Product Description

Here are some the topics covered: Actual accounts and anecdotes of foreign resident's experiences here. Live for less than you ever dreamed possible and enjoy all the amenities of home How to make the break and start a new exciting life How to really make money in Cosa Rica-surefire information for investing and starting a business How to choose where to live Tips for buying bargain property or buying a home Access to affordable health care Secrets for success in Costa Rica and profiles of those who have done it How to make new friends and even find love and romance 1000's of activities for staying busy and happy Tax savings for foreign residents Shortcuts for learning Spanish Plus loads of "insider" information and all the ins and outs do's and don'ts of living and investing in Costa Rica.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #62149 in Books
• Published on: 2007-05-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 557 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781881233657
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Review
"Here is the primer for retirees or anyone searching for a foreign home." -- Jerry Flemmons, Travel Editor, Fort Worth Star-Telegram

"Reading this book is like having lived in Costa Rica. Mr. Howard brings his readers a book that will become a classic." -- Shirley Miller, Costa Rican Outlook newsletter

"The Golden Door to Retirement and Living in Costa Rica offers helpful advice to any would-be resident of Costa Rica." -- Mary Ellen Botter, Travel Editor, Denver Post

"This easy-to-read guide is essential reading for those thinking of living in the 'Switzerland of the Americas." -- Carol Weir, Costa Rica Today

From the Publisher
This book is a unique and useful resource book for potential retirees. The good and bad of living in a foreign country. The author, Christopher Howard writes for Costa Rica Today newspaper, the Costa Rican Outlook newsletter and the Costa Rican Residents Association's bimonthly magazine, La Voz. He is the only author of any of the guidebooks about Costa Rica who actually lives there full-time. It is not surprising, therefore, that he is considered the foremost expert on all areas of living and retirement in the country.

Over the years he and his collaborator, Lambert James, gathered a great amount of accurate information relating to retirement and living in Costa Rica. It is not surprising that they have first-hand knowledge and insight into all aspects of Costa Rica's culture, it's people and its government. The ninth edition has been updated and increased in size to contain the abundance of new and exciting information about Costa Rica's potential as a retirement haven.

From the Author
Over the last fourteen years my guide has helped 1000's of people find success and happiness in beautiful Costa Rica.

My primary goal has been to continuously provide the most accurate information possible to all of my readers. I want them to come experience all of the magic this incredible country has to offer.

Customer Reviews

THE DOOR IS NOT SO GOLDEN
My wife and I read Christopher Howard's book (2X each), and found that it is overly commercial (with local CR advertising), poorly organized, has an over-emphasis on purchasing property and housing in Costa Rica without prioritizing renting first to see if you can, as an ex-pat, handle living in the culture of a foreign country. Howard's claim that you can "Live for less than you ever dreamed possible and enjoy all of the amenities of home." is vague and misleading, albeit repetitiously stated by most promoters of Costa Rica from authors to list-owners on CR blogs. Howard's claim that "Central Valley...Decent affordable housing ranges from $50,000 to $100,00..." is more often than not in "Gringoville" areas. American-built and developed housing is definitely emphasized. Tico neighborhoods are not. In fact, the statement that CR is such a cheap place to live is a plainly false, and unfortunately, a myth that represents most of what makes up Costa Rica today. The fact is that CR is fast losing it's luster (which it certainly once had) for being a lower cost of living country compared to the US. Americanized Housing and property developments are going up almost daily, promoted mostly by Americans and the prices are increasing all of the time. In areas like Escazu, Santa Ana, San Rafael, Tamarindo and many others, prices often exceed property values in the US. These "Gringoville" areas are promoted by Howard. Alternatively, what happened to the small 2 bedroom 1 bath or 2 bath houses in a middle class Tico neighborhood? These little homes are rich with Tico culture and are often safer crime-wise than the American, gated enclaves. Many Tico houses are well built and established with beautiful yards, plants and flowers.
Howard's book has good points. There are valuable listings in the midst of of the commercial advertising. Information about immigration and legal matters for obtaining residency is overly simplified, but certainly worth reading. The book is good, it's got a lot in it, but if you plan to live in Costa Rica, you need to read more. You need to get the skinny on the real Costa Rica which is the land of Ticos and not Americans.

Good resources for the aspiring Tico
If you're interested in additional, recent, close to the ground reportage on living in CR, The Tico Times publishes an annual report in english on living in CR with an expat focus. It's avail on the Tico times website, on the subscribe page.

The Tour is as Good as the Book!
I found this guide to be just what I needed to prepare for the move to Costa Rica. However, the most valuable part of the book was the information about the relocation-retirement tours the author offers. I took the tour and it change my life and convinced me to move to Costa Rica. It enabled me to make valuable contacts, meet others who had moved to Costa Rica and provided me with information to supplement the book.

If I had not purchased the book I would have never found out about the fabulous tour.