Nestled among the foothills of the Cordillera de Tilaran near the Central Pacific coast of beautiful Costa Rica, the Hills of Miramar is a "Certified Green" Master Planned Community of 185 custom, fully improved home sites.
Set among 1,200 green acres, the Hills of Miramar (Las Colinas de Miramar) will feature over 100 home sites of 1.25 acres each. All home sites will be fully improved with roads, water, electric, cable and sewer. All will have direct access to the Pan American Highway near the quaint, historic town of Puntarenas. The entrance to the Hills of Miramar is only minutes to the new Caldera Highway - a direct 45 minute drive from the Pacific Coast to the bustling capital city of San Jose.
Most of our home sites offer sweeping, panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, the Gulf of Nicoya and the Nicoya Peninsula. All of our home sites feature magnificent pastoral views of rolling green pastures and forests.
All home sites are fully titled - fee simple. You own it! What's more title insurance is available from Stewart Title - one of the world's largest title insurance companies.
The Hills of Miramar has been awarded the coveted "Certified Green Worldwide" designation. This honor is given to those communities that conform to the twelve point environmental protocol of the Certified Green initiative ensuring environmentally safe development.
Costa Rica is well known for its eco-tourism, and for the most part, Costa Rica has done an exceptional job when it comes to being a leader in protecting its precious environment. It started years ago when Costa Rica truly came onto the global scene as a hotspot for eco-tourism (still a popular niche in the tourism industry), and continues today as Costa Rica is one of four countries in a race to be the first to go carbon neutral (the other three countries are New Zealand, Iceland, and Norway).
That's why it is not surprising to find a real estate development in Costa Rica that has adopted a firm stance on protecting the environment. In fact, in my opinion, it should be odd to find a Costa Rican development that does NOT take a strong stance. Of course, I don't rule the world yet!
The development that I am speaking of is Las Colinas de Miramar in the Central Pacific of Costa Rica, a Certified Green Worldwide development. The Certified Green Worldwide designation is a 12-point protocol that mandates comprehensive environmental safeguards:
Protection of wildlife habitats while allowing for recreation.
Protection of wetlands, natural water courses and aquifer regeneration areas.
Soil erosion safeguards; both during road building, construction, and occupation.
Utility operations, site specific or municipal, to contain contamination retention features for ground water protection.
Development plans consistent with local mandates, inputs and requirements.
Maintenance of natural geologic contours.
No construction on sites with a slope greater than 40 degrees.
Density restrictions; based on a formula of slope and wet land proximity.
View shed protections including project height standards.
Construction to use low wattage consumption by electric appliances and fixtures, insulated windows and walls using passive solar techniques, and recycling to reduce the carbon footprint. Potential solar electrical generation may become additional options.
Encourage community related sustainable economic development though the use of locally produced building materials and local labor.
Good Corporation Citizenship.
As an aspiring Eco-broker, it gladdens me to work with a developer so dedicated to protecting the environment. That is why I am going to do my part by purchasing carbon offsets from Carbonfund.org. I am promising that for each Phase 1 lot I sell in Las Colinas de Miaramar, I will buy enough carbon offsets to make a medium sized home (1500-2499 sq ft) carbon neutral for one year.
So what can you do to make better take care of our Earth?
If any of you have ever even remotely considered or inquired into real estate in the Central Pacific of Costa Rica - especially around Jaco - then you most probably have been told by one or several people about the Caldera Highway.
Now, they may not have called it the Caldera Highway, but I'm sure that they talked of a new highway that was being built that would shorten the drive from San Jose by half - going from about a 2 1/2 hour drive down to a 1 hour drive.
Sound familiar?
Then you may have also heard about how it has been years since this highway was started, and the local joke was that "yes, the highway will be finished - someday."
Well in case you hadn't heard, thankfully it appears as if the wait is coming to an end. After what appeared to be years of talk of the Caldera Highway, the residents and investors of Costa Rica were fed up and put pressure on the government to "finish the Caldera, or stop promising it."
The result has been for the government to put their foot down and set some strict rules with the contractor. Now, the contractor has a strict deadline which they must meet, or suffer strict fines.
And that deadline? About 2 years from now.
Well, better late than never...
Will it be like this..
or this..
Just jokes! I'm confident it will be great when completed.
I have spoken to dozens of individuals who are looking at buying real estate in Costa Rica. I have looked at hundreds of properties and developments in Costa Rica. Of course, everyone's criteria is varied, but there is a "magic number" that keeps popping up, like the universe recorded it somehow and keeps playing it back to me.
That "magic number" is 200 - or more specifically, $200,000.
Costa Rica has a large number of fine and luxury properties, priced at $400K and above. What is more difficult to find are properties priced at a more modest price tag of $200,000 or less. Over and over I hear from people that they want to find properties in the $200,000 range - it is like that recording that I told you about.
The luxury properties are exactly that - luxurious - but there is still the average buyer out there who wants a modest, safe, and clean Costa Rican property, but doesn't want to pay a fortune for it. For the beginner, finding these properties seems like a daunting, almost impossible task. When you search the Internet, a score of ads and search results pop up for high-priced, luxury properties, making it appear as if Costa Rica is not for the average person any longer. Unfortunately, that's untrue.
The key is working with people in the know - people who can network with real estate folks all around Costa Rica to find those properties. These properties do exist, and there are quite a few of them!
So that is one of my goals - to find these high quality, inexpensive properties priced around $200,000, or less. My list is ever-growing and diverse, satisfying a large group of buyers who want to invest in the tropical paradise that is Costa Rica.
Boy, I wish I had the money to buy this place... I was fortunate enough to visit the gated beach development in Costa Rica - Costa Del Sol - where this house is located. Just a 5 minute walk to the beach, and a 20 minute drive North to the popular tourist town of Jaco.
So, what are you getting for $165K at Costa Del Sol? Well, this is a brand new, never-lived-in home. It has tile floors throughout, hardwood kitchen cabinetry and doors, granite countertops in the kitchen and also in the bathroom vanities. The showers in the 2 full bathrooms have a tile and glass surround. The living room is spacious with large patio doors leading to the grassed back yard. Out front is a 2 car carport.
Within the gated community of Costa Del Sol is a pool, tennis court, and a luxury open-air BBQ pavilion. And did I mention that the beach is a short 5 minute walk? The beach is extremely clean with a wide sand area and a very gradual slope into the ocean. A great place to relax and enjoy a good book!
Retirees: This is a great community to retire to part time or full time. There is a real community feel where you could get to know your neighbors. Grandchildren will love to play in the pool and the whole family will love to gather for family BBQs at the open air BBQ pavilion. You also won't have to deal with the rush of the heavily touristed area like Jaco, yet still be close enough to venture there when you want. There is also a commercial center less than a mile away where you can do some shopping or dining.
Investors: This house has a lot of built in equity and plenty of cash flow potential all wrapped into one! Rents for this type of home can run around $125/night, or $450/week.
Costa Rica is a great place to invest or retire to. Please contact me if you have any questions about this property, or Costa Rica real estate in general.
Being a real estate investor, I am always curious as to the investment potential that each property holds. A property can sound amazing, have an abundance of amenities, be in a great location, but I won't feel comfortable parting with any money until I have some actual numbers in front of me, allowing me to evaluate the income potential. And of course, I wouldn't expect my clients to want any less.
So, I finally was able to assemble the information that I needed to perform my analysis on the fantastic Naturalia condo development near Tamarindo in the coastal Guanacate region - rental rates, management fees, property taxes, and unit prices.
Do be aware that some numbers are averaged, like property taxes and HOA fees (condo fees). I have included comments within the spreadsheet which you should be sure to read, as they often provide information as to how I came up with certain numbers. But if you do have questions about these number, please feel free to contact me.
And one final note: this spreadsheet does try to use accurate and reliable information, but it is subject to change at any time. In some cases, assumptions have also been made (typically noted in the comments). Please use this spreadsheet as just one of the tools you would use to help you make a decision as to whether you wish to buy a unit at Naturalia.
Are there grocery stores, banks, and pharmacies in Jaco?
Are there medical facilities in Jaco?
What schools are in Jaco?
How do I get around in Jaco?
Can I rent a car in Jaco?
1. Jaco is located about 2 hours southwest of San Jose. Jaco is the closest beach town to Costa Rica's capital city, which explains its popularity with tourists who fly into San Jose's Juan Santamaria International airport, and also people who live in San Jose who want to go to the beach for the weekend.
Currently there is a new road being worked on between San Jose and Jaco which when completed, will cut the drive time in half between the two locales.
2. For foreign travelers, the best way to get to Jaco is to fly into San Jose's Juan Santamaria International airport and hire a van or shuttle to transport them to San Jose. You can rent a vehicle to do the drive yourself, but it is recommended that first time visitors take a transport instead as the drive is quite windy and through the mountains - a little intimidating if you haven't gone this route before.
There is also a small domestic airport located in Quepos about 1 hour south of Jaco. You can take a domestic airline, like NatureAir, and fly to Quepos, then drive the 1 hour to Jaco. In addition, helicopter flights are available between San Jose and Jaco.
3. Jaco has numerous hotels, like the Best Western, the stunning Doce Lunas just outside of the town limits, and condos that you can rent like Bahia Azul, Bahia Encantada, or La Paloma Blanca. Inquire for more information on condo rentals in Jaco.
4. Lots! Shopping at the many shops along the main drag in town. Dining at the many restaurants in town with cuisine ranging from sushi to pizza to more traditional Tico cuisine.
Jaco is a beach town, and it shows! There are numerous surf shops where you can purchase surf lessons or rent a board. Or take the more relaxing route and just lay on the beach and listen to the breaking waves.
The nightlife is also active in Jaco. There are numerous bars and dance clubs along the main drag, usually walking distance from the major hotels and condos. There are also casinos in Jaco, as gambling is legal in Costa Rica.
Also along the main drag in Jaco, you'll find numerous tour operators offering zip line canopy tours, visits to a butterfly farm, trips down to Manuel Antonio National Park (a must for all visitors), fishing expeditions, scuba diving trips, and so much more!
5. Jaco is a small town, with a population of 7,800 (according to 2006 census). In the past few years, there has been an explosion of development of growth in Jaco, though by no means would North Americans consider it "overdeveloped" - a very relative term.
With the development that Jaco has been experiencing, a cleanup effort has also been going on. Local developers were kind enough to donate very expensive beach cleaning equipment to continually maintain the cleanliness of the beach by removing large and small debris. These same developers also paved the main drag through town, which at the beginning of 2007 was just a dirt road. These efforts have improved the quality of living in Jaco for locals and tourists alike.
6. Costa Rica in general is safe, as is Jaco. Still, tourists do tend to be preyed upon by petty thieves, so a good amount of common sense is in order.
However, in addition to common sense, Jaco boasts a Tourist Police force put in place by the Costa Rica Tourism Board, and which works in conjunction with the local police force. The Tourist Police main goal is to keep tourists safe from crime targeted towards them. And even better news is that the Tourist Police are working, as it was reported that last year, tourist-related crime decreased by 26%, directly attributed to the Tourist Police.
7. There are grocery stores, banks (several) and pharmacies (several) located in the town of Jaco, with most of them easily found along the main drag. They will also accept North American credit cards and ATM cards.
8. There are several private medical facilities in town which also provide ambulance transport services to larger facilities in San Jose. Foreigners can use these facilities and it is even possible that they may accept your medical insurance. However, out-of-pocket costs are considerably less than medical costs that you see in the US, so paying out-of-pocket shouldn't put you in debt.
9. Costa Rica has an excellent public school system, and also a variety of excellent private schools. Jaco has several private schools in the area, one being Las Nubes and Falcon International, which have an English and Spanish curriculum.
10. That depends on where you are staying. If you are in one of the many hotels or condos along the main drag, you can easily walk to anywhere you need to go in Jaco. There are also numerous taxis in town which are quite inexpensive, though there are no consistent taxi rates in town.
I've identified a number of properties in Costa Rica that are great opportunities for investors.
Now, let me say that I have carefully chosen these properties because they have a number of great features about them that make them conducive to investment properties. I will be sure to list those features for each property.
This is a finished, 2 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom home in the gated community of Costa Del Sol, just 20 minutes South of Jaco, at Playa Bejuco. This house has hardwood cabinetry in the kitchen, hardwood doors, tile floors throughout, and granite countertops in the kitchen. The bathroom also has granite countertops on the vanities, and a glass and tile shower.
The community boasts numerous amenities like pools, tennis court, walking paths, a luxury BBQ area (with granite prep and BBQ station), and a gated entrance. Property management is being put in place as we speak.
But the best part of this whole development is that it is just a 3 minute walk to the beach!
Key Investment Features:
Property rental - Property management in place soon to manage all aspects of renting your home to produce income (marketing, maintenance, etc.) Great location and amenities that will attract the tourists. Similar properties in the community typically renting at $125/night or $450/week.
Built in equity - Comparable homes in the community are priced around $260,000 - so that's over $60,000 in equity!
Use your self-directed IRA to buy this home and rent to tourists.
Appreciation - Costa Rica has great appreciation rates, especially in the coastal areas like this home.
Click here for more information on this house at Costa Del Sol.
Click here to inquire about this house at Costa Del Sol
Colinas Del Coyolaris a gated community of buildable lots in the Guanacaste area, just 40 minutes from the international airport at Liberia, and a short 6 minute drive to Potrero Beach. Tamarindo, Playa Conchal, Playa Flamingo, and other notable tourist spots are just minutes away.
Lots at Colinas Del Coyolar range in size from just under a 1/2 acre, to over 2 1/2 acres, yet pricing remains below $100K, with some lots around $30K. Phase 1 of Colinas Del Coyolar was released back in November, and most of the lots below $50K have sold. Yet just recently, 3 additional lots were released which are $39K or less:
Lot 27a - 0.48 acres - $38,500
Lot 27b - 0.49 acres - $39,000
Lot 27c - 0.44 acres - $35,000
Some other lots available:
Lot 31 - 1.26 acres - $66,937
Lot 33 - 1.44 acres - $76,622
Lot 30 - 1.64 acres - $87,926
Lot 14 - 2.94 acres (73,932 sq ft protected) - $98,714
Investors could buy a lot (or lots), hold them (you don't have to build right away), and resell them in a year or two. However, foreign buyers are more interested in buying BUILT homes than having to worry about a building project abroad. So, the developer is offering discounts to buyers who use them to build the home. In some cases, it's possible to build a new home for under $200K - for the lot AND the house!
Real estate in the Guanacaste region is priced quite high, and it is rare to find real estate opportunities here for these prices.
Key Investment Features:
Low price - Difficult to find properties in this area at these price points.
Great location- close to international airport, popular tourist town of Tamarindo, beaches, and other frequented tourist spots
Developer discounts - If you use the developer to build on your lot using one of their home plans, and do it within a year, you will get discounts on the purchase of the lot and the cost of building the home.
Property Rental- With the great location, this property will be extremely rentable to tourists.
Appreciation- Costa Rica has great appreciation rates, especially in the coastal areas like Colinas Del Coyolar.
Click herefor more information on Colinas Del Coyolar.
Okay, I wish I had read something like this before I headed down to Costa Rica the first time! I had traveled a lot and always without issues. Of course, my travel was limited to the US, Canada, and the Bahamas many years ago - which of course is very similar to home.
I thought I was well prepared: I had my passport, money, credit cards, hotel reservation, transportation, flight, bathing suit, toothbrush... What else could I need for a 3 day trip?
I found out the second night in Costa Rica, when my husband got the first migraine that he has ever had since I have known him.
Let's step back a few days when I was packing. I was looking at the medicine in the medicine cabinet, and thought to myself, "we won't need anything for just a 3 day trip, and if we do, we can stop at a pharmacy." The error in my logic was thinking that Costa Rica was just like where I lived - 24 hour pharmacies.
So, back at our hotel room, my husband was in agony and we didn't have any pain medication. It was a long night for both of us, but of course my husband suffered the most. As morning neared, I kept going to the front desk to see if anyone could open the hotel gift shop so I could buy some aspirin. When they finally did, they didn't have a bottle of aspirin, but 3 individually wrapped tablets. They gave them to me.
My husband was finally able to get some rest once he took those 3 aspirin, but it was a huge lesson learned! The next day, we stopped at one of the many well-stocked pharmacies in town and picked up some extra-strength Tylenol!
So, here are a few packing tips when you are headed to Costa Rica:
Medicine - Pain medication, anti-diarrheal tablets, Tums, infant/kids medicine, prescription medicine, whatever you think you could possibly (even remotely) need and not be able to wait to get. Learn from my experience. If you don't want to bring it with you, buy it at the pharmacy on the first day you arrive in Costa Rica. Remember - they don't have 24 hour pharmacies.
Mosquito repellent - There are mosquitoes in Costa Rica, though not a lot on the Pacific coast. I did get a couple of bites while I was there, but I didn't see a lot. I grew up in Manitoba, Canada, which has a LOT of mosquitoes in the summers. Try California Baby Bug Repellent Spray - if it's good for baby, it's good for you!
If you pack carefully, you'll come back with great stories of your stay in beautiful Costa Rica - not horror stories that could have been prevented with a little careful planning!
Costa Rica's Tourism Board (ICT) has just released its year end tourism statistics. Here are some of the highlights:
1. Crime against tourists dropped 26%
2. Tourism rose by 11.5%
3. Total of 1.9 million people (tourists) visited Costa Rica
4. $1.9 Billion in Tourism Revenue, up 300 million from last year.
5. 100 New ICT Police Officers added
6. Jaco has granted $800,000 more dollars for next year to hire more police.
These are some exciting numbers, and just confirmation of what we have been saying - that tourism is continuing to grow in Costa Rica.
Even more exciting is that crime against tourists has gone down. Typically, tourists fall victim to petty theft, mostly because they aren't using common sense and they fall prey to small time thieves who target tourists. But with the addition of the new ICT police officers who work in conjunction with local police forces to keep tourists safe, these crimes have gone down. Quick justification for these new police officers.
And it appears that in response to this resounding success, the town of Jaco has set aside funds to beef up their ICT police officers, continuing their dedication to improve this great tourist town.
Costa Rica's strong tourism industry has been a major factor for its strong real estate market, and this past year has been no different, other than to improve in the area of safety. Costa Rica in general is a safe country to visit, but they have had issues with petty theft. With this significant improvement in lowering the crime rate towards tourists, the reasons for NOT considering Costa Rica are evaporating.
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
Imagine yourself and your loved ones standing atop your own private paradise. 
Nestled among the foothills of the Cordillera de Tilaran near the Central Pacific coast of beautiful Costa Rica, the 
All home sites are fully titled - fee simple. You own it! What's more title insurance is available from Stewart Title - one of the world's largest title insurance companies.
Home sites start at only $30,000. You can build right away or whenever you'd like.
Costa Rica is well known for its eco-tourism, and for the most part, Costa Rica has done an exceptional job when it comes to being a leader in protecting its precious environment. It started years ago when Costa Rica truly came onto the global scene as a hotspot for eco-tourism (still a popular niche in the tourism industry), and continues today as Costa Rica is one of four countries in a race to be the first to go carbon neutral (the other three countries are New Zealand, Iceland, and Norway).
I have spoken to dozens of individuals who are looking at buying real estate in Costa Rica. I have looked at hundreds of properties and developments in Costa Rica. Of course, everyone's criteria is varied, but there is a "magic number" that keeps popping up, like the universe recorded it somehow and keeps playing it back to me.
Costa Rica has a large number of fine and luxury properties, priced at $400K and above. What is more difficult to find are properties priced at a more modest price tag of $200,000 or less. Over and over I hear from people that they want to find properties in the $200,000 range - it is like that recording that I told you about.
The luxury properties are exactly that - luxurious - but there is still the average buyer out there who wants a modest, safe, and clean Costa Rican property, but doesn't want to pay a fortune for it. For the beginner, finding these properties seems like a daunting, almost impossible task. When you search the Internet, a score of ads and search results pop up for high-priced, luxury properties, making it appear as if Costa Rica is not for the average person any longer. Unfortunately, that's untrue.
The key is working with people in the know - people who can network with real estate folks all around Costa Rica to find those properties. These properties do exist, and there are quite a few of them!
Within the gated community of Costa Del Sol is a pool, tennis court, and a luxury open-air BBQ pavilion. And did I mention that the beach is a short 5 minute walk? The beach is extremely clean with a wide sand area and a very gradual slope into the ocean. A great place to relax and enjoy a good book!
Investors: This house has a lot of built in equity and plenty of cash flow potential all wrapped into one! Rents for this type of home can run around $125/night, or $450/week.
This is a finished, 2 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom home in the gated community of 
Colinas Del Coyolar
Okay, I wish I had read something like this before I headed down to Costa Rica the first time! I had traveled a lot and always without issues. Of course, my travel was limited to the US, Canada, and the Bahamas many years ago - which of course is very similar to home.
So, back at our hotel room, my husband was in agony and we didn't have any pain medication. It was a long night for both of us, but of course my husband suffered the most. As morning neared, I kept going to the front desk to see if anyone could open the hotel gift shop so I could buy some aspirin. When they finally did, they didn't have a bottle of aspirin, but 3 individually wrapped tablets. They gave them to me.
. 
- if it's good for baby, it's good for you! 
, 
, 
, and 
in case you do get a little too much sun! 
;)
;)
