Costa Rica Real Estate Agents

When you think of your idyllic retirement what do you see? Some people imagine a bustling down-sized condo right in the heart of Manhattan, while others dream of a $200,000 family estate in the Colorado foothills. What if, for the same price, you could own a piece of the rainforest -- complete with waterfalls, resident toucans and a hacienda situated on 1.5 acres of real estate? Costa Rica real estate agents can help you finance the retirement ranch of your dreams, tucked away in the wilderness of South America. The prices are so reasonable, the appreciation value (up 34% since 1998) so high and the land so desirable that even Mel Gibson recently purchased his own chunk of Costa Rican land. Costa Rica real estate agents will tell you that the region is full of British and American ex-patriots!

For many years Costa Rica real estate agents had all this land and nothing to do with it. With a $1.9-billion-a-year tourism industry, it was only a matter of time before some of the world travelers recognized the tremendous development opportunity amid the pristine wilderness. Owing in part to relaxed international development laws (Costa Rica is part of the "Organization of American States" and the United Nations), many tourists decided to build in Latin America, affording houses three times the size and acreage of a similar American investment. Since Costa Rica real estate agents have been so busy over the last decade thanks to true pioneers who were willing to wait for decent roads and amenities in favor of larger land and relative isolation, the infrastructure sector finally caught up. In 2010, the new International Airport (Costa Rica’s third) situated in Palmar Norte will be finished. Additionally, an 80,000 square foot hospital under construction and nearly complete and The Costanera Highway (Pacific Coast Highway) is being widened and repaved to connect Quepos and Dominical. The largest (and only) full service marina is being built in Quepos as well, which is sure to make Quepos a choice destination for investors and retirees alike.

Knowledgeable Costa Rica real estate agents can tell you which area would best suit you, but there are a few considerations to make before calling. First, decide if you want to purchase unfettered wilderness at a cut-rate price to build your dream home on, or you'd prefer something already established. If you want a pre-existing home in the Costa Rican market, you'll need to decide if you want a beach condo with all the amenities, a single-family residence in a community or secluded, or just an apartment rental in a culture-saturated Latin American metropolis. According to Costa Rica real estate agents at BuySafeCostaRica.com, roughly two-thirds of the population lives in Central Costa Rica around La Fortuna, Lake Arenal, San Jose, Cartago, Alajuela and the Irazu Volcano. Central Pacific Costa Rica is situated along the Pacific Ocean and offers popular tourist cities like Jaco Beach, Dominical, Quepos and Puntarenos. Some of the natives and early developers complain that foreign investment and unplanned developments have been moved too rapidly in recent years and is taking away from some of the area's natural beauty. The Caribbean Sea side of the country is known for its warm, laidback beach atmosphere and its Afro-Caribbean culture in Puerto Limon. The Southern Pacific region is bordered by Panama and the Pacific Ocean and houses Buenos Aires, Golfito and San Vito, but is relatively remote still. Prices here are pioneer-cheap because the area is still so untouched by development yet. Even so, Costa Rica real estate agents say the Osa Peninsula is still the starting point for much eco-tourism, sport fishing, diving and wildlife watching (especially at Corcovado Park!)