Most North Americans are already familiar with gated communities and their benefits. In general, a gated community is an enclosed housing development usually with 24/7 manned security. Gated communities also offer amenities like a club house, community pool, sporting facilities, barbecue areas, many claim eco sustainability, and higher end communities may also offer such amenities as access to onsite private schooling, etc.

These residential developments create a community that is crime free with first class roads and other public utilities and services. Gated communities usually have established bylaws and other regulations through an established Home ownership Association (HOA).

Gated communities will also differ in terms of the number of homes, building density, population density and of course price. Some may offer pre-built homes, or pre-designed selection which you can have customized, and others you contract with the developer to build a custom home or even select your own builder. Often there are building codes and guidelines with stipulations on the kind of home you can build.

These communities often have management services, in-house or outsourced for maintenance on yard and home and will even manage property rentals for home owners that use their home as part time or full time income property.

Costa Rican gated communities are not the sterile, cookie cutter developments that are prevalent in the States. Costa Rica developments strive for an integrated, eco living experience. Many of these developments in Costa Rica are Green Development that conforms to Costa Rica’s strict environment laws. With 5% of the worlds biodiversity and 25%+ of its land protected by conservation and reserve areas, Costa Rica takes its leading position as an eco-living destination very seriously.

When selecting from the numerous gated communities found in Costa Rica, perspective buyers should consider these points regarding the selection process:

Access

When selecting a development you should consider ease of access from the development to airports – both national and international, road conditions, and drive times.

Access to an international airport and national flights may be important to you. Guanacaste for example has the Liberia international airport that is continuously adding direct flights from many North American cities. You can access most of the North West province of Guanacaste in 1 to 3 hours drive time or you can opt for a national flight that will give fast access to most of the primary destinations in Guanacaste.

San Jose’s International airport provides fast and easy access to the Central Pacific and with the installment of the new Pista del Sol highway, the drive time to all the major points on the Central Pacific has been greatly reduced. As well national flights are available for further points in the South Pacific and Caribbean destinations with most flight times at approximately 1 hour.

Privacy

The developments topography can be an important aspect. Do you want to look out off your terrace and see mostly other homes? Well designed and located developments offer a great deal of privacy through elevation and platform placement on hills and ridges within the development making your views all tropical and ocean not residential.

Amenities

Here is a list of some of the amenities developments can offer; hiking and biking trails, bio-reserves, golf carts, swimming pools, club house, barbeque areas, access to private schools or even better a on-site school, access to outside activities such as diving, surfing, beaches, golfing and sport fishing, shuttle transports to airports and surrounding activity spots, towns and villages.

Management

Property and community management is definitely something you want to consider. The best developments offer full service management while other will only maintain infrastructure like roads and services. If there are HOA fee’s you want to make sure to read the agreement carefully and know what you are paying for and what your responsibilities are.

Location

There are beach/ocean-view developments, mountain rural developments, and Central Valley or more metro developments available in Costa Rica. This choice is just about lifestyle and weather. Gated communities in the mountainous regions of Costa Rica tend to be rural/agricultural in culture and the weather at higher elevations is mild, perpetual spring like weather. Beach communities are much hotter and more humid and obviously offer more water activities. And the metro lifestyle in Costa Rica’s Central Valley offers access to all the amenities you expect in city living such as museums, theaters, shopping malls, restaurants, and an exciting nightlife.

Costa Rica’s Gold Coast region in Guanacaste has been attracting an ever growing number of retirees and expats in recent years for number reasons. The Gold Coast is only an hour’s drive or so from the Liberia International Airport (LIR), officially named Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport. Guanacaste is world renowned for its endless gold and white silky-sand beaches as well as its warm but dry tropical weather.

When searching for Costa Rica real estate in Guanacaste you will find a number of gated community developments throughout the region. It is difficult to find one that offers everything, has a great track record and with a good price tag. While there are a few, one stands out in particular – Mar Vista, as a great example of a gated community in Costa Rica.

The Mar Vista motto “Luxury living in harmony with nature & the environment at affordable prices” truly encapsulates this unique development.

The vision of this project is in building an international community where ecology, community and infrastructure, all work towards the common goal of preserving the highest standard of luxury eco-living in a relaxed, quiet, low density, low crime, non-suburban, tropical environment with like-minded neighbors.

This eco-rich development is only 45 minutes from Liberia International airport. Every home has spectacular ocean views and the community boasts every amenity mentioned above and then some, like biking and hiking trails, pools, club house and bar, tennis and basketball courts, amphitheater carved in to the mountainside, putting greens and every activity imaginable is at your finger tips including world class golf and surfing – it even has a fleet of 30 electric golf carts available to navigate the immaculate roads and gardens all in symphony-like harmony with the plush tropical surroundings of the Mar Vista Eco Community & Private Reserve.

The development also has an on-site bilingual school – The La Paz Community School which was built on large section of land donated by the developers of Mar Vista that overlooks the Pacific Ocean. The school includes expat children and locals encouraging a unique harmony of cultures and education. The developers invite community members and foreigners abroad to participate through child sponsorship in this important project.

In summary, Costa Rica has blended eco and luxury living to truly redefine gated community lifestyles. If you are considering buying a second home or relocating to Costa Rica , gated community developments are a great option, from metropolitan to rural mountains to rich tropical havens like Guanacaste’s Gold Coast, these communities truly reflect the best of living in Costa Rica’s.

Bio

Michael Klein has been reporting on Costa Rica since 2006 after moving from Toronto, Canada.
He currently works as a writer for leading Costa Rica news publications, as well as CostaRicaRealEstate.com.
He and his wife Dyan also own and operate San Ramon Properties, the #1 ranked website for their region.