Bellavista

Finca Bellavista Frequently Asked Questions

What does Finca Bellavista mean?

Finca (n): property, estate, ranch, farm

Bellavista (n): beautiful view, scene, vista, etc.

Finca Bellavista is named after Rio Bellavista, which flows through the middle of the community, and for the breathtaking beauty of the surrounding vistas, the vibe, and bountiful flora and fauna present.

How did we come up with the idea for Finca Bellavista?

(please see A Treehouse Fairytale)

How do I set up residency, open a business, where should I learn Spanish, can I ship to and from Costa Rica, can I get a job here, how do I set up a phone, etc.?

All of the answers to these types of questions change and are based entirely on your personal situation. We recommend purchasing and reading Living Abroad in Costa Rica by Erin van Rheenan to answer 99.9% of all your questions about moving to Costa Rica. We can only answer questions about Finca Bellavista. (:

How do I stay in touch with the outside world at Finca Bellavista?

Though a treehouse in the rainforest might seem way ‘out there’, rest assured that you will be able to keep in touch with the outside world. The majority of Finca Bellavista has 3G cell phone and internet service coverage… If the signal is weak, an antennae/amplifier can make it stronger and/or more consistent. We do have an amplifier at the community’s base camp, and Skype, Vonage, and cellular phone service work very well. (Telecommuting from a treehouse in the Costa Rican rainforest??? Now it’s possible!).

When will the new Southern Zone International airport be completed?

The Costa Rican government went on record stating that they expected to have the airport up and running for domestic flights during the year 2010… (which is clearly not the case any longer). Though the project is clearly behind schedule, there have been obvious infrastructure improvements to the immediate area surrounding Palmar and Sierpe where the airport is to be located, which is a sign of forward progress on preparing for the airport. A new state-of-the-art 300-bed hospital (required as infrastructure for the airport) was completed in 2008 near the town of Cortez.

Can my dog/cat/pet rat/horse come to Finca Bellavista?

We love animals here at the finca, both wild and domesticated. However, domesticated animals can wreak havoc on fragile ecosystems like the rainforest. Currently, owners are allowed to have domesticated (in-home) animals at Finca Bellavista (sorry, we do not allow pets in rentals.) (In the future, an elected board and a group similar to a homeowner’s association will handle rulemaking and implementing the community guidelines. In other words, if domesticated animals become problematic at FBV, the rule could be changed in the future.)

Per the community guidelines, livestock is prohibited on parcels at Finca Bellavista. Neighboring farms provide fresh chicken, eggs, and pork, and we are happy to provide them with a source of income via purchasing their goods. There are also farms nearby that have stables where horses can be boarded for a nominal fee.

If I purchase a lot are there any requirements for when I have to build a house?

There are no requirements on when you have to build your house. In fact, you don't ever have to build a house on your lot if you so choose.

What about water and waste?

Each unit is required to have a rainwater catch or springwater collection system to supply the unit’s water and must utilize a biodigestor to treat waste. Gravity feeds all existing structures at FBV, and traditional plumbing is used. Toilets, showers and sinks work just like they do anywhere else in the world (the novelty of turning on the kitchen sink or taking a shower in a treehouse never seems to wear off for our visitors!). Pipes can be run along the length of a tree trunk, and vines and other foliage can be used to camouflage pipes seemingly into the tree! Human waste is processed with aerobic biodigestors (another requirement for building), which are subterranean and essentially work like a biodegrading septic system.

What additional fees and expenses will I encounter with purchasing a lot?

When your lot closes you will have legal fees which will include the creation of a Costa Rican Corporation and all associated closing costs and transfer taxes. Also at the time of closing, there will be a one-time payment of $500 to the Finca Bellavista capital reserve fund for future upkeep and improvements to the community. When you start building you will be required to purchase a biodigester for your waste treatment which currently cost between $600 and $1,300, depending on size and/or usage requirements. As stipulated in the guidelines, each lot owner is currently financially obligated to contribute $250 per year to the capital reserve fund. These funds will go towards security, upkeep and maintenance of the Sky Trail and ground trail networks, landscaping and gardening, upkeep of community facilities, etc. Like elsewhere in the world, fees are associated with government and municipal permits for construction projects on individual lots. And don’t forget about taxes! (Which are currently nominal in Costa Rica; property taxes are currently a quarter of a percent of the claimed value.)

Can I rent my house out and will there be an agency to assist me in doing so?

Yes. You are absolutely welcome to rent your house out! We have a property management entity available at Finca Bellavista to manage rentals, maintenance, housekeeping, and marketing/advertising for a percentage-based fee.

What are the typical costs to build a tree house or stilt-built house?

Treehouses are like snowflakes... no two are alike! Tree and stilt-built houses can vary greatly in price and go as high or low as your imagination and budget will allow. Prices of structures certainly depend on your needs, the size of the structure, the type of construction and the finishes you prefer. We have built homes for as little as $35,000 and as much as $150,000.

Where can I obtain financing to buy a lot in Finca Bellavista?

Traditional financing options are available through various conventional financial institutions. Please contact us for more details.

How far is Finca Bellavista from the ocean?

Finca Bellavista is located approximately six miles (as the crow flies) from the water's edge at the Golfo Dulce (Pacific Ocean). Given the fact that roads do not travel in a straight line to the water in Costa Rica, and the immediate area is under conservation, count on it taking about a half hour to reach the water by car. There are also about a dozen nice beaches and surf breaks within an hour's to an hour-and-a-half’s drive of Finca Bellavista.

Where is the nearest town/grocery store/airport/hospital?

The town closest to Finca Bellavista is La Florida, which is about a mile-and-a-half away. A town in Costa Rica consists of a soccer field, a schoolhouse, several houses, a bus stop, and couple of pulperias (small stores with staples like rice, beans, milk, etc.). In La Florida’s case, there is even a restaurant and two churches! Ten minutes away is Piedras Blancas, which is a little larger than La Florida and boasts a high school and nice medical clinic. Rio Claro is about 20-25 minutes to the south, and has a bank and multiple options for grocery and hardware stores, pharmacies, restaurants, etc. Golfito is about fifteen minutes from Rio Claro and is a great port of call for sailors and fishermen. There is also a duty-free zone here, where appliances and home furnishings can be bought. There is also a regional airport in Golfito serviced by both Nature Air and Sansa Airlines. Palmar is to the north of Finca Bellavista, about a half an hour’s drive, and has all the basics and a regional airport as well. A new, large, state-of-the-art hospital was recently built right outside of Palmar.

Where can I rent a car?

There are several options in Golfito that are readily accessible from the airport. Flying into San Jose and renting a car there affords the most rental options, and promises an adventurous and beautiful drive to the Southern Zone. Palmar’s airport is less equipped with options, but taxis can be arranged from the airport. Solid Car Rental services both airports and can also arrange a vehicle pick-up or drop-off at Finca Bellavista. Be sure to mention FBV when making your reservation.

Is there a place I can stay on the property while I'm looking for my parcel?

Absolutely! Check out our Rentals page for our available rentals (Reservations are required). As building progresses, there will be more models to view and even more places to stay within the trees on the property. Parcel owners at FBV receive a 50% discount on all FBV-owned rentals (Mis Ojos, Casa del Sol, and Cabina del Rio). Likewise, if a person purchases a parcel from us, we will refund 50% of their rental expenses of any FBV-owned rental upon closing on their parcel.

Is living in the jungle scary?

No! It’s a very peaceful, beautiful place. Like anywhere else in the world, there are differences to get used to and dangers to be aware of. Over time, one gets used to the sights, sounds, and experiences present here. Reasonable precautions and adaptations must be made for most people fully enjoy living here.

What are our recommendations for getting to/from Finca Bellavista?

All of our travel recommendations are on the Location and Getting Here link. 

How do I reserve a parcel?

We consider a parcel officially under contract when we receive a signed contract/purchase agreement AND we receive a partially refundable 10% deposit (5% is non-refundable). (As an example, for a $55,000 parcel, that would be a $5,500 deposit, etc.) This deposit gives you a 30-day study period for due diligence in determining if Finca Bellavista is the right fit for you and your future home in Costa Rica. At, or prior to, the end of the 30-day study period you would need to notify us of your intent to purchase the parcel, or request a partial refund of the deposit. Should you choose to purchase a lot, you would need to pay the balance of the lot purchase price by the end of the 30-day period, at which time you are free to take title to your lot here in the world’s coolest neighborhood.

What is the weather like at Finca Bellavista?

A lot cooler than the beach! Annually, our daytime temperatures are in the 80’s, and nighttime temperatures are in the mid 60’s to lower 70’s. (The shade definitely makes the difference in bearing daytime sun and temperatures here.) The main variable from season to season is rainfall amounts… ‘dry season’ is roughly November through May, June through October is considered our rainy season here. October is typically the rainiest month of the year here, but it is the rainforest and it can and will rain whenever it wants to. We don’t have windows in any of our structures here at FBV (only screens) and don’t use or need air conditioning. On occasion, fans are needed, but the overall temperatures are very pleasant.

Are there schools nearby?

Of course! There are kids in Costa Rica too! There is a public primary school in La Florida (1.5 miles away) that has between 70 and 80 children. Piedras Blancas (15 minutes driving distance) has primary schools and a high school as well. All of the public schools near Finca Bellavista use Spanish as their primary language.

Do I need to know Spanish to live at Finca Bellavista?

No, but it certainly helps in communicating with all of our neighbors in and around the village! ;-) And, if you are planning on doing anything independently (like buy groceries, drive to/from somewhere, eat at a restaurant or go to the dentist) it would be helpful for obvious reasons.

How do you decide which trees to use?

The first step after purchasing a parcel is to have a botanist inventory the trees for suitable host candidate trees. We use Gerardo Rivera, one of the top botanists in the country and a shaman of the rainforest of sorts. During his primary survey, he marks the trees he deems to be the best candidate species on a given parcel. The owner can then see where those marked trees are, and begin the process of determining where on their parcel they would like to build their treehome. (To read all steps in our suggested process, please click here.) Once the homesite is chosen the botanist can come back to do a full assessment of the chosen trees to determine what those exact tree(s) overall health may be if you plan on building in them (he takes age, life expectancy, growth pattern, insect damage, drainage/surroundings, limb health and other things into consideration). A treehome’s design and attachment methods are obviously dependent on the types of trees used, and can vary greatly from one home to the next.

Isn’t it dangerous to build a house in a tree?

The rainforest and trees in general are very dynamic and there are never any guarantees as to how long a given tree may live. This is why the botanist’s close review and the process that follows is very important. The due diligence process in building a treehouse takes some time and takes many things into consideration in order to design and plan accordingly. There are obviously many adaptations that must be made to build a house in a tree, and luckily there are intelligent engineers out there that have created a variety of tools and attachments to make treetop living not only possible, but safe and secure as well.

Even though it is a very dynamic environment, the rainforest is no more dangerous than living elsewhere. We do get a lot of rain during certain times of year (though we are outside of the hurricane belt!) and there can be earthquakes in the Southern Zone. (Treehomes are often engineered and constructed to move with the winds and with earthquakes so while a conventional structure’s foundation might be damaged after an earthquake, a treehome’s foundation (a.k.a. its root system) has evolved during its entire lifespan to absorb the vibrations far better than a slab of concrete). Isn’t it dangerous to live in Oklahoma where there are tornados, or in Florida where there are floods and hurricanes, or Australia where there are fires or… you get the point?