I got asked the other day what the opening of the new Matapalo Police station has to do with real estate, and by extension, why is it mentioned in my “Costa Rica real estate” blog? Well, I’ll tell you – it all starts with land.
I was told some time ago about a dinner party here in The Zone where the host got up on to a table and announced: “I would like for all conversations about real estate to stop. If you are unable to comply, please leave.” It is reported that the room went quiet.
Granted, this was back in “the day” – back when fortunes were being made on the buying and selling of land here in The Zone. Such conversations are not nearly as prevalent now as back then, but they are certainly a daily occurrence in my life, and I suspect that many here would make the same statement.
I contend that all news comes around to affecting, or being affected by land. If you are interested in moving here, migrating, retiring, or simply, to visiting here, the topic of property and its value will enter the picture. The managing of crime has a direct impact on the value of property.
As do:
- tourism
- currency
- climate
- water
- taxes
- animals
- roads
- laws
- residency
- language
- culture
- etc…
I don’t want to have this bulleted list go down through your floor, so the”etc…” embodies all the rest. This list is based on my time spent talking with people who want to move or migrate to here.
Returning to Matapalo: it is receiving a steady flow of foreigners moving in as re-locators, migrators, and investors. They did not have a police station there before, so it could be reasoned that any self respecting thief would view that area as the place to be and to ply their trade. The presence of a police station has a positive effect on this scenario. One would then surmise that the value of land there will hold steady or perhaps increase.
Along with some of the other appealing amenities: screaming views, proximity to both Manuel Antonio and Dominical, proximity to a gorgeous, unpopulated and miles long beach, quiet living in Costa Rica’s tropical jungle, you can now add “enhanced security due to the presence of a police station”. My question: how can a Costa Rica real estate blog not mention such a thing?
Currency: The exchange rate of the colon versus the dollar. One of the hot topics going on right now in many sectors of the globe is what the effect of the “recovery” is having on tourism.