Picture Your Regular Tuesday in Costa Rica
A vacation can make you fall in love with Costa Rica. Building a life here means finding a place that works long after the vacation ends.
Where will you buy groceries? How close is the nearest hospital? Will you enjoy the climate throughout the year? Does the community offer the conveniences, connections, and pace of life you want?
Our mission is to match your property with the lifestyle you want to have. We look beyond the photographs to help you understand how a home and its surroundings will work for you every day.
Two Perspectives. One Team.
We are Evelyn Bulakar and Justin Nielsen, a bilingual real estate team with Costa Rica Sotheby’s International Realty.
Evelyn was born and raised in Costa Rica. She understands the local culture, customs, language, and everyday ways of getting things done.
Justin is American and has spent over 20 years making Costa Rica home. He understands the experience of arriving as a foreigner, adapting to a different culture, and relocating between communities within the country.
Together, we have lived and built homes in different parts of Costa Rica. We know firsthand how much daily life can change between regions, towns, and beach communities.
You have someone who can explain the local ways and someone who understands what it takes to adapt to them.
Both perspectives shape the guidance we provide, from your first property search to settling into your new surroundings.
Your Exclusive Buyer’s Agents Do the Heavy Lifting
Finding your home in Costa Rica shouldn’t mean spending hours searching websites or coordinating with multiple agents.
As your exclusive buyer’s agents, we:
- Search across real estate platforms for properties that match your criteria.
- Speak with other agents and brokerages about suitable listings.
- Bring your options together and coordinate property showings.
- Help you compare homes, locations, and practical considerations.
- Negotiate on your behalf and coordinate with the professionals involved in your purchase.
Your property search extends beyond our own listings. We also consider suitable properties represented by other agents and brokerages, giving you a broader range of options through one team.
Our buyer-agent commission is paid by the seller. You pay us no separate fee for your property search, buyer representation, or included relocation guidance.
Your property purchase, closing costs, and outside professional services remain separate expenses.
We confirm the representation and commission arrangement with you before beginning your exclusive property search.
Compare Costa Rica property financing optionsWhere Should You Live in Costa Rica?
The answer starts with your priorities.
Our primary focus is Escazú, Santa Ana, San Ramón, the Western Central Valley, and the Central Pacific. For the right buyer, we extend our property search throughout Costa Rica, collaborating with local agents and regional specialists when appropriate.
Before recommending properties, we discuss your preferred climate, budget, healthcare needs, family priorities, privacy, shopping, and community atmosphere.
Perhaps you want cooler mountain mornings, convenient access to urban services, or a coastal community. We help you evaluate those preferences alongside road access, driving distances, and proximity to the places you will use regularly.
Our goal is to help you choose a home and community that support your everyday life.
Your Personalized Costa Rica Relocation Guide
Costa Rica doesn’t come with a manual.
Every town, district, and beach community has its own character. Shopping options, services, customs, and daily rhythms vary by location. Your priorities are personal, too.
That is why every exclusive buyer receives a personalized community guide tailored to their destination and needs. Depending on your priorities, it can include:
- Healthcare access: Nearby clinics, hospitals, and useful medical contacts.
- Shopping for different budgets: Where to buy groceries and household essentials, with affordable, midrange, and premium options.
- Local farmers markets: Where to find fresh produce and regional products.
- Everyday services: Recommendations for mechanics, home maintenance providers, and other practical needs.
- Culture and communication: Insight into local customs and everyday interactions.
- Community connections: Opportunities to explore your surroundings, meet people, and get involved.
We want you to arrive with useful information, realistic expectations, and a clearer understanding of the place you will call home.
Tell us what matters to youRelocation Guidance Is Part of Our Job
We believe helping you adjust to your new community belongs alongside helping you purchase your home.
Our personalized guides and relocation guidance are included with exclusive buyer representation. We don’t sell these guides as standalone products or charge our exclusive buyers a separate relocation consulting fee.
For outside services such as movers, shipping companies, or car rentals, we are always happy to point you in the right direction.
We provide recommendations and introductions, but we do not perform or book those services for you. You contact, hire, and pay independent providers directly.
Frequently Asked Questions About Moving to Costa Rica
How do I start planning a move to Costa Rica?
Begin with your budget, preferred climate, healthcare needs, family priorities, and desired lifestyle. We use those details to help you identify suitable communities and organize your property search. When specialist assistance is needed, we can point you toward relevant professionals.
What is it like to move to Costa Rica?
Your experience will depend on your destination and circumstances. Everyday routines, access to services, and community life vary by location. Our local and international perspectives help you understand those differences before choosing a home.
Is it difficult to move to Costa Rica?
An international move involves unfamiliar decisions and cultural adjustments. Personalized guidance can help you navigate those decisions with greater confidence. We focus on finding a suitable home, explaining your chosen community, and connecting you with useful resources.
Where in Costa Rica do you help buyers relocate?
We primarily serve Escazú, Santa Ana, San Ramón, the Western Central Valley, and the Central Pacific. For the right buyer, we search throughout Costa Rica, collaborating with local agents and regional specialists when appropriate.
What does an exclusive buyer’s agent do in Costa Rica?
As your exclusive buyer’s agents, we bring your property search together through one team. We search listings, communicate with other agents, coordinate showings, help you compare options, and negotiate on your behalf.
Do I pay your buyer-agent commission?
Our buyer-agent commission is paid by the seller. You pay us no separate fee for our property search, buyer representation, or included relocation guidance. Your purchase costs and outside services are separate.
Is your Costa Rica relocation guide included?
Yes. When you appoint us as your exclusive buyer’s agents, your personalized community guide is included at no additional fee. It is tailored to where you are moving and what matters to you.
Do you provide movers, shipping services, or rental cars?
We are happy to recommend providers and point you in the right direction. We do not perform or book those services. You arrange and pay for them directly with the company you choose.
