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Why Attend the Costa Rica Southern Zone Expat Forum?

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Costa Rica Southern Zone Expat Forum

10 Reasons to Attend the Costa Rica Southern Zone Expat Forum…

As you might have heard, Coldwell Banker is hosting a Costa Rica Southern Zone Expat Forum in October (see more details below). The forum will be all about opening the minds of the participants to the high quality of expat life offered in Perez Zeledon.

To help fully convince you of your need to attend, here are 10 solid reasons why YOU should be at the Costa Rica Southern Zone Expat Forum…

  1. Because you will learn that Perez Zeledon is the up and coming retirement mecca of Central America. You might have heard about Boquete in Panama from International Living as being the new retirement haven? Well, Perez Zeledon offers much more, including a vibrant and growing city, the most breathtakingly beautiful mountains of Costa Rica, and the ability to live in a cool elevated mountain micro-climate and still be less than an hour from the gorgeous Costa Ballena coastline.
  2. You will learn about the amazing things happening in San Isidro de El General, the key city of Perez Zeledon, and the gateway to Costa Rica’s still pristine southern zone. You’ll learn about the new international hub airport that’s being planned for the city. You’ll learn that a Four Seasons resort, one of the nicest in all of Central American, is located 30 minutes from downtown. Okay, I’m not giving any more away. You’ll just have to show up and learn about a lot of stuff you just didn’t know about this place.
  3. You might notice it on the drive into town, but Perez Zeledon offers some of the most scenic mountain vistas of all of Costa Rica. After all, the city of San Isidro is flanked on one side by the towering Talamancas, the highest mountains of Cost Rica, and on the other by the coastal range we call the Fila Costeña. I’ve lived in Costa Rica for going on two decades and I know the entire country pretty darn well. I know of no more beautiful a place than Perez Zeldeon.
  4. Some expats want to be surrounded by other English speaking folks that look and talk like them. Those are the ones that often opt for touristy locales like Tamarindo, Jaco, Manuel Antonio, or even Dominical. Others want the full cultural immersion experience. Well, the latter is what you get in Perez Zeledon. The city of San Isidro has a population of around 50,000 and the entire canton of Perez Zeledon, over 150,000. This is middle class tico existence at its best folks, and we gringos aren’t going to change that anytime soon.
  5. You’ll learn that San Isidro de El General is home to great health care, perhaps as good as it comes outside of the gran metropolitan area of San Jose. We have a regional hospital, many private clinics, resident specialists of all kinds, and great dental care to boot.
  6. If you’re on a fixed income, Perez Zeledon is a great place to live and not break the bank. If you’ve been living in Costa Rica already for a while, especially in one of those touristy locales, again, like Tamarindo, Jaco, Manuel Antonio, or even Dominical, you’ve noticed that there ain’t nothing cheap about it! In fact, prices can be as high or higher than back in the States. Well, Perez Zeledon is different. This is not a tourist locale and you can find values of all kinds, like at the weekly farmer’s market that’s the largest in the region.
  7. You’ll find out that there’s simply nowhere in Costa Rica that offers the ability to live in rugged mountains in the shade of the highest peak in the county, Cerro Chirripo, and still be only an hour or less from the Costa Ballena coastline. And, oh, what a gorgeous coastline that is. I call it the “Big Sur” of Costa Rica!
  8. You’ll find out that downtown San Isidro de El General is like one big shopping mall. You can find anything you need or want and great deals to boot. The second-hand clothing stores around town are amazing. It’s probably because San Isidro de El General is close enough to the Panama border to almost be considered a “border town,” but without all the ugliness that’s usually associated with those types of towns.
  9. You’ll find out that Perez Zeledon does indeed have a touristic draw, especially with Chirripo trekkers. But you’ll learn about many other naturalist areas of interest due to its innumerable rivers, waterfalls and nature reserves.
  10. You’ll find out that surprisingly, as rugged as those verdant mountains are, those charming little mountain pueblos that dot the hills and populate the canton actually have great infrastructure, with good roads, the best quality of air and water you’ll find anywhere and all the services that make mountain living in Perez Zeledon so darn cool and comfortable.
Ok enough with the spoilers, just come and see for yourselves. And, since I am in charge of the whole affair, I’ll make sure you have fun!

We’re contemplating adding a morning bus tour, sort of a mountain loop that I often take my expat tour customers on, for day two. It would terminate at the weekly Thursday Farmer’s Market, that always tends to blow the minds of my expat tour customers, as it is an under roof football field-sized offering of everything locally grown.

What do you think about that idea?

The Costa Rica Southern Zone Expat Forum will be a one-day event for fellow expats living in other areas, or folks who just happen to be visiting on the event’s date, who want to know more about the high quality of expat life offered in Perez Zeledon. We’ll have some influential guest speakers and a whole lot of fun. The forum will be held at the Simple Market, which is one of the new hip eateries providing a cosmopolitan flair to San Isidro city life…

Don’t dicker though, space is limited!

Click on the image below to learn more, or just call me (Scott) at 8559-2686.

Costa Rica Southern Zone Expat Forum

Where Growth is Going in the Costa Rica Southern Zone

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Costa Rica Southern Zone

A while back I published a post on why the growth story is compelling for the Costa Rica southern zone. This post will dig a little deeper into that topic.

According to well-known authorities (meaning, well, me) the southern zone real estate market is divided into three areas: mountains, beaches and the Osa Peninsula. Together they comprise the most untapped major area for growth in Costa Rica, for reasons stated in the above mentioned article.

I’m not going to get into the growth prospects for the Osa Peninsula in this post. I’ll only say that this area, which is “off-the-beaten-path” in every sense of the word, will be slow growing. And that’s primarily because the choice parts of it are highly protected as either national park (as in Corcovado) or some other form, such as private reserve or wildlife refuge. And that’s exactly how it should be since this in the most biologically diverse area of the country and indeed of the entire planet.

Therefore, the areas of focus will be Costa Rica southern zone mountains and beaches. When I refer to “mountains” I am speaking of the Talamancas that tower over the city of San Isidro de El General, which is the second largest city in the country, outside of the metropolitan area of the central valley, known as the GAM. When I refer to “beaches” I am speaking of the renowned area of Costa Rica coastline known as the Costa Ballena, which consists of the well-known beaches of Dominical, Uvita and Ojochal

There is an in-between area, which consists of the coastal range the sits between the valley where San Isidro is located and the coast. This smaller range features communities such as Platanillo and Tinamastes, which have been increasing in popularity and for good reason. Here you can be in the mountains and still have ocean view, not to mention spectacular waterfalls, flora and fauna! For the purposes of this article I will consider this area to be “mountains” as well.

So where is growth going in the Costa Rica southern zone? I believe the answer to that has to be “mountains” for the reasons I will lay out below…

Inventory is Thinning Out at the Beach – A common complaint I am hearing from the hard-core “beach agents” at our weekly Coldwell Banker team meeting is that inventory is getting thin. The beach market has been booming as of late and the 120+ agents down there have been enjoying good times. However, they are fast getting to the point where the “good stuff” has all been recently sold. I sort of had an inkling some time ago that this was going to happen. Will there be new product coming onto the market to fill in the gaps? Yes and No. Sure there’s always going to be some new projects and construction going on, especially when there’s demand for it and there definitely is demand. However, if you read further you’ll see that the Costa Rica government is not all that keen on seeing a lot of real estate development in the southern zone beaches.

The mountain market has lagged behind the beach one. The market here is different. You’ll not find too many million dollar homes up here. First, because it’s primarily a tico market and ticos by and large don’t have the money to build those sorts of homes, nor do they really have any desire to. Secondly, the expats who have built up here tend to be a more humble lot than those you’ll find at the beach. Many are fully content with a tico-style home surrounded by several acres that can become their personal natural playground. Prices are still affordable enough up here in the mountains to make that entirely possible for the average joe expat.

Prices are Getting Higher at the Beach – The strong market demand for ocean view homes and lots at the beach is naturally pushing up prices. And as inventories thin out that will only accelerate. Hey, that’s good old supply and demand, right?

On the other hand, prices in the mountains are low and haven’t seen that much movement, yet. I believe as more expats understand that they can get much more property for their money up here in the mountains, with a better climate and still be less than an hour from the beach, more will forego the ocean view for a breathtaking mountain one.

There’s a Development Crackdown Going On at the Beach – Our southern zone is blessed in many ways and one of those is that we have abundant water. Costa Rica law requires a legal source of water to be in place prior to the issuance of a permit to construct. However, the municipality that controls permits along the Costa Ballena has for past years seen fit to look the other way and issue permits without a legal source established, as long as you could show evidence that one was readily obtainable. That practice has recently stopped dead in its tracks. The municipality is now absolutely and without exception requiring a legal water source to be “in-place” prior to any issuance of building permits for all new construction along the Costa Ballena. So what, you ask? Well, the so-what is that much of that gorgeous ocean view land in the mountains that overlook the Costa Ballena does NOT have a legal source. Is there water? Sure there’s plenty of it, but access to it is not necessarily legal, or to use Costa Rica legalese, it’s not “concessioned.” Here’s a link to an article that explains all that in greater detail.

Why has the municipality all of a sudden gotten so strict? The logical reason is that they want to put the brakes on and control the Costa Rica southern zone beach development. They do not want to see happen here what happened back in the early 2000’s in Guanacaste. That’s a good thing from an environmentalist perspective. It also bodes well for growth in the mountains. Here’s an article where the Costa Rica government recently won a hard-fought case in international arbitration against a developer on the central Pacific coast.

The mountains around San Isidro simply have more infrastructure in place than those overlooking the coast. Chances are if you’re buying in the mountains you already have a legal water source from the community Asada or the AyA, which is basically, city water. And even if you have to get a concession from a spring, creek or dig a well, you won’t face the anti-development hostility that developers are facing along the coast.

San Isidro de El General is Destined to be a Major Costa Rica City – I already mentioned that it’s the second largest outside the GAM. And it is getting bigger and better all the time. I’ve lived in the mountain pueblo known as Quebradas for several years now and I can attest to the growth in new stores and restaurants that seem to open every week in and around the city. And there’s talk of expanding our airport to make it available for international flights. I believe that as San Isidro comes of age, people will begin more and more to take notice of the opportunity in the mountains of the Costa Rica southern zone. Heck, we’ve already got the best 5-star resort in Central America in the mountains just 30 minutes out of town, the Hacienda AltaGracia. Also there are major developments already underway, such as that of the sustainable community, Rise Costa Rica, and the new retreat center, Synergida.

Taking all that into account, I believe the handwriting is on the wall that the place where growth is going in the Costa Rica southern zone in the foreseeable future is without a doubt, mountains.

The good news is that in the Costa Rica southern zone you can live in the highest mountains the country boasts, with a near perfect climate and easy access to a major and beautiful city, and still be less than an hour from the beach!

To explore both beach and mountain real estate opportunities, click here.

Costa Rica Expat Living Idea: Live in the Mountains – Visit the Beach

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Costa Rica Expat Living Idea: Live in the Mountains - Visit the Beach

I realize that ocean views are really…really…nice. Don’t get me wrong, I like’em too! It’s also nice to be able to grab your board (the surfing variety) and be out in the waves in minutes.

Sure, I get all that.

But, for me, I prefer the following Costa Rica expat living idea: live in the mountains – visit the beach.

I know what you’re thinking. That I have some particular economic, or other, bias, in leading you up the hill rather than down. Truth is, however, I really don’t. I’m a real estate agent for Coldwell Banker in Dominical. That’s the beach. I live in San Isidro. That’s the mountains. I cover both and can just as quickly sell you a house down there as I can up here. I want you to be where you will be the happiest.

I am simply suggesting the following Costa Rica expat living idea: live in the mountains – visit the beach.

I know I’m repeating myself, but that helps with SEO and also to get the point across.

I think the best way to convey this idea is to take it through the screen of the 4 C’s framework. That is, to evaluate the idea based on the 4 C’s of Costa Rica expat living: Climate – Culture – Convenience – Context.

Climate

Unless for some weird reason you just like to sweat, all the time and not just when at the gym, then perhaps the beach heat and humidity will be just right for you. As for me, I prefer the cooler and less humid temps one finds at elevations above 800 meters. For that you need the mountains. Where I live in Quebradas, a mountain community just minutes from downtown San Isidro de El General, the altitude is in that “Goldilocks Zone” of being not too hot and not too cold…it’s just right. There are many other mountainous communities in the area where you can have the same.

Culture

This is a more subtle one than climate. It might not become apparent right away. However, for me anyway, the culture of the mountains wins hands down over the beach. For one thing it’s decidedly tico. In San Isidro, while we do have quite a few expats who “get it” and live up here, the tico culture still predominates.

Many expats come to Costa Rica wanting to immerse in a new culture, only to run as fast as they can for a gringo enclave and its corresponding “bubble culture.” For instance down along the Costa Ballena there is somewhat of a bubble culture. That is, the expats down there tend to live in a “bubble” that separates them in many respects from the locals. That can give rise to cultural resentment. And that can give rise to culture clash. Like I said, up here in the mountains we just don’t have that…yet…and hopefully never will!

Convenience

The ocean view is great. Finding what you might need at the beach isn’t always. Sure there are some nice shopping places down there…with prices that will lighten your wallet faster than you can whistle dixie. San Isidro de El General is the second largest city outside of the GAM of the central valley (the area that includes San Jose, Alajuela, Heredia and Cartago). Here you can find anything you need. We have the largest farmer’s market in the region. Expats at the beach find it necessary to make frequent trips to San Isidro for provisions or services they cannot find at the beach. In short, living within minutes of San Isidro, in a charming mountain community like Quebradas, or one of the many others, is simply much more convenient than living at the beach.

Context

Now here’s where the decision becomes harder. I believe the mountains win fairly decisively with regard to the above 3 C’s. However, this one is much more subjective.

What do you want your life to look like in Costa Rica?

Do you want to live the “bohemian” beach life, or a more rugged and authentic tico-like existence? If you want to be that “surfer dude”, yogi, or open a vegan bakery…you catch my drift…then maybe the beach is a better choice for you. If you want to eat, drink, shop, pay prices, and essentially live like a tico and immerse in authentic tico culture, then, in my opinion, the mountains are a better bet.

To conclude on a very bright note, here’s the coolest thing about Costa Rica’s southern zone: you can have your cake and eat it to! Here the highest mountains in the country are only an hour, or even less, from the beach.

Therefore, the following Costa Rica expat living idea: live in the mountains – visit the beach, is one that can become your reality in the southern zone of Costa Rica.

Now all of the above simply represents the opinion of one lowly expat…and you know what they say about opinions…like a part of the anatomy that I’ll neglect to mention, we all have one.

The Logic for Growth in the Costa Rica Southern Zone is Compelling

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Growth in the Costa Rica Southern Zone

I am bullish on growth in the Southern Zone. That should be clear from a post I wrote some time ago entitled, 10 Reasons to Invest in the Costa Rica Southern Zone.

It’s also where I live and work. I love this place, so I’ll readily admit bias.

Nevertheless, I believe the logic for growth in the Costa Rica southern zone is compelling and here are a few reasons why.

San Isidro de El General – Gateway City on the Move

San Isidro de El General is the gateway city to the Costa Rica southern zone. It is also Costa Rica’s second largest city outside of the GAM (gran area metropolitana), which consists of San Jose, Heredia, Alajuela and Cartago. According to the 2011 census, San Isidro has a population of around 50,000. However, the entire county, or canton, of Perez Zeledon has a population closer to 150,000 according to the 2011 census (and today around 200,000).

Costa Rica’s Highest Mountains and a Gorgeous Coastline

Growth in the Costa Rica Southern Zone

The city is nestled in the valley between Costa Rica’s highest mountain, Cerro Chirripo at 3,820 meters (12,533 feet) and the southern Pacific coast. In fact, there’s no place in the country where seriously high mountains and coast are located in such close proximity. From most locations in and around San Isidro, you can drive to the beach over a well-maintained, paved, road in less than an hour.

Chirripo National Park is a major tourist destination. It is a 2-day hike to reach the summit of Cerro Chirripo and it ranks as one of Costa Rica’s most spectacular experiences. From the summit of Chirripo it’s possible to see both of Costa Rica’s coasts, Pacific and Caribbean, on a clear day!

Perez Zeledon – An Amazing Canton

The county of Perez Zeledon is dotted with small towns, many located at relatively high elevations, that are 30 minutes or less from the city. These towns are popular areas with expats due to their charming ambiance and almost perfect year-round climate. The ability to easily reach the coast in an hour, or less, making for an easy day-trip to the beach, is likewise alluring.

Future Airport Development

Now, here’s a little inside information about the future of San Isidro. You should know that there is an airport in town. Over the years it hasn’t received a lot of use, but all that’s about to change. There are plans for a major airport expansion, as well as large-scale development of an “airport city” in that area. According to reliable sources, hiring is already underway and ground will be broken very soon. The idea is for San Isidro to be the southern zone hub, making the long-awaited rumors of a major airport in the zone a reality.

The Costa Ballena – The “Big Sur” of Costa Rica

Growth in the Costa Rica Southern Zone

The coastal areas of the southern zone are perhaps some of the most scenic and pristine in the country. I often refer to the Costa Ballena, which extends from Dominical to points south of Ojochal, as the “big sur” of Costa Rica, due to the coastal range that hugs the coastline. The beaches of Dominical, Uvita and Ojochal have become “expat havens” due to the great waves, incredible views and ability to somewhat beat the heat by buying and building at elevations of 300 to 500 meters up. The Costanera Highway, which links all these beaches, is one of the most well-maintained roads in the country and you can zip from one beach to another in minutes.

The Osa and Proximity to the Southern Border

The Costanera links with the Pan American in Palmar Norte and from there it’s a 3 hour drive to the Panama border, which offers great shopping and better prices for imported goods than one will generally find elsewhere in Costa Rica. Along the way it’s possible to make detours over to the Osa Peninsula, which is home to the Corcovado National Park, a place National Geographic once called the “most biodiverse location on planet earth.”

Just off the coast from Drake Bay lies Isla del Caño, an island surrounded by a coral reef, making it one of the best scuba diving and snorkeling locations in the country. You can reach the island via a short boat ride from Drake Bay, which is a very popular tourist destination on the Osa.

Controlled Growth Already Occurring

The secret of the southern zone is out. While growth has not exploded as it did in the Guanacaste region some years ago, it is definitely on the expat radar screen. At present there’s more inventory of land and homes than there are buyers. It’s a “buyer’s market” and good deals still can be had. That might change soon, however, as the growth story gets out.

Growth in the Costa Rica Southern Zone

The area has already seen large-scale private investment. A case in point is the 2-year old 5-star resort, AltaGracia, located in the small pueblo of Santa Teresa de Cajon, about a half-hour south of San Isidro. This was a $30 million dollar investment by the Volio coffee family of Costa Rica. The resort features one of the finest spas and equestrian centers that can be found anywhere in Central America. It also features its own landing strip for small planes. The resort is part of the Auberge collection of fine resorts worldwide.

The logic for growth in the Costa Rica southern zone is just too compelling for it not to become a future reality. Of course, there are many risks lurking on a geopolitical scale that could cause the U.S. and world economy to crash and burn. That would have effects throughout the country, as it did after the 2008 crash and ensuing “great recession.”

Nevertheless, barring such potential catastrophes, I believe the southern zone will see measured and steady growth in the coming years. The government of Costa Rica has vowed to be a throttle and mediator in order to prevent the uncontrolled growth experienced in Guanacaste and other areas. That’s a good thing because we don’t want growth and development to ruin the reasons why this area of Costa Rica is so alluring…it’s pristine and untouched nature and abundance of flora and fauna.

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