Real Estate is an important part of retiring or moving to Costa Rica. Everyone has to have a place to live whether you rent or buy property. When I originally started my relocation/retirement tours in the 1990s I took my clients to traditional tourist destinations like the volcanoes, Tortuga Island and the Britt Coffee Tour. However, more and more of my clients asked me to show them homes to get an idea of what housing was like here. At their request I decided to include a sampling of properties in the best areas to live. Although I have been very successful with my own real estate investments in Costa Rica and recently authored a book on the subject (Christopher Howard’s Guide to Real Estate in Costa Rica) I don’t sell property. Consequently, to avoid a conflict of interest I found a real estate company to select homes we view on the property portion of my tours. I also wanted to connect my clients with a reputable company that would look out 100% for their interests and not pressure them into purchasing property until and if they were ready. This process was not easy since the real estate scene here is akin to the wild west. My primary interest has always to been to protect my clients at all costs before they fall into the hands of an incompetent or dishonest agent or lose money through a bad investment. I would not be doing my job correctly if I did not provide this service for my clients. If they are successful, I am too. Don’t get me wrong! The emphasis on my retirement tours is on lifestyle and providing my clients with the best possible unbiased information and contacts and information so that they will be successful if they decide to move here. By the end of my tours people will know whether they want to move here or not.