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We have built four homes and wouldn't do it any other way. No matter what you find for sale or for rent, it'll be someone else's idea of what suits you. In the U.S., that was always three or four bedrooms, two or three baths, a formal living room, a formal dining room, a family room and a finished basement. That was a lot of space for two adults and no children to occupy and to clean, but try to find something smaller.

Here, we built first a one-bedroom/one bath guest house which was adequate for the year we lived there 'til our main house was finished. The main house is one-bedroom (possibility of one or two more) and two baths. So far, in seventeen years, it's been fine.

Build what will suit you and you can supervise the project while it's underway.

@daveandmarcia. Hola, I recommend that you rent for at least your first year that way you can find the area that suits you best. When you find a zone you like keep renting for awhile so you can figure things out, then buy or build. Building a house is a little more complicated because like I said in an earlier post theft,and deception are everywhere here. I've seen many foreigners set up they're future lives only to give up and return to their home country in two or so years. This place is not for everyone, it's not what you see in travel brochures, or magazines. That said I like it here, been married to my Tica for 20 years,we aren't going anywhere,pura vida😎

Surffeaver, the problem I have with the advice you (and many others) have offered is that it's difficult to find acceptable rental housing in enough different areas to begin to form an overall picture. Here, outside Grecia, there are at least seven neighborhoods that warrant exploration. That could take anywhere from three and a half to seven years (following your recommendation) to explore and when you're done, you still don't have a clue about Sarchi, Narajo, Atenas, Palmares or San Ramon.

Let's see . . . To do a thorough job the way you (and others) suggest would take about 7 neighborhoods per town x 6 towns = 42 years. That's a lot of exploring. And by the time you're done, the natures of some of those areas will have changed.

Rather, I suggest folks make the best decision they can and then adapt to what they find.

Hola, I started visiting CR in 1987 and came to Guanacaste on that vacation. In subsequent visits I went to Jaco, Dominical,Puerto Viejo, Osa,Quepos,even spent some time in the Valley. I knew i wanted to get into pesca deportiva as a retirement business which I did for almost 14 years,plus I've been a surfer my whole life so the beach is where I wanted to be. So between 1987 and 2001 when I retired and moved here for good i had spent over a year on various vacations figuring out the best spot for me. I've been in the Brasilito area the whole time. You don't need to spend 42 years figuring out what zone you wish to live. Travel the whole country ,and take your time,then like I say rent for awhile when you think you've found your spot. Buenas Noches😎