Of course, when you go to another country (to travel or work), you have to find a place to stay. And absolutely everyone wants to find a suitable and comfortable place to live. But the already stressful situation may be exacerbated by factors such as language barriers and lack of knowledge of local regulations and laws.
Without a doubt, Costa Rica is one of the favorite places for visitors. But in order for the impressions of the country to remain positive, you need to approach the rental of housing with maximum responsibility.
Sources of property search
Overall, Costa Rica offers a large number of houses and apartments for rent to both residents and foreigners. Moreover, for long-term rental housing, visitors only need to have a tourist visa.
Probably, the most popular option for searching for property is the Internet. However, this method is not always safe and you may encounter scammers. Therefore, it is very important to book accommodation on trusted sites, as well as pay attention to customer reviews. Furthermore, another problem may be that the photos on the Internet do not always match reality.
Also, local residents, local newspaper advertisements are pretty good sources. And of course, real estate agencies can save a lot of time and help in this difficult matter.
Important points you should know before renting
As in any other country, in Costa Rica, before renting you should take into account such points:
- Determine the period for which you want to rent housing. Usually, for long-term rentals, the cost is cheaper. But there is one condition: you must live there for 1 year or more. Meanwhile, if you sign a contract for more than one year, you can get a discount from the landlord.
- There are rental options for furnished and unfurnished housing. At the same time, you need to understand that a house with no furniture means that there are no washing machine and refrigerator. In comparison, furnished properties include furniture, cutlery, and even bed linen. But the cost is much higher.
- The rental agreement is most often drawn up in Spanish. Accordingly, you need to be especially careful and, if necessary, contact a translator or a qualified lawyer.
- When renting a home, in addition to a passport, the landlord may ask you to provide proof of the necessary finances and references from past landlords.
- Be ready to pay a deposit. It is equal to one month of cost.
Termination of a rental agreement
In case you want to terminate the lease earlier than 1 year, usually, the amount of the deposit is not refunded. But, if you have lived in a house for at least one year, you have every right to demand a deposit back.
Payment of utility bills
Basically, the landlord pays for utilities for housing additionally. This usually includes heating, water, and electricity. It will cost about $ 75 per month. However, the amount depends on the size of the property and the number of rooms. But also, some landlords include utilities in the rent.
It is worth noting that in order to pay for utilities, you must be a legal resident of Costa Rica. Therefore, most landlords keep the utilities in their name.
An important point is that utilities are always billed a month later. Hence, you will start paying them only from the next month from the date of arrival.
Rental price
First of all, rental real estate in Costa Rica is almost half cheaper than in the United States. So for example, if you want to rent a one-bedroom apartment in the center of San Jose, it will cost about $ 500 a month. Accordingly, in other regions, the cost will be lower. Moreover, the cheapest place to rent in the country is the mountains. This is due to the fact that in most cases foreigners prefer a beach holiday.
