The country
Costa Rica is a country located in Central America that has unlimited tourist potential and is ranked as one fo the most visited international destinations. One fo Costa Rica´s main sources of income is tourism. Costa Rica is a democratic and peaceful country, and it has not had an army since the year 1949.
Although the country is small and it covers only 0.03% of the surface of the globe, it proudly shelters a 6% of the existing biodiversity in the entire world. 25.58% of the country is composed of consrvation and natural protected territory.
Costa Rica is also an attractive country for investment and it offers great potential for the establishment of important multinational companies, thanks to the outstanding academic level of its population, as well as the high standard of modern services and social and political stability.
The Ticos
The Ticos, as Costa Ricans are commonly known, are famous for their hospitality, and are quite happy to live up to their reputation. They are well-educated and hard working people, who are quick with a handshake and a smile. They are well aware of the special land they have, and most likely they will help foreigners when they get lost, even explaining things that might seem bizarre to foreigners, and making their stay as enjoyable as possible.
People say the Ticos are their nation's greatest asset, and once you've experienced their friendliness and spontaneity, you'll have no doubt to that regard.
Climate
In general, the climate in Costa Rica is very pleasant not only during the dry season, which extends from December to April but also during the rainy season, which runs from May to November. During the rainy season rain can be expected in the afternoons, on the other hand the mornings are usually sunny.
Costa Rica has a tropical climate with an average temperature of 22 degrees C (72 degrees F) that increases considerably on the coastal areas. The changes in temperature are considerable and due to the short distances in this relatively small country, they can all be experienced in just one day.
Due to factors such as the geographical location, the weather conditions, the formation of mountain chains, mountains, and valleys, this country experiences different microclimates that give a home to different types of vegetation.
Due to the weather characteristics and the topography of the country, different types of forests can be appreciated: the cloud forest, the rain forest, the dry forest, and the transition forest.
Communications
Costa Rica has one of the most advanced telecommunications systems in Latin America, with telephones and fax machines all over the country, and an increasing number of businesses online. To call or fax Costa Rica, dial the country code 506 before the number. There is also mail service and a wide selection of courier services in San Jose.
Most large hotels in the San Jose area have cable TV, with US and European stations. Newspapers and magazines from North America and several European nations are sold in many shops and hotels in and around the capital.
Transportation
It’s easy to get around Costa Rica, and if you stick with public transportation, traveling within the country can be quite inexpensive. There are bus services to just about every town and city, and high-quality buses serving the main tourist destinations. Taxis are also plentiful and inexpensive, and in San Jose they are required to operate with meters for most trips.
The standard charge for a taxi ride between the international airport and downtown San Jose is $10 US. The quickest way to get around is to fly and several domestic airlines offer daily flights to most of the popular tourist destinations. There are also plenty of car rental agencies, most of which rent four-wheel-drive vehicles.
Airports
The main airport is the Juan Santamaria International Airport, located in Alajuela. This airport is only twenty minutes away from San José.
Other important airports are :
- The Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport, located in Liberia, Guanacaste.
- The Tobias Bolaños Airport located in Pavas, San José, for local as well as international flights.
There are also landing fields for local flights situated in different parts of the country such as: Limon, Tortuguero, La Fortuna, Tamarindo, Samara, Tambor, Quepos, Palmar North, Golfito, and San Vito.
Medical Services
Despite its size and being an under developed country, Costa Rica has positioned itself among the countries with the highest public healthcare development in Latin America.
The Costa Rican Social Security Service (CCSS) is a public service institution that has accomplished important goals regarding health issues, including pensions and social security. This institution offers coverage and integrated health services through two types of insurance:
- General coverage insurance, with a service that covers 100% of the country.
- Contribution coverage insurance, with an 86.80% of the population.
Costa Rica is the country in Latin America with the highest life expectancy rate at 77.75 years old; it is also one of the countries with the lowest infant mortality rate: 10.82%. It is also far advanced in issues regarding prenatal prevention and control.
Education
Costa Rica is praised because of its efforts for investment in public education that different governments have accomplished throughout the years. There are close to 6,147 elementary, middle, and high schools and more than 50 universities in the country.
The first higher education institution to be established was the University of Costa Rica, which was the only higher educational center up until the year 1971, when the Technological Institute of Costa Rica was founded.
In 1973, the National University of Heredia (UNA) was founded, also the Distance Education University (UNED) was established in 1977, and in the year 1979, the first private institution known as the Autonomous University of Central America (UACA) was created which set the example in 1986 for a large number of other private universities to open their doors in Costa Rica.
ABOUT REAL ESTATE REGULATIONS:
In matters of land and property ownership, foreigners and Costa Rican citizens have equal rights under the law (unless the owner bought the land as part of a government program). In these cases, the land can be traded or sold to foreigners only after the original owner has held it for certain period of time.
Foreigners do not have to live in Costa Rica to own property here. ( back to top )
Costa Rican properties are registered at the Registro de la Propiedad (Property Registry) which keeps track of all the title registrations. It is a great resource for verifying the status of a title or claim associated with a property.
If you wish to buy land in Costa Rica it is wise to either hire a lawyer or go yourself to the Registro de la Propiedad to search the title and verify that there are no liens against the property or the property owner(s).
Once you buy a property, you need to make sure the sale is properly registered at the Registro de la Propiedad, proof that you are the new legal owner.
There is no local financing for property purchased by foreigners. ( back to top )
Building and subdivision plans must be:
A. Signed by a registered local engineer
B. Approved by the local Ministerio de Salud (Health Department)
C. Approved by the Instituto de Vivienda y Urbanismo (INVU) (Housing and Urban Development Department) ( back to top )
The Ministerio de Economia (Treasury Department) issues real estates licenses on the recommendation of the Chamber of Real Estate Brokers. ( back to top )
Property taxes vary from 0.5% to 1.5% of the declared value of the property. However, Costa Ricans are a calm and resourceful people, so they customarily undervalue their properties by at least 20% when they register it.
The closing costs of a sale include a transfer land tax, a stamp tax, and legal fees. Closing costs run about 5% or 6% of the sale price, an expense divided evenly between buyer and seller. Transfer land tax and stamp tax assessments are based on the declared value. Legal fees are based on the selling price of the property.
Transactions may be conducted in U.S. dollars. ( back to top )
Costa Rican lawmakers have drawn up very strict rules governing the development of ocean front property along both coasts.
First, according Costa Rican law, the beaches belong to everybody and everybody has a right to use them. The first 50 meters (164 ft.) above the mean high tide line are public land. No one can restrict access to a beach or claim a beach is privately owned, exceptions being landholdings in port areas, old land grants or by some agreements made prior to 1973.
Second, along 80% to 85% of the coastline, the 150 meters (492 ft.) after the 50 first meters (164 ft.) are called the Maritime Zone and are controlled by the government. A foreigner must establish five years of residency to own more than 49% of a lease in this zone. Foreigners can evade the law by assigning the lease to a corporation that is wholly foreign owned or by assigning 51% of the ownership of the land (on paper) to a Costa Rican citizen. Take a careful look at the zoning laws before you start development in any of these areas.
If there is no zoning plan for land you want to develop, hold off on the celebration. If nobody has gotten around to making a zoning plan, then it's up to you to create one on your own and submit it to ICT (Tourist Board), the INVU (Housing and Urban Development Department), and the local municipality for approval.
The "zoning of land" plan you submit must address questions regarding – among other things – public use areas, roads, water and electricity.
If your development dream is located on the 15% or 20% of the coast land not in a Maritime Zone, then you may develop the property without filing a regulating plan. However, developments geared to the tourist industry must be approved by ICT (Tourist Board), anything else requires building permits. ( back to top )
