New San Jose Homes

  • Museum of Pre-Colombian Gold (Museo de Oro Precolombino)

  • Price of real estate in Jaco Beach can vary greatly depending on what you are looking for. If you are looking for a small bungalow close to the beach you can pay as low as $30,000 but if you are looking for beachfront property the prices can vary from $75,000 and up.

    Even though Jaco does not have the most beautiful beach in Costa Rica it is still one of the happening places for expats as it has a great night life and offers many of the amenities found in larger cities.

    Santa Ana, an up and coming area of Costa Rica that is looking to be the next Escazu.

    Only 15 miles away from San Jose, Santa Ana is a small community that is fast becoming the next big development area amongst expats.

    Santa Ana offers modern homes at about 20% less than Escazu while offering similar taste of homes with great restaurants like the Cebolla Verde and Tex Mex. For people that love shopping, Santa Ana offers several modern shopping centers. Combined with its many natural springs and convenient location next to the Inter-American highway, Santa Ana is a fast growing community.

    Grecia, a Little Community with Lots to Offer

    Grecia is a nice little town located approximately 27 miles from San Jose on that has a nice expat community.

    While the Grecia area is an agricultural community, the town of Grecia offers plenty of attractions like the Snake Museum, the Los Chorros waterfalls and many colonial cathedrals. Grecia is a popular spot for foreigners who are looking for a friendly community at very affordable prices.

    The price of homes in the Grecia area ranges from $50,000 and up which makes it very attractive to American expats wanting to live close to the city and hot have to pay the higher prices of Ecazu.

    Even though these are the top places where foreigners and expats choose to establish themselves in, one must not forget that Costa Rica is full of great areas that even though may not be very popular are still great places to live in.

    On a recent episode of HGTV's "Selling New York," the CORE real estate group took over the marketing and sales for a historic building located in Chelsea. Upon visiting the model units to assess what was needed to get the units sold, the Realtors noticed an inconsistency in the current marketing efforts with the overall theme of the building. In their efforts to re-brand the marketing, they needed to transform the "stark white" campaign of the collateral and the real estate staging to align it with the context of the building by creating a warmer and more traditional feel. This included putting a darker stain on the hardwood floors, stripping the paint off of an architectural column, painting the walls, rearranging the floor plan and revamping the design style altogether.

    This brings up the point I make regularly that "making it pretty, doesn't make it sell". During their tour of the larger model unit, one of the comments made was that the furniture was beautiful, but it was not reflective of the building. It felt more like Miami than Chelsea.

    New Homes San Jose CA

    New San Jose Homes

    Roads running east-west are avenidas, or avenues. The city center meets at Calle Central and Avenidas Central.

    City buses are all over the city and ideal for jumping from point to point in the city or to head out to the suburbs. You can also book with a private bus company if you'll be leaving San Jos?? and heading to other points within the country. Remember that San Jos?? does not have a proper central bus station.

    If you're not up for the adventure of navigating San Jos??'s streets, take a taxi. Even if you have a rental car at your disposal, a taxi cab is convenient and cheap. Taxi cab drivers know all of the major spots around the city (and the smaller ones too). Consider them a rental GPS! Costa Rica taxi cabs will be red with a yellow triangle on the door. Around the airport, the taxi cabs are orange. Be aware, these cabs will charge you a premium rate.

    As I mentioned, finding your way in the Costa Rica capital can be tricky due to the lack of addresses and street signs.

    San Jose is home to Costa Rica's most culturally significant museums. And there are many. For example:


    • Museum of Pre-Colombian Gold (Museo de Oro Precolombino)

    • The reasons people choose to retire there are many which include an average of year round temperature of 80 degrees, low cost of living and the cost of real estate.

      If you are thinking about moving to Costa Rica, it is a great idea to know what you are getting into starting with the best place to live and buy real estate.

      Are you looking for a community with other foreigners or are you looking to live amongst the locals? How important is it to be close to stores, hospitals or the beach?

      During their tour of the larger model unit, one of the comments made was that the furniture was beautiful, but it was not reflective of the building. It felt more like Miami than Chelsea.

      This is a critical observation because the most important thing to understand about setting the stage for a successful sale is understanding who the buyer is and allowing your marketing campaign, which includes staging, to connect the dots to those buyers. For example, how you market and sell a bachelor pad in the city is going to be different from how you market and sell a family home in suburbia. The experience you create for each of those campaigns will determine how successful that sale will actually be.

      Understanding who the buyer is is extremely important for all parties of the transaction to take into consideration. Realtors need to have in depth knowledge of the neighborhood and what the prospective buyer profile is. Staging Professionals also need to know this information and incorporate it into the staging design plan. The goal is to leave very little to the imagination of the buyer and create a lifestyle that helps them quickly identify themselves as the future owner of that property. Remember, if trained professionals walk in and "don't get it", the likelihood is that your buyers won't either.

      The most commendable lesson from that episode was the fact that the Realtors were not afraid to make the changes necessary. New Homes San Jose CA

    Best Places to Buy Real Estate in Costa Rica

    The price of homes in Escazu is higher than anywhere else in Costa Rica featuring homes ranging from $350,000 and up.

    Many expats choose to live in Escazu because it offers slightly warmer weather than San Jose while at the same time providing all of the amenities of home like shopping centers, modern hospitals and schools.

    Jaco Beach, a Place for Fun and Surf close to the Big City

    Jaco Beach has long been a favorite amongst foreigner as a beach town due to its proximity to San Jose. A mere 40 miles from San Jose, Jaco beach has grown from a sleepy beach town to a modern yet modest beach community.

    Jaco beach is also known for holding its famous surfing competition, sports fishing and its nature reserves. Price of real estate in Jaco Beach can vary greatly depending on what you are looking for. If you are looking for a small bungalow close to the beach you can pay as low as $30,000 but if you are looking for beachfront property the prices can vary from $75,000 and up.

    Even though Jaco does not have the most beautiful beach in Costa Rica it is still one of the happening places for expats as it has a great night life and offers many of the amenities found in larger cities.

    Santa Ana, an up and coming area of Costa Rica that is looking to be the next Escazu.

    Only 15 miles away from San Jose, Santa Ana is a small community that is fast becoming the next big development area amongst expats.

    Santa Ana offers modern homes at about 20% less than Escazu while offering similar taste of homes with great restaurants like the Cebolla Verde and Tex Mex. For people that love shopping, Santa Ana offers several modern shopping centers. Combined with its many natural springs and convenient location next to the Inter-American highway, Santa Ana is a fast growing community.

    Grecia, a Little Community with Lots to Offer

    Grecia is a nice little town located approximately 27 miles from San Jose on that has a nice expat community.

    While the Grecia area is an agricultural community, the town of Grecia offers plenty of attractions like the Snake Museum, the Los Chorros waterfalls and many colonial cathedrals. Grecia is a popular spot for foreigners who are looking for a friendly community at very affordable prices.

    The price of homes in the Grecia area ranges from $50,000 and up which makes it very attractive to American expats wanting to live close to the city and hot have to pay the higher prices of Ecazu.

    Even though these are the top places where foreigners and expats choose to establish themselves in, one must not forget that Costa Rica is full of great areas that even though may not be very popular are still great places to live in.

    On a recent episode of HGTV's "Selling New York," the CORE real estate group took over the marketing and sales for a historic building located in Chelsea. Upon visiting the model units to assess what was needed to get the units sold, the Realtors noticed an inconsistency in the current marketing efforts with the overall theme of the building. New San Jose Homes

    New San Jose Homes

    Consider them a rental GPS! Costa Rica taxi cabs will be red with a yellow triangle on the door. Santa Ana, an up and coming area of Costa Rica that is looking to be the next Escazu.

    Only 15 miles away from San Jose, Santa Ana is a small community that is fast becoming the next big development area amongst expats.

    Santa Ana offers modern homes at about 20% less than Escazu while offering similar taste of homes with great restaurants like the Cebolla Verde and Tex Mex. For people that love shopping, Santa Ana offers several modern shopping centers. Combined with its many natural springs and convenient location next to the Inter-American highway, Santa Ana is a fast growing community.

    Grecia, a Little Community with Lots to Offer

    Grecia is a nice little town located approximately 27 miles from San Jose on that has a nice expat community.

    While the Grecia area is an agricultural community, the town of Grecia offers plenty of attractions like the Snake Museum, the Los Chorros waterfalls and many colonial cathedrals. Grecia is a popular spot for foreigners who are looking for a friendly community at very affordable prices.

    The price of homes in the Grecia area ranges from $50,000 and up which makes it very attractive to American expats wanting to live close to the city and hot have to pay the higher prices of Ecazu.

    Even though these are the top places where foreigners and expats choose to establish themselves in, one must not forget that Costa Rica is full of great areas that even though may not be very popular are still great places to live in.

    On a recent episode of HGTV's "Selling New York," the CORE real estate group took over the marketing and sales for a historic building located in Chelsea. Upon visiting the model units to assess what was needed to get the units sold, the Realtors noticed an inconsistency in the current marketing efforts with the overall theme of the building. In their efforts to re-brand the marketing, they needed to transform the "stark white" campaign of the collateral and the real estate staging to align it with the context of the building by creating a warmer and more traditional feel. This included putting a darker stain on the hardwood floors, stripping the paint off of an architectural column, painting the walls, rearranging the floor plan and revamping the design style altogether.

    This brings up the point I make regularly that "making it pretty, doesn't make it sell". During their tour of the larger model unit, one of the comments made was that the furniture was beautiful, but it was not reflective of the building. It felt more like Miami than Chelsea.

    This is a critical observation because the most important thing to understand about setting the stage for a successful sale is understanding who the buyer is and allowing your marketing campaign, which includes staging, to connect the dots to those buyers. For example, how you market and sell a bachelor pad in the city is going to be different from how you market and sell a family home in suburbia. The experience you create for each of those campaigns will determine how successful that sale will actually be.

    New San Jose CA Homes

    San Francisco - The Golden Gate to Your Second Home

    Staging Professionals also need to know this information and incorporate it into the staging design plan. The goal is to leave very little to the imagination of the buyer and create a lifestyle that helps them quickly identify themselves as the future owner of that property. Remember, if trained professionals walk in and "don't get it", the likelihood is that your buyers won't either.

    The most commendable lesson from that episode was the fact that the Realtors were not afraid to make the changes necessary. It was clear that the investors had already spent a significant amount of money on the original marketing efforts and asking them to spend more money can be intimidating, but the Realtors trusted their expertise in the neighborhood and knew what would attract buyers. When it's wrong, it's our job to fix it in order to achieve the results everyone is looking for.

    I loved San Francisco, California before I had even visited or could even contemplate owning a second home. I loved it because of City Light Books, and the likes of Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac, who found solace in this city by the bay. I wanted to make San Francisco on of my many homes because of the Grateful Dead, who made Haight Street their home, and because of Alice Waters, who changed the way the city, and eventually other cities, thought about food. For all of these reasons I loved a city I had never even visited until I was eighteen and on my first spring break of college, bright-eyed and full of expectations. I remember driving down the 101, and screaming when I saw the Pacific pour into the Bay. The Golden Gate will never let you down, and even if the San Francisco fog leaves something to be desired, I would still always choose this city to buy a second home.

    I have returned to San Francisco, California every year since that first time, and with each visit always discovered something new. The city is full of diversity, a truly global place where the ethnic eateries are still run by immigrants. Every nation is represented in San Francisco, for it has become a second home to millions, and the food is just one testament to that. The neighborhoods are equally diverse, from the Mission with its' elaborate murals, to Haight-Ashbury, adjacent to Golden Gate Park and full of 1960's clich??s. The city is only 46.7 square miles, but it's packed full of houses and pockets of stores and restaurants. The steep rolling hills are everywhere, enabling panoramic views by simply driving on typical roads. The houses range from bright pink next to baby blue, to the more affluent neighborhood of my best friend's childhood home, fully equipped with a yard and three nearby parks. Either would be ideal for my second home.

    What is more is that public transportation can take you anywhere, even as far as Berkley or San Jose, California, where the sunshine is a little more consistent. San Francisco is the ideal city to purchase a home because it has something for everyone, while maintaining the laid back vibe California is famous for. It is an expensive city, but the standard of living is among the highest in the country. New San Jose CA Homes

    HGTV's "Selling New York" Teaches Importance of Tailoring Real Estate Marketing to Your Target Buyer

    Another important factor to consider is total number of units sold. In the month of Feb 09, 643 units were sold compared to 457 for Feb 10 (-28.93% change). Lastly we are going to take a look at the Sales Price to List Price Ratio for San Jose. I loved San Francisco, California before I had even visited or could even contemplate owning a second home. I loved it because of City Light Books, and the likes of Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac, who found solace in this city by the bay. I wanted to make San Francisco on of my many homes because of the Grateful Dead, who made Haight Street their home, and because of Alice Waters, who changed the way the city, and eventually other cities, thought about food. For all of these reasons I loved a city I had never even visited until I was eighteen and on my first spring break of college, bright-eyed and full of expectations. I remember driving down the 101, and screaming when I saw the Pacific pour into the Bay. The Golden Gate will never let you down, and even if the San Francisco fog leaves something to be desired, I would still always choose this city to buy a second home.

    I have returned to San Francisco, California every year since that first time, and with each visit always discovered something new. The city is full of diversity, a truly global place where the ethnic eateries are still run by immigrants. Every nation is represented in San Francisco, for it has become a second home to millions, and the food is just one testament to that. The neighborhoods are equally diverse, from the Mission with its' elaborate murals, to Haight-Ashbury, adjacent to Golden Gate Park and full of 1960's clich??s. The city is only 46.7 square miles, but it's packed full of houses and pockets of stores and restaurants. The steep rolling hills are everywhere, enabling panoramic views by simply driving on typical roads. The houses range from bright pink next to baby blue, to the more affluent neighborhood of my best friend's childhood home, fully equipped with a yard and three nearby parks. Either would be ideal for my second home.

    What is more is that public transportation can take you anywhere, even as far as Berkley or San Jose, California, where the sunshine is a little more consistent. San Francisco is the ideal city to purchase a home because it has something for everyone, while maintaining the laid back vibe California is famous for. It is an expensive city, but the standard of living is among the highest in the country. On the flipside, escaping to China (in the form of America's largest Chinatown) or for a night to El Salvador, has never been easier. San Francisco is a great city to visit, but it's an even better city to own a home in. There is a pulse to this city unlike anywhere else, and a second home is an investment that will pay off for generations to come. Although I may have loved the city before I came, it is a love that has not wavered to this day.

    New San Jose CA Homes

    San Francisco - The Golden Gate to Your Second Home

    Sellers got what they were asking for. In all the market showed tremendous upward movement.

    Key Statistics, San Jose, CA: Median Sales Price (32.43%), Median Days on Market (-43.38%), and Number of Units Sold (-28.93%), Sales Price to List Price Ratio (Feb 09 98% - Feb 10 100%)

    San Jose Homes

    The city experienced a 32.43% increase in median sales price from last year going up from $400,742 (Feb. 09) to $530,684 (Feb. 2010). Median days on market data for San Jose shows that houses are selling faster than Feb 09. It took 104 days in Feb 09 for a house to sell and for Feb 10 that number has gone down to 59 days (a 43.38% improvement). Another important factor to consider is total number of units sold. In the month of Feb 09, 643 units were sold compared to 457 for Feb 10 (-28.93% change). Four hundred seventy five to five hundred thousand dollars is the average cost of purchasing a home in San Jose. Paradoxically, the average per square foot price decreased about 1.7 percent. Unfortunately, the number of home sales completed in this area decreased over thirty percent from last year.

    Some of the most popular areas for real estate purchases in San Jose are the communities of Evergreen and Willow Glen, with average listing prices of homes around 700,000 dollars. Edenvale, Alum Rock, and Berryessa are also among the most popular areas (in terms of home sales) in San Jose, and feature homes in the 400,000 to 500,000 dollar range. South San Jose, Evergreen, Almaden Valley, Willow Glen and West Valley are communities which have recently made strong showings in the real estate marketplace, with average home prices ranging anywhere from 400,000 dollars up to over one million dollars, depending upon location and specific homes.

    A wide variety of homes and properties are listed for sale and home buyers of all income levels are likely to find something within their budget. Some homes in the area can be purchased in the low 100,000 dollar range, and as high as several million. With a crime rate well below the state average, a respected school system, and a great location that is a short drive away from countless entertainment and relaxation locations such as museums and national parks, it's no wonder so many Californians are choosing to purchase a home in or near San Jose.

    On a recent episode of HGTV's "Selling New York," the CORE real estate group took over the marketing and sales for a historic building located in Chelsea. Upon visiting the model units to assess what was needed to get the units sold, the Realtors noticed an inconsistency in the current marketing efforts with the overall theme of the building. What is more is that public transportation can take you anywhere, even as far as Berkley or San Jose, California, where the sunshine is a little more consistent. San Francisco is the ideal city to purchase a home because it has something for everyone, while maintaining the laid back vibe California is famous for. It is an expensive city, but the standard of living is among the highest in the country. New Homes San Jose CA