If you are serious about buying or selling property in Costa Rica, then Brian Smith from Coldwell Banker in Jaco is the only professional Realtor you’ll ever need! Having someone who is down there, on the ground so-to-speak, as MY representative, someone I trusted to make experienced decisions for me was beyond helpful—it was peace of mind that I was in good hands.

The fact that Brian is a native English speaker and a well-spoken, knowledgeable Realtor made things even easier. He was always available to confer with, was diligent in providing updates, made the phone calls, wrote clear and concise emails, all solid reasons I recommend him.

The whole process of having property overseas is very involved. There are many details to account for with Corporations, Trusts, contracts, etc and Brian saw me through all of them. He got the sale, was able to help in negotiations throughout and watched out for the transaction until it reached my hands.

I am very thankful that I found Brian and he made the entire selling process so much easier for me. I was able to tell him honestly what I wanted from the situation and he was open with his thoughts and opinions. He is a true professional but also a ‘real’ Realtor; he takes pride in what he does and wants it to be a success for all involved.

I highly recommend Brian Smith to be your Costa Rican Realtor!

Melanie P.

Canada

Ten Powerful Reasons to Buy in Costa Rica Now!

1. GREAT CLIMATE YEAR ROUND

There are lots of reasons people choose to live and invest in Costa Rica, but the beautiful weather has to be one of the top reasons. There are two seasons; summer and winter. For people who enjoy warm, tropical weather and are looking to get away from the harsh North American winters, then the Costa Rican Pacific Coast is an ideal place.

2. COSTA RICA REAL ESTATE IS STILL STRONG

Although real estate markets have plummeted throughout the United States, Costa Rica is only experiencing a slower selling time and the average property prices do not appear to be less than they were prior to the economic down turn.

3. COSTA RICA, NOT JUST A DESTINATION FOR NORTH AMERICANS.

In the first quarter of 2007 foreign investment in Costa Rica was up 300%. 51% of visitors to Costa Rica came from North America and 49% from the rest of the world.

4. A BABY BOOMERS PARADISE

With thousands of baby boomers retiring and millions of others approaching retirement age, many in this age bracket are searching for a second home or vacation property that offers a warm, tropical climate, government stability, safety, a reputable medical system and a combination of adventure and tranquility all wrapped up in an upscale, environmentally conscious dwelling.

5. COSTA RICA IS NO LONGER A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY

In a third world country you would not expect to find access to excellent healthcare, a literacy rate of 94.9% (estimated in 2006), an education system that is ranked 40th in the world, an abundance of clean, drinkable water, high speed Internet, cable and satellite T.V., great food, personal safety, a reasonably low cost of living by North American standards and a society and government that is environmentally conscious. All of these things are readily available in Costa Rica.

6. DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT WITH STRONG STABILITY

Costa Rica is often referred to as the “Switzerland of Central America”. Costa Rica has one of the most democratic governments in Latin America with a reputation as one of the most stable, prosperous, and least corrupt Latin American countries. In 2006, Óscar Arias Sánchez was elected president. Arias, who had served as president once before (1986 to 1990), won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987 for fostering peace talks that eventually ended the civil wars in El Salvador and Nicaragua. In November 2008, the Costa Rican government voted to implement the Central American Free Trade Agreement that Costa Rican voters had approved in October 2007.

7. EASY ACCESSIBILITY

If you left your home in the morning, you could be enjoying a beverage by the pool at Wyndham Jaco Beach before a beautiful sunset, that same day. There are direct flights from most major cities to San Jose, Costa Rica’s capital. Then it’s a quick 70 mile drive to Jaco Beach. Once the new highway from San Jose to the Central Pacific has been completed the drive time should be nearly half the time, what used to take approximately 2 hours will soon be reduced to about an hour.

8. EXCELLENT MEDICAL CARE

In a study conducted by the U.N. in the 1980s, Costa Rica’s medical system was first in Latin America and ranked near the United States and Canada, among the 20 best in the world. This statistic remains very much the same today.

The World Health Organization’s “The World Health Report 1995” place Costa Rica third in life expectancy. Costa Rica’s laid back lifestyle, healthy, fresh, non-preservative laden foods, tropical climate and a population that is very much family oriented all add to the fact that Costa Rica is a healthy place to live.

With a government-sponsored network of 29 hospitals and more than 250 clinics throughout the country, the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) is mainly responsible for providing low cost health services to the Costa Rican population. Foreigners living in Costa Rica can join the CCSS by paying a small monthly fee, based on their income or they can buy health insurance, from the State monopoly Instituto de Seguro Nacional (INS), valid with over 200 affiliated doctors, hospitals, labs and pharmacies, in the private sector. Dental work, from fillings to implants, is done routinely on people from every corner of the world.

9. A SMALL COUNTRY WITH LOTS TO DO!

Depending on your preference, there is an abundance of outdoor activities in the Central Pacific area. Jaco has the reputation of being a “surfing town”, so if surfing is your passion or you’d like to make it your passion, this is the place for you. Fishing out of the 200 slip marina, horseback riding, sea kayaking, hiking or bird watching are just some of the great outdoor adventures available in the area. However, if curling up with a good book on your private terrace is your preferred past time, that too is okay. Dining out is a fantastic adventure as well. Fresh fish, fruit and foods to please any palette are easily available.

10. INVEST REALISTICALLY IN TODAY’S ECONOMY

Edit:: The Wyndham project is on hold and all deposit monies have been returned to our clients. The project will recommence once the equity markets stablize.

We are all aware of the state of the world economy and therefore it is important to carefully consider where to invest your money. There is no doubt that the real estate market in Costa Rica has slowed down, but this is a time to invest in a place that will certainly boom, like the popular beach town of Jaco. And there is no better investment in Jaco than the Wyndham Jaco Beach, backed by the trusted Wyndham name. The new highway, slated to be complete by mid-2010, will connect the capital city of San Jose with the Central Pacific area of Costa Rica, which will bring even more demand to Jaco. The excitement and anticipation surrounding the completion of this highway is always on the minds of the locals and foreigners who call Jaco home. We are convinced that once this highway is opened, the area will undergo an even bigger boom.

We feel that investing in a 5 star beachfront condominium at Wyndham Jaco Beach will prove to be a wise choice. Consider this purchase as a ground level investment; one that will likely increase in value as Jaco continues to enjoy the benefits of an area visited by tourists, year round from all over the world.

Courtesy of Wyndham Jaco Beach & Coldwell Banker Jaco is the exclusive real estate broker for Wyndham Jaco Beach.

If you are interested in learning how to purchase a condominium or beach home as a vacation home and/or as an investment to earn rental revenue, please call Lisle Head at 866-403-1345 Lisle can discuss your options with you and help maximize your investment! Coldwell Banker Jaco prides itself on its integrity and its track record of success. Take a look at our Costa Rica Real Estate Testimonials section, we let our actions speak for themselves.

It seems everywhere you look in the states there are “firesales” for desperate homeowners trying to adjust to the economic conditions in the US. Many have equity tied up in the property and are desperate to sell so they can use the liquid funds for other purposes. That is not the case here in Costa Rica real estate or even Jaco Costa Rica Real Estate.

While you might find people advertising “Costa Rica condos at firesale prices” the reality is very few properties have sold below their purchase price which is what defines “firesale prices.” In Jaco real estate, the property values have been holding steady since this period last year and new Jaco condo sales continue with a slightly lower volume than this period last year. In other words, Jaco Costa Rica Real Estate owners are not desperate and using the phrase “Costa Rica homes at firesale prices” is nothing but a marketing ploy.

However, for their own personal reasons, Costa Rica property owners have chosen to sell their property at prices that would motivate potential buyers. Here is a great listing of a motivated but not desperate Jaco Costa Rica condo owner:

Oceanviews from the master bedroom and a beachfront location of this condo with a turnkey package. Priced to sell at $350,000!

This Costa Rica condo listing is part of a brand new beachfront community which will finish the construction phase in December 2009, just a few weeks away. This is a great opporunity to purchase at pre-construction prices on a Jaco beachfront community.

The Palms, located in Jaco Beach features 34, 2 bed/2 bath units (1550 sq ft) located on the beach which give all units unobstructed views of the Pacific Ocean. Besides having on-site property management, all units will come completely furnished. The Palms is the developer’s fourth project in Jaco, and is one of the most reputable developers in the country. Currently, we have two sellers who are “motivated”, a third floor and sixth floor unit. These sellers are motivated and not DESPERATE. Will they listen to offers? Yes. When we say as low as $350,000 for unobstructed oceanview beachfront such as this, you should take notice.

Coldwell Banker Jaco has maintained that Costa Rica beach front property is and always will be a premium location which is why you see so many development on the beach. One might imagine that there must be many condos available for sale in this area but in reality there are very few 100% fully titled beach front condos in Jaco Costa Rica for sale and the number of opportunities outside Jaco is virtually non-existent. Because this is the type of property that most people prefer to both purchase and rent, it is clear that Jaco is one of the best places in the market to invest. Getting a great price like this just makes it even better!

If you are interested in learning how to purchase a condominium or beach home for your own enjoyment or to earn rental revenue, please call Lisle Head at 866-403-1345 Lisle can discuss your options with you that are the right ones! Coldwell Banker Jaco prides itself on its integrity and its track record of success. Take a look at our Costa Rica Real Estate Testimonials section, these are real people just like you.

Club del Cielo is a luxury condo-hotel development located in Jaco, Costa Rica. This project has a Costa Rica condo for sale and it is a steal for the location and quality of the unit. Take a look at this turn-key unit, you buy the condo and walk in, all furniture, amenties are ready to go. Even better, the unit is ready to begin accepting guest so you can earn rental revenues to augment your expenses.

You can view the Master Suite for this Costa Rica Condo here

Club del Cielo is a recent project that is a real condo hotel development. The entire process of development was centered on the hotel concept, therefore the condos have the needs to be a hotel but with added amenities that makes it a luxurious vacation condo for your own leisure. Club del Cielo offers Costa Rica rentals using your Costa Rica condo to people who want to visit Jaco. They will then share the proceeds with the owner.