Costa Rica is the perfect place for retirees

From the sound of the title you’d think I don’t like Costa Rica. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I have lived here for 30 years and love the country. I even became a citizen over ten years ago. You couldn’t drag me back to the U.S. or pay me any amount of money to return there. I have had an incredible life here and consider every day a gift because I live in a wonderful place. In fact, for the last 15 years I have conducted monthly successful relocation/retirement tours (www.liveincostarica.com) to help those wanting to move here. The 16th edition of my bestseller, The New Golden Door to Retirement and Living in Costa Rica, is also a valuable tool for potential residents.

Unfortunately, there is information on some blogs , on-line chat groups and websites which is disseminated by those who talk negatively about the Costa Rica and its people. I admit there are things here which can get under your skin, but when you look at the positives versus the negatives, the former outweigh the latter by a mile. The country must be good because we have more Americans living here proportionately than any country outside the U.S. Furthermore, Costa Rica continues to be Latin America’s number one retirement haven and enjoys a stellar international reputation.

Things that can irritate you:
(1) The traffic around San José: The solution is to avoid driving during rush hour and not travel through the worst congested areas
(2) High prices: Once you get settled and know where to eat and buy things you can live inexpensively. If you try to live like most people back home, you will end up spending a lot of money
(3) A handful of gringos who really give us a bad reputation. Every place in the world has a few bad apples. Just avoid these people and don’t pay attention to what they say and do. Some of us tried to get away from these types by moving here. It seems like a lot more of these people have moved here over the last ten years.
(4) Negative foreigners who complain about everything. Obviously they don’t belong here and made a bad choice by moving to the country. They won’t be happy anywhere.
(5) Crime: Yes, crime has increased here as in most places in the world. Compared to some of the countries in the region it is low here. If you are careful, use your head and take the right precautions the chances are you will not be victimized. Fortunately, most violent crimes involve drugs and alcohol and the victims are not gringos. The chances of being burglarized can be reduced if you select the correct area to live and take the proper preventative measures. There is some white collar perpetrated mostly by foreign scam artists. Just because people speak English doesn’t mean that they are honest.
(6) Cultural differences: These can be frustrating for foreigners. According to the ARCR the differences between the U.S. cultural and Costa Rica’s culture are what often cause people to move back. If you are going to live here you have to try to adapt to the local cultural or you will be miserable.
(7) Starting a business: About three out of ten business started by foreigners succeed here. Most fail because people assume that what works at home will work here. Although the country is Americanized to a certain point and there are opportunities, some businesses just won’t work here. Often foreigners choose to start a business in which they have no prior experience. Most often this is a recipe for disaster. Also, the country has only 4.5 million people and a quarter of them do not have the purchasing power to by a lot of products which we take for granted at home. Also a lot of tico entrepreneurs have thriving businesses in many areas, so there is not much room for competition. Your best bet is to start some type of Internet-based business which depends on a foreign market. If you don’t have to work, then don’t. Try simplifying instead of complicating your life here by not getting involved in business.
(8) The language: A lot of people from the U.S. just can’t handle the language and find it extremely difficult. This can be very frustrating and make one feel isolated. The best thing to do is to make an effort to at least learn survival Spanish. What to I mean by survival Spanish? Learn enough to handle most daily situations like going to the super market or asking directions.
(9) Bureaucracy: It moves slowly all over the world. Patience is the key here.
(10) The lack of punctuality of many Costa Ricans: In Latin America life moves at a slower place. Unfortunately, this is very frustrating for foreigners who a use to getting things done quickly and have people arrive on time. The mañana syndrome is alive and kicking here. The best solution is to go with the flow and not let slow move things frustrate you.
(11) Locals who take advantage of foreigners: This happens everywhere. I hear a lot of people complaining that gringos are nothing more than a ‘dollar sign” for the ticos. In some cases this can be true. If you use your head, don’t associate with the wrong people, know what things really cost and don’t be overly generous you should be able to limit the chances of people taking advantage of you. ¡Póngase vivo! Be smart or wise!
(12) A two-tiered price system: this is similar to the last one. If you are really worried about this find a trustworthy local to do your shopping or bargain for you. If have a friend who uses a tico to take his cars to get repaired. He claims the Costa Rican front man can always get a better price and not be taken advantage of.
(13) Long lines: This can be very frustrating but there are solutions. For example, never go to the bank after a three-day weekend, a holiday, on pay day or Monday or Friday. For example, there are two branches of the Banco Nacional in San José which open at 7:30 am. If I go to San José by bus I can do my banking at either of these branches and most likely be back in Heredia before the Heredia branch opens. All that is involved is getting up early and knowing where to go.
(14) Dealing with the caja: The best solution is to have private insurance. A long wait for a test or procedure could be the difference between life and death in some cases. Bottom line,,,,”Penny wise, pound foolish.”

There are probably other situations and things that I have overlooked which give foreigners fits. My advice is to just accept things the way they are, don’t take anything too seriously like the locals do and have a good sense of humor.

Besides single travelers single retirees also feel welcome. On my monthly retirement and relocation tours I have many singles who eventually move here. Furthermore, over the years I have met scores of single male and female retirees who lead very happy and productive lives here. There are hundreds of activities in which they can participate to keep busy and avoid loneliness. Many singles even get involved romantically and end up getting married here. I personally know many people who have married here and are very happy.

Costa Rica isn’t for every single person but those who make the effort to socialize lead good lives here.

The boom on Costa Rica real estate, and the good life help to make the country like one of the best places for retirees

During the first decade of this century many opportunistic realtors appeared on the scene in Costa Rica. In part this was due to the country’s burgeoning real estate market which was driven by the county’s unblemished reputation as a retirement haven for Baby Boomers and tourism mecca. Because real estate brokers are not regulated here some bad apples found their way to Costa Rica. Unfortunately, due to a few realtors without scruples and others who were outright incompetent some foreigners were taken advantage of. A lot of good real estate people have paid the price for this. Now there are a few self-righteous retirement gurus who recently appeared on the scene who are making a habit of bashing almost all realtors and the idea of buying a home here. Basically these guys don’t have the resources or guts to buy a nice home so they are playing god and trying to dissuade others from purchasing the home or property of their dreams. These people are neophytes and do not know what they are talking about. What they really want is attention and a forum to lure people to their websites.

About a year ago I published a 550-page guidebook (“Christopher Howard’s Guide to Real Estate in Costa Rica”) about the real estate scene in Costa Rica. Four years of research including hundreds of interviews went into writing this book. Virtually everything is covered including how to find a broker. I am not selling anything but just giving advice. Really buying property here is as safe as purchasing in the States provided you take the time to do your homework, do your due diligence, have your lawyer check the title in the registry and use a broker who is a “buyers agent.” All of these measures will ensure the odds of you making a seamless purchase.

Granted not everyone is a buyer. Renters abound here. By no means am I trying to talk people into becoming property owners. However, consider this: a property purchased in a good area and in the path of progress will appreciate in coming years because of Costa Rica’s popularity, unblemished international reputation and fame as a warm-weather destination like Hawaii. The Baby Boomer influx will also continue to drive the real estate market in the future.

The people and companies who promote Panama always make a point of talking about the incentives the country offers retirees. According to the law retirees are entitled to many discounts on a variety of services and products including some tax exonerations on certain items. However, Charles told me that “all that glitters is not gold.”

In Costa Rica a retiree’s household good and imported automobiles are taxed according to established rules and percentages. Charles point out that this process is arbitrary in Panama and a lot of retirees end up paying much more in taxes than they would have paid in Costa Rica despite all of the incentives the Panamanian offers. This came as a complete surprise to me.

After the U.S.military officially pulled out of Panama ten years ago the government began to promote tourism and retirement in order to make up for the sudden loss of revenue. So, they began to offer attractive incentives to draw Baby Boomers to the country. As you can see from the above they are not as attractive as they appear to be.

There is more crime in Costa Rica than in the past. However, if I though my life was in danger I wouldn’t be living here. Fortunately 99% of the violent crime here involves drug disputes and misunderstandings due to alcohol between Costa Ricans. Petty theft does affect both Costa Rican and foreigners. If you take the right precautions you really reduce your chances of having your property stolen. I know many Americans and Canadians who have lived here for years and have never been the victims of a robbery. On the other hand, I know foreigners who have been robbed several times. One has to wonder why some people are always “sitting ducks.”

If you look at the big picture Costa Rica really has a lot less crime than any large American city. Furthermore, when compared to most countries in Latin America Costa Rica really has little crime.

Let’s look at some statistics. Costa Rica has about 10 murders per 100,000 people. El Salvador and Guatemala have over 60. Mexico used to be a retirement haven but fewer and fewer Americans are going there now because crime is out of control. In fact, the northern city of Ciudad Juarez is the second most violent place on earth. That’s worse than Iraq. However, when it comes to violent crime in Latin America Venezuela takes the prize. The murder rate is about 225 per hundred thousand in the city of Caracas alone. Caracas is now considered the most violent city in the world.

I make it a point of keeping up on crime statistics so I can provide the clients on my monthly relocation/retirement tours the most accurate information possible. If you move to Costa Rica and take some simple precautions and use your head, you will minimize the chance of being a crime victim.

The company that has the franchise rights to Central America will open its first cafés in El Salvador. It is expected that they will be expanding to the neighboring countries within a year or two. Personally, I like some of the products Starbucks offers but find them too expensive. In Costa Rica we already have cafés that are similar like Port Java and the Mac Cafés found inside many of the local MacDonald’s restaurants. The latter actually make a better frappachino coffee than Starbucks. You’d have to try one to understand what I am talking about. I have had many people on my monthly retirement tours try a frappachino at the local Mac Café and agree with me 100%.

NOTE: The company’s owner also has to be a Costa Rican or resident with permission to work in order to conduct tours legally.

2) Experience is everything. Would you select a surgeon with only a couple of years experience to operate on you and/or give you advice or one who has over twenty years in the field? So, experience is everything and Christopher stands out above the crowd.

Christopher Howard has lived in Costa Rica for 30 years and in Latin America for over 40 years. He he has written and published 15 previous editions of his perennial best-seller, “The New Golden Door to Retirement and Living in Costa Rica.”

3) Christopher invented and pioneered the concept of retirement in Costa Rica and put the country on the map for baby boomers with his books and tours. Because of this success, his tours and books have been imitated but never equaled by anyone.

4) In addition to his 30 years in Costa Rica, Christopher has a Masters Degree in Spanish linguistics and therefore understands Costa Rica, the Latin culture and mindset better than any other foreigner in Costa Rica. He has written the only Spanish guide to help beginners learn Costa Rican slang. The book has already helped thousands master the basics of the local language. Knowing Spanish will save you time and money.

5) NO other retirement tour guide has the the range of contacts that Christopher does. He has personally met with Costa Rica’s Nobel Prize winning president, Oscar Arias, on several occasions. On Christopher’s tours you will make the connections you need to be successful in Costa Rica. You meet lawyers, moving specialists, medical experts, the best contacts in the field of real estate, and people who have actually moved here successfully.

Christopher is also an advisor along with the Association of Residents of Costa Rica (ARCR) to the Costa Rican government on matters concerning foreign retirees.

6) Christopher is the most read authority on living in Costa Rica and has appeared on the NBC Today Show, CNBC World News and other television and radio programs because of his extensive knowledge and experience living in Costa Rica. In addition, he is the only author of guides about living and retiring in Costa Rica who lives in the country full time. Thus, he stays up-to-date on everything that affects foreigners living in Costa Rica. This ensures that the information you receive on the tour is accurate and current.

7) No other tour or relocation service has been in business over six years no mater what they advertise. Some of the guides who lead other tours have only lived in the country a few years! How can you become an expert retirement guide or offer relocation services in such a short time? One tour is even led by a travel agent who is not even a relocation tour guide. Just moving to Costa Rica and spending a few years here does not qualify them to impart three decades worth of knowledge and experience.

Over the last two decades Christopher has personally helped thousands of people relocate to Costa Rica and live their dreams. Nobody else can make this claim. You could not be in better hands and could never learn what you do from Christopher on your own. Christopher takes great pride in helping his clients find happiness in Costa Rica.

9) Christopher has a successful investment portfolio and will share his methods of how to profit by investing in Costa Rica, if you so desire.

10) Christopher’s tours are the ONLY ones recommended and marketed by the Association of Resident’s of Costa Rica. They are the only organization of the kind in Latin America.

The standard definition of wealth is: being able to live a comfortable life without having to work. This definition is subjective and depends on the individual.

In the article I read the answers ranged from “I’d like to have enough money so my family and I wouldn’t have to work anymore or worry about the necessities, and maybe travel a bit” to “I’d need about one billion dollars.” One young person who wanted to retire early at 35 wanted an annual income of $300,000. It was pointed out that you’d need a nest egg of around $12 million to generate said income. On the other hand, I know a single person who moved to Costa Rica around 25 years ago with an income of around $1000 monthly and has lived very comfortably all of these years.

I know people who have moved to Costa Rica and lived on budgets from $600 to $5,000 per month which is fraction of the cost you’d need in America. Most of these people seem very happy and don’t feel they are missing out on anything by living here.

It really boils down to what your personal needs, lifestyle and spending habits. One thing is for sure: you can enjoy a quality lifestyle for far less than you would in North America. This is what is making Costa Rica so popular for retirees.

To answer the question at the beginning of this article: I feel wealthy due to the fact that I live in one of the most beautiful places on earth and have the free time to do whatever I want. Time is our most precious commodity.

Don’t move to Costa Rica if….

(1) you expect everything to be like the U.S.
(2) you think the locals should change and do everything like we do.
(3) you don’t like warm weather or rain.
(4) you have breathing problems due to high altitudes or have allergies
(5) you expect to every product from the United States.
(6) you are insensitive to the local culture.
(7) you a smart ass, self-righteous and know-it-all “Ugly American.”
(8) you are going to refuse to use Spanish and think the locals should speak English.
(9) you are running away from the law in the U.S. You will be found sooner or later.
(10) you want to get rich overnight.
(11) you want to find a Latina woman for a low price tag and exploit her or if you have serious problems with the opposite sex.
(12) you want to avoid paying taxes.
(13) you want to work illegally under the table here.
(14) you don’t want to go through the process of obtaining residency.
(14) you want free medical care.
(15) you want scam people.
(16) you have a serious drug or alcohol problem.
(17) you expect all of your emotional baggage and problems to go away just because you move here.
(18) you are smarter than the locals and can beat the system.
(19) you think you can become an expert on the country overnight.
(20) you think it is easy to set up a business.
(21) you can’t stand your fellow Americans. We have more and more coming here every day.
(22) you think you are the savor of the locals and will civilize them. You should leave the Second Coming of Columbus Syndrome at home.
(23) you are type of person who will give foreigners a bad name.
(24) you think a younger woman will be attracted for your good looks and not your money.
(25) you feel just because you are an American you should be entitled to something.
(26) you have no sense of humor.
(27) you don’t want to experience the country’s culture and people.
(28) you don’t have a sense of adventure.
(29) you don’t realize you are guest here.
(30) both you and your spouse don’t see eye to eye about moving here.
(31) you really don’t have enough money to live here.
(32) have no goals.
(33) don’t want to affiliate with groups like clubs, church groups, volunteer etc.
(34) suffer from the “hammock syndrome” with nothing to do. You’ll end up tipping the bottle and get real bored quickly.
(35) are a negative person who likes to complain about everything and everyone.
(36) you have never traveled or lived abroad.