By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Chris Howard, the resident author and Costa Rican expert, has turned his talents to real estate. The result is a new book “Christopher Howard’s Guide to Real Estate in Costa Rica.”

"Purchasing real estate in Costa Rica is not for the faint of heart," said Howard, a 30-year resident.. "Many have made money while others have lost their shirt. Realtors don’t need a license to operate here, so potential buyers have to be very careful with whom they deal. It is sort of like the Wild West at times because of a lack of regulation and frontier mentality. However, with the correct information and guidance you can make a good purchase and find the home or property of your dreams."

"Guide to Real Estate" is available from Amazon.com. The book is $26.95. 

Despite the current stresses in the real estate sector, Howard notes that the country was voted on of the top five markets in the world in 2006. Howard said that his 500-page book is carefully researched and took more than three years to write. Treated are subjects as technical as getting permits and as crucial as establishing value. Included is a section on how U.S., citizens can use the money in an investment retirement account to purchase property, Howard said in an announcement.

There also are lists of resources and contacts.

Howard had help producing the book. "Those who worked on and wrote the book aimed  to provide an objective guide to buying real estate in Costa Rica," he said. "One writer is a professional journalist with years of experience at the top financial media company, Bloomberg.  The other writer has been a newspaper reporter  and independent journalist. Neither of the writers are involved in selling real estate in Costa Rica. This guide is based on more than 100 interviews with experts in real estate across the country and from many different countries."

Howard knows the country. He has been running retirement/relocation tours for years and has seen most of the nation. During such tours real estate has been a prime topic. He also is the author of “The New Golden Door to Retirement and Living in Costa Rica," which is in its 16th edition.

Howard also has written more than a dozen books about retirement in Costa Rica, in other Latin countries and about the Spanish language. He is a fluent Spanish speaker and holds a master's degree from the University of California.