Thought on Doing a Development in Costa Rica

By Robert Shannon

Costa Rica is a Brand name known world wide and it follows we need to be very focused on product we offer in the Real Estate business. We have gone through some excellent times over the past years and have seen a explosive growth.

Often when places experience this kind of fast expansion, some things fall apart that should be monitored closely, especially in a beautiful country like Costa Rica. With this kind of growth in a small republic, certain things get overlooked or can’t be managed in this kind of fast growth environment.

With 65,000,000 Baby Boomers come on line and Costa Rica being a prime destination for retiring Americans we need to be more focused than ever before on product and quality that demonstrates good relative value.

Since all projects evolve from raw land, it is impossible to not fall under some very strict environmental guidelines that govern the density, height and in fact what can actually be built. Costa Rica is now probably one of the most advanced in developing these guidelines. This will benefit everyone that buys a home in Costa Rica now and for generation to come.

Residents of Costa Rica judiciously guard their pristine forests. Most people, whether city dwellers or country folk feel this way. Even newcomers get caught up in it sooner or later. Just the sound of a chainsaw starting will often bring people out of their homes to check things out. Often the sustainability in Costa Rica is the very reason they come here to live.

In the recent past some bad things have happened that attracted the interest of the government agencies designed to preserve our ecology. These agencies such as Minai, Setena and the municipalities are very committed to preservation of our ecology systems. Once they uncovered violations that had been happening for some time, the acted with dispatch and shut down all the projects that were in violation and as well discharged certain individuals for approving them. This was part of the boom time where there were more permit applications awaiting approvals than staff to handle them.

The recent problems that were uncovered has been a force for good because the guidelines are now very clear, and as a result, following the steps makes approvals much faster. This creates more incentive for the developer and certainly a more secure feeling for the purchaser of homes and condos.

To do a development in Costa Rica today, the preliminary studies are of importance to the developer as well as they form the guide as to what the can do in an area and the map for presenting their application to the agencies for approval. Following the map gets the approval out in a short time now compared to the past.

This book outlines the processes and gives you insight to how easy and proper things can be done. At the end of the day, with all my experience, I wouldn’t trade it for my relationship with a great knowledgeable environmental Engineer to handle the process.

If you are contemplating a home in Costa Rica, you can be assured that the focus on doing things correctly has changed the landscape for ever.

If a Country and it residents are not committed to sustainability like Costa Rica, then the old dicho (expression) apply like “it’s better to ask forgiveness than permission” Not so here.

Robert Shannon, Marketing Director
Costa Rica Development Properties
Telephone: 506 2293=2446 Toll free 1-888-581-1786
Web: http://www.costaricaretirementvacationproperties.com/cr_land.php