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I always do a fly-over of the topic of renting in Costa Rica in my presentation at the ARCR Seminars, but because I know quite a few El Residente readers are renting, as will many future ARCR members, I decided to write this more in-depth article.
Now you probably say “15+ Smart Steps”! That’s a lot to take in before renting a home! Why so many? You’d think that renting a home in Costa Rica is easy, and yes, it is, IF you pay attention and IF you speak Spanish. But if you’re not so confident because the culture is different and your translation skills are somewhat lacking, you might find the process more complicated than you anticipate. Therefore, this might be useful information.
First, before doing anything else, you should learn enough about the country to be sure you know where you want to live – High/low? Hot/cool? Ocean front/inland?”, Small/large community? Jungle/urbane? Etc. So the very first step, and the most logical one, is to rent someplace and “try it out.” Once you’ve found the locale/city/town/area that’s to your liking, put some thought into what features, amenities, services, and environment you’re looking for.
Sure, looking at homes online is easy and fun, but if you have never been “there,” you won’t know what you are seeing. I receive hundreds of emails from future renters saying, “When I get to Costa Rica, I want to rent a home.” Usually, it takes five or six emails back and forth before… |
