Posts tagged Puntarenas
Where to Look For Property in Costa Rica
Nov 6th
The most successful investors in Costa Rica start their research by clarifying their investment goals. It makes sense to follow their lead. If you’re interested in Costa Rica as an investment destination start by asking yourself whether you’re looking for a speculative opportunity with the potential for quick capital appreciation or are interested in a safer investment? Is it a retirement home with access to services you can enjoy immediately what you are after? Do you want to rent out the property in the short term? Are you willing to purchase off-plan? The answers to these kinds of questions will help you decide which area to focus on.
Not all ‘purchasing destinations’ in Costa Rica will offer the same risk/reward profile. In this article we define three categories to help you zero in on the area that fits your goals.
1) Established areas with mature infrastructure and services
The Central Valley close to the capital of San Jose has emerged as one of Costa Rica’s most established second home markets. Most investors here are seeking a ‘lifestyle buy’ – a property they can enjoy immediately. The area is well served with infrastructure, amenities (such as golf courses, spots clubs, national parks) and services and is arguably the most cosmopolitan part of the county. The recent upgrade of the road from San Jose to the Jaco beach area has increased the accessibility of the area to the coast.
2) Hot tourism areas
Real estate investors often look at tourism visitor numbers as an indicator of the strength of a property market. They know that some of Costa Rica’s top tourism spots have evolved into important real estate purchasing areas. Places like Tamarindo and Flamingo in Guanacaste and Jaco beach in Puntarenas started out as vacation spot (often first discovered by surfers) and quickly developed vibrant real estate markets.
3) Newly emerging areas
Recent years have seen investors seek out newly emerging areas for ‘early in’ real estate investments. These areas tend to be lower priced than their more established counterparts and it’s possible to get a foothold early, before the water cooler investors take notice. The southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica and the Caribbean zone around the port city of Limon are starting to attract more interest from investors and are slowly emerging onto the real estate map.
Whether you are seeking a location ‘in the path of progress’ or an established second home destination, Costa Rica has opportunities for you to consider. And the good news is that it is currently a buyers market in Costa Rica. Buyers have more leverage than they have in years and sellers are motivated. The upshot: There are great deals to be had if you negotiate hard enough.
Finding Costa Rica Travel Info
Nov 2nd
If your wanderlust is pushing you towards the direction of Latin America, then it is very likely that you have looked at Central America. You probably have also looked at Costa Rica travel info for help in planning your vacation. If you are not all familiar with this beautiful tropical paradise then this is the place to start.
Costa Rica is located in the middle of Central America. It has Nicaragua to the north and Panama on its south; while it has the Pacific Ocean on it west and the Caribbean Sea on the east. The main regions of it are: Guanacaste, Nicoya Peninsula, Central Valley, Central Pacific, and Caribbean Costa Rica, Plains of the North, South Costa Rica and Cocos Island National Park.
It has two major international airports that service the country. One is the Juan Santamaría Airport which is accessible to 3 cities: Alajuela, Heredia and the capital city of San José. The other one is the Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport which is located in Liberia in the Guanacaste region of the country.
In addition there are lots of domestic airports scattered all over the country. There is one each in Limon City, Barra del Colorado, Tortuguero, Pavas, and La Fortuna. There is five domestic airports in South Puntarenas namely: Carate, Coto 47, Drake Bay, Puerto Jimenez, Palmar Sur, and Golfito. For North Puntarenas, they have the Tambor Domestic Airport and the Quepos Domestic Airport. For Guanacaste, aside from their international airport in Liberia, they also have domestic airports in Tamarindo, Nosara, Punta Islita, and Carrillo (Samara).
Another crucial bit of Costa Rica travel info is the location of the major cities of the country. There are the aforementioned and well known cities of Alajuela, San José, Tamarindo and Liberia. Cartago is the first capital of Costa Rica and Jaco is one of the famous surfing spots of the country. Other cities worth visiting are Pochote which is across Puntarenas, Parismina which is on the Tortuguero Canals, Puerto Limón which is the main country on the Caribbean side, and Heredia which is famed for their coffee plantations.
Since Costa Rica is well known as a world class ecotourism destinationf, the country is blessed with many splendid parks that should not be missed when visiting. There is the Tapanti National Park, Cahuita National Park, Corcovado National Park, Manuel Antonio National Park, and Chirripo National Park. Tourists can also pave a visit to Arenal Volcano, Monteverde and Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserves and to the Pacuare River and Protected Zone. If you are a bird watcher then you will want to bring your life list and expect to double it in size without much effort.
Last but definitely not the least, the beaches should not be forgotten when in Costa Rica. Many aficionados listed the following as the top ten beach spots that should be enjoyed when in the country: Nicoya Peninsula, Manuel Antonio, Montezuma, Playa Tamarindo, Corcovado, Mal Pais, South of Limon, Jaco and Tambor. Surfing is a major draw on many of the Pacific beaches especially during the winter months when Northern storms send great waves south to be enjoyed by both the novice and expert.
The best way to enjoy Costa Rica is to take your time and enjoy it with a smile. That is the only way to get lost in Costa Rica’s Tropical Paradise. Remember if you miss something on your first trip you can always come back for another visit to paradise.
