Costa Rica FAQ Series – Habla Español?, Property Managers and Do I need a Realtor

Tank Tops Flip Flops Newsletter no. 226

Welcome to the 2nd installment of our Costa Rica FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) Series, where we dive into the nitty-gritty of real estate and property investment and as always – life in Costa Rica.

First of all some great news!  Costa Rica is #1 in the world for the highest amount of Foriegn Direct Investment as a percentage of GDP.  Check out the article in Q Costa Rica for details.  qcostarica.com/costa-rica-is-first-in-the-world-in-direct-foreign-investment

Video 1:  Do I need to speak Spanish in Costa Rica?

Do you have to speak Spanish to live in Costa Rica?  Really the answer is no.  Costa Rica is very bilingual especially here at the beach where you find out that everybody speaks English and it is very easy to communicate.  But at the same token you’re coming to their country so you should go out of your way to learn some Spanish and again it’s fun.  There are many different ways to take Spanish lessons: You can do it privately where someone will come to your house and teach you Spanish in your own home, also many people do these small groups where maybe there’s four or five couples.  So, this week we have the lesson at my house, next week at your house, the week after that at Martha’s house and then afterwards we all celebrate we have some wine and cheese and hang out after our Spanish lesson.  There are schools here where you can go and take Spanish lessons in a more controlled environment but no you don’t need to worry about speaking Spanish coming down.  All the menus in the restaurants are in both English and Spanish and most of the grocery stores have North American products and if you can can’t read something there’s always somebody there that will help you.  My advice would be to take it upon yourself to learn Spanish so you can more fully enjoy this beautiful country.  You can always go to night school (wink, wink).

BUY OR BUILD in Costa Rica? – Should I Buy an Existing House or Build My Dream Home?

Whether you buy an already built home or purchase a lot and build is entirely up to your personal circumstances and desires.  Our goal is to give you all sides of the issue so you can make the best decision for you.

Having said that, the short answer to the age-old question of whether to buy a lot and build or buy an existing home is quite simple – If you can find an existing home that fits your needs and works with your budget than BUY IT!  After all, the reason you are coming down to Costa Rica is to slide into the hassle-free lifestyle and enjoy your time in Pura Vida land.