Renting in Costa Rica before we buy

I think you'll find that flights are already grounded until at least May (and probably September given that's when mass inoculation is meant to be finished -- although the current news seems to put even that in jeopardy).

I think Airbnb is a good choice if it's a month or three. Real estate agents can help you with longer-term rentals and will help you avoid scams (hopefully).

Hopefully, you've internalized the mantra that you should live in Costa Rica for a couple of years before buying. And then there's the conversation about whether you own the land you're buying, whether the water coming out of the tap is legal and/or sustainable, etc.

If you haven't been and haven't settled on a place where you want to go (maybe I'm misinterpreting?), I would take a step back. The Central Valley is quite different from the Gold Coast, for example. What are your requirements? If it's the beach, then the Gold Coast is the go-to for a lot of expats. If eternal spring is your thing (I think I made a rhyme there), then the Central Valley is great.

As a Canadian, you should really make sure you understand your tax obligations before you leave. If you're unfamiliar with an NR73 or departure tax, you should likely get professional help. Ditto understanding if the forthcoming changes to the Costa Rican tax system will affect you (move from a territorial to global tax regime).

The pet requirements are fairly straightforward and a competent vet can help you complete the paperwork.

PM me if you need some help or advice from a Canadian perspective.

Please, do not rush things which could backfire for you and your family...especially if you have never been in CR.

Believe me, getting Residency status will not take 'just a few months.' Until you have received the necessary Residency paperwork showing that your application is under consideration' you will have to exit CR before your 'visa stamp' has expired then re-enter. This used to be quite easy, but not at this present time. Some members that participate on this forum, have been wait for over two years for their residency to be approved.

If you haven't already done so, read the info regarding becoming a' non-resident of Canada for tax purposes'

Here is a link to residency.

Even as a Pensionado applicant your mandatory healthcare premiums could be quite high...whether you use them or not, if the primary applicant is under 55, as many military retirees have found out.

Plus, as Canadians, we lose such a lot of our funds with the dollar exchange

Thanks for the reply!

Yes he is under 55 so what does that mean? What is high? How long have you live in CR. Canada has become so incredibly expensive I can't see CR being more expensive then here. Plus the real estate market is so high right now it is ready to crash.
We have decided that CR looks a lot better then this very cold country.

Any more info on this would be great !

I'm considering flying private to get out of here.
I'm well aware of what the governments plan is. You can still fly out of Canada on an American airline but it's huge layovers in the United States.
You can still leave here at the moment until airlines are bankrupt here

How long have you been living out of Canada and where did you live when you were here?

From what I've been told from the immigration lawyer that once your paperwork has been submitted for residency you are allowed to stay past the 90 days am I misunderstanding?
I'm pretty set on coming just not set on where to buy. Would like to rent while paperwork is being processed.
I'm really over Canadian weather among other things...

I presume you were responding to some of the other poster comments.

I lived in CR for 18 years and left 2 years ago, after my beloved partner passed away form cancer and am now  residing in BC.

If you wish to continue to drive, you must to leave the country to renew your drivers license before the maximum 90 days is up...even if you have filed for residency and received your comprobante  a legal paper that says 'your application is being considered' This used to be quite simple to do, but with land borders being closed from the neighbouring countries unless you have already gained legal residency or citizenship in CR, not however, at this time.. How long this will last, nobody knows.

A percentage of your 'income/pension' will determine what your mandatory healthcare premium will be, and unfortunately it is between 7-11% of the applicant's monthly income  (according to what I have just found).  But I do remember that  a few years ago a young Canadian military couple with a very nice pension, they were required to pay over $700 a month...and unfortunately, you will not know what the costs will be until a the last stage of the application process. Of course, this will be USD 8-(. Note that most expats will also purchase health insurance as wait time can be very long when needing to access a specialist.

Most expats with children, use private education which is not inexpensive, and best to pick a school before you decide on a house.

There is an extreme backlog of residency applications at this time.

Costa Rican prices on many items are quite similar to Canada, again due to the USD.

Don't forget you will be required to still pay Canadian income tax...

Can only wish you the best.

We have been here for seven years and going strong.  We hail from Blackfalds, Alberta (close to Calgary). Yes, once you have a residency application submitted you are entitled to stay in country without having to leave, EXCEPT your foreign driver's license is only valid for 90 days from your passport stamp.  Back in the day we made 4 Nicaragua runs to be able to keep driving in Costa Rica.
Cheers .... Terry

All very good information thank you for that.
Would you suggest outlier legal firm or immigration experts.

Immigration experts got back to me first they seemed professional are they legit.
Or is outlier less likely to rob me.
What should I expect to pay in legal fees to process all my residency paperwork and get it going for me?

Check out the info on the website regarding Temporary Pensionado status using Outlier Legal

Another  CAJA/CCSS link

Government residency fees. This doesn't include lawyers fees.

BTW, you cannot have your Canadian pension paid into a Costa Rican bank.

I have learned so much from this one post by EkaGeek than reading from other sites.

I am reading on line that the economic situation in CR presently is having problems and there have been protests on the streets from working force about the possibility of raising taxes.

I am planning a trial visit this Spring but I am now holding back given the Pandemic possible forced vaccinations against Covid etc and what I am hearing about the economy in CR.

Thanks much,  EkaGeek. 

Oh BTW I am in the US.

Hi from England,  really interested in all of your comments on this thread.

Along with my husband and 8 year old daughter, we are hoping to leave the UK later next year.

We are still open to ideas but, Costa Rica is still top of our lists.

Its just the order of doing things that is a bother.
Ideally, land to build and be self sufficient, sounds easier than it is.

Good luck to you already in the process

Linda

We moved from the US to Costa RIca in 2004 and were there 6 years. We bought land to develop first, and amazingly, it turned out well - we used Jogi at ABC Realty in tamarindo. To buy a residence in school in Escazu, we worked with Nicole's Realty - she was Belgium, if I'm not mistaken. Nicole was overwhelmingly enthusiastic about a house in Santa Ana, and convinced us to put down $5,000. Then we discovered the person selling it did not own it yet - just anticipated getting it in a swap. Nicole threatened to sue us for her commission when we angrily withdrew and lost our $5K. We paid for her plastic surgery and we gained a lesson; never presume. As we learned more, we realized that house was vulnerable and would have been a security nightmare. That's a huge reason to rent first. Although we navigated the complexities of building in Tamarindo, and sold our property there profitably via Remax, Becky Clower in Playa Flamingo, and finally Jogi again at ABC - we never bought a residence. We only rented. We didn't like the taxes on luxury homes, so we overpaid a bit for housing. In total we rented four homes; only one landlord returned the security deposit. You need time in-country to learn the language and hear the stories, to avoid the pitfalls. We were fortunate to find an upstanding architect and lawyer. In renting or buying a home, it is most important that you assess the security situation. You may already know this, but in Costa Rica, thieves will want to enter your home and are not afraid of police. So above all other considerations, security comes first. This is one reason South Americans in Costa Rica choose 'towers' and avoid stand-alone houses or even condominios with a gate. It is not the agent's job to advise you on security; you are moving to a country where you are in charge of security. Home invasion was common and traumatic, so be demanding and then you can be secure. Even luxury condominios were subject to home invasions, so be thoughtful in where you rent.