AE Members available Sabana:

• Go Dutch Realty, Ivo Henfling

• Coronado Realty, Barry Ashworth

AE Member available Rohrmoser:

• Coronado Realty, Barry Ashworth

Sabana

The famous Parque Metropolitano La Sabana (Metropolitan Park) is one of the most well known locations of the west side of San Jose. Until 1955, Sabana Park was Costarican’s international airport and then used only for small aircraft. Around 1978, Sabana was turned into a 180 acre park, with sport facilities, a swimming pool, the national soccer stadium and many trees were planted and two beautiful lakes were created so it is used every week by the more than 30,000 visitors without having to pay any entry to use most of the facilities. The control tower of the airport was turned into the museum of Costarican arts.

The national soccer stadium was demolished in 2009 because the Chinese Government donated a new stadium for 35,000 people that will be finished in 2010 and will be used mainly for soccer matches.  Recently, a skating rink was added to the park too.

Even though around La Sabana there were very nice residential areas back in the 70’s, in the last 20 years the originally residential homes were turned into offices by small and medium sized corporations. Now, many of those old buildings are being torn down and several high rise apartments (our high rises generally don’t go any higher than 14 floors) were built or are in the process of construction. The construction of buildings like Torres del Parque, Vistas del Parque, which are now finished and occupied and others like Condado del Parque and Condominio 60-30 are opening up more toward San Jose.

This, together with the new highway from San Jose to the Central Pacific, make it possible to make San Jose livable again for the young professionals who are looking for smaller apartments that are secure and offer city living like most large cities in the world have to offer. San Jose is just starting to renovate and the choice of apartments, ranging anywhere between $100,000 and $800,000 depending on the views and the location, start making La Sabana and San Jose a very interesting option again.

Sabana is often recognized as "the lungs of San José" by Costa Ricans and living in this area you realize everything is close but surprisingly quiet. There are many private streets with older but well built one storey homes. There are also many apartments from groups of 2 or 3 to building of 30 units. There are also many cute dead end streets with private homes. All sorts of buildings and some very reasonable apartments for rent. Sabana has not be affected by the slump in the rest of the world. There are some good deals in large condos in highrises, even penthouses under $500,000. However there are many smaller condos available.

Many international students including Ucimed, the medical university is in the area. Sabana can only grow and prices are pushe dup with the strong demand. Whether you want an investment or a cool place to live,this is it. >>Go up

Rohrmoser

Originally the coffee field on the west side of San Jose, was developed by the Rohrmoser family in the sixties until the eighties as one of the very first master planned subdivisions. The first part of Rohrmoser, called Nunciatura, was rapidly developed by the local business community and now offers some very nice parks and larger homes. It was called Nunciatura because the Pope’s representative, “El Nuncio” has its home there. Also President Oscar Arias lives in this area.

The second part of Rohrmoser, legally called Pavas, starts where the freeway that goes from Escazu to the highway to the airport cuts right through it, was developed in the 70’s and 80’s into a well organized middle class residential area. Only the two main boulevards are commercial and this area offers the Plaza Mayor Mall built in 1983 and extended in 1990 and also the Rohrmoser Mall and some other but smaller strip malls. These malls offer plenty of shopping opportunities. Along the main street in Pavas there are many great bars including Van Gogh, Tragaldabas and Kabanas. Paseo Colon, which is home to clubs and bars such as Vertigo, Lebnon and Rhapsodia, is only a short ride away. The second part of Rohrmoser is divided in neighborhoods like La Favorita and La Geroma. Also the US embassy is located in this same area and the German school ( Humboldt Schule) and the British School.

Most homes in the Rohrmoser and Pavas area offer very small gardens as they were mainly built by Costaricans, who because of their culture do not appreciate a garden as most foreigners do. Many homes also have only a carport or garage for one car as at the time when those homes were built, there were very few families that would have more than one. Most homes are older and will need some TLC as they will be outdated. Make sure that if you are interested in this area, to tell your realtor clearly about your needs like a large garden, a garage for 2 cars or more or to be updated.

The area also offers many apartment buildings as for many years the Agency for International Development (AID) had its offices there which was donated to the Costarican government and is now the National Center of High Technology Dr. Franklin Chang Diaz (CENAT). Dr. Franklin Chang Diaz created the Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket for spacecraft propulsion, which is currently in development by his company, Ad Astra Rocket company. Due to his career as an astronaut and his scientific success, he was decorated several times and the Center was named after him.

The huge advantage that Rohrmoser has over areas like Escazu and Santa Ana is that it is wedged in between the highway San Jose – Alajuela (airport) and San Jose – Escazu/Santa Ana and therefore it is very easy to access from anywhere. Invest in apartments, condos or fix up older homes. Rohrmoser has many good opportunities and a large number of people looking for rental units. Set up your business from offices of older homes to even an Industrial Zone.

The center of San Jose and entrance to Escazu are both only about a $4 taxi ride, and the national airport Tobias Bolaños is located nearby in Pavas, making travel from this area very convenient. Who wouldn’t want to live here? >>Go up