Lake properties

Costa Rica is lucky in many respects and real estate is the last to complain. Due to the location of the country and its terrain most of the properties are situated in the best and the most beautiful places. It has already got the name of the country rich in white sand beaches, crystal clear turquoise water, shores covered with jungles and abundance of exotic wildlife. That is why it is so attractive for the individuals from the U.S., Canada, and Europe willing to buy property here. The country is developing at a gradual pace and offers a great variety of investment opportunities. There are land and property projects now available at reasonable prices, but it is expected that they soon will reach the level of the ones in the developed countries.

Costa Rica is mostly known for its beaches but it can offer much more. Lake Arenal region is becoming nowadays one of the most in demand when it comes to property. There are a lot of people who decide to purchase real estate here and either to use it as an investment option or to settle down here. At the present moment Lake Arenal area is one of the hottest markets for real estate in Costa Rica and it is able to offer plenty of variants available for sale at reasonable prices. Moreover, its proximity to Liberia Airport and Juan Santamaria International Airport adds to the benefits of the location.

The Arenal area is noted for its perfectly conical Arenal Volcano (that is 5,610 ft high and is seen almost from everywhere) and Lake Arenal. The lake itself represents a unique 50 square mile pure fresh water reservoir located in the mountains at the elevation of about 1500 feet. It is one of the most marvelous places in the whole Central America and it is as undiscovered as it is beautiful. The area is also differs in climate from the rest of the country. It is much cooler here (the average temperature is around 75 degrees) and the greenery is lusher; the area is also almost not bothered by the insects.

The surrounding areas of Arenal Volcano, Lake Arenal, and La Fortuna are considered at the present moment one of the most dynamically developing areas in the country. Certain prospective and already in the making projects include 750 new hotel rooms and this is a very promising prediction of the future success.

The area of lake Arenal is relatively recently discovered as a potential real estate market niche and therefore the prices on property here so far are more than reasonable. The Central Valley, San Jose and the coastal areas have been popular much longer and therefore offer the properties considerably more valuable in price and in many cases badly planned. Let along that the areas themselves are crowded, frequently jammed with traffic and already acquired the flavor of overdevelopment.

In this area there are still available quite large parcels of land with springs and rivers on the territory, and even lake and volcano views – all for as little as $4000 per acre. But the closer the land is to a small town the higher the price. The same happens when the land gets subdivided and developed. What concerns already developed residential areas, the prices here range between $15 and $50 per square meter. Some of these areas represent gated communities with swimming pools, tennis courts, and even stables and private docks.

A moderate tico home can be available here at $45,000. Such homes are generally located in close proximity to town and represent a good bargain as they are down in costs if a buyer desires a modernization according to the American standards.

What concerns a state-of-art American style home, say, on a half acre lot that provides a view of the volcano and the lake, the price will range around $100,000 and higher. There are plenty of various properties all to your liking, be it large parcels of land with a house or gated community house, or else.

But the area does not end here. Neighboring with lake Arenal but situated a little higher there is lake Cote. It is 3 square kilometer wide and has a shape of a heart. It is very, very deep and has a spirit of mystery. No one knows how deep it is in reality and the attempt of the famous Jaques Costeau to measure it with sonar or by other means failed. It was discovered only that the lake is a chute of an extinct volcano so deep and twisted that sonar is unusable.

The northern shore of the lake is a part of the National Park with its all primeval nature and appeal. What concerns the property surrounding lake Cote, it is all private. Fifty years ago European immigrants to Costa Rica purchased the entire southern part of the lake and the surrounding area of the lake. The land under their possession comprised thousands of acres and with time passing it was subdivided and sold by parcels.

Along with lake Arenal, lake Cote is considered the cleanest and freshest water reservoir found in Costa Rica and one of the purest and chaste wild lakes in Central America. This and the fact, that nowadays it is really a hard to find property with a view of lake Cote and even harder with the access to it, makes such properties a rare treat and therefore more valuable.

One more lake, Cano Negro, should be also mentioned. It is considered one of the hardest places to reach and travel on your own. It is situated in Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge, an area of lowlands with a great variety of fauna, especially waterfowl and other birds. It is a paradise for bird-watchers especially from mid-November to April. But even in a dry season there is something to look at.

RAMSAR convention has defined Cano Negro as a wetland of international importance. The Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge is situated in the province of Alajuela in the counties of Los Chiles and Guatuso. At present inexpensive trips to Cano Negro from all over the country become available due to the improved of roads. But, notwithstanding the fact that the place is gaining popularity quickly, there is still accommodation problem. And it is normal so far for tourists to reach the refuge by taking day trips from La Fortuna where there are plenty of hotels and infrastructure more developed.