Let me start off by saying that there are two reasons why anyone buys a property anywhere in the world: to live on the property and/or to invest in the property by selling it at some point in the future, when they see the value of the property increasing over time. Let’s face it, the investment opportunities in the States are narrowing quite rapidly with equities, bonds, and real estate all in a spiral going the wrong direction. During this same time period, Costa Rica land investment growth has been double digits. It is not a hard equation to see, and with the Boomers seeking a place to retire with less money than they thought they would have, the influx is fairly obvious.

The real estate market in Costa Rica is thriving, and over the past years, the country has become more and more popular as a tourist destination. Costa Rica ranks fourth as the most ideal environment for foreign investment worldwide, and investors all over the world come here to capitalize on Costa Rica’s cultural and economic prosperity.

Americans, Canadians, and Europeans are wise enough to come here to invest, and there are plenty of reasons for them to do so. Costa Rica offers foreigners a real estate market that is more attractive and cheaper than that of the U.S. Land and home prices here are 20-25% cheaper than those in the U.S. The cost of property maintenance is very low, making buying and renting out properties a sound and profitable investment. As over 50,000 U.S. citizens live here, U.S. property brokers can arrange finances for Costa Rica real estate investment. What’s more, the cost of living in Costa Rica is much lower than that in the U.S., Canada, or most European countries.

Costa Rica is an ideal environment for business and real estate investment. There are no foreign exchange controls and no restrictions on capital or profit repatriation. Foreigners face no restrictions on owning a business or land in Costa Rica, and they enjoy equal property rights as local citizens. Business taxation and property taxation rates are very low. The Costa Rica real estate market is based on the U.S. dollar, and forming a company here is easy and inexpensive. Plus, investments in the business sector are expected to increase, as Costa Rica has recently agreed to the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA).

Unlike all other countries in Latin America, Costa Rica enjoys the greatest political, social, and economic stability. It is a safe and peaceful nation that has been a democracy since 1949. Costa Rica has no standing army, and it was the first country in the world to constitutionally abolish its army.

Costa Rica’s compulsory free education system goes way back to 1869, and the country now has one of the highest literacy rates in the world (95%), a highly qualified workforce, and a strong and growing middle class. There are computer labs in most of the elementary schools and all of the secondary schools, and there are 67 university campuses and 81 technical high schools.

In Costa Rica, you will find excellent communication services (landline and cell phones and faxes) and high-speed Internet. In El Cajon de Grecia, where we live, we have a stable Internet connection as well as American television.

The country has a great transportation infrastructure. Travel plans from and to Costa Rica are simple. Daily international, 3-hour flights to the U.S. and an extensive road system are available.

Costa Rica is characterized by its economic diversity. People from all over the world come here all the time to enjoy their holidays in a safe, beautiful country. In 2006, 1.7 million international visitors came to Costa Rica, helping the country earn $1.6 billion in tourism receipts. The country ranked first in Central America and second in Latin American and the Caribbean region in the 2008’s Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report released by the World Economic Forum. Costa Rica is Latin America’s largest exporter of technology products to the U.S., which is also Costa Rica’s largest trading partner. It has the second most energy-efficient economy in the world. Plus, 99% of the country’s electricity is generated from renewable resources, mainly hydroelectric.

The country is also characterized by its ecological diversity. Costa Rica’s sunny beaches, rich rainforests, variety of wild animals, and amazing mountains attract American, Canadian, and European investors to the Costa Rica property market. The country is regarded as the “ecotourism capital of the world.” Costa Rica’s ecology and natural beauty are its main attractions, and the government always makes plans to preserve them. 25% of the country’s land is protected, and 25% of tropical biology research worldwide is carried out in Costa Rica. There are more than 850 species of birds, and more than 80% of visitors coming to Costa Rica are eco-tourists.

World-class medical and health care services, including plastic surgery and dental implants, are available at knock-down prices. Costa Rica has one of the longest life-expectancy rates on earth (77 years).

Costa Rica also supports gender equality. It ranks seventh in the world by percentage of women in Congress, and 53% of the country’s top public officials are women.

The real estate hot spot in Costa Rica nowadays is the Central Valley. Specifically in Grecia, the weather is temperate year round, the quality of life is simply incomparable, and the real estate prices are much lower than those in the U.S. If you’re thinking of buying a property in the Central Valley to live and/or invest, please contact us at CostaRicaLandToday, and we will help you find your dream house or land for building your home now or later or just for investment.

Even though Costa Rica is widely regarded as a safe and well-governed country and the vast majority of Costa Rica’s real estate transactions are carried out without any problem, you should always research and investigate any foreign property you consider buying. You should also visit Costa Rica in person before you make any property purchase. Again, at CostaRicaLandToday, we are more than happy to help you research and find the right property for you.

As you can see, it makes a lot of sense to invest in Costa Rica real estate. While the U.S. real estate market seems not likely to recover any time soon, Costa Rica’s tourism industry and economy are always on the rise. At CostaRicaLandToday, we can help you find your dream home, land or just lots for your retirement investing or living!

Pura Vida! (The Good Life)