International Living Community

Dear Roxanne, to date I do not know of "one single agent", who can help you with the whole area. But I can stear you towards two ideas that may help. First: In central Italy there is an agent who speaks English. Not on the coast but in the central part of italy, he may know someone. You should also know that the agents of one agency work against the others and do not "share" information. they also do not represesnt you as they do in the US. Essentially they represent themselves.

In Rieti is a group called "Keys Partners. " One of their agents is Ricardo Diamilla and he speaks English... his email is diamilllariccardo86@gmail.com. Please use my name: Alfred Stites

The other idea is to go to gate-away.com and look in the provinces you want to live in along the coast. Specify an English speaking agent. Also please know that there are many reports of prices being elevated because you are American. Therefore I would recommend an intermediary who will look out for your interests and your interests only! I can recommend M. Grazia Colombo a RE Attorney who has successfully helped many Americans buy a home. Her email is mgrazia.colombo@leexe.it.

Again please use my name.
Good luck and great success. I hope you get to live your dream as we are here in Reiti.
Alfred "Chip" Stites, IL Correspondent.

Hi there! I don't believe that IL has ever published such a list, but there are multiple resources online that may be helpful. Yale's Environmental Performance Index (EPI) ranks countries based on the quality of their drinking water. Their website can be found here: https://epi.yale.edu/epi-results/2020/component/h2o

I love the views in Grecia and the cooler temps, yet I was not a fan of the steep, winding roads. Yet the higher you go, the cooler it gests. This is pretty much the case all over the Central Valley. Highs can be in the 80s and nights can drop to the 60s-70s, depending on where you are.

I stayed here in Grecia (https://www.tierranuevacostarica.com/) and absolutey LOVED the esperience. The food at the restaurant was so delicious and the owner personable and able to share a lot of info. There is also a weekly expat meet up on Wednesdays at 12 pm at Los Jardines Vivero y Café (https://www.facebook.com/losjardinesgreciacr/?locale=es_LA) -- I would just call to confirm with the restaruant in case the day/time changes.

I stayed here in Atenas (https://hotelcolinasdelsol.com/). It was fine yet a plus was its central location. There is a woman's group in Atenas who has a weekly meet up (https://www.facebook.com/groups/663758784658197?locale=es_LA) and I think the husbands also have a men's meet up.

I consider Atenas and Grecia more expat hubs. I never stayed in Heredia, yet I seem to always drive through it.

I find Facebook groups very helpful when I need to learn more about an area. You also might want to ask questions in these groups:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/128010388878472
https://www.facebook.com/groups/425764764900687
https://www.facebook.com/groups/620448778305789
https://www.facebook.com/groups/517401048358283

I suggest joining us at the CR conference in May this year. It is held in Escazu and contains a wealth of information. And then you could explore the other areas a few days before or after. I find that visiting and meeting people is the best option. Almost everyone I meet who has relocated tells me that they just knew when they visited a certain area that is would be home. Good luck and how exciting! Costa Rica is paradise for many. Come see what you think about it for yourself!

Hi Jerome,
I can relate having lived in the San Francisco area for 12-years. I moved in 2011. I’ve been actively exploring and visiting Portugal and other countries the last few years. I’ve been to Portugal 4 times. I’m seeking a vibrant walakable community with access to culture, great cuisine and fun people. I lived in The Algarve, Portugal for six weeks and loved it. Onto other hidden-gem places. Eager to hear from others here as well.

Hi there—I don't believe that Jeff Opdyke has ever written on this topic. However, I forwarded your question to Ted Baumann, our banking correspondent, and he recommended using Weber Vrijhof Hoffman and partners in Zurich for your gold storage needs. However, he also noted that he prefers to recommend New Zealand Volt, as the transaction costs are lower in New Zealand (compared to those in Switzerland) and the quality of the service is identical.