Years ago when a client's only bullheadedness concern was getting in the top five at Google under a few very major Costa Rica keywords, I said to myself, Oh boy, here we go again! I had to shake my head. It took me about six months (after his keywords hit the top five) for him to realize, even if keywords are good way to drive traffic to ones websites, it is not the only way. In my … [Read more...]
Atenas, Costa Rica – Retirement and Vacation Community
04/04/2011 by 5 Comments
In 2004 my family and I decided to make our first trip to Costa Rica as a “research” mission to see if the Central America country would be a good candidate to purchase a vacation and/or retirement home. I had met Gerardo Gonzalez-Porras back in the Florida (part owner of Pure Life Development), and being Tico he had told many stories about but would never embellish too much, wanting each … [Read more...]
Are Costa Ricans Influenced by Technology? – Tech Poll
03/07/2011 by 1 Comment
A couple of months ago the above question was asked in Yahoo answers, and even if we answered, "yes,” and gave our reason(s), we were totally surprised that one answered, "NO." Our second surprise, it was voted best answer! Hummm ... pretty clear those people had no idea of Costa Rica's technology growth, or probably still think Costa Rica is still a, Third World Country. Five years ago, … [Read more...]
Fast Food in Costa Rica – Junk Food & Poster Child for Ad Pollution
02/09/2011 by 3 Comments
I can not remember when the first US fast food joint opened up in Costa Rica, but when it did, I first thought, "Well, there goes a country." And since that time (I/m thinking around 1982 and a McDonalds) the tiny Central American country has been overrun with American’s fast food joints. Cruising San Jose, and driving the main drag in Jaco, and even in San Jose Airport , I swear nowadays, … [Read more...]
Costa Rica’s Future – US Marines, Drugs, Investments, Tourism, and Oil
07/19/2010 by 8 Comments
Last week our email box was pretty much filled with, “Why the US Marines were invading Costa Rica?” Even at our Facebook account, a few commented on right-wing political BS, “It's all about the oil, about building a military base in Costa Rica, and of keeping an eye on all the other dangerous countries around like Venezuela." However, I would like to comment on the one of the insanely … [Read more...]
Costa Rica Newspaper Will Publish Sales Tax Defaulters
06/24/2010 by 1 Comment
Sometime next week Expats that have not paid sales tax (or other taxes) may find themselves in an embarrassing situation; this is when their names will be published in El Financiero, the weekly business newspaper put out by Grupo Nación. Currently there are 1000s of Expats who own small businesses that vary from B & Bs, eco-tourism, gift shops, online sales, travel agents, real estate etc. … [Read more...]
Attorneys Win, Investors Lose in Costa Rica’s Villalobos Suit
05/22/2010 by 7 Comments
We posted back in Aug, 2009 (Government Get Sued) and Dec, 2009 (Investors Suing Costa Rica Government) thats when the Canadian investors formed a group to sue the government of Costa Rica in an attempted to recoup money lost in the Villalobos Ponzi scheme they would probably lose ... they did in arbitration this past week. About 200 creditors had organized (out of the 6000 who had … [Read more...]
Costa Rica Gold Mine Opens – Sparks Protests on International Earth Day
04/20/2010 by 6 Comments
The Costa Rican Supreme Court (Sala IV) ruled last Friday that a small Canadian mining company can proceed with its open-pit gold mine, striking down complaints from environmental groups that the project was destroying virgin forest. "After reviewing the official studies we did not find that this mining project will negatively affect the environment. So the project will go ahead," Vanlly … [Read more...]
Building a House in Costa Rica – Eco Friendly
04/06/2010 by 14 Comments
If you are considering building or investing in a home in Costa Rica then you will find these articles both useful and informative. When I first began my primer steps, I searched the internet and papers and bulletins for information to give me direction and was not able to find any unbiased or truth or experienced information. So as an experienced contractor of 30 years in Canada, USA, and … [Read more...]
Costa Rica Investment – Real Estate, Retire and Live
02/01/2010 by 14 Comments
My first time in Jaco (about 20 years ago) it was a sleepy and traditional Costa Rican town that did not even have a stop light. Three years ago the skyline was filled with high-rise construction on the feeding frenzy of developers and speculators investing in property. However, that has changed, most investors are doing damage-control, regrouping and wondering how to deal in the slump of the real … [Read more...]
Qatar’s Investment In Costa Rica – Emir’s Arrivial
01/22/2010 by 2 Comments
With China investing heavily in Costa Rica in the last few years, it appears that the Middle East country of Qatar may be taking an investment interest in Costa Rica also. The ruler of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, is now in Costa Rica and staying at, The Four Seasons on the Papagayo peninsula. The hotel's ownership is heavily Saudi Arabian and it is the place for those with Muslim … [Read more...]
Alico To Sell Insurance In Costa Rica – INS Competition
10/06/2009 by Leave a Comment
It seems that CAFTA may be working ... for over 50 years, American Life Insurance Company has been dedicated to working families in Canada and the US won conditional approval this week to sell insurance in Costa Rica. This company will operate under the name of Alico Costa Rica and the license is requested for the sale of policies in the category of personal insurance, including life, … [Read more...]
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