Real Estate & Living in Costa Rica
Costa Rica has become an increasingly popular destination for foreigners from all over the world, including North America and Europe. It is known for its friendly people, low cost of living, and high quality of life.
Costa Rica is an incredibly diverse landscape. From rainforests and volcanoes to beaches and cloud forests, it is a destination worth investing in.
There are over 400 National Parks and nature reserves in Costa Rica, and it boasts some of the best surfing in Central America!
Known as the Switzerland of Latin America, Costa Rica is stable, democratic, invests a lot in social development and nature preservation, and has a tax system favorable to ex-pats. [1]
What is living in Costa Rica like?
Costa Rica always seems to rank quite highly on many “the first”, “the best” and “the only” lists: the New Economics Foundation ranked Costa Rica as the happiest nation in the world both in 2009 and 2012. It was also named the “greenest” country in the world by the same organization.
It is the only country in Latin America that can be found on the list of the 22 oldest democracies in the world. It is the top Latin American country on the Human Development Index. And in 2011 and 2012, Costa Rica was featured on the list of the Developing World’s 10 Best Ethical Destinations in the Ethical Traveler Magazine.
This relatively small country dazzles thousands of tourists every year. Many of them succumb to its charms for life and later come back to Costa Rica to find a new home for their family or to retire. [2]
I have personally traveled to Coast Rica and spent time in San Jose, along the Pacific coastline in towns like Jacó and Puntarenas, offshore on stunning islands, and high in some famous cloud forests in Macacona and Santa Elena.
It was within Santa Elena that I discovered RISE. A residential community currently offering 53 lots that average an acre in size.
I was first introduced to the stunning masterplan RISE by Owner, David Comfort. It was a stay at his wellness retreat, Kinkara, that I learned of this growing community. We featured David and his story in the 4th season of our television series, Travel With Didiayer.
My family and I spent over a month exploring Costa Rica. It was a wonderful experience and has left a calling in our hearts to turn. When David shared RISE with us, we knew we had to be a part of this community.
Rise Community, Costa Rica
Location
The Rise property is located in a stunning mountain valley in Perez Zeledon, Costa Rica. While the property feels as if an oasis it is just 25 minutes from the fastest growing city in Costa Rica, San Isidro de el General. The area is home to Chirripo National Park and Mount Chirripo which is the highest peak in Central America at 3820 meters above sea level. Rise is a 3-hour drive south from the capital city of San Jose and a 1-hour drive to the Pacific Ocean beaches. Our private on-site airstrip reduces travel time to and from San Jose to just 25 minutes. Our location offers an ideal balance between the tranquility of nature and the support of modern conveniences necessary for family living.
Site Plans
The residential master plan includes 53 lots with an average lot size of an acre. Most lots have valley or mountain views. Build your custom dream home on your chosen lot or select from one of our pre-designed RISE homes.
Community Co-Working
Intended to capture the magic of an inspiring working environment with a visual connection to nature, the co-working space allows freelancers, virtual professionals, entrepreneurs, and creatives to manage their businesses from within the community. Fiberoptic internet connection, conference rooms, social space, private and shared offices, and support services provide residents with a multitude of options for support in their business life.
Waldorf School
The heartbeat of the community is undoubtedly the RISE school. Inspired by Waldorf traditions the school currently serves ages 4-12 with an education model that emphasizes creativity, artistry, outdoor play, and experiential learning. Within walking distance of the homes, the school is set alongside a winding stream on the property where children play and learn each day. The classrooms are filled with wood furniture and toys crafted in RISE’s own on-site wood shop. [2]
Book a Call Today!
It is easy because foreigners have all the same rights as local residents when it comes to renting or buying a house. [4] If you are interested in taking a personal flight to visit the RISE community and stay at Kinkara, call 818-287-4008 and I will take care of all the arrangements for you to visit and explore this wonderful growing community.
Costa Rica Insights
Location: Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama.
Area: 19,730 square miles (51,100 square kilometers). Slightly smaller than West Virginia.
Population: 5,097,988 (July 2020 est.)
Climate: Tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands.
Government: Democratic republic.
Head of State & Government: President Carlos Alvarado Quesada (since 8 May 2018)
Language: Spanish (official), English
Currency: Costa Rica uses the Costa Rican Colon $1 = 575.2 CRC (July 2020)
Religion: Roman Catholic 71.8%, Evangelical and Pentecostal 12.3%, other Protestant 2.6%, Jehovah’s Witness 0.5%, other 2.4%, none 10.4% (2016 est.)
Time Zone: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Emergency numbers: For police, medical, or fire, dial 911 or 112
Telephone system: Good domestic telephone service in terms of breadth of coverage.
International country code: 506
Internet country code: .cr
Visa Requirements
Costa Rica's immigration laws offer prospective residents a wide range of options. You don't have to make an immediate decision on your residence status. Most foreigners can remain in Costa Rica for up to three months on only a passport. After that time, the period can be extended, but the procedure can be challenging.
Many ex-pats live for years in Costa Rica without residence. Every three months they simply leave and re-enter the country to renew their tourist visa after taking long weekends elsewhere, usually in Panama or Nicaragua. But upon returning to Costa Rica, you must have an onward ticket out of Costa Rica (plane or bus) within 90 days or you won't be allowed in. (Similarly, when you arrive in Costa Rica by plane for the first time, you must have a return ticket within 90 days. No one-way tickets allowed.)
These regulations are in place to encourage those who stay for more than a few months to become legal residents of Costa Rica. Expats typically apply through one of these main programs. [3]
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Buying a Home in Costa Rica.