Q: Is Costa Rica Safe?
A: Costa Rica is a safe, stable country but like every country you still need to be careful. The most common crimes against tourists are pick-pocketing and breaking into rental cars. The emergency number is 911.
Q: Health Consideration: Is it safe to drink the water in Cost Rica? What are the recommended immunizations?
A: The water is fine in nearly all locations. Official surveys point to 99% of urban residents and 92% of rural residents having access to suitable water. However, we recommend that you drink bottled water; it is readily available and cheap. The following websites from official U.S. Government Agencies can provide further information about health immunizations: http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinationcostarica.aspx, http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1093.html
Q: Is it necessary to speak Spanish in Costa Rica?
A: It is certainly useful to speak some basic Spanish, but the vast majority of English speaking tourists find it easy to get by without it in the major cities and tourist destinations.
Q: What currency is used in Costa Rica?
A: The Costa Rica currency is called Colon. US dollars are accepted almost universally although you will likely be given local currency in exchange. Major tourist areas accept dollars, as do most hotel and travel related businesses. Be aware that some places may not accept credit cards or will charge a premium.
A: All of Costa Rica is in the same time zone of Greenwich Mean Time minus 6 hours (GMT-6). However, Costa Rica does not have daylight savings time, therefore it varies between U.S. Central Time during winter months, and U.S. Mountain Time in the summer.
Q: How do I call Costa Rica From the U.S and vice versa?
A: Dialing international from the U.S you must first dial 011 then, Costa Rica’s Area Code of 506. Costa Rica has 8 digits there after. The first number is either 8 for a mobile or 2 for a landline. The next three are usually the location/town you are calling. The phone number would typically look something like this:
011+506+8 (or 2) +the 7 digit phone number.
Follow the same process to call The U.S. from Costa Rica, the only difference is the international number, is 001.
Q: What airports service this area?
A: The nearest airport is San Jose (SJO), which is less than 2 hours away and Liberia (LIR) is a little over 2 hours away by car.
Q: Can our unit be rented?
A: Yes, as long as the rules of the Home Owners Association (HOA) are abided by.
Q: Do we have to furnish our unit?
A: The developer can assist you in furnishing either your house or condominium unit.
Q: Is there an association?
A: Yes, there is a full Home Owners Association (HOA).
Q: Are there restrictions on foreigners owning property or units in Cost Rica?
A: There are no restrictions.
Q: Is title insurance and financing available?
A: Title insurance can be provided through an American company called, Stewart Title (www.stewart.com.) There are several financing options available. Please contact us directly for more information.
Q: Is Costa Rica’s Government Stable?
A: Yes. They are the strongest allies for the United States in Central America. They are a democracy and have a very stable government. Costa Rica is the only country in the western hemisphere without an army, which it abolished in 1949, and reallocating the defense budget to education and healthcare.