I
		March 26, 2004   Breaking news: 55 PLUS Costa Rica draws retirees with climate, lower costs By Jane Adler Special to the Tribune Published June 15, 2003 Dee Vaughan doesn't have too many bad things to say about retiring in Costa Rica, a small Central American country favored by older Americans. But the one thing that bugs her are the huge potholes in the roads. The traffic congestion is bad, too, says Dee Vaughan, 58. Otherwise, Dee and her husband, George, 57, are pretty much content with their decision five years ago to leave their home in Fayetteville, N.C., and live out their golden years in a foreign country. "We always wanted to learn a foreign language," said Dee Vaughan. "And we were drawn to Latin America." The couple checked out other countries, but they settled in Costa Rica, where they own a house on 6 acres. They say the country, which allows foreign ownership of property, is relatively safe and that good medical care is readily available should one of them become ill. They also like the weather where they live in the country's capital of San Jose, a consistent 72 degrees year-round. "It's like spring all year round," Dee Vaughan said. The Vaughans aren't the only people who move abroad when they retire. The most popular spots for American retirees are close-by countries such as Mexico (which allows foreign ownership of property with significant restrictions) and a handful of countries in Central America, including Panama and Honduras, experts say. European countries, such as Ireland, draw American retirees too. Seniors move overseas for a variety of reasons: to connect with family roots, for warm climate and a lower cost of living than the U.S. About 50,000 Americans and Canadians live in Costa Rica and most of those are retirees, according to Christopher Howard, a native Californian who has lived in Costa Rica for 20 years. Howard is the author of a book, "The New Golden Door to Retirement and Living in Costa Rica" (Costa Rica Books, 12th Edition, June 2002). Howard also has written books about retiring in Nicaragua and Panama. But, he thinks Costa Rica is best primarily because of its stable democratic government and consistently nice weather in the Central Valley area where many Americans live. "Costa Rica really appeals to people who come from cold climates," Howard said. However, Howard has noticed a dropoff in Americans' interest in Costa Rica since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. "I'm really surprised more people have not come here," said Howard, who describes the country as the Switzerland of Latin America because it abolished its army in 1949. "I think a lot of people just aren't aware of it." Ryan Piercy runs the Association of Residents of Costa Rica, a group that helps expatriates get settled. The organization has about 1,500 members, mostly American retirees. The group's membership has doubled in the last three years, a possible indication that more Americans are moving there. But Piercy says people are leaving, too, because prices, including the cost of housing, is on the rise. "Prices have become less attractive," Piercy said. "Property values have escalated." It costs $400 to $5,000 a month to rent a house, Piercy said. Home prices range from $60,000 to more than $1 million. "If you're from Idaho, Costa Rica is expensive," Piercy said. "If you're from New York, it is not expensive." A common misconception among retirees is that expatriates pay no taxes. But that's not so, according to David Lifson, partner at the Hays & Co. accounting firm in New York City. "The United States is the only country that taxes citizenship rather than residency," he said. Lifson explains that Americans can exclude up to $80,000 of their income that is earned overseas and foreign housing expenses that exceed $10,000. (To receive this exclusion, though, a tax return must be filed every year with the IRS, or the income will be subject to a tax, Lifson said.) But retirees who receive income from the U.S. -- Social Security payments, interest or investment income -- have to pay taxes on the income just as if they were living in this country. The taxes that expatriate retirees can sometimes escape are local taxes. Costa Rica, for instance, does not tax income earned there. "Expatriates get confused when they see there are no taxes," said Lifson, explaining that what the promotional brochures really mean is that the country has no local taxes. "These countries are silent on the issue of U.S. taxes." Expatriate Dee Vaughan advises Americans to learn the local language. She and her husband have learned Spanish. "We know people who live here and have no desire to learn the language, and they hang around only with English-speaking people," she said. She also thinks seniors who want to retire in a foreign country need to have realistic expectations. "We see people who think Costa Rica will be just like the United States, then they are unhappy when they arrive," she said. "People must remember that they are moving from one imperfect country to another imperfect country." ---------- Jane Adler is a Chicago-area freelance writer. If you have questions or information to share regarding housing for senior citizens, write to Senior Housing, c/o Chicago Tribune Real Estate Section, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611. Or, e-mail realestate@tribune.com Copyright © 2004, Chicago Tribune >> Save 47% off the newsstand price - Subscribe to the Chicago Tribune
		Central Valley's Still Top Choice For Most
		Posted: Friday, March 22, 2002

						The 3/22/2002 edition of The Tico Times, the country's main English language newspaper, features a comprehensive supplement about real estate and investment. This special publication includes an interesting article written by David Boddiger about Costa Rica's Central Valley.
				"Home to the bustling capital of San Jose, Costa Rica's Central Valley is still the most popular place to live, for both Ticos and foreigners alike. Home to some 70 percent of Costa Rica's population, the Central Valley ..." "... lies between the agriculture center of San Ramon to the west and the historic city of Cartago to the east." Read the article, please click here

the way home, and decided to return to Latin America.

I have always been an adventurer/pioneer who loves her creature comforts. When I was first married, we lived in the mountains of Panama where I led tours, taught English through television to the local communities and cantinas, cooked on a wood stove, washed diapers in the river and always dressed for dinner lit by candles and drank wine from crystal goblets.

As the children grew and needed a more conventional environment, we decided to move to the city, where I started and directed a Montessori School. When I divorced, I decided that the best preparation for my children’s’ future would be to return to the United States.

loved, which were rapidly being destroyed, and create a flower farm where I could save some of the endangered plants and propagate them to sell, providing a living for myself and the indigenous peoples living on the edge of the rain forests. How to go about doing this? I could write volumes about all the steps, successes and failures, in achieving this dream, but it boiled down to hearing that the U.S. Agency for International Development was willing to fund projects to help the Caribbean Basin Initiative find non-traditional products for export from the Caribbean. Something other than bananas, coffee and sugar cane. And I wanted to grow and sell tropical flowers and plant seeds. A marriage made in heaven. I wrote my first business plan, and, wonder of wonders, received funding to collect rain forest plants and seeds and propagate them in test farms in Panama and Costa Rica to see where they would thrive most successfully. I traveled into the Amazon jungles of Brazil, and the rain forests of Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica and the Caribbean Islands, collecting plants and seeds. I visited the flower farms in Hawaii, and the flower markets in Holland, Mexico and major cities in the United States to learn about marketing the tropical flowers.

Although the plants were collected from different types of rain forests, humid, dry and high ‘cloud’, the result of the test farming showed that the majority of the plants were most successful, without costly irrigation, in a climate with no long dry season, such as the Caribbean coasts of both Panama and Costa Rica. At that time, l989, Panama was suffering great political instability and a ban on exports. I found myself in Miami with test flowers for the markets, and couldn’t return to Panama because of the U.S. invasion. I, then,  concentrated my efforts on plant production and exportation from Costa Rica, where land was being cleared for banana plantations and the jungle plants were being destroyed. I was able to build up my collection in Costa Rica by saving these plants. I found a sleepy village, Puerto Viejo, where there was good land on the outskirts for a nursery and farm, available labor and members of the community willing to work on this project.

I named the business Miraflores (Look at the Flowers). We built a place in the local BriBri style for me and my employees to live, with a plant packing area below, using mostly reforested Laurel wood from the rain forest brought in by oxen and milled with a chain saw. We used fast growing bamboo cane for walls and ceilings, and surrounded the building area with flowers.

At that time, there was practically no place for visitors to stay in Puerto Viejo, and many travelers, among them students, biologists, bird watchers, and others interested in the rain forest, as well as the beach and coral reefs, wanted to know if I had rooms for rent. From the plants rescued from the clearing of the banana plantations, I was able to propagate and sell enough rhizomes and flowers to expand my house into Miraflores Lodge, which started as the first ecological bed and breakfast in the area.It was the beginning of the Green Revolution, and my visitors were delighted and amazed that they could live comfortably and safely in the heart of nature. They could watch hummingbirds fly through their rooms, which were built in such a way as to capture the breezes from the sea and the Talamanca Range. They had no need for air conditioning. At first I had no refrigeration or electricity, but everyone was fascinated by the wonderful meals prepared over a wood fire with locally grown products, such as yuca, fish, plantains, fruits of all kinds, and coconuts.  Bread was baked on the wood fire. We picked cacao from our own trees, and roasted the beans to make hot chocolate and fudge with coconut milk.

I had learned from my indigenous neighbors, who are Afro-Caribbean and members of the BriBri community, the uses of the local plants for food and medicines, and I shared this information with my guests, adding my own gourmet touch. I also supported and encouraged my neighbors to lead guided walks, teach traditional ways of crafts, foods and herbal preparations, and generally share their wisdom, which they have turned into many productive businesses. And I continue to use my china and crystal, and, although, my guests can be as informal as they wish, I dress for dinner.

Speaking of which, what constituted my life as an inn keeper?  For starters, the world came to me. I had no need to look for stimuli outside of the Lodge, as people from all over the world were my guests, and we always found a common interest, whatever it might be. New friendships were formed among widely diverse guests. They inspired me to continue to discover more about the flora and fauna of the Talamanca. Guests send pictures of their lives and homes; they have invited me to visit them, and many return or send friends to Miraflores. I was able to keep up with the world and its events through the guests.

The interests of the guests were varied and because of their interests I presented workshops on such subjects as sweat lodges, basket making, chocolate making, planting medicinal plant gardens, organic foods, flower decorations, yoga, a visit from the local Shaman, massage therapy, and  the Course in Miracles. I had student groups to come and learn about the area, dive groups, bird-watchers, beach clean-ups. Every morning I gave an orientation talk to my guests on the history and culture of the Talamanca. I taught my staff some English and a lot about Eco-Tourism. And, of course, all through the years I continued to develop my collection of plants, selling them to other hotels and eco-lodges. I became the “Johnny Appleseed” for the Heliconia plants in Costa Rica.

I was already a member of The Heliconia International Society, and became a founding member of ATEC, Talamanca Association for Eco-Tourism and Conservation. I attended national and international conferences to share our experiences on how to maintain a balance between development and the environment. The Miraflores model has been a pioneer in sustainable development in tourism.

Through the years more and more people from all over the world have come to settle in the area, appreciating the beauties of the jungle and the simple life, bringing with them parts of many cultures, building small guest cottages and sharing their  cuisine with visitors in their intimate rancho cafes. There are also a few more traditional guest facilities with swimming pools and cable TV, but Miraflores remains unique with its flowers, tranquillity and beauty attracting visitors looking for these qualities.

As I said earlier, I am a pioneer. I came to the jungle and created Miraflores. As I read the comments written by my guests in my guest book, I realize what a positive experience this has been for so many people, myself included, and I feel that is has been a success. These comments and the loving appreciation of so many have kept me going for many years, but the time has come to move on. I completed my dream.

My new dream for Miraflores is that someone who loves nature will purchase it. There are so many opportunities for growth and for new adventures in tranquil living in this beautiful coastal region. I’ve made many life long friends here, and I will always carry the warmth of the Costa Rican people of Talamanca, and the magic of the rain forest in my heart.

Lodge:
Two story post and beam structure with concrete base, hardwood floors, hardwood and bamboo cane walls and ceilings and painted metal roof.

Ten guest rooms - four second story Lodge rooms with two bathrooms, shower, and central sitting areas; six first floor Garden rooms with private entrances; balconies and terraces. Accommodates 32.

Reception/Restaurant:
Thatched BriBri structure with inside seating capacity for 26, extended seating in pond area with exotic tropical flower collection and waterfall.

Bath House/Laundry:
Also serves the restaurant with two toilets, sinks and showers. Laundry area includes drying area and storeroom.

Staff Quarters:
Two story framed structure, two rooms with well and pump.

Duplex Guest House:
Open Caribbean coastal post and beam structure with painted metal roof.

Second story: one bedroom, bathroom, open studio, living, dining and kitchen. Floors and walls are hardwood.

Unfinished first story of concrete block . (Two bedroom area with one finished bathroom and plumbing for additional bathroom, kitchen and  laundry areas.)         .

Expansion Lot:
Currently planted in exotic tropical plants: Heliconia, Fruit and Cacao trees

Lodge, Duplex and Expansion lot:
5000 square meters; 622 square meters of construction.

Private Beach Area:
White sand beach on Playa Chiquita, construction potential. A five minute walk from Miraflores Lodge. 2000 square meters.

Farm:
Cacao and hardwood trees, bordered on two sides by creeks. 30,000 square meters.

Location:
Playa Chiquita, 4 km South of Puerto Viejo, Limon, Costa Rica.

MiraFlores Properties - Sales Price Information

1) Lodge, reception/restaurant, bath house/laundry and staff quarters: $225.000.00.
2) Duplex:  $50,000.00.
3) Expansion Lot:  $30,000.00.
4) Beach Area:  $50,000.00.
5) Farm:  $25,000,00.
( All prices listed are negotiable, and all properties are available as a package at a special price.)

For further information contact:: andresz@racsa.co.cr

< Disclaimer> < Return To Issue Article Index > Living in Costa Rica Exploring The Beaches of Costa Rica ~ By Vanessa Morson Connecting through four countries, with four planes, an SAS air strike, a night in a ghost-town airport, two solid days of travel and only two hours sleep, Phil and I finally arrived in Costa Rica.  What will happen in the days to come no one would have ever guessed, not even us.  Our plan:  Get there, rent a 4X4, drive to Jaco (a Pacific Coast surfer town pronounced: Haco) find a nice hotel, catch up on sleep, and in a few days start sightseeing and in a few weeks start looking for jobs, and a place to live.  Sounds like a reasonable enough plan, especially since we have been travelling and unemployed for the last three months.  What actually happened:  Well, we did rent the 4X4, and yes we did drive to the coastal town of Jaco and after that…well you’ll just have to read this to understand.  Renting the car was easy, despite the fact that neither Phil nor myself speak a lick of Spanish.  Navigating through San Jose we finally made it out onto the one lane highway that will take us all the way to our final destination.  The backdrop: a very green, lush country with earthquake induced rolling hills and full hovering clouds ready to burst at any moment.  The road is well paved, yet winds with dips and curves that roller coasters are modelled after.  We are tired and yet so excited to be here while not knowing what our future life here will bring. There is one road in and one road out, so getting lost was not an option, but staying on the windy road was a bit of a nail biting experience.  As we neared Jaco, our fatigue was transcended by pure glee.  With the Lonely Planet Costa Rica in one hand, the map in the other we made our way through town.  Before I finished reading one sentence in our book, we had gone from one end of the village to the other.  That was it. We unpacked, showered, and decided to take a little snooze before dinner.  We woke up the next morning at 5 having completely slept through our alarms set for the night before.  The sun was up, as were the screeching roosters.  Phil and I dressed to go for an exploratory and romantic walk along the beach. Of all the countries I've traveled to in Central America, no other country has more beautiful beaches or better beach life than Costa Rica. The Costa Ricans know how to enjoy themselves on the beach. Above is a shot of Jaco. . Low clouds pressed against the rain forest and the 8-foot waves were decorated with devoted surfers.  We stood hand in hand in complete awe of this country we had decided to make home.  We walked for about a mile discussing our plan of attack with great excitement.  We’re going to do this and this and then we’ll try this and then that!!  And then our neglected appetites from the previous night interrupted our rather pleasant conversation.  Little problem: no money, banks closed.  Aha, thank god the US dollar as well as the English language is more widely accepted than American Express.  We ordered a fruit plate to share and a typical Costa Rican breakfast consisting of scrambled eggs along with Gallo Pinto (black beans and rice) fresh orange and papaya juice and two cups of tea.  The fruit was so pure, like it was picked out of the backyard with no residue of pesticides.  Eating the typical rice and bean breakfast made us feel like for a moment we were locals.  I still have dreams about the papaya juice and know it will become a staple in my diet.  Truly the best breakfast I have ever had, but also realizing if I ate that every day I would need two seats on the plane ride home. The town started to stir.  Stores started to open their doors revealing their assortment of surf goods, hammocks, fruit, and of course the touristy tours.  We tried to take in everything but knew even as small as the town is, there are so many layers that it would take us weeks/months to understand.  Here, we are in no hurry, the pace is as we decide. . My favorite drive in Central America is around Lake Arenal and the Volcano at the far end of the lake. Leave from the volcano in the morning and drive around the lake - do stop at one of the Italian restaurants or German bakeries located on the road. There are some small towns along the lake and as you drive around the lake always look for the windmills in the distance on the hillside.  The lake is large in the same way that a Scottish Loch is large. After you pass the windmills and turn away from the lake the view opens up and you see the beaches of Guancaste in the direct distance. As you descend the hills to the hot lowlands you will see to your right a large watertube that feeds the dry beaches of Guancaste.  As you drive down through golden fields and green pastureland you will notice how good the road is and how smooth the ride. (Above: Inn on the far side of Lake Arenal) Six days after arriving, we moved into our new home.  It is beautifully situated on the Pacific, with a pool, vaulted ceilings, cable TV, hot water, security guard, gardener, maid service, air conditioning, and everything you could possibly want.  We have a balcony that is screaming for a hammock! Tomorrow we are going to sign up for Spanish classes, look more seriously for bicycles and maybe take a deep breath and digest all that has happened. There are three kinds of roads in this country: one-lane paved highways, one lane unpaved highways, and anything that remotely looks like a car could traverse.  Luckily, most of the country is accessible by the first, and preferred choice, but some less touristy areas are only accessible by 4-wheel drive and guts of steel. Friday afternoon we head towards the famous Arenal volcano, which is still very active.  Much to our dismay, the peak was playing hide and seek behind thick rain forest clouds the entire time.  We were able to hike straight up the side of a cliff (or so it seemed), to see where the lava flows.  Satisfied in at least seeing that, we still promised ourselves to return later in the season when a possible sighting would be more likely.  In the gift shop, postcards teased us with what it is supposed to look like, so we bought them as proof.  Next stop, Playa Tamarindo.  When we did our research on Costa Rica, our two top picks were Tamarindo and Jaco.  Having already settled in Jaco, our curiosity was restless with the idea of whether or not we had rushed into anything.  Honestly, our only reason for going to Jaco first was because it was closer to the airport. Upon arrival to Tamarindo Phil and I exchanged confident glances that we had in fact settled in the better of the two.  Tamarindo was dirty, plagued with beggars, and had “Americana” splattered all over it.  There was a very definite vibe of the gringo is there to live and the Ticos (Costa Ricans) are there to serve.  We didn’t like it as much as Jaco, though it did have beautiful beaches.  .. If you ever come to Costa Rica, please don’t take my word for it, go explore everything you want to see and make your own decisions.  After all, this is just my opinion! After spending one night in Tamarindo, we decided to head south to another popular coastal town.  Though the name evokes pain, we heard Montezuma was quite beautiful.  This teeny tiny beach town lies on the tip of the southern peninsula and is only accessible by roads that look like dried out riverbeds.   Though primitive and simple, this town has three Internet cafes, and seems to serve as a haven for surfer hippies who never moved beyond the 70’s.  Jaco is a very small town and everyone seems to know everyone else.  One has to be very careful with every move you make, because word is sure to get out.  Despite that, we are slowly but surely forming a great group of friends.  Costa Ricans are by far some of the most friendly people I have ever come across, however they are not too punctual, but that’s okay, because after a while at living at their pace, you won’t be too punctual either. . Foreigners include French, Italian, Israeli, Canadian, Swiss and of course the ever popular American.  “Little United Nations”, I like to call Jaco.  Everyone is there for various reasons: retirement, escaping debt, wanting a different life, you name it.  There are many opportunities to be had here if you have the capital and the patience.  Things progress at a rate unfamiliar to most, but the lifestyle achieved maybe well worth the wait.  Property can be cheap or expensive depending if you want basic or palatial.  It is all available here. What I have come to learn in these last few months is that it is very important not to be American while travelling.  I mean that in the most respectful way.  It is okay, whilst in the US to expect your double decaf latte in less than two minutes; it is okay to expect everyone to speak English.  Here, though there are so many Americans, it is not okay to expect the same standards and/or be pissed when it is different.    I have seen so many foreigners come here, and claim this is a lousy place because it is not like America.  If they wanted America they should have gone to America, if you want typical Central America, then this is the place for you.  I find myself cringing at the sight of loud obnoxious Americans who think this is there local strip mall.  My opinion comes out self-awareness.  I have found myself somewhat frustrated when locals show up 30 minutes late and think nothing of it.   I have found myself comparing and at the end of the day it is wrong.  I know what my standards are, but I also know I am not in a place where it is so easy to meet my standards.  But that is the joy of being here!!!  The joy comes when you realize that all those things you thought you would die without are not really necessary.  I love the fact that life can be as simple as a bicycle with a basket in front for groceries!  It gets me back in touch with what my goal in life is: happiness. . And then there is the “high-season” that everyone kept talking about.  How bad could it get really, I mean this town can hold only so many people right?  Wrong.  I like to sum it up that the Puerto Rican Day Parade invaded Daytona Beach during Spring Break.  Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined traffic jams with hundreds of neon-colored pick-up trucks, each sporting their own bazooka speaker blaring the latest Latino-blood-thumping rhythm at decibels too high for human consumption.  Or the sight of fat hairy men and women, more slick than an oil spill, wearing nothing more than bathing suits which are two sizes too small, cruising up and down the supermarket aisles looking for fresh melons.  AAAAHHHHH!  This latest invasion has caused to me to hide in my house on weekends and only dare exit when absolutely necessary.  And again, I have redefined what is necessary.  I have been soothed a bit by the thought that the madness will die down after the new year, but still frighten easily at the idea of this continuing for at least two more months. After nine months of living here, our time has sadly and quickly come to an end.  It is time for us to find our next spot, but Jaco and Costa Rica will always have a page reserved in our passports.. ...

COSTA RICA FREE TRADE AGREEMENT