Senior Expat Concierge-Costa Rica

16/10/2026

Law 9996 closed a door on July 14. But the doors that matter most are still open. 🚪

Since the deadline passed, I keep getting the same question from families planning their move: “Is it still worth coming to Costa Rica?”

My honest answer is yes.

Here’s what changed:
❌ The tax perks (duty-free household goods, vehicles, transfer tax discount) are gone for new applicants
❌ Investor residency is back to $200,000

Here’s what didn’t:
✅ If you applied before July 14, you keep your benefits, even if approval comes later
✅ Pensionado, rentista and investor residency are all still available
✅ Costa Rica still doesn’t tax income earned outside the country

The real change I see on the ground is the waiting. Residency is taking longer, and staying current with the CCSS is now something you can’t afford to forget.

I updated our blog with everything you need to know, including the legal analysis from our attorney partner. Link in the comments 👇

Planning a move or already in the process? Send me a message. I’m happy to help you keep your paperwork in order while the process moves forward.

Updated October 2026: Law 9996 expired on July 14, 2026, without an extension. This article has been updated to explain what changed, who is still covered, and what your options look like now.For months, the question I heard most from families planning a move to Costa Rica was some version of "Shoul...

18/07/2026

Thinking of retiring to Costa Rica in 2026? This practical guide covers real monthly budgets by town, Pensionado vs. Rentista visas, Caja and private healthcare trade-offs, and the one move that changes everything: lining up a trusted, local point of contact before you arrive. Read the full guide and get grounded facts before you commit: https://wix.to/81iRBDP
🌴🧭📞

09/07/2026

Dreaming of retiring in Costa Rica? Stop—read this first.
No hype: a practical guide to CAJA, residency paths (Pensionado), costs in 2026, DIMEX, where to live, and when to hire local help like Expat Senior CR. Read more and plan smarter.
https://wix.to/C5AzyN2

07/07/2026

Is an Expat Senior Concierge in Costa Rica Worth It?
Cut through the sales pitch—real costs, services (healthcare navigation, residency help, Guardian Angel family reports) and when it truly pays.

Read more.

04/07/2026

You just moved to Santa Cruz and have zero idea where to find anything. 🤔

Sound familiar?

We built for exactly that moment.

It's a directory of 250+ real local businesses across all 7 districts—restaurants where locals actually eat, pharmacies that know your name, services you can trust. No tourist prices. No guessing.

Browse by district. Search by what you need. Find what's actually around you.

Link in bio to start exploring 🔗

07/06/2026

That electric-blue morpho in your garden is more than a beautiful moment — it’s a signal. Discover why your small actions as an expat in Costa Rica matter for local butterfly populations and how you can help protect them. Read more: https://wix.to/tqHUhYB

Living in Costa Rica means you've already fallen in love with its wildlife. Here's something every expat resident should know.There's a moment most of us have had — maybe on your terrace with morning coffee, maybe on a trail near your neighborhood — when a morpho butterfly floats by. That electr...

28/04/2026

A daughter in Virginia called me last month. Her father owns a home in Tamarindo. He lives alone. She calls every Sunday and he always says the same thing: "Everything is fine."
She wasn't calling about his health this time. She was calling about the house.

She'd seen a photo her dad posted on Facebook — a casual selfie on his terrace. But behind him, she noticed the exterior paint peeling. A railing that looked loose. What might have been water staining on the ceiling.

She asked him about it. He said it was nothing.
She asked again. He changed the subject.
That's when she called me.

I did a property walk-through. The paint was peeling because of moisture intrusion behind the wall — not cosmetic, structural. The railing was loose enough to be a fall risk. The ceiling stain was from a slow roof leak that had been there for months.

Her father wasn't hiding anything. He genuinely didn't think it was serious. He's 74. He sees his house every day. When you see something every day, you stop noticing what changed.

His daughter — 4,000 kilometers away — noticed in a photo what he'd stopped seeing in person.
That's why monthly property oversight matters. Not because owners aren't capable. Because some problems only become visible when someone looks with fresh, trained eyes.

23/04/2026

Prevent small problems from turning into big, costly repairs. Our latest blog — Preventive Home Maintenance That Actually Works — is written for senior homeowners in Costa Rica, absentee owners, and adult children managing a parent’s home from afar. Learn practical checks, when to call a pro, and how to keep your property safe and sound. Read more: https://wix.to/IX0Z2x8

A ceiling stain in May can become roof damage by September. A weak air conditioning drain can turn into mold behind a wall. A loose exterior tile can be nothing for months, until a senior trips on it. That is why preventive home maintenance matters so much in Costa Rica. It is not about keeping a pe...

10/04/2026

Pura vida — it’s Tere Alfaro here. Imagine a busy morning when your lead server doesn’t show, a key supplier’s truck is delayed, and a permit renewal is suddenly missing signatures. You’re managing from abroad and need steady, discreet action. That’s where our concierge coordination steps in.

We call trusted back-up staff, re-route inventory from vetted suppliers, and handle permit paperwork with local offices so your guests aren’t affected and your standards stay intact. As a bilingual Tica with years managing diplomatic residences, I bridge the gap between expat expectations and Costa Rican realities.

Whether you run a hotel in Guanacaste or own a luxury home from overseas, we keep operations uninterrupted, preserve guest experience, and give you back managerial bandwidth. Contact us to discuss remote-plus-appointment coverage across Costa Rica. https://wix.to/GheyTVU

09/04/2026

As someone who’s managed diplomatic residences for years, I know that one wrong supplier choice can cost far more than the invoice. At Expat Senior Concierge, we replace guesswork with verified local knowledge: background checks, reference validation, workmanship sampling, and ongoing quality audits.

Example: a hotel in Guanacaste saved 20% on annual repair costs after we flagged substandard installers before a full renovation. Another client avoided a costly dispute by using our pre-contract workmanship samples and references.

You’ll get a risk‑mitigation layer that protects your investments, your reputation, and your peace of mind. Ready to stop hoping and start knowing? Visit https://wix.to/5oWvHZy to learn more.