Why Buy Real Estate in Costa Rica?
Costa Rica is a special place. It has been named time and again THE, ‘happiest place on Earth’. Spend some time in the country and you will see that this is not just a marketing ploy. From the beauty of the locale to the friendliness of the locals, Costa Rica is not only an attractive place to visit but also an attractive place to buy. Sure, Panama has better roads and Nicaragua is cheaper but Costa Rica manages to pull off rural living with style. The restaurants are better, the healthcare is enviable, the people are happy, and the land is pristine.
We aren’t the only ones who think so, an estimated 30,000-50,000 North Americans live in Costa Rica and they cite the following reasons to buy real estate in Costa Rica.
-It’s close! It’s quicker to fly from California to Costa Rica than it is to fly to Hawaii. A flight from Miami is less than 3 hours. It’s affordable to fly as most major airlines have routes to Costa Rica as well as Central American airline Taca features competitive prices year round. While escape is probably one of the reasons you may be interested in Costa Rica, a quick trip home is a major plus.
-It’s beautiful! Costa Rica’s national motto is Sin Ingredientes Artificiales – No Artificial Ingredients and that’s how they run their country. The World Energy Council ranked Costa Rica at No. 2, just behind Switzerland, on their environmental sustainability ranking (US and Nicaragua ranked No. 87 and No. 88 respectively). They take sustainability seriously as while Costa Rica encompasses just one third of a percent of Earth’s landmass, approximately the size of West Virginia, Costa Rica contains four percent of species estimated to exist on the planet. Costa Rica’s topography has everything from unspoiled beaches to volcanoes to lakes and of course rainforests. National parks and reserves cover more than a quarter of the country. The country is sandwiched between the Pacific and Caribbean seas offering multiple distinctive coastal living options.
-It’s stable! Costa Rica abolished its army in 1949 and has remained a democratic and peaceful nation. The economy continues to grow as well as foreign investment, which reached $2.26 billion in 2012. Foreign businesses are interested in Costa Rica’s well-educated work force and tax benefits.
-It’s healthy! Costa Rica is touted as a leader in healthcare in Central and South America. The United Nations has ranked Costa Rica’s public health system in the top 20 world wide and number 1 in Latin America. The life expectancy is higher than the US and the infant mortality rate is lower than the US. Healthcare is affordable, accessible and top notch.
-It’s warm! But not too warm. Temperatures range between 70-80 degrees allowing outdoor activity year round.
-It’s easy! Costa Rica makes it quite easy to become a resident as well as to purchase property. There are multiple tax breaks offered and a retirement visa aka pensionado can be obtained. Finding English speakers throughout the country is a breeze helping ease your language barrier pains while learning Espanol.
-It’s affordable! This might be the most important reason to foreign investors to buy real estate in Costa Rica. Property prices are still affordable and property costs are low. Utilizing the local workforce keeps maintenance and cleaning costs at a minimum and property taxes begin at only 0.25% of the value of your property.
We could go on and on but we think you get the gist. Costa Rica is worth a look when searching for a foreign property investment or perhaps you may even be inspired to make it your home.
Santa Teresa Properties