A conversation with Sarah Elena, Founder of RelocateNow Costa Rica.
A beautiful view cannot tell you how a place will work on a wet Tuesday. Sarah Elena suggests using a scouting trip to test the journeys, services and routines you would actually depend on, then checking what a short visit could not reveal.
This interview has been edited from Sarah’s written answers. Her observations reflect her relocation work and personal experience. Weather, roads and utilities vary by region, neighbourhood and property. A short stay is a sample, not a guarantee of year-round conditions.
1. How should someone choose where to scout and how long to stay?
Before discussing dates, we need to understand the person: hobbies, lifestyle, essential amenities, airport access, healthcare needs, preferred climate, community, housing budget and long-term rental requirements. Those priorities shape the shortlist.
Then we look at what daily life would involve in each area and allow time to test it. There is no one trip length that fits everyone. Time on the ground should reflect the complexity of the life you want to assess, within your practical limits.
Do not build the shortlist solely from Facebook groups or AI suggestions. Check recommendations against people with direct local knowledge and your own requirements, rather than relying on a postcard image of a place.
2. Which ordinary routines should visitors test?
Make the trip resemble a regular week. Identify nearby medical facilities and check whether they offer the services you need. Test the internet in the actual home for the work you do. Try the journeys you would make to groceries, a pharmacy or a café. Shop, cook at home and visit the farmers’ market.
Think about an average Tuesday and a typical weekend. If you have children, test the journey to the school you are considering. Can you picture yourself making those trips regularly?
There is room for sightseeing, but it should not crowd out the daily realities you came to investigate.
3. How should rain affect the plan?
I encourage people to experience rainy conditions deliberately because they can reveal practical demands that a dry-weather holiday misses. I favour early starts and leaving extra time for driving rather than planning a long journey late in the day.
Check current road conditions before setting out. If you reach a flooded river crossing, turn around. Rain adds another layer to unfamiliar driving conditions, so allow room to change the plan.
Editor’s note: morning sunshine and afternoon rain are not guaranteed. Costa Rica’s Pacific and Caribbean rainfall patterns differ, and local conditions vary. Consult current regional forecasts, official alerts and road information; do not treat a general seasonal pattern as permission to travel through a hazardous area.
4. What should people observe at the property?
Look at where rainwater drains and whether water pools near the building. Notice dampness and humidity. Ask direct questions about previous drainage problems and electricity and water interruptions.
I have experienced both electricity and water outages where I live in Playa Hermosa, in Garabito, Puntarenas, near Jacó. Rather than assuming a whole region has the same service, investigate the specific neighbourhood and property, including how interruptions would affect your own routine.
For work, a connection that merely exists is not enough. Confirm the service type and test it under your actual workload. Discuss wired service or available alternatives in more remote locations, as well as a backup plan. Availability and performance need checking at the address.
Ask the owner detailed questions and seek knowledgeable local help where needed. A brief viewing may not reveal drainage history or recurring service issues.
5. What can a short rainy-season visit reveal, and what remains unknown?
It can show how the rental feels in wet weather, what happens to nearby roads, how services perform during your stay and how rain changes your daily rhythm. Those are useful observations.
It cannot show every season or every problem. Visitor numbers, community activity, weather and rental conditions may look different at another time of year. A visit without an outage or heavy storm does not establish that neither occurs.
If possible, return in a contrasting season before making a major commitment. Speak with year-round residents about both wetter and drier periods, and compare several accounts rather than treating any single experience as the full picture.
6. Can you give an example of how the shortlist changes?
A recurring pattern is someone arriving with a firm idea about a region based on online recommendations. During planning, we learn that they need nearby medical care, dislike difficult roads, prefer a milder climate or want a different daily routine. The original shortlist may no longer fit.
That is a composite planning example, not a report about one client. The lesson is to clarify your non-negotiables before committing to a route and accommodation.
My three checks are:
- Does the area fit your needs for healthcare access, climate, roads and transport?
- Have you tried the everyday journeys, rather than only the viewpoints?
- Have you spoken with year-round residents about conditions outside the weeks you visited?
About Sarah Elena
Sarah Elena is the founder of RelocateNow Costa Rica. She says she has helped people move to the country since 2019, having relocated herself more than a decade ago. Her approach draws on her social-work background and treats relocation as life planning as well as logistics. She also shares her experience through her YouTube channel, La Sarah Elena.
Professional website: RelocateNow Costa Rica.
Planning source: Costa Rica’s official tourism site on regional seasons.