Costa Rica Real Estate, from Coast to Coast, the Right Way!!!

Buying Costa Rica real estate is not so easy to do it on your own, especially when you are making the purchase without the involvement of an experienced Costa Rica realtor. When My wife and I drove to Nativa Resort a couple of weeks ago, I noticed that on the new highway to Caldera, the Autopistas del Sol concessionary was doing landslide prevention different ways.

Landslide protection and prevention techniques

Autopistas del Sol sprayed liquid concrete on the hillside and drilled pipes into the mountains to take the water out and through the concrete, when they re-did part of the highway at the Sabana and Escazu turnoff. This was the first time I saw this technique used in Costa Rica, though I have seen is used in Spain and Canary Islands quite a bit. They are also using a way different technique a little past the beautiful town of Atenas, where they are now making incredible use of the large rocks they took out before they put the pavement in.
 

Rain and more rain

As most of you know, Costa Rica’s rainy season runs more or less from July from November but September and October generate the heaviest rains. Although in July this year 2011 we already had some incredible downpours. It looks like we’re going to get more and more rain every year. While coming out of a real estate closing on the east side of San Jose with AE affiliate Barry Ashworth, I saw a car disappear in the water OVER a bridge. I don’t know what happened to the driver or the car.

Rain water is destructive

Rain water has incredible power and can occasion lots of damage if you’re not ready for it. I’ve seen big chunks of mountain come down and turn into a river of mud. You don’t realize how important this might be if you own a property in the Costa Rica mountains until you have seen the damage and then it is too late. And that is the reason you want to use an experienced and knowledgeable realtor in the area you are buying the property. Because that realtor knows the area and knows what to look for to make sure the property is safe to buy and doesn’t have any rainwater damage and drain problems. A good retainer wall can cost thousands of dollars you might not have counted on. Hiring a knowledgeable home inspector who knows Costa Rica and its rains well before you purchase a property is also recommendable.

Property for sale

A month ago I listed this very nice 2-bedroom home in Escazu that the owners bought a few years ago and didn’t know that the river was eating away the bottom of the property every day during the rainy season. Last year they had to work with their neighbors to put a large retainer wall in, which cost each neighbor $20K. Some sellers won’t repair things like this and will try to sell it without any buyer knowing about the problem.

Retainer walls

Make sure you check on the property in Costa Rica before you buy it or make sure your realtor did. You don’t want to be surprised by a $20K issue after closing. If you already bought a property, check where the water on the top of your property runs to, make sure you reinforce the area that is weakest and maybe build some gutters, in concrete if necessary, to lead the water down the hill. Bring in some experts to see if you need to use the “gaviones” which are the river rocks in wire mesh cages, sprayed concrete with drilled pipes or any other system.  I had my son Andres walk down the ravine to take pictures to be able to show you want I’m talking about.

By Ivo Henfling, your realtor who sells Costa Rica real estate in Escazu, Santa Ana and some other beautiful places. Ivo is an experienced realtor, an American European affiliate, who looks out for your interest when you are buying the property in Costa Rica you are looking for, from condos to ranch houses or building lots.