Tips on Assessing a Real Estate Agent's Competence

Hiring a real estate agent must not be done haphazardly since you also want to get your hard-earned money's worth. Here are a few tips that you can follow to assess an agent's competence:

Talk with an agent's recent clients. You can do this by asking the agent to provide you with a list of what they've sold in the previous year, along with the contact information of the buyers.

Look up the licensing board and see if the agent is indeed licensed or if he or she has received any disciplinary actions or complaints. In the United States, there are states that put information into online databases so that clients can do research on the background of an agent. You may also check if an agent you're looking to hire has won any awards given by recognized organizations or industry authorities.

Take note that real estate agents also have specializations. The alphabet soup that comes after their names tells which additional classes they have taken to support their specialization. For example, an agent with CRS (Certified Residential Specialist) appended to his name has completed additional training in handling residential real estate. One named as an ABR (Accredited Buyer's Representative) has completed additional education in representing buyers in a transaction. In turn, those with SRES (Seniors Real Estate Specialist) have completed training aimed at helping buyers and sellers in the 50-plus age range.

Sense of Peace, Pride Come with Owning Your Home

Buying a house is such a big investment that you have to be totally sure about making a purchase before pushing through with it. Also, you have to make sure that you will love your surroundings and the people in your neighborhood so that you won't regret buying your home. Even with these considerations, there are many benefits that come with owning your own home instead of renting it.

First, owning your own home will make you feel a certain kind of freedom. Most first-time home buyers say that when they buy their house, many things in their lives are also falling into place. Once you own your home, you will have peace of mind, knowing that you will no longer have to worry about paying rent.

Owning a home also enables you to be in control of your surroundings. You can make your home look the way that you want it and you will not be limited in what you can do. You will not need to ask for someone's approval anymore if you decide on remodeling your home or replacing appliances and fixtures.

Most homeowners also get a sense of pride once they get to buy their first house. With the purchase, they prove to themselves and to everybody that they have the capability to achieve their goals in life.

Where Are the Best Places to Live in Costa Rica?

For many decades, Costa Rica has been considered one of the best places to live in the Americas, primarily because of its abundance of natural resources that make living generally healthier than anywhere else. This was only amplified by the government's efficient healthcare system and a free education system that allows Ticos and Ticas to received subsidized education until 11^th grade. Top that with the some of the most beautiful beaches and forests in the world and there's plenty of reason to find a house for sale in the country.

The capital city of San Jose is probably one of the best places to look for real estate, especially for those who have a soft spot for history and beautiful “colonial” aesthetics. It's central location also means that tourists can easily go to the country's many beaches either on the Pacific west side or the Carribean east side. Another town worth a look is Dominical, which is well-known for its surfing scene.

On the other hand, those who are more at home with nature should definitely check out Heredia, the City of Flowers, which contains a number of exotic plants, mountains, and national parks. The climate in this city is also generally more favorable than the rest of the country, which makes it a suitable place for retirement. Limón, on the other hand, is thriving with both culture and nature, making it yet another popular destination for tourists.

Surf's Always Up in Dominical, Costa Rica

Surfers are always in search of the perfect wave, and the most serious of wave riders travel the world to further their quest. After all, the generation of waves is usually tied to the seasons and each country will have varying conditions for their appearance.  There are disputes among the surfing community as to which beach has the best waves, but all surfers worth their salt know that a good place to start would be Dominical, Costa Rica.

Dominical is famous among surfers for its year-round surfing season; the large waves never fail to appear near this small fishing town. Due to the region's ever-present waves, the modest community gradually transformed into a surfing Mecca. Hundreds of surfers, both local and foreign, gather to this place yearly to catch some serious hang ten.

It's every surfer's dream to live in a place where the waves keep coming, and Dominical offers that opportunity. There are plenty of real estate options for surfers to choose from, and they'd make great vacation homes for when they decide to drop by. There's also the fact that Costa Rica is such a wonderful place for Americans to retire to, and the American dollar is honored widely in the region. All in all, there couldn't be a more fitting surfer's paradise than Dominical.