All language subtitles for Worlds.Bargain.Dream.Homes.S01E12.1080p.WEB.h264-EDITH_Track03

This view is priceless.

[narrator]
Imagine a world of bargain
dream real estate.

-Just $41,000.
-What?

This is unheard of
for the States.

Global destinations.

-Bonjour.
-I'm gonna embarrass myself.

Fromagerie.

I love it.
Great way to meet
your neighbors.

-Yeah.
-Yeah.

-This architecture is amazing.
-[bell tolling]

And local expert know-how.

[realtor]
The cost of this in the States,

I think it would be
double for sure.

The cost of living here
is so much more affordable
than the US.

-It is definitely a bargain.
-Thank you.

You can afford to
live your dream...

Whoo!

I can't believe this is going
to be my new home.

...at a price you never
thought possible.

You did incredible.

This is exactly what we came
all this way for.

Oh, my God, it's so beautiful.
I love this weather.

Yeah, it's really nice today.
Beautiful day.

It's so nice just to be out
here and barefoot, no jacket.

This time of year in
Connecticut, it is freezing.

I heard they're getting lots
and lots of snow,

so I think I made it out
just in time.

[festive music playing]

Just a three-hour flight from
Miami and then a short drive is

the region of Puntarenas,

Costa Rica's Pacific
playground.

Covering most of
the country's west coast,

its vibrant surfing scene is
ranked 10th in the world.

It's also one of Costa Rica's
top tourist destinations.

Yeah -- oh!

With a cost of living 30% lower
than in the US,

it's a hugely desirable
property hotspot where you can

still find a dream home for
under 150,000 US dollars.

This move has been on my mind
since the first time I came to

Costa Rica 12 years ago.

Ivan and I met when I was
here on vacation,

and we have dated,
but now we're friends.

Meeting Ivan definitely
played a role in my decision

to move to Costa Rica.
-She fell in love.

Well, I did.
It's not a lie.

Yeah, it happens.

In Connecticut, I worked a lot,
and I didn't have a lot to show

for it at the end of the day.

I would say my monthly bills in
Connecticut were roughly

$6,000 a month.
-What?!

[laughing] Yeah.

That's why I had three jobs,

just trying to make all of
that work.

So I'm here to help Jennifer
to find her new house,

finding a new place for
her that fit in

this new lifestyle that
she wanted to get.

I really want her to change
her life and start living

the Pura Vida life.

To max out the Pura Vida,
or good life, relocation expert

Sarah will be her guide.

I came to Costa Rica over
10 years ago.

Here in the Central Pacific,
I know this area like

the back of my hand.

The lifestyle is a massive draw
for expats and investors.

Many come down here for
the relaxed lifestyle,

the nature, the amazing weather
all year round,

and the really warm
culture and community.

One of the great things about
the real estate market here in

Costa Rica is that foreigners
can buy property with virtually

no restrictions.

The cost of living is so much
more affordable than the US.

People pay sometimes between
20% to 30% less

to live in this amazing place.

-Hey, guys.
You're here.
-Hey!

You made it.
Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you.

Jennifer, what's brought
you here to Costa Rica?

I actually was in real estate
in Connecticut,

so very busy 24/7
and not a lot of downtime.

So I'm kind of at a point
in my life

where I'm looking to relax
and slow down and just

take things a little bit easier.

I'm born and raised here in
Costa Rica.

I grew up in Puntarenas,
and I'm gonna be here

helping her, trying to figure
out what's the best for her.

We have a lot of love
and respect for each other,

so I wouldn't trust anyone more
than Ivan

to help me with this process.

I love that.
That's super sweet.

So what's on the line for
you here financially

with this move?
What budget are we looking at?

I would like
to stay between

190,000 to 210,000 US dollars.

I know a lot of the properties
here come furnished.

I definitely need to have
two bedrooms

and two full bathrooms, because
having the opportunity

to rent out the second room
is ideal for me

and it has to be pet-friendly

because I do have a dog.

I'd like to be walking distance
to the beach.

I would like to have a pool
and I would prefer it

to be turnkey.

Well, I've spent a ton of time
here and I feel pretty

confident we're going to find
what you're looking for.

-Let's get going.
-OK.

Before they head out,
a must on any Puntarenas

wish list is to meet
the local celebrity.

-[Jennifer] Oh, my gosh!
-[Sarah] This is Morita the pig.

-Wow!
-Amazing, right?

She truly is, you know,

a staple here in the town.

She's got quite
the social media following.

She's got over
80,000 followers.

-Wow!
-Wow, I didn't know that.

She's actually really famous.

Of all the things I ever
thought I would see in

Costa Rica, it definitely was
not a pig on the beach.

[snorting]

Jennifer's affordable real
estate adventure starts in

the surfing paradise of
Jacó Beach.

Whoop-whoop-whoo!

This two-mile-long stretch of
coast is famous for

its consistent rolling waves
that attract surfers

from all over the country.

[Sarah] The infrastructure here
in the area of Jacó is

so expat friendly,
and the weekend tourism is one

of the most popular
in the country.

Expats moving here
can expect healthy foods,

a slower pace of life,

and a really
friendly community.

All right, let's go check
it out.

-You guys ready?
-[Jennifer] Yeah.

First on Sarah's property list
is this modern two-unit house

where you get two connected
but separate apartments

for the price of one.

It actually looks
like a house.

It is a house?

Well, actually,
two separate apartments,

which I know is something that
I think you might be really

excited about.
-[Jennifer] That's actually
amazing.

I think that would work
perfectly

for what I want to do, which is
get some passive income

and rent one of
the apartments out.

That would be great.

So it's in the lower end of
your budget.

-So this home is at just under
199,000 US dollars.
-Wow.

OK, it seems like it has
so much to offer.

[Sarah] I think this is
a great option for Jennifer.

It really encompasses a lot of
what she's been asking for.

So number one,
the income producing potential,

but also providing
that privacy.

It's got that modern, open feel
that I think she's looking for.

And the fact that it's just
ready to move in,

I think is great.

-[Jennifer] Oh, wow.
-[Ivan] Oh, this is nice.

Yeah.
This is beautiful.

-I love that mural.
-[Ivan] Wow.

It's actually beautiful.

[Jennifer]
It's a little small, I think,

but it has a really
big kitchen, which I love.

I could really see myself like,
cooking dinner here

and sitting down and eating.

I love the open concept

and it definitely has a lot of
natural light.

[Ivan] That's something that
you really like.

So that's a good point about
this one.

If this space is just for
you and your dog, I think it

might work for you really well.
-Yeah, me too.

I really like that
it's two separate units,

because this would be my space.
I would have my privacy.

I can work from home and not
have to worry about

any interruptions.

Yeah, I think exactly
the same as you.

Because you're such a copycat,

don't you have thoughts
of your own?

Built in 2022,
the main apartment on

the second floor
has an open-plan living

and kitchen area,
bedroom, and full bathroom.

The studio on the first floor
has open-plan living,

a bedroom space,
and full bathroom.

The community also has
a shared pool.

-Oh, wow. OK.
-I like it.

[Jennifer] Yeah, this is
a really cute bedroom.

I love the headboard.

I do like that it comes
furnished, so we won't have to

go furniture shopping.
-Great.

[Jennifer] It could be really
perfect for me.

[Ivan] I think the same.

Of course you do.

-Oh wow.
-So cute.

OK, so this is definitely
the smaller space.

So I feel like this
would be the rental.

[Ivan] Yeah -- I feel like, wow,
it's actually really nice.

[Jennifer] Yeah.
It is small,

but it has a nice
living room area...
-[Ivan] Yeah.

...and it even
has its own kitchen.

I mean, that's really great.

That's gonna make it really
easy to rent, I feel like.

You know,
even though this is a studio,

I feel like I could get maybe
like a privacy panel

because this bedroom area is
sort of in its own space

and that could
help add some privacy.

It's definitely small,
but it's perfect

just to cool down.

I mean, I don't need much,
and I wouldn't have to worry

about the maintenance.
-Yeah, that's true.

[Jennifer]
I really love this.

It is a little on the smaller
side, but the fact that it has

a completely separate unit,
it's not something that I even

thought I would ever be able
to find.

I love the price point,

so thank you so much for
showing us this.

Puntarenas is one of
the most important

tourist spots in the country,
and you're never too far away

from the beach or one of
the country's

most refreshing traditions.

-Oh, check this out.
-Oh, what is it?

These are granizados.

[speaking Spanish]

[continues in Spanish]

He's gonna have double
of everything.

-Oh.
-Whoo.

-That's my favorite.
-I'm not surprised.

-Oh, Lord.
-This is definitely like
the Costa Rican

ice cream truck.
-Oh, wow.

It sounds great.

[Ivan]
Granizado this kind of like
a shaved ice.

He put it in a cup with some
milk powder.

-[Jennifer] Nice and refreshing.
-And also syrup.

[Jennifer]
It looks a little bit like
a snow cone.

And he will put,
like, condensed milk.

This definitely gives me a lot
of memories back in the days

when I was a kid
with my family.

[speaking Spanish]

Mm-hmm.

Oh, wow.

Yeah, I can see why kids
love these.

Definitely a good way to cool
down on a hot day.

Oh, yeah.

After cooling off with
granizados,

just a three-minute drive from
Jacó Beach is Jacó Town.

With easy access to
the capital, San Jose,

it's a mecca for tourists.

Renowned for
its environmental credentials,

the country's developers
prioritize

sustainable building,

meaning this stretch
has evolved

into an eco-friendly
property hotspot.

And just a short walk from
the beach in the sunny suburb

of Torres Del Mar
is a pristine

great-value Seaview apartment

in a modern condominium.

So this is a brand-new
development.

It was just finished last year,
and you'll be the first person

in this actual unit.
-Oh, wow.

So I really love this
because I feel it fits in

with your lifestyle.
There's a coffee shop

right here down the street.

Go grab your coffee, head over
to the beach

for those walks
that you like to do or surfing.

[Jennifer]
I can see from the outside
it's super modern.

It looks really nice, so I'm
a little nervous to ask

what's the price?

The apartment is a little
over budget.

It's 215,000 US dollars.

Yeah, it looks really modern,
which is what I'm looking for,

so I think it's gonna be
a great option.

-Ready?
-Oh, wow.

-Wow, this is beautiful.
-[Ivan] Wow.

[Jennifer] I love the island.
It's really big.

-[Ivan] I like it.
-Oh, there's a balcony.

It is nice to have some outdoor
space, but I would prefer if

it had a little bit of
a nicer view.

This great value modern
apartment built in 2025 has

an open-concept
kitchen-living space,

two good-sized double bedrooms,

two modern full bathrooms,

and an outdoor space.

[Jennifer]
This is feeling a little bit
small, if I wanted to rent out

the second room, it might be

a little bit small to have
guests here.

But the unique selling feature
of the home...

-Oh, wow.
-Oh.

...is this incredible
roof terrace.

-Oh, my God.
This is amazing.
-This is way different.

[Jennifer] Wow.
This is an awesome space.

-This is incredible, actually.
I really like this view.
-[Jennifer] Yeah.

Me too.

I think I would spend a lot of
time up here.

Probably all my time.

[Ivan]
I can bet that, like, you're
probably gonna just hang out

taking some sun
in the morning.

-Yeah.
-And I feel like
it's perfect for you.

Yeah, this is really great.

I originally thought that
the apartment was pretty small,

but this definitely
changes things.

-Yeah.
-I could even watch
the sunset from here.

-You know what you need?
-What?

-[Ivan] Spicy margarita.
-Yeah.

For the sunset.

-Yeah.
-I know you love that.

You're gonna have to learn how
to make them.

-Hey, guys.
-Hey.

-How was it?
-We loved the rooftop terrace.

That is amazing.

That was kind of like the main
thing about this apartment.

Yeah, I would have to agree.

But I do think I think
the space would be a little bit

small for my dog, and it might
make things difficult

when I have to take her outside
to use the bathroom.

But it's a great,
really modern,

beautiful apartment.

Further along the coast
and viewable from

the apartment's roof terrace is
one of Costa Rica's most

spectacular beaches.

[Sarah] OK, so this is
Playa Hermosa Beach.

This beach is very special for
Costa Rica.

So it was actually Costa Rica's
first protected surfing zone.

So that's why you're
not gonna see

the same kind of
development here.

You know, you can see
all the trees.

It looks a little bit more
quiet, right?

[Jennifer]
Yeah, no, I really like that.

It feels really secluded,
and it's so beautiful.

Next up, just under
a 20-minute drive

from Hermosa Beach, is the
coastal community

of Herradura.

Spanish for horseshoe,
this town gets its name from

the nearby
crescent-shaped beach.

With the average price of
a two-bedroom house in

Connecticut costing around
$350,000,

in this gated community,

Jennifer could
have an off-plan house built,

just like this show home,
for a fraction of the price.

[Sarah] OK, here we are.
This is the house right here.

-[Jennifer] Oh, wow.
-[Sarah] Isn't it so nice?

-[Jennifer] Yeah,
it's beautiful.
-[Sarah] Yeah.

All right, let's go
check it out.

So this particular house is
a showroom house.

What's really great about it is
you're in early enough where

you can actually really
customize the actual build.

-OK, I like that.
-There's over 400 lots here.

So it's a large community,
five pools, there's some

tennis courts, has a great
dog park as well,

and lots of space for you to,
you know, walk your dog around.

The price without furniture is
205,000 US dollars.

The 205,000 sounds good.

It is close to the higher end
of my budget, but there is

a lot of amenities
being offered.

So yeah,
I'm definitely interested.

-Oh, wow.
-[Ivan] Oh, it's nice.

-[Jennifer] Yeah.
I like the high ceilings.
-[Ivan] It's cute.

[Jennifer]
Yeah, this is really pretty.

I love the open
concept and the island.

-[Ivan] I like it.
-[Jennifer] Yeah, me too.

It's very modern
and it's definitely turnkey.

So I feel like I wouldn't have
to do anything.

I mean, this is
really beautiful.

-Oh, wow.
-Oh, this is...

Really pretty.

-[Ivan] Actually, yeah.
-[Jennifer] Yeah.

[Ivan] I like that it doesn't
have any door.

Good lighting also,
which is important.

As well as a large open-plan
living space and kitchen,

the apartment will have two
double bedrooms,

two modern bathrooms,
and a pool.

Although the floor space inside
is fixed, as it's yet to be

built, the buyer can tailor
the interiors to fit

their own design and taste.

[Ivan]
Imagine this pool with all of
our friends coming here.

-[Jennifer] Yeah.
-[Ivan] We can make, like,
a barbecue.

-We can hang out, out here.
-[Jennifer] Yeah, it is
really nice.

-Oh, this is perfect.
-Yeah.

Now I want to jump.

[laughing]

Yeah, it's perfect, like,
in pretty hot days like today...

-Yeah.
-...to have this little pool
out here.

It would be great to have
that, actually.

[Jennifer] Yeah.
I think so, too.

Oh, OK.
This is the guest bedroom.

[Ivan]
What do you think?

[Jennifer] It's a little small,
but I think it could work.

It would be nice if they could
do maybe a private entrance for

this room and maybe even have
an ensuite bathroom

in here also.

Oh, this is probably where
I'm going to be staying

when I come and visit.
-Yeah.

This is actually really comfy.
I can come here all the time.

I really like it.
It has a lot of natural light.

I love the high ceilings.
I like the open concept.

The island is gorgeous.

I know the distance to
the amenities was something

that was also really
important to you.

So I do have to tell
you about the beach.

So the beach would actually be
a seven-minute drive,

which I know might be
a little bit further

than what you wanted.
-[Jennifer] I'm really not sure.

I did really want to be walking
distance to the beach,

but I might be able
to compromise.

So what did you think about
the showroom home?

Oh, that's the one that
I really like.

[Jennifer]
I hadn't considered living in
a gated community, and I'm not

sure if it's too big for me,
but it's not as close to

the beach as I want it to be.

I thought that
the Seaview apartment was on

the smaller side, but it did
have that rooftop terrace.

What do you think about
the two-unit home?

[Jennifer]
I really like that one.

Being just under $200,000,
I really think that is

a great value for everything
that it has to offer.

This could be too good of
an opportunity to pass up.

So I'm thinking that
I'm gonna make an offer.

Let's cheers for your new
Pura Vida life.

So I put in an offer on
the modern two-unit house

and I just got the keys.

I think tomorrow we'll start
moving all my things in.

I can't wait to have my first
night's sleep in here!

At least we didn't have to go
furniture shopping.

I could not get over the fact
that I would have a completely

private space to be able to
rent out and get that

passive income
that's so important to me.

I was able to negotiate
the price down to $191,000,

so I got really close to
the lowest end of my budget,

and I'm super excited!

And Ivan, you are such
a big help.

I couldn't have done this
without you.

-Congratulations!
-Thank you.