| Rentals
Housing is affordable and plentiful in Costa Rica. Rental prices vary just
as in your hometown. With the exception of downtown
San
Jose (see some san
jose real estate) , rent for houses or
apartments is reasonable (half or less the cost in the United
States). Depending on location and personal taste, a small
house or large apartment usually rents for a few hundred
dollars per month. A luxurious house or apartment will go
for $800 to $1,500 per month or more. Most of these upper-end
houses and apartments have all the amenities of home: large
bedrooms, a spectacular view, pools, gardens with fruit trees,
bathrooms with hot water, kitchens, dining rooms, a laundry
room and even maid's quarters, since help is so inexpensive
in Costa Rica.
In the lower range from $300 to $700 you can expect
to find a two-to three-bedroom house or apartment in a middle-class
neighborhood. Since most Costa Ricans pay less than $150
monthly for rent, a few hundred dollars should rent a nice
place to live. Most affordable houses and apartments are
unfurnished. However, you can usually buy a complete household
of furniture from someone who is leaving the country. This
way you can save money. Most of the cheaper places will not
have hot water. In the shower there will probably be an electric
device that heats the water. If the shower doesn't have of
these devices, you can buy one for about $30 and have it
installed for a few dollars.
When looking for a place, remember to check the phone, the
shower, closet space, kitchen cabinets, electrical outlets,
light fixtures, the toilet, faucets and water pressure, locks,
general security of the building, windows and the condition
of the stove, refrigerator and furniture, if furnished. Look
at the ceilings for telltale signs of leaks and stains.
Also, check for traffic noise, signs of insects and rodents
and what the neighbors are like. Ask about the proximity
of buses and availability of taxis.
Here are some more tips a local real estate expert recently
wrote:
- Be clear on what you are looking for and what you can pay. Better rental equals
more money.
- Ask your agent to negotiate the rent down for you. Some landlords will.
- Try prepaying the rent a few months to get a better rent. Some landlords like
this.
- Widen your choices by furnishing it yourself. We have a real shortage right
now of furnished places.
- Be a good tenant. Costa Rican landlords have become accustomed to bad renters,
slow pay, fussy, please come over and change my light bulb.
Make yourself a model renter, the one you would want to
rent to, if you were a landlord. This gives you moral and
economic leverage. It just makes sense.
Have anything you sign translated into English before you
sign it. Don't sign anything you don't understand based on
the landlord's word of honor. You should be aware that by
law landlords can raise rents where the contract is in colones a
maximum of 15 percent annually.
On the other hand, contracts in dollars may be raised only
once every three years. A publication can be purchased that
explains in detail how the country's rental laws work (La
Ley General de Arrendamientos Urbanos y Suburbanos Ley 52).
A Spanish version is available at http://www. asamblea.go.cr.
You can soon find an English version at http://www.rent. co.cr.
Principal points of the rental law:
- A rental contract can be either verbal or written.
- No matter what a contract says, a renter who duly accomplishes the terms of
a rental agreement, can stay for three years minimum, no
matter what. If the period of the contract is more than
three years, the higher term takes priority.
- At the end of the term, if the landlord wants the rental property back, he or
she needs to notify the tenant at least three months before
the term expires. Otherwise the term is automatically renewed
for another three years or whatever the original term of
the contract states.
- When property is rented to an individual as a home and in colones, Costa
Rica's currency, the rent amount increases automatically
15 percent every year. When the rental price is agreed
to in any other currency, the automatic increase does not
apply. Usually rent is stated in colones or U.S. dollars
in Costa Rica, but they can be negotiated using any worldwide
currency. Businesses can negotiate any payment method and/or
yearly adjustments agreeable to both parties.
- Public services and utilities are to be paid by the tenant except for property
taxes, which are the responsibility of the landlord.
- If a property is sold or otherwise transferred, it should not affect the tenant's
rights and the new landlord must respect any existing contract.
- Any improvements made by a tenant automatically become the property of the landlord.
- A tenant can not change the original, agreed-upon use of a property. For example,
a home cannot be turned into a pet store or a pet store
into a bar.
- Landlords have the right to inspect their property once a month.
- Tenants have the legal right to pay rent up to seven days after it is due.
- In negotiating a rental contract, a landlord can request any guarantee deposit
they deem necessary to protect their interests.
- Tenants can not sublet/lease a property.
Rooms in homes usually rent for about $100 monthly. We know
of several foreigners who live this way to save money.
As we mention later on, before deciding to live in Costa
Rica permanently, it is a good idea to rent a place first
or find a costa
rica real estate agent who can show you around and guide you
through the buying process. As you have just seen, a variety
of rental options and price ranges is available to match
almost any taste or budget. However, for gringos,
the prices are generally much higher.
You will need a map of San José and the suburbs.
The Tico Times and Costa Rica Today are two
places to start looking. La Nación is the most
prestigious Spanish-language daily with ads. It has an excellent
real estate section on Saturdays. However, relying solely
on classified ads in newspapers is a mistake and can prove
to be misleading. Some places are outright disappointing
when compared to the way they are described in ads.
Other sources for finding an apartment are supermarket bulletin
boards and word of mouth. Tell everyone you know you're hunting,
and ask them to tell everyone they know, and so on. The Blue
Marlin Bar, in the Hotel Del Rey, McDonald's in San José,
around the Central Park in Heredia and other gringo hangouts
are other places to inquire about rentals.
When hunting for an apartment or house to rent, contact the
Association of Residents of Costa Rica (ARCR), Tel: (506)
2338068 or 221-2053, Fax: (506) 255-0061, http://www.arca.net.
They will help you look in those areas that suit your personal
needs and help take the headaches out of finding a place to
live.
When reading the ads in the Spanish-language newspapers
you should be familiar with the following words:
Air conditioning............. ..................................aire
acondicionado
Apartment ............................................................... Apartamento
Backyard............................................................................ Patio
Balcony .............................................................................Balcón
Bars (window)................................................................... Verjas
Bathroom .......................................................................... Baño
Beach ................................................................................. Playa
Bedroom .................................................................. Dormitorio
Building .......................................................................... Edificio
Carpeted................................................................... Alfombrado
Cable TV ........................................................ Televisión
por cable
Condominium.......................................................... Condominio
Contract ....................................................................... Contrato
Deposit ........................................................................ Depósito
Dining room ................................................................ Comedor
Dryer..............................................................................Secadora
Elevator............................................................ Elevador,
ascensor
Farm ................................................................................... finca
Floor ................................................................ El
piso, La planta
Furnished ................................................................. Amueblado
For rent ...................................................... Se alquila,
en alquiler
For sale.......................................................................... Se
vende
Garage ................................................................ Cochera,
garaje
Garden ............................................................................. Jardín
Grassy area ................................................................ Zona
verde
Ground floor ........................................................... Planta
baja
Guard ............................................................................. Guarda
High speed internet ............................... Internet de alta velocidad
Hot water............................................................... Agua
caliente
House ................................................................................. Casa
Kitchen ........................................................................... Cocina
Laundry room ..................................................... Cuarto
de pilas
Living room ......................................................................... Sala
Lower floor ............................................................... Planta
baja
Maid's quarters ................................................. Cuarto
de servicio
Parking lot...................................................................... Parqueo
Patio ................................................................................... Patio
Peaceful, quiet ............................................................. Tranquilo
Refrigerator.................................................. Refrrigeradora,
refri
Rent ............................................................................. Alquiler
Rooms .........................................................Habitaciónes,
cuartos
Safe .................................................................................. Seguro
Shower............................................................................. Ducha
Stove ............................................................................... Cocina
Swimming pool................................................................ Piscina
Telephone....................................................................... Teléfono
Tub.................................................................................. Bañera
Unfurnished ............................................................. Sin
muebles
View ...............................................................................La
vista
If you want more information contact Costa
Rica real estate and retirement properties or
call toll free 1 888 581 1786. |
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