The New Golden Door to Retirement and Living in Costa Rica (12th Edition)

Rating:
Summary: Bad publishing, but there may be good information here
Review: Let's get the bad news out of the way first. There is a typo on nearly every page, and some of the typos affect e-mail addresses, phone numbers, and other important information. Also, the book is filled with advertisements - is it a book or a magazine? - and with sidebars written by people involved with companies advertising in the book. This seriously compromises the author's credibility when making referrals. Also, if you are not interested in living in San Jose, the one major metropolitan area of Costa Rica, and hanging out with other expats (so, why leave home? Go to McDonald's in your own town and make friends), there is precious little information here for you. Monteverde, one of the major attractions for tourists, is only mentioned once, when giving driving distances from San Jose. Arenal and La Fortuna are utterly neglected. The good news is, there may still be enough useful information in the book to justify its steep price. Still, if you can borrow a copy from a friend, or check it out in the library, you're better off.

Rating:
Summary: Great, Great Book!
Review: My husband and I found this book to be a godsend. It helped make our move to Costa Rica a lot easier and answered a lot of questions we had. We saved time and money by reading it. Even after living in Costa we refer to it occasionally. It was highly recommended to us by the Costa Rican Residents Association.

Rating:
Summary: Answers the questions that peolpe have!
Review: The New Golden Door has served to help me find many answers since many questions have come up with the thought of relocation and retirement in Costa Rica . The chart on qualifications for residency has proved most helpful. Mr. Howard seems to be genuinely interested in helping both future residents as well as those who already live there. Truly a refreshing change from others I have looked into! The New Golden Door is a must for anyone serious about relocation, I especially appreciate the ability to email the author if I have further questions... this has helped TREMENDOUSLY...Again truly refreshing! Don't miss this resourceful book and it's author! Thanks!

Rating:
Summary: Savvy Information And #1 In My Library!
Review: The New Golden Door To Retirement and Living in Costa Rica has so many nuggets of wisdom that it is truly worth it's weight in gold. I own one each of every guide on Costa Rica, but four books by Mr. Howard. Each time he updates an edition, I want to be first in line lest I miss out on one of his newest money-making and time-saving tips!

Rating:
Summary: Great book--if you lack common sense
Review: This book is great if are planning on traveling to Costa Rica as a tourist for a short amount of time; however, it really does not emcompass the complexity of moving or investing in a foreign country. Don't be fooled--this book lacks substinative information on starting a business in Costa Rica, other than the overarching message that "Not everything in the States will work in Costa Rica." Oh, really? My other favorite section was "How to Find a Nice Girl." After "interviewing hundreds of quality Costa Rican women" the author managed to whittle through the unrespectable, poor, uneducated women who were only after him for his money and find a nice girl. I guess the real shame is that he wasn't able to complete this process through a mail-order catalog.

Rating:
Summary: "This Books is my Right Hand"
Review: This book is my Right Hand, as manager of the Residents Association of Costa Rica (ARCR), I have found that newcomers sometimes seem to know more about Costa Rica than people living here just because they read this excellent book.

Rating:
Summary: Most Reliable Source of Information
Review: This guide really shows the reader how to understand the culture and country from the inside out. It gave me all of the information and more when first I considered Costa Rica for retirement and possible investment opportunities. The advice in the book has has enabled me to start a new rewarding life life , buy a great home for a bargain, make a couple of solid investments and get involved in many interesting activities the country has to offer. I think anyone thinking of moving to Costa Rica would be lost without it.

Rating:
Summary: Most Reliable Source of Information
Review: This guide really shows the reader how to understand the culture and country from the inside out. It gave me all of the information and more when first I considered Costa Rica for retirement and possible investment opportunities. The advice in the book has has enabled me to start a new rewarding life life , buy a great home for a bargain, make a couple of solid investments and get involved in many interesting activities the country has to offer. I think anyone thinking of moving to Costa Rica would be lost without it.

Rating:
Summary: If you are a slimeball, this is the book for you!
Review: Wow! Tons of useful information on finding a quality Costa Rican woman half your age. If quality women aren't your cup of tea, check out the chapter on prostitution. For child prostitution, though, look elsewhere. Chris has his standards. He started to lose me, though, when he suggested learning a few words of Spanish before relocating (apparently Spanish is the "official" language of Costa Rica). All in all, this book makes me proud to be an American.