the mountain farm.  These are not  the veterinary clinics you would think of in Canada or the US rather they are like the old general stores of the past.  Yes, there is usually a veterinarian on staff to look after small animals and recommend treatments for large animals.  But the store itself is a conglomerate of animal feed supplies, horse tack, boots, hats, hardware supplies, baby chickens, animal medicines and just about anything to do with gardening.  Quite a mix.  Always lots of fun, crowded with customers and busy as a bee hive!   Don Victor (in the middle picture above) is the owner of this operation and always a pleasure to work with.  A typical nice Tico eager to please and help out.   All merchandise is behind the counter so you need to walk up to the till and list out what you want.  The clerks then yell out to the staff your order.  You go the caja and pay the bill then on to the next counter where your order is filled.   A little confusing but always amusing:-)  When in Liberia take in some of the local atmosphere and head for the Super Veterinary store just south of the main town square and church.  See you there on Fridays!!!  

Fortuna Cabalgata

Great time this weekend at the town of Fortuna about 15 kilometers or 10 miles from our farm.  The little town was bursting with beautiful dancing horses and a ton of just strong patient Costa Rican creole horses like our Chalana and Prieto.  Beautiful ride through the hills with some great views of Miravalles Volcano.  Lots of good food and cold cerveza made a for a great day.  Back to the house by 9 PM after a few sarpes (Costa Rican for last round - one of the big lies everybody laughs about here in CR).  If you ever have an opportunity you should take in one of these  fun events.

Save the Americans and Canadians!

The Costa Rica Tourism Association (ICT) just released a great video - Save the Americans and Canadians  The wild and wacky animals of Costa Rica tell you why you should visit paradise:-) How could they be wrong - they live here year round?

Playa Hermosa - Baby turtle returning home to the sea - December 14, 2014!

Recently for the first time in many years a leatherback turtle returned to Playa Hermosa and laid her eggs on the beach.  This is a video of one of her babies returning to the sea!  Below is an amazing video taken by one of our friends who was fortunate enough to be on the beach and see this wonder of nature.  All the babies that hatched that day had a safe journey as everyone on the beach provided them with a human barracade.

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Costa Rica Discovered - Great New Video!

Click on the photo below to see a great new video of life in Costa Rica!  Discover why you might want to consider living in paradise!

Leatherback Turtle on Playa Hermosa!

Wow for the first time in a long time a leatherback turtle paid a visit to Playa Hermosa. She came up on the beach and laid her eggs much to the delight of all the visitors and locals on the beach. Normally these turtles are found further south on Playa Grande and other beaches but this one decided Playa Hermosa was for her. After she laid her eggs she went back out to sea. The eggs have been collected and are being safely hatched in a secure location. Here are a few leatherback facts:

1. Leatherbacks are the largest sea turtle.
The leatherback sea turtle is the largest living reptile and the largest sea turtle. They can grow to over 6 feet in length and weigh up to 2,000 pounds. Leatherbacks are also unique among sea turtles in that instead of a hard carapace, their shell bones are covered by a leather-like, oily "skin."

2. Leatherbacks are the deepest-diving turtle.
Leatherbacks could swim alongside some of the deepest-diving whales - they are capable of diving at least 3,900 feet. Their deep dives help them search for prey, avoid predators and escape from the heat when they are in warm waters. A 2010 study found that these turtles may regulate their buoyancy during a deep dive by varying the amount of air they inhale at the surface.

3. Leatherbacks are world travelers.
Leatherbacks are the most wide-ranging sea turtle. They also have the widest range, because they have a counter-current heat exchange system and lots of oil within their body that allows them to keep their core body temperature higher than the surrounding sea water - therefore, they can tolerate areas with colder water temperatures. These turtles are found as far north as Newfoundland, Canada, and as far south as South America. They are generally thought of as a pelagic species, but may also be found in waters closer to shore.

4. Leatherbacks feed on jellyfish and other soft-bodied creatures.
It seems amazing that these enormous animals can live on what they eat. Leatherbacks feed primarily on soft-bodied animals like jellyfish andsalps. They do not have teeth, but have sharp cusps in their mouths that help grasp their pray, and spines in their throat and esophagus to make sure prey can get in their throat, but not out. These turtles are important to marine food webs as they may help keep overabundant jellyfish populations in check. Because of their diet, leatherback sea turtles may be threatened by marine debris like plastic bags and balloons, which they may mistake for prey.

5. Leatherbacks are endangered.
Leatherbacks are listed on the Endangered Species Act as endangered, and as "critically endangered" on the IUCN Red List. The Atlantic Ocean population appears to be more stable than the Pacific Ocean population. Threats to leatherback turtles include entanglement in fishing gear and marine debris, ingestion of marine debris, egg harvesting, and ship strikes. You can help by disposing of litter responsibly, reducing use of plastics, never releasing balloons, watching out for turtles when boating, and by supporting turtle research, rescue and rehabilitation organizations.

A Guanacaste Beach Town Beats the Drum to Benefit the Monkeys!

Click here for an excellent write up on the efforts by the residents of Playa Hermosaas they strive to help the local Howler Monkey population.  Their efforts are paying off as I certainly hear and see more of these monkeys during my morning bike rides.  They never fail to startle the heck out of me as I climb the Hermosa hills.  Pura Vida !

Costa Rica Chosen as Top Retirement Destination in 2014

Costa Rica continues to be one of the most popular retirement destinations for North Americans looking to escape the cold, high taxes and over reaching governments.  Click here to find out more.    We look forward to seeing you down here in paradise.

Monthly Living Expenses Comparison - Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua, Ecuador

Here is a great blog comparing monthly living expenses between these four countries - Costa Rica Panama, Nicaragua, Ecuador.  For those that think Costa Rica is expensive you will find that is not the case.  The difference between highest to lowest is only $67 so Costa Rica fits in nicely.  We have always told people Costa Rica can be expensive especially if you want to buy a lot of imported goods.  If you live more like the locals and buy locally then Costa Rica can be relatively inexpensive. For expats buying property here consider property taxes are only 0.25 % of the registered property values - $250 on every $100,000 so very inexpensive.  No tax on income from outside the country and no capital gains tax.
 Click here for the Blog.