Something funny is the fact that most of us ticos are doing the same as foreigners. We come from San José, working on the Free Zones and the highly developed areas, and we go to Uvita (and similar places) to build our dream house, and we also have the ability to build the mansions with the infinity pools, and so on. That's why there are so many laws about construction, the need of permits, and so on, so protected areas will stay protected, but we also need to develop the rest of the country, that has very little population. We ticos are very happy with the foreigners and immigrants coming here, we just want them to be part of the community and the country if they want to stay longer than a few days, hopefully to become nationals so they can be part of the democratic process so they can help us even more. Very good video, Ed, thank you for fostering the conversation.

@CostaRicaStory

23 күн бұрын

Yes, I see that too here, the city folks discover places like Uvita on vacation and realize it might not be too hard to make the move, and they can still easily visit family in San Jose.

Completely agree. Those of us considering moving to a new country should think about how we can help the country, people, and environment not just how the country can help us. Or stay home and do the same. :)

@CostaRicaStory

23 күн бұрын

I agree, it is more fulfilling to be part of the community vs just “owning property “

Well said ! Thinking about moving there next year. I am learning Spanish, will purchase a small home already built, and overall will be part of the community , eager to learn the culture ( originally we are from France) and respect everyone . No desire to leave like we live in United States !

@CostaRicaStory

23 күн бұрын

Great outlook on everything 🙂👍

The extranjeros aren't even happy buying a huge house with an infinity pool sold by other extranjeros who spent too much money, found they actually didn't like life here and left. I have met so many rich gringos who just HAVE to build their OWN dreamhouse. And this is how the problem continues and grows.

@CostaRicaStory

23 күн бұрын

Yes, that seems to be the desire of many here .

People who come to Costa Rica, generally choose the southern areas because of it's nature and because it isn't "Little America", and we would like to keep it that way. If you must bring your lifestyle here, look into Tamarindo.

@CostaRicaStory

23 күн бұрын

Well said🙂👍

Let's all work together to keep the Pura Vida... for everyone..🌎🌏

@CostaRicaStory

16 күн бұрын

That is the right positive attitude, we can at least make sure people are playing by the rules!

Totally agree with everything you said. We are not in an expat bubble living or in an expat community. We didn't move here 3 years ago to be with all foreigners. We emersed ourselves into our all local neighborhood and neighbors and have all local friends!! We support our community and our locals and shop at our local farmers market. I don't like whats happening either with the rich gringo's!! We purchased our cute Tico house in our all locals neighborhood after renting one year in different areas of CR. We didn't want to be permanent in the touristy areas especially beach towns that foreigners have basically taken over and isn't the true Costa Rica feel anymore and its sad . Emerse into the country, culture, people and language!! We are guests here even though we migrated here and are residents ! THE MOST IMPORTANT THING is to RESPECT THE LOCALS AND THEIR COUNTRY AND CULTURE. We left our American lifestyles behind us and live like our locals and simple and love it!! Gringos with inflated egos need NOT APPLY or Should not live here because it angers us simple gringos that are Not Rich too and we FEEL for the local people !!!

@CostaRicaStory

23 күн бұрын

I agree, respect for the country and people here is crucial, too many seem to treat living here as an extended vacation with everyone serving them in one way or another.

My siblings and I are visiting this week. Thank you for bringing this problem to our eyes in a gentle way. We definitely need to understand that our presence as tourists isn't always beneficial to locals.

@CostaRicaStory

14 күн бұрын

I thank you for coming to visit, tourist business is vital here and the people here tend to be very welcoming. 🙂👍

I like the calm way you express your thoughts. My perspective as a tico: we can build and live without destroying the nature, the indigenous did it for thousands of years. We gotta improve our relation with nature, not living away of it to avoid harming it. I invite you to creare your own garden, your own private reserve, plant fruit trees, grow bees, preserve the humidity and fertility of the soil, plant medicinal plants. It's not staying away from the nature, it's making it flourish around you. There's people that have birds on a cage, I just have flowers and fruits and I watch hundreds of colorful birds across my window😉👌🏻

@CostaRicaStory

23 күн бұрын

I definitely like the way you think. Thanks for watching.🙂🤙

In the Florida Keyes, If you buy a lot to build a house, you must buy a 2nd lot and donate it to the county to limit building and that lot is forever restricted by zoning. The code restrictions could put limits on home sizes proportionate to how much land your building on. Only allow a certain amount of trees to be cut for "The View". Lots of things they could do. I met a guy around Jaco, who is a TICO with a hillside lot that built a 3/2 and cleared all the land and never even pulled permits. Let that sink in. That is scary. It may start with corrupt governments...who knows

@CostaRicaStory

16 күн бұрын

Yes, I have also heard about some of these sort of things happening in my area. I guess cracking down on the guys that don't play by the rules is one of the first priorities communities should have.

As a tico living abroad. I have experienced this phenomenon especially when flying into Guanacaste. I do appreciate the objectivity of your comments but more importantly, the fact that you are proposing solutions. I feel this is slipping away from the local governments hands and it is affecting the livelihood of some locals. Not hating here because I am an immigrant in the USA, but like you mentioned, we have to try and take care of the home where we live or there will be less and less to enjoy for everyone.

@CostaRicaStory

16 күн бұрын

Well said and I especially appreciate the Tico perspective.👍

¡Bien dicho Mr. Ed!. Con respecto la gentrificación: en realidad no creo que se esté dando, es un argumento político sin sustento cuantitativo demostrado, y en el caso de Uvita, por el contrario hoy hay más locales que antes, pues encuentran oportunidades laborales que antes no tenían… la menor proporción de unos vs los foráneos está dando la ilusión de desplazamiento poblacional. Que se cumplan con las normas de construcción, que se mantengan las proporciones de áreas libres vs áreas construídas en los lotes yyyy que se replanten árboles es la solución. Y ¡ojo!: actuales áreas construidas en Uvita, antes fueron bosques NO naturales sino sembrados para la producción de madera. Bien Mr. Ed., “sacando pecho”, por la comunidad 👏😃👍

Excellent perspective and valuable information. Thank you!

@CostaRicaStory

23 күн бұрын

Thank you sir and thanks for watching🙂👍

We purchased a Condo in an already established community, after much searching for the location that suits us best. We even thought about buying into a Condo being built in Jaco and I'm really glad we didn't for so many reasons. We will be retiring there by the end of the year. We have made a few local friends and a few others, not from here. I speak some Spanish and need to brush up and learn more. You're correct in saying we are Immigrants, because we are. I don't buy into this ExPat talk. I want to intermingle with local culture and to do so in their country you need to be open and try to learn the language and culture.

@CostaRicaStory

16 күн бұрын

Yeah, that "Expat" term is so ridiculous, but I do use it sometimes here for search engine results improvement😅

How about buying an existing property. No new development, just improve what you own.

@CostaRicaStory

23 күн бұрын

That is always a good choice and also takes away the stress of building a home here🙂👍

This subject is something I consider daily. I've been based here for many many years now. I really fell in love with the country and felt good to be here. Much has changed over the years including my own awareness of issues here. Wealth imbalance effects the whole planet but particularly here due to the extremely low wages and lack of increase in minimum wage. The reality being I don't think many places on earth you can support yourself well on minimum wage. This has issue has really grown over the last few years, covid changed so much globally and in Costa Rica many people came causing rental shortages and huge rise in rents. Many of my costarican friends felt they could no longer find an affordable home where they live or even where they grew up. I actually felt similar and during the peak I had to move many times due to it. I will say global cost of living has sky rocketed. In the UK utilities quadrupled in two years. Similar story with food and mortgages etc, many of my friends are struggling to survive there. It's a global issue that is definitely multiplied here due to so many foriegn people moving here and buying land. But it is not exclusive to Costa Rica. The larger costs here include cars etc which is due to almost 100% of the value being added with tax and cost of upkeep on jungle roads. I am in a confusing situation as I finally came to a position of being able to build here and now I have I'm not sure it was the right move. I see the impact of so much development and how it's effecting costa ricans. In fact I feel to sell and perhaps even leave the country. But in doing so I add to the gentrification issue, buying land building then selling it is really a big part of the problem. So what to do. Stay feeling unsure to be here or sell and be part of that issue. I've lived many places here over the years including places with few foriegn people. Now I miss speaking Spanish daily and being part of it all. I see the impact of what is happening but like you I don't see a simple solution.

@CostaRicaStory

16 күн бұрын

Yes, the "Covid Migration" really seems to have accelerated something that was already in motion. I have no illusion about my own role in this all which was my inspiration for this video. I love this country and the people here and consider this home now. At the same time, one of the thingsI do here is to help people move here and find homes here, I introduce people to the area and even work with realtors and property managers. I also know both Tico and Gringo property owners that have asked me to help them market their properties because of my KZread channel. The conclusion I came to for myself after talking with my Costa Rican friends here and looking at it pragmatically was that the changes are going to happen here and I can just do what I can do to add positively to the situation. But the Paradox is there always.

Very thoughtful video thank you. “We are all equal but we are not the same”. ( from a very clever human) Big difference.

@CostaRicaStory

9 күн бұрын

Wise words , thank you🙂👍

Great video bro!

@CostaRicaStory

23 күн бұрын

Gracias JR🙂👍

Thank-You🧘🏽‍♂️this is so true I would love to have a home in Costa Rica… we’re only looking at old homes… I’ll admit I will redo the kitchen and bath but only using Costa Rican materials and local artists as I’m an artist myself… I love the people in Costa Rica ❤ Oh… I do plan to make a screened in porch!! No for me

@CostaRicaStory

16 күн бұрын

I have a feeling your home is going to be beautiful place.🙂

If I were to go to Costa Rica or any other country to live I would just rent a place. I wouldn’t think of buying or building. Moving anywhere for me is just not possible though. I wish I could have done so when I was young. Now it’s too late.

@CostaRicaStory

23 күн бұрын

I agree, renting is the right choice for most people, especially if they are just getting to know an area.

Hey Ed Pura vida Hermano, what I learned in C,R, is to let everything is tomorrow life

@CostaRicaStory

16 күн бұрын

Pura Vida Mae! 🤘

yes, building house in harmony with the nature, well said.

@CostaRicaStory

23 күн бұрын

And often that is also beneficial for the one building and living there👍

Hola Ed and of course, well said! Totally agree. If the move to Costa Rica will be planned one day, I will rent a tiny tico style house or apartment and then, after a certain amount of time, buy some land to only do conservation and ecological housing. No pool, no great stuff. A small wooden cabin will suffice for me, as long as I am becoming a part of that paradise!

@CostaRicaStory

23 күн бұрын

You will be here before you know it and i bet nobody appreciates the wild things here more than you do, including the creepy crawlys.

Thanks. I agree completely.

@CostaRicaStory

23 күн бұрын

Thanks for watching 🙂👍

I think things may slow down soon, if not already. Escalating prices in CR are not going to make it as attractive as it once was. Existing home and condo prices have more than doubled in Coco in the last three years.

@CostaRicaStory

16 күн бұрын

The value of the dollar is pretty low right now, which is slowing down some of the development.

I'm moving to CR next year cause i'm getting married to a Tico and we are definitely not rich ... and I dont plan to bring my french culture there, in my opinion if you move to a country it's to adopt the ways of living and respect it

@CostaRicaStory

16 күн бұрын

It sounds like you have a great attitude about it and that is great to have a local guide you will definitely help the transition!👍

This is a brutally honest, yet heartbreaking video. I visited in 2022 from San Francisco and loved it. I saw the impact before I got there because I did online research during the pandemic heavy years prior. My first thought was( at the most basic critique) rich foreigners buying property and pricing out Costa Ricans. I definitely let out a sigh. Like you said , Ed, you don't know the solution. You are aware that ( for a lack of a better phrase), ..."you are part of the problem." Being that self-aware is a great asset to possess when you are in someone elses' country. Be it as a tourist, visitor, business person or ex-pat. This trend will definitely continue and not for the best. I tried my basic Spanish, and as bad as I was, I was helped, corrected and kidded by Ticos. That was heart-warming. When I was there, I shopped at the farmers market in Quepos and bought meat a local carneceria. All my grocery shopping consisted of South and Central American products. I ate out a little and cooked a little. I was there for a month. If I decide to live there, I would be happy to just rent, surf, eat cheap healthy food, be part of my community and make new friends. I also realise that I may be part of the problem as well. Thanks for your thoughts in this video.

@CostaRicaStory

16 күн бұрын

It is a difficult thing and I deal with this Paradox every day. I know I am part of the problem, but do love this country.

I moved to CostaRica 16 months ago and I’m the only gringo in my area.

@CostaRicaStory

16 күн бұрын

That sounds like a good way to assimilate into the culture and I bet your Spanish keeps getting better and better.👍

There’s a lot of building here in Jaco also. I would rather live here than be in the states even if it’s growing fast. Next time you’re in the Jaco area let’s do lunch.

@CostaRicaStory

23 күн бұрын

Hola Silver Turtle, yes I need to get up there and maybe do a video pronto.

I so agree with you it is the same in the us where people leaving there state going to other states that are more affordable and outpricing locals, sorry about what is happening there

@CostaRicaStory

16 күн бұрын

It seems like there was a world wide post Covid migration that is still happening

I would try to get close to the people that are elected to office and try to have their ear . Convincing the local officials is critical to maintaining the environment that they are all living in. Humans ( especially Americans ) seem to just make a mess of things Lol's

@CostaRicaStory

16 күн бұрын

That is a good way to think about it, things that you can do to make people play by the rules. Enforcement of regulations here seems to also be a problem.sometimes

It’s tough, I remember back road old country Hawaii in the early-mid 80s & none of that remains. But your not gonna stand in the way of that progression either. Just hope for some kind of common sense control over the madness & enjoy the ride.

@CostaRicaStory

23 күн бұрын

Agreed, that “progress” is always moving, never resting.

Sorry Florida is full ! 😂

@CostaRicaStory

23 күн бұрын

That didn’t take long either😅

What are the non-profits in Costa Rica?

@CostaRicaStory

16 күн бұрын

www.amigosofcostarica.org/affiliates

Hey Ed PURA VIDA AMIGO Another Morning Breakfast Coffee Video 👍☕, your right 100%+, when your in Rome you do like the Romans, when your in Costa Rica you do. Like the TICOS, i'm m living a simple PURA VIDA LIFE, with my Tica WIFE, in our simple life in Nandayure Carmona Guanacaste C,R, my Tica wife family and the Ticos LOVES me , and i love them, and i Love my 👍LIGA❤, and the only thing I don't LIKE is that soccer team Sapirrisa 😜,

@CostaRicaStory

23 күн бұрын

Pura vida Eduardo and it sounds like you are living it and not just saying the words🙂🤙Salude☕️☕️