Job Discussion Forums

[Michael Kennedy]

Sorry I did not answer more of your questions. I was so busy posting all those listings. Here are your answers:

So if I'm reading these posts correctly, the following areas would be recommended, yes? Yes I would recommend then

Santa Anna on the outskirts
Barrio San Francisco
Guadalupe
Heredia
Alajuela and also Ciudad Colon added also
Contacting local rental agencies = good idea =yes its the easiest way

Any other suggestions for 200-280 apartments in safe areas? These are the main areas I know about. I am sure there are others.
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And what is good, Phaedrus? I don't know that area, I mostly know San Jose and the surrounding areas ex-pats live in
And what is not good? Basically any where around downtown San Jose and San Pedro (only at night is bad)
Need we ask anyone to tell us these things? Yes it is important because there are a lot of break ins in certain areas. Especially Escazu because with all the Americans live there and the Tico robbers think this is where they can score the biggest on a break in. The areas I mentioned a primarily Tico areas so there are not as nearly as many break in. On an apartment also make sure you have the double doors with locks on them

Cost Rica really is a fun place to live, you just need to take certain precautions just like living in the U.S.

[Michael Kennedy]

Ok I read your post on San Pedro. Yes I agree it is not 100% safe and yes there are armed robbers outside the mall like you said and yes Los Yoses does have some crime. I did have a few listings in San Pedro, so ok if you want to be on the safe side then I would not live in that area considering all the other areas you can get for the same price that are safer. I lived in Los Yoses for about 3 months and I do have to admit you do have to watch your surroundings a little bit. I never really hanged out around the mall or San Pedro all that much. I lived in the green builiding by the KFC in Los Yoses next door to the middle easter bar/restaurant and that was my main hang out because it was only 100 feet from my front door, so I never wondered that far walking in Los Yoses at night and I always took a cab in los Yoses and San Pedro at night but would walk to downtown San Jose during the day and never had a problem. Los Yoses most Ticos consider an OK area, but you are correct there are better, safer areas to live in. I also had some lisitng from Moravia, which is also not a bad area but overall La Alajuela and Heredia are probably the main places I would consider living in.

[teachwrite]

Thanks! So here's a list then of recommended places in this thread to rent an apartment for 200-300 in and around San Jose:

Barrio San Francisco
Ciudad Colon
Guadalupe
Heredia
Alajuela
Santa Anna on the outskirts
Contacting local rental agencies = good idea

[Michael Kennedy]

Yes if you stick to those areas you will do ok and will probably never have a problem. Enjoy yourself. I am probably moving down there in a few months. I need to take care of a few things at my job before I relocate and I need to train my replacement who is coming in after the new year. I am going to work at a sports book full time and then teach part-time at night but not with a school. I made a few phone calls and have about 8-9 clients lined up and am charging $3.00 a class hour and am going to be teaching 2 at a time so I figure I can make an extra $300 a month teaching adults. I am not really a big fan of teaching kids.

[John Hall]

[Michael Kennedy]

LOL no $3.00 per student per hour and teaching 2 at a time so $6.00 an hour total . Yes I am going cheap to full fill a need but also because 3-4 of these people are very good friends of mine and the others are friends of theres and I don't need the money that badly and most of these people only make maybe $800-$1000 a month and are married and have kids expenses etc.. In terms of them not attending, I am going to make my schedule open to them whenever they want to come in and I also have different teaching methods. To make it fun, if it is up to them, I am open to even teaching in the bar lol and willing to get compensated in beers to. I don't want to just sit at home and tutor english all day at my boring house. You know as well as I do, Ticos love to have fun and as long as I keep them happy, I am happy. The money isn't that important to me.