Squatter Problems with your Costa Rica Property!

Travel Costa Rica and take my advice:  Don't buy a piece of land or a house and leave it unattended. What's the problem: Squatters (in Spanish= precaista).

First, if you buy a property which has a Tico house on it with a family living in it, check the following-Ask the seller for the documents proving that these people are employed by him under a written contract for living on the property and taking care of it. Have your Costa Rican attorney go over this contract. If you keep these people on as your employees have your lawyer draw an employment contract and you keep receipts of when and how you pay them. (also make sure the previous employer paid all the compensations due  to these people you are employing....before you sign the purchase agreement on the property :  Do this before you  make the  new contract with these people you are planning to allow to remain living on the property.

Generally, the problem with squatters is agricultural land, but not always. Prevention is the important factor. Remember is do not leave your property unattended. If you have to leave the country for awhile, hire someone to live on the property (under a written contract)

Squatters have rights in Costa Rica!  Check in with  your attorney on the exact legal rights of squatters!!

Common Sense Approach to Buying Real Estate in Costa Rica

Travel Costa Rica and thinking about buying property?  Yes, foreigners are allowed to own property in Costa Rica..usually in the name of a corporation which your Costa Rican attorney will form before you begin the purchasing process. Now: All land records are kept  at one place-a central title registry called Registro National, located in San Jose the capital city. You should have you attorney check the property at this National Registry before you get serious about making an offer, to make sure the person selling is the true owner of the property, and the property is free of liens.
All liens and attachments (to be legal) against a property must be registered at Public Registry.

Real Estate agents in Costa Rica are not required by law to be licensed and there is no such thing as "multiple listings" like we have in the US. Many people take up the title of Real Estate Agent without proper training so be careful; and check them out very well before giving them your trust. Also: Speculation is rampant in the prices of real estate..so take all the time you need to wisely judge the reasonable price to pay. You could start by asking others foreigners who have bought property in the your area.

Choose an attorney to represent you who is DIFFERENT from the one representing the seller.
Inquire around the North American community for an attorney who is fluent in the English language. Ask ahead of time about his fees. You do not want surprises, since these fees are generally higher than what we are accustomed to in the US or Canada for the same services.

Offer to purchase property with a written contract (never a verbal contract) which your chosen attorney will prepare for you.

Don't pay the first price asked. Don't act overly enthusiastic,... take your time. Costa Ricans expect you to negotiate.

Electrical and Potable water: Make sure the property has existing electrical lines that you can tap into. Getting the electrical company to run new electric poles, transformers, lines, etc to your newly purchased property can be a very very long process or you may never get them. Same is true with potable water. Check ALL this out first!

Corporations: The common practice is to purchase your property under the name of a corporation. Which you should form before you begin your quest to find your property. There are many very important advantages to doing this in Costa Rica, too many to list here. Plan to discuss these advantages with your attorney.

Squatters in Costa Rica It is best NOT to buy property in remote areas and leave it unattended (without someone living on it to watch and protect it) Squatters could occupy your property . This is a serious problem, which could make your life miserable. Squatters have rights in Costa Rica..

Monteverde Costa Rica's Remote Rainforest Reserve, Wildlife Refuge

Let's visit  unique  place in Costa Rica, settled by the  Quakers in the 1950's. A bone-shaking road leads up to Monteverde from the Inter-American Highway 1. Only about 35 miles but takes around two hours to drive. It is unpaved and rocky and winds around the mountain up 3,500 feet above sea level. The views are lovely along the way but the drive is tiring and hard on the vehicle. Once at the top you have the feeling of going back in time. Life is rural and peaceful, a simple life.   Quakers from Alabama in the 1950's settled here looking for peace -free from war and unrest.

The heart of things is the little village of Santa Elena...there is no village called  Monteverde. The bedrock of the local community is tourism, however dairy cattle farming and cheese processing is second. Monteverde cheese is famous all over Costa Rica.

The big tourist draw is the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve here in Costa Rica....founded in 1972. A visitor can hike thru the reserve (there is a nominal entrance fee) hopeing to see the famous Quetzal bird which makes this highland rainforest it's home. Here the giant primary rainforest trees seem to reach the sky, allowing very little sunlight to reach the canopy floor.

Places to visit: Serpentario Monteverde- 20 species of snakes inside glass cases.
Orquideas de Monteverde miniature orchids Monteverde Nature Center and Butterfly Garden- La Lecheria- cheese factory where fourteen different kinds of cheese is made. Monteverde cloud Forest Reserve- primary cloud forest with wonderful hikes to waterfalls. With luck you can see the reclusive Quetzal bird-brilliant turquois in color-the most beautiful bird of the rainforest.

Several different tour companies offer canopy tours, sky walk tours, and horseback riding.

Conservation is community based and is taught starting in the primary schools. Courses in local ecology are taught to local farmers at the Monteverde Institute.

There is no shortage of small hotels and inns. ( Refer to the Lonely Planet guide to Cost Rica) The local small restaurants specialize in fresh foods grown locally. My favorite restaurant is El Sapo Dorado. With its linen white table cloths, first classs food and service and a nice wine list.

If you are planning a visit to Monteverde, Costa Rica...the dry season is best...December thru April.
This area gets a lot of rain esp in the months of rainy season May-November..heavier in September and October. So bring a rain jacket and warm clothes, and good hiking shoes or tennis shoes.

Many people want to travel by car from Monteverde thru Tiliran on to Arenal Volcano. I did it and even in the dry season, it is very difficult . Road are not paved, rocky and hard on the vehicle. You need a 4x4. Much easier: You can contract thru your hotel --transportation by 4x4 to Lake Arenal , then cross the lake by boat, and then a taxi to your Arenal Volcano area hotel.

For the adventure tourists Monteverde offers many outdoor activities, Canopy tours, skywalk over the rainforests, horseback riding, butterfly farm, cheese factory tours, birdwatching and hiking into the reserves.

Here one feels like Heidi with her grandfather in the Swiss Alps.

How long should you plan to stay? 3 nights minimum I have stayed up to 5 nights and found things to do each day....and took time just to wind down and relax.