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 The Costa Rica Forum
 Living in Costa Rica
 Safe to move there?
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| Author | Topic: Safe to move there? |
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dillonbeachmum Recent Member Posts: 1 |
posted 04-18-2008 07:20 PM
  
I have been surfing the internet for weeks trying to find a great place to move. I understand we should go down and look around first but am trying to narrow it down. I am starting to feel a bit frustrated. We are a nice eco-friendly family looking to relocate to this beautiful place. I am starting to hear more bad stuff and do not know what to beleive anymore. We have 2 little girls. We DO want to live in a nice house within 20 minutes of the beach, with a pool. But we are also wanting to learn the language and culture that make this place great. Is it safe? I just heard a woman tell me armed robbery is abundant if you live in a fancy house. So, she says to live modestly. Do we have to not buy a great house and pretend we are poor? We are not out to screw ticos and take their land for profit. We want more quality of life and time with our children. Is this or is it not possible there? I have also noticed a lot of gringo haters on here because we are ruining everything apparently. Do we really need to "watch our backs"? Maybe I should think of Belize or somewhere else. I thought Costa Rica was the Switzerland of central america. Doen't that mean peaceful. I hate to be so jaded already, I just really want to know the truth. Can anyone out there help me..please. Thanks, angela |
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Ashtafinca Full Member Posts: 32 |
posted 04-19-2008 01:05 AM
HI Angela, Everywhere in the world there are dangerous areas and others safer...Same here...Back home also we knew better then to leave our house without neighbour watch or alarm system...Even in our basements then we had put bars on the windows..I would have never let my children when they were young to wonder around the "safe" neighbourhood without me being present... Lory |
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mediatica Full Member Posts: 150 |
posted 04-20-2008 10:15 AM
Angela: I agree with Ashtafina. Realize, that just like anywhere in the world, some areas are going to be safer than others. I feel perfectly safe where I live (about 20 minutes outside of Tamarindo). We live in a beach area that is still remote feeling, but relatively close to services. I have an infant son who was born here and will grow up here and I really couldn't think of raising him back in Florida. I never get the feeling that people don't like us (I am half Costa Rican/ Half American) and they are actually quite warm and welcoming. I have lived in a secure community in a single family home for a couple of years, that is considered nice (although I don't think luxury) and we've never been robbed, and we all feel perfectly secure. No matter where you live in Costa Rica, it's best to have someone stay at your home if you plan on not being there for more than a day or so. Just my opinion. Costa Rica is a great place for kids and to live, but it's not for everyone. You just need to come down and make sure it's a fit for you and your family. Best of luck to you! ------------------ |
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CRFAN Full Member Posts: 273 |
posted 04-21-2008 03:26 AM
Been here for 25 yrs and still loving it.Doubts and questions ,drop me an email at: ransverdes05@yahoo.com |
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andrew4cr Full Member Posts: 18 |
posted 04-29-2008 03:19 AM
I've lived in San Ramon in the Central Valley for 3+ years now and I find it to be very safe. You just need to take the usual precautions as you would anywhere. I run a relocation tour called "Boomers in Costa Rica" and we cover this in the course of our tours as well as how to relocate here, buy real estate, find good areas to live in and more. Our website is: http://www.boomersincostarica.com Thanks, Andrew |
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Don Jose' Recent Member Posts: 1 |
posted 04-30-2008 03:35 AM
Sorry Angela to be a fly in the ointment, but I suspect you already know those " Everything is Wonderful" replies are somewhat naive. I am a late 60's retired bachelor who first started looking for a " dream retirement" in Costa Rica in 1992. It didn't take me long to discover the negatives,..and believe me, I didn't go down there looking for them. No hype here, - just the facts as I found them. Over the years I noticed that " The Have-Nots" were increasing in direct proportion to the increase in " The Have's", ( us ). We are easy to spot, and over time, your odds of being victimized will increase, - no comparison whatsoever to the US or other first world country. I am still amazed by the ajenda driven people, ( realtors, home-owners trying to sell, and still starry-eye new arrivals ), who repeatedly state that " Crime is everywhere, back home we even had crime, couldn't leave our home empty in the US, etc." What these dolts fail to mention is THE FREQUENCY,..the percentage of crimes. No rocket scientist needed to see through that line of reasoning. I've visited Costa Rica over 15 times since '92, ( last trip a month ago ), and have always left my Florida home empty and returned to find it untouched, - each and every time ! Try that with a home in Costa Rica. I have seen first hand, the progression over the years and regrettably cancelled my plans to retire there. I was lucky, I held off actually moving. My litany of sorrowful experiences: I myself was mugged and robbed three times over 16 years; fell victim to a crooked real estate lawyer on a lot that I bought, then sold, ( lost $2,500 in phony closing costs + he postponed the closing for 4 months because he took my purchase money and bought a Mexican CD that was returning $3,000/mo to him); met the 58 yr old American widow who had her home broken into 4 times in 4 years, ( last time during broad daylight while she was home ); a buddy who did retire there in 2006, and was assaulted and robbed as he left a bank, again in mid afternoon, 9 months after relocating ; a gringo couple I met who had their home broken into and cleaned out only 2 weeks after they left for a visit back to the US, ( even had the light fixtures and wood doors unscrewed ),..plus too many other incidents to list here. All the three gringos mentioned above have since sold their homes and returned to the US. Oh, forgot to mention the soon to be escallating real estate taxes, ( google AM Costa Rica online newsletter, - Dec 10th or 20th, 2007 ), - the days of low real estate taxes in Costa Rica will soon be over, - ($300/yr to $6,000/yr typical ) I won't even go into the pollution I saw in Tarcoles, Punta Leona and Sierpe. I now just visit ocassionally keeping my eyes open,..much less chance of being victimized. Bottom line, the term " Buyer Beware", really applies there. |
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mediatica Full Member Posts: 150 |
posted 04-30-2008 04:57 PM
Don Jose: I would like to state, at least for me, there is no hidden agenda. I have been giving my friendly 2 cents for a while on this chat forum. I meant what I said: I have a baby boy, love where I live, and feel safe. This is simply one girl's honest point of view. It sounds to me like you really had a string of bad luck. I am sorry to hear that all happened to you...I can only imagine how you must have felt. I can say the ONE time (and this happened one year ago) I was 'victimized' was when my parked car had one of its tires slashed. However, my husband and I caught the person in the act. Needless to say, this happened in Alajuela, in a 'nice' area. I try to blend in, not hang in bad areas, and be aware of my surroundings. Having said that, I don't walk around scared. I can also truly say that of all the family I have that live here, the crimes that have happened (cell phone thefts, purse theft and a home robbery) ALL Happened in the central valley. You may want to point out that crime does indeed happen anywhere and everywhere in CR, but the majority (and I am sure you will agree) occur in the populated Central Valley. Next on the list, the Populated Beach towns of Jaco and Tamarindo. There is a huge divide between the halves and half nots here as well. Unfortunately the thing about CR is that the middle class is not as well established as it used to be. This is why the importance of living somewhere gated is important. I guess it is something you give up to be here. Needless to say, there is no Utopia. CR is not it. Neither is Florida. I lived in Tampa and Phoenix for years and had my home broken into. So much for that ADT System! The point: Everyone will have their point of view. Those who have been victimized will obviously bad mouth the country. Those who have not, still paint a rosy picture. As I said earlier, CR is not a utopia. If you know of such a place, fill me in. CR is still great in some people's eyes. ------------------ |
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mediatica Full Member Posts: 150 |
posted 04-30-2008 05:00 PM
Don Jose: I would like to state, at least for me, there is no hidden agenda. I have been giving my friendly 2 cents for a while on this chat forum. I meant what I said: I have a baby boy, love where I live, and feel safe. This is simply one girl's honest point of view. It sounds to me like you really had a string of bad luck. I am sorry to hear that all happened to you...I can only imagine how you must have felt. I can say the ONE time (and this happened one year ago) I was 'victimized' was when my parked car had one of its tires slashed. However, my husband and I caught the person in the act. Needless to say, this happened in Alajuela, in a 'nice' area. I try to blend in, not hang in bad areas, and be aware of my surroundings. Having said that, I don't walk around scared. I can also truly say that of all the family I have that live here, the crimes that have happened (cell phone thefts, purse theft and a home robbery) ALL Happened in the central valley. You may want to point out that crime does indeed happen anywhere and everywhere in CR, but the majority (and I am sure you will agree) occur in the populated Central Valley. Next on the list, the Populated Beach towns of Jaco and Tamarindo. There is a huge divide between the halves and half nots here as well. Unfortunately the thing about CR is that the middle class is not as well established as it used to be. This is why the importance of living somewhere gated is important. I guess it is something you give up to be here. Needless to say, there is no Utopia. CR is not it. Neither is Florida. I lived in Tampa and Phoenix for years and had my home broken into. So much for that ADT System! The point: Everyone will have their point of view. Those who have been victimized will obviously bad mouth the country. Those who have not, still paint a rosy picture. As I said earlier, CR is not a utopia. If you know of such a place, fill me in. CR is still great in some people's eyes. ------------------ |
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jdocop Full Member Posts: 431 |
posted 05-01-2008 01:54 AM
Let me second what MT has said. Just because that one person (Don Jose) had bad experiences, does not mean that everyone who moves to CR will have bad experiences. As has been said over and over, on this, and other, forums, a huge percentage (greater than 40%, I believe) of those gringos who move to CR, decide to leave within the first year or two. CR is NOT for everyone, so whoever wants to think about it should go there many, many times, and try to spend as much time in the country as possible. But, imho, anyone who wants to live in the Central Valley, on near those beach towns MT mentioned, is just asking for trouble. |
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