Discover Jaco4 DAYS / 3 NIGHTS - LAND ONLY |
From around $298 Per person, double occupancy. |
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Feb12
Jaco FAQ
Last updated February 12, 2008
- Where is Jaco located?
- How do I get to Jaco?
- Where can I stay in Jaco?
- What is there to do in Jaco?
- Is Jaco overdeveloped?
- Is Jaco safe?
- Are there grocery stores, banks, and pharmacies in Jaco?
- Are there medical facilities in Jaco?
- What schools are in Jaco?
- How do I get around in Jaco?
- Can I rent a car in Jaco?
1. Jaco is located about 2 hours southwest of San Jose. Jaco is the closest beach town to Costa Rica’s capital city, which explains its popularity with tourists who fly into San Jose’s Juan Santamaria International airport, and also people who live in San Jose who want to go to the beach for the weekend.
Currently there is a new road being worked on between San Jose and Jaco which when completed, will cut the drive time in half between the two locales.
2. For foreign travelers, the best way to get to Jaco is to fly into San Jose’s Juan Santamaria International airport and hire a van or shuttle to transport them to San Jose. You can rent a vehicle to do the drive yourself, but it is recommended that first time visitors take a transport instead as the drive is quite windy and through the mountains - a little intimidating if you haven’t gone this route before.
There is also a small domestic airport located in Quepos about 1 hour south of Jaco. You can take a domestic airline, like NatureAir, and fly to Quepos, then drive the 1 hour to Jaco. In addition, helicopter flights are available between San Jose and Jaco.
3. Jaco has numerous hotels, like the Best Western, the stunning Doce Lunas just outside of the town limits, and condos that you can rent like Bahia Azul, Bahia Encantada, or La Paloma Blanca. Inquire for more information on condo rentals in Jaco.
4. Lots! Shopping at the many shops along the main drag in town. Dining at the many restaurants in town with cuisine ranging from sushi to pizza to more traditional Tico cuisine.
Jaco is a beach town, and it shows! There are numerous surf shops where you can purchase surf lessons or rent a board. Or take the more relaxing route and just lay on the beach and listen to the breaking waves.
The nightlife is also active in Jaco. There are numerous bars and dance clubs along the main drag, usually walking distance from the major hotels and condos. There are also casinos in Jaco, as gambling is legal in Costa Rica.
Also along the main drag in Jaco, you’ll find numerous tour operators offering zip line canopy tours, visits to a butterfly farm, trips down to Manuel Antonio National Park (a must for all visitors), fishing expeditions, scuba diving trips, and so much more!
5. Jaco is a small town, with a population of 7,800 (according to 2006 census). In the past few years, there has been an explosion of development of growth in Jaco, though by no means would North Americans consider it “overdeveloped” - a very relative term.
With the development that Jaco has been experiencing, a cleanup effort has also been going on. Local developers were kind enough to donate very expensive beach cleaning equipment to continually maintain the cleanliness of the beach by removing large and small debris. These same developers also paved the main drag through town, which at the beginning of 2007 was just a dirt road. These efforts have improved the quality of living in Jaco for locals and tourists alike.
6. Costa Rica in general is safe, as is Jaco. Still, tourists do tend to be preyed upon by petty thieves, so a good amount of common sense is in order.
However, in addition to common sense, Jaco boasts a Tourist Police force put in place by the Costa Rica Tourism Board, and which works in conjunction with the local police force. The Tourist Police main goal is to keep tourists safe from crime targeted towards them. And even better news is that the Tourist Police are working, as it was reported that last year, tourist-related crime decreased by 26%, directly attributed to the Tourist Police.
7. There are grocery stores, banks (several) and pharmacies (several) located in the town of Jaco, with most of them easily found along the main drag. They will also accept North American credit cards and ATM cards.
8. There are several private medical facilities in town which also provide ambulance transport services to larger facilities in San Jose. Foreigners can use these facilities and it is even possible that they may accept your medical insurance. However, out-of-pocket costs are considerably less than medical costs that you see in the US, so paying out-of-pocket shouldn’t put you in debt.
9. Costa Rica has an excellent public school system, and also a variety of excellent private schools. Jaco has several private schools in the area, one being Las Nubes and Falcon International, which have an English and Spanish curriculum.
10. That depends on where you are staying. If you are in one of the many hotels or condos along the main drag, you can easily walk to anywhere you need to go in Jaco. There are also numerous taxis in town which are quite inexpensive, though there are no consistent taxi rates in town.
11. Yes. National Car Rental, Advantage Rent a Car, Economy Rent a Car and Europcar are all car rental companies in Jaco. And all you need is to be able to provide your driver’s license from your home country.
Even though Costa Rica is a small country - about the size of West Virginia, or 1/10 the size of Alberta - it is still quite diverse offering up a variety of landscape and climates. There are beaches, rainforests, mountains, and 2 coasts very different from each other. This makes the number of different options for places to live quite numerous.
Though the majority of foreigners who are looking to buy real estate in Costa Rica are interested in Pacific beachfront or “beach-close” (my own term, indicating that a property is a short walk to the beach), there are others who would like something in the mountain areas or even on the Caribbean side of the country. Some people are looking for an investment or vacation/investment, while others don’t wish to rent out their property and instead plan on retiring there full or part time. Whatever you are looking for in Costa Rica, there are definitely certain properties that lend themselves better to certain uses or situations.
For those of you that are concerned about the value of your Costa Rican home - more specifically about appreciation - there is no need for concern. With annual appreciation rates of foreign-owned homes, in the range of 10-30%+ (highest in the coastal areas), you can rest assured that your Costa Rica real estate purchase will experience healthy appreciation, wherever or whatever you buy.
So, the first step in starting your property search is to sit down with any other decision makers (spouse, investment partner, etc.) and make a list of the following things:
- Location - do you want beachfront, “beach-close”, mountain property? Is there a specific city, town, or region you are interested in?
- Usage - how do you intend on using your Costa Rica property? Investment? Vacation? Retirement? A combination of any of these? Or maybe you even want to move to Costa Rica full time? Are you okay with renting the property when you aren’t there?
- Budget - Just like anywhere, property values vary from region to region. Get a good idea in your mind of what your budget will be.
- Conveniences & activities - How close do you want to be to all the conveniences like shopping, grocery stores, restaurants, etc? How about proximity to activities or sights like golf, surfing, fishing, or national parks? Do you want to be in the heart of the activity or in a more private location?
- Property type - You might be able to get a good deal by building. Or maybe you prefer a condo? Looking for a lot to invest in? Consider your options carefully, but remain as open as possible to as many possibilities. Of course, if you cringe at the thought of building in another country, or don’t want to be directly next to your neighbors in a condo, just cross that off the list.
- Property details - How many bedrooms and bathrooms do you need? What sort of amenities would you like?
Now that you have put together your Costa Rica property “wish list”, fill out our Personalized Property Search form for a specialized property recommendation from one of our Costa Rica real estate specialists. We’ll review your wish list and recommend a selection of properties that are a best fit for your needs. And if for some reason we do not have a property that we can recommend (it’s rare, but it happens), we can refer you to one of our affiliates who may have something that would be a fit for you.
One last note - the final step is to go down to Costa Rica and see the properties for yourself. It is recommended that you not only check out the properties that were recommended to you, but to look at others. You may be surprised to find that a particular property didn’t appear to be a fit for you on paper, but in reality is perfect when you see it in person. Give each property a chance, or you might miss out on a gem!
Jaco Beach Condos |
Taking Reservations NOW! |
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Jaco Beach Condos |
From $249,000Development Under Construction |
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Condo in Jaco |
From $310,000 |
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Jaco Beach Condos |
From $375,000 |
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Dec06
Costa Rica for Investors
Don’t you wish you could turn back time, go back 10 or 15 years, and buy tons of property in Hawaii? Don’t you wish you had the foresight back then to invest your money in inexpensive beachfront homes that would now be worth millions today? Don’t answer that - it’s rhetorical.
Wouldn’t it be great if an opportunity like that were available now? Well, I’m here to tell you that it is - Costa Rica.
I can hear the questions already: “Isn’t Costa Rica in Central America? Is it safe? Won’t they take my land? Don’t I need all cash to buy there? Hasn’t the opportunity to invest in Costa Rica passed?” There are a lot of myths about investing and owning real estate in Costa Rica that are just untrue.
In fact, in my honest opinion, Costa Rica is probably one of the safest real estate investments you can make, and one of the most profitable. Here are some of the top reasons why you should invest in Costa Rican real estate:
10. Numerous English speakers. The Costa Rican government has put a lot of money into their education system, resulting in a high number of bilingual citizens that speak Spanish (their national language) and English. There is also a large community of North American expatriates adding to this English-speaking community.
9. Stable government and economy. Costa Rica is also known as the “Switzerland of the Americas”. They have a stable government and their economy is quite diverse relying on a variety of industries and not just tourism.
8. Tourism increasing. Currently, the supply of places for vacationers to stay does not meet the demand for the increasing number of tourists coming to Costa Rica. Current estimates predict that this will be the case for some time.
7. Inexpensive property taxes. Get this - in some places, property taxes are currently as little as 0.25% of the recorded value. Other areas may top out around 1.25%.
6. Availability of financing. Often developers will offer financing on their property, loaning you up to 70% of the purchase price. North American lenders are slated to enter the Costa Rican market in the near future.
5. Titled land. Yes, you OWN the property. In fact, foreigners get the same property ownership rights as Costa Rican citizens. Don’t worry - they won’t take your land.
4. Positive cash flow opportunities. Based on recent historical data, there is definite potential for a minimal investment to produce a positive cash flow after a couple of years.
3. Inexpensive beachfront property. Okay, the days of $20,000 beachfront acreages in Costa Rica are gone. But compared to anywhere in North America, beachfront lots are still plentiful and are still a bargain.
2. 10-30% appreciation. Ahhhh… Memories of the days where it was not uncommon to see double-digit appreciation rates. Oh wait - they have that in Costa Rica right now!
1. No capital gains tax. Nuff said.
Costa Rica has plenty of opportunities to invest, and in some of the hottest tourist spots in the country. Jaco Beach, an extremely popular tourist destination located in the coastal Mid-Pacific area of Costa Rica, has beachfront and beach-close investment opportunities, some starting for as little as the High-$100’s. Of course, if your investment is a short drive from a high-tourist area, the prices could even be less.
One important thing to remember when buying real estate in Costa Rica is to work with someone who is knowledgable and has a good team to help you find an investment property that suits your needs.
I can easily state that whenever I meet someone and we get to talking about Costa Rica real estate for the first time, I hear the same questions that I’ve heard many times before. So, I put together this brief FAQ so that you can get quick answers to the most commonly asked questions and concerns about owning real estate in Costa Rica.
1. Can a Canadian or US citizen (or other foreigner) own property in Costa Rica?
Yes. In fact foreigners have the same property ownership rights as Costa Ricans. Foreigners get fee simple, titled ownership of property. That means you OWN it. The government will not steal your Costa Rican property from you.
2. How much are property taxes?
Property taxes are currently around 0.25% of the recorded value. There are no capital gains taxes when the property is sold. However, if you bring your money back into your home country, your home country will tax you accordingly.
3. Is financing available?
Yes, and you do have several options to choose from. In a nutshell, you can get a loan from a Costa Rican bank, a US lender, and even from the developer. You may also have other ways to purchase the property, using a reverse mortgage on your US or Canadian home or even a self-directed IRA (US only). Read more about your financing options to see which may be a fit for you.
4. Is title insurance available?
Yes. There are many title agencies, including Chicago Title, who handle escrow services and title insurance. We use Chicago Title.
5. Is it true that beachfront land in Costa Rica is considered “concession land”?
Yes, concession land is located along the coast and is the area whithin 200m of the median tide line. Concession rights may be acquired from the Costa Rican government via a lease . The lease periods range from 20 to 40 years, and buyers may acquire multiple lease terms. Typically, concession land is used for retail or commercial buildings - not residential buildings.
6. Are there international corporations in Costa Rica?
Yes. Because of Costa Rica’s political stability, low taxes, and high literacy rate (96%, 2nd highest per capita in the world), Costa Rica is attracting many international corporations. Over a hundred companies from around the world - like Pfizer, Firestone, Glaxo Smith Kline, and Intel - have operations based out of Costa Rica. Intel’s largest plant for the manufacturing of microprocessor chips is based out of Costa Rica and the company is expanding their in-country operations. And Walmart is expanding its retail network in the region.
7. What is healthcare like in Costa Rica?
In a recent survey of health systems around the world, Costa Rica ranked just above the United States! New hospitals such as the Cima-San Jose Medical Complex in Escazu (an extension of Baylor University and funded by Glaxo Smith Kline) are equipped with state of the art medical equipment and world-class specialists. Many North Americans come here for dental care, plastic surgery, and even heart surgery, as the quality is comparable to North American health care, but prices are 50%-70% less. In addition, many of the private healthcare facilities accept most popular international health insurance, such as Blue Cross.
8. Are there schools that meet American standards with transferrable credits?
Yes. Contact us for a list of schools in your area of interest.
9. Is the process for purchasing Costa Rican property similar to that in Canada and the US?
Yes, and the following are key steps to purchasing property in Costa Rica:
- Sign an option to purchase with the seller.
- Deposit funds into escrow (if applicable).
- Title company (like Chicago Title), notary public, or attorney performs title search to ensure that property is free and clear of any defects .
- Execution or transfer of deed and funds disbursement.
- Register property with the Costa Rican National Public Registry (Registro Nacional).
10. How do I insure my home in Costa Rica?
There are American and international companies that carry hazard, fire, and earthquake insurance policies for homes in Costa Rica. You may also choose to insure your property through the Costa Rican government’s national insurance agency at approximately 0.3% of the appraised value of the home.
Download a PDF copy of this document: Costa Rica Real Estate FAQ