The New Golden Door to Retirement and Living in Costa Rica (12th Edition) (New Golden Door to Retirement and Living in Costa Rica) (Paperback)

by Christopher Howard (Author)
Key Phrases: Clínica Bíblica, plaza mayor, gallo pinto, United States, The New Golden Door, Latin America (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Here is the primer for retirees or anyone searching for a foreign home." -- Jerry Flemmons, Travel Editor, Fort Worth Star-Telegram

"Reading this book is like having lived in Costa Rica. Mr. Howard brings his readers a book that will become a classic." -- Shirley Miller, Costa Rican Outlook newsletter

"The Golden Door to Retirement and Living in Costa Rica offers helpful advice to any would-be resident of Costa Rica." -- Mary Ellen Botter, Travel Editor, Denver Post

"This easy-to-read guide is essential reading for those thinking of living in the 'Switzerland of the Americas." -- Carol Weir, Costa Rica Today --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description
The updated and expanded 2002-2003 12th edition of the New Golden Door to Retirement and Living in Costa Rica offers invaluable assistance to anyone looking for a safe, affordable place to live outside the United States. This useful book contains all the ins and outs and dos and dont's and much more indispensible secret insider information about all areas of living in Costa Rica. It guides you step by step and shows how to live on a budget; how to start a business and includes 100s of sure-fire tips for making money; how to stay busy and happy ; where to; live in Costa Rica; how to aquire residency; shortcuts for learning Spanish; how to take advantage of the many tax savings for foreign residents(make up to $80,000 a year tax free), how to find high-interest investments paying 13% or more annually; how to make the break from the rat race and start a new exciting life; and even how and where to find quality peo!ple for companionship. -

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Product Details

• Paperback: 330 pages
• Publisher: Costa Rica Books; 12th edition (June 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1881233561
• ISBN-13: 978-1881233565
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #835,104 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars THE DOOR IS NOT SO GOLDEN, April 1, 2007

By	C. Bolinger (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The New Golden Door to Retirement and Living in Costa Rica 14th Edition (Paperback)

My wife and I read Christopher Howard's book (2X each), and found that it is overly commercial (with local CR advertising), poorly organized, has an over-emphasis on purchasing property and housing in Costa Rica without prioritizing renting first to see if you can, as an ex-pat, handle living in the culture of a foreign country. Howard's claim that you can "Live for less than you ever dreamed possible and enjoy all of the amenities of home." is vague and misleading, albeit repetitiously stated by most promoters of Costa Rica from authors to list-owners on CR blogs. Howard's claim that "Central Valley...Decent affordable housing ranges from $50,000 to $100,00..." is more often than not in "Gringoville" areas. American-built and developed housing is definitely emphasized. Tico neighborhoods are not. In fact, the statement that CR is such a cheap place to live is a plainly false, and unfortunately, a myth that represents most of what makes up Costa Rica today. The fact is that CR is fast losing it's luster (which it certainly once had) for being a lower cost of living country compared to the US. Americanized Housing and property developments are going up almost daily, promoted mostly by Americans and the prices are increasing all of the time. In areas like Escazu, Santa Ana, San Rafael, Tamarindo and many others, prices often exceed property values in the US. These "Gringoville" areas are promoted by Howard. Alternatively, what happened to the small 2 bedroom 1 bath or 2 bath houses in a middle class Tico neighborhood? These little homes are rich with Tico culture and are often safer crime-wise than the American, gated enclaves. Many Tico houses are well built and established with beautiful yards, plants and flowers.
Howard's book has good points. There are valuable listings in the midst of of the commercial advertising. Information about immigration and legal matters for obtaining residency is overly simplified, but certainly worth reading. The book is good, it's got a lot in it, but if you plan to live in Costa Rica, you need to read more. You need to get the skinny on the real Costa Rica which is the land of Ticos and not Americans.

32 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good resources for the aspiring Tico, March 9, 2002

By	Dan Miley "software product developer and dad" (Palo Alto, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The New Golden Door to Retirement and Living in Costa Rica (Paperback)

If you're interested in additional, recent, close to the ground reportage on living in CR, The Tico Times publishes an annual report in english on living in CR with an expat focus. It's avail on the Tico times website, on the subscribe page.

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Tour is as Good as the Book!, June 7, 2005

By	Bruce Murphy (Costa Rica) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The New Golden Door to Retirement and Living in Costa Rica 14th Edition (Paperback)

I found this guide to be just what I needed to prepare for the move to Costa Rica. However, the most valuable part of the book was the information about the relocation-retirement tours the author offers. I took the tour and it change my life and convinced me to move to Costa Rica. It enabled me to make valuable contacts, meet others who had moved to Costa Rica and provided me with information to supplement the book.

If I had not purchased the book I would have never found out about the fabulous tour.