The Costa Rican dream: Buy or Build?

  • 4 years ago
  • Blog
  • 1

After the decision has been made to live the Pura Vida life, you probably now face the difficult decision of buying or building.

As with any other relevant decision in life, all choices have its pros and cons, they need to be studied in order to get the right resolution. But maybe having someone with experience giving you some thoughts to better understand what may suit your needs can help.

Location

Location is very much tied up with the lifestyle you have. Beach town, mountain or beach, they are all different and all of them will have different tradeoffs. Make sure you understand where you want to be so that it fits your lifestyle.

Tradeoffs in wish list

It is a very important part to have a wish list of the characteristics you are looking for in your new home. Having a clear list of all your needs in hand will save you a lot of time and money. Equally important is to understand what you are willing to give up and what not, for example: A smaller kitchen for a much bigger outdoor area? View vs more proximity to beach? Regardless of what it is, make sure you understand what points are a must have and which ones you can live without.

Buying

One of the benefits is time, especially if you want to begin the experience. Many are the motives that lead the way for a decision on a home. Sometimes is a reward, sometimes reason, investment…other times the heart just speaks! Time invested to find your dream home can be highly compensating.

Another benefit of purchasing a home is the immediate perception of what it is, fully tangible. What you see is what you get. Plus, there can always be room for improvement. Renovations can be a possibility but there is nothing like finding that one property that steals your heart, it is always exciting to buy a home or any other piece of property!

Building

Perhaps the most rewarding option? The one in which you create the greater value for the property. It is also the option which requires the most analysis. There are many sites as opportunity, but its important to understand how different our zoning is. Appropriate representation from a real estate point of view plus legal understanding of specific particularities is crucial.

The time element is also very important. Having aligned expectations and objectives regarding time in construction before your home is done will avoid frustration and will make the outcome much more sweeter.

All relevant decisions in life have their own story.  Real Estate sure is a relevant decision  in all people lives!  Just the fact that you may be considering owning property in Costa Rica makes it already exciting in many ways.  Find the correct guidance and make sure to understand your most important areas needed to reach your objective.  From then on, enjoy the process.  

Share with me how you think I could help with your Costa Rican real estate journey.

Compare listings

Compare