by guest blogger Jeff Lichtenstein

Most would read the title and think it's a weird story for a Costa Rica real estate blog. We all know that when the real estate market went bust in 2006, Florida was one of the most suffering states. Since both Florida and Costa Rica are both a strong retirement market and we are so close to each other, we always keep an eye out on what is going on with the Florida real estate market. When the Florida real estate market picks up, it shouldn't take much for our retirement market to pick up again too.

Many who have been planning to retire and had Costa Rica on their list too look at end up in Florida because they were giving property almost away in Florida while the Costa Rica real estate market maintained stable property prices, though we still have lots of retirees who move to Costa Rica for the weather and nature. No matter if you own Costa Rica real estate or you want to purchase, Jeff Lichtenstein, a well known realtor in Palm Beach County - Florida has an interesting story to tell.

By Ivo Henfling

This picture got your attention, didn't it? Well, that's what I needed because when I start talking about learning Spanish, most people don't pay attention.

Imagine, you get stopped in your home town by a Latin, asking in Spanish where the grocery store is located. What would you say?

Most would answer “why don’t you learn English”? Am I right or wrong?

The other day I saw a gringo in Escazu get mad at a Tico and shout at him in English. The poor sucker didn’t have a clue what the gringo was shouting at him. The Tico just turned around and walked away. This in turn made the gringo even madder. I enjoyed the scene from my car.

By Ivo Henfling

Do not lose any sleepless nights over the new Costa Rica corporation tax, GoDutch Realty has the solution for you. Now, if you own a Costa Rica corporation or Sociedad Anonima or S.A. you are supposed to pay tax on this corporation. The new corporation tax in Costa Rica is something that many property owners do not know how to handle. Especially those who not live in Costa Rica don’t know how to pay these taxes. GoDutch Realty is of course the first Costa Rica real estate company offering a solution to this. There has been talk about this corporate tax for a year and now it has happened. For the exact details on the what, the how and how much, you can read our last blog about it and for even more details go to our blog on the American European Real estate Group’s website.

The fact is that many people own a corporation in Costa Rica which in turn owns a property or several properties or a car. Others had their attorney constitute a new corporation to start a business in Costa Rica or planned to buy a Costa Rica property but never got to it for some reason and left the company without use. Now is the time to act.

By Ivo Henfling

In November 2009, I was introduced by an old client, who by the way didn’t buy Costa Rica real estate from me, to a very unusual couple. I mean unusual because they were much younger than most of my clients who come here to retire because they’re over the age of 60 and this couple was barely in their 30’s. Husband Ethan, the 7 month pregnant wife Antoinette and their 1 year old son Sir were moving to Costa Rica and were looking to purchase real estate. Antoinette and Ethan had been looking at properties for quite a while with different Costa Rica real estate agents and had one complaint: the agents didn’t listen to what the clients were telling them they wanted.

Now Antoinette and her family live in Alajuela happily and work hard at adjusting and learning Spanish. And I love ’em to death because they try so hard adjusting and trying to become full-fledged Ticos.  Antoinette even writes a very interesting blog that she calls Pseudotico - Trying to be a decent Costa Rican! Everyone thinking of moving to Costa Rica should read her blog, I definitely recommend it.

By Ivo Henfling

To be a real estate agent in Costa Rica, you really need to love what you do. I DO enjoy what I do, every day. When I get up in the morning, I know something is going to happen today that will make it another memorable day in paradise. I sometimes think about those people who for 30 years, day in day out, do the same thing over and over again.  I never do the same thing ANY day in my life and that is fun. Let me give you an example.

During Easter week I was going through the testimonials I received from my past clients and I found the longest one I have ever received. It was from a happy seller, whose house in Salitral de Santa Ana I listed in 2007 and was probably the most memorable sale I ever made in my real estate career, the listing is still online.  When you look at the pictures of the home, you will see why and that it shows that to be a good real estate agent you have to be smart, inventive and excel at what you do, but the seller needs to help the real estate agent a bit. My seller did and it was a win win situation for everybody.