Well, up to a different elevation that is - about 1,000 feet higher from sea level then our rental in Hacienda el Paseo, Grecia. We lived in that house for four years and really liked it and the area up until the last year.
First, we were inundated with a severe ant problem (apparently an invasive Argentine ant and not indigenous to Costa Rica) and so were many others in Grecia. It was an unusual situation. We hired an exterminator three times to spray both inside and outside and finally the ants disappeared once the dry season started. Our exterminator explained to us that the problem was not limited to the area around Grecia. It extended all the way to the Pacific Coast.
Then there were the problems with the roof. It needed replacing and was supposed to be completed before the rainy season. That did not happen and as a result areas of mold and water damage started to appear on ceilings and walls throughout the house. Not healthy.
The solution was to bring in workers to cover up this damage but not to fix the actual problem - the roof that needed replacing. Finally the roof was replaced …. which meant we were inundated with noise, roofing materials piled all around the house, workers in and out of the house all day. There was always some mess we had to clean up.
Then came the huge condominium development surrounding our Hacienda el Paseo established condo development. Acres of sugar cane were mowed down, leaving dirt and dust to blow into and around our house. See my blog post dated March 7, 2022.
We were on a month to month lease, with three months’ notice to vacate on either side. We knew that the landlord wanted to sell the house and he assured us he would abide by the terms of our agreement.
Well, along came a potential buyer. She showed up numerous times with various sidekicks. Her last visit was our last straw. After two hours of roaming around the house and grounds, infiltrating our privacy with no regard to us, they finally left. Not long after this invasion, our landlord advised us she had made an offer on the house …. as long as the tenants were out in two weeks as she wanted to start renovations!
Our landlord - a really nice person - asked us if we could accommodate this request. We agreed to try.
We contacted a rental agent, Chris Shoo, who we relied upon in the past, and told him what we were looking for. He drove us around to a number of places in the area of Grecia and nearby Sarchi and Naranjo - but none of them quite fit. The final house he saved for last … located in San Roque de Grecia, it was just what we were looking for. By the way, Chris seems to speak five languages (English, Spanish, Dutch, German and French).
First: it was available immediately. Second: monthly rental was significantly less then we were prepared to pay. Numbers 3, 4, 5 , etc.: huge covered outdoor area, nice walled garden, 4 (small) bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, garage, really modern appliances, partially furnished (living room, one bedroom, kitchen), quiet, close to our town of Grecia, fruit trees (lime, avocado, mora, mango), orchids and a rose bush. Lastly, connections to high speed internet were immediately available.
How men check out new digs - Minor, Lance, Chris:
Our landlord lives up north in Guanacaste province but his relatives live all around us. He told us if we ever have any problems, just go knock on any door and ask for help. We are living in a Tico neighbourhood and really like it.
We signed the lease. Now on to the actual move.
For this, I contacted our friend Minor. Minor lives in Grecia, is bilingual, a trained EMT, and available to help with just about anything. He accompanies us to medical appointments, bank appointments - anywhere where a native Spanish speaker can be a big help. He also arranged a moving truck for us.
Minor helped load up the truck. As you can see, we don’t own a whole lot of “stuff” and this size truck carried most everything.
We made a few trips back and forth from old house to new house to move some things with our vehicle, including Kermit:
In Part 2, I will post lots of photos of our new home.
Click on images to enlarge.
