Our readers love our realtors!

by Walt Clayton
How I found my new home in Grecia went like this. A friend of a friend in the Bahamas had a friend in Costa Rica. We linked up. One of his friends was a realtor who had a real estate agent friend in Grecia: Brooke Bishop.

Brooke is an American who has been selling homes with GoDutch Realty for 10 years. (and now out on her own!) I checked her listings and – lo and behold! – there was a home within my budget that instantly zinged me. I jumped in Brooke’s SUV and off we went.

As we toured the house, I quickly realized that Brooke was a pro to the core. Meticulous and prepared, she knew the property inside-out, and had ready answers for my blitz of questions. More importantly, she’d done her homework and found out that the owner wanted to sell immediately or he’d let the house go into foreclosure. This vital fact was missed by other agents who assumed, wrongly, that the house was off the market. Suddenly, timing became critical.

Over the next couple weeks Brooke lived up fully to her reputation of being “very honest and with the utmost integrity.” It was a true pleasure working with her as we covered every aspect of the whole procedure: negotiations with the owner, meeting the local lawyer, formation of an LLC to avoid probate – all tactfully handled without any pressure, just sensible options for how to make the deal happen. And with an infectious sense of humor, no less!

But I had a problem. I needed to sell my Vegas home before I could buy the Grecia house. Brooke, being her resourceful self, offered a solution: get a loan, buy the house, then rent it out until I could sell the Vegas home. This way the Grecia house would remain occupied and even generate some income.

That plan is working, and enabled me to seize a rare opportunity. But Brooke did more than make it happen. At every opportunity she offered candid, invaluable advice, contacts, shopping tips, utilities and banking info, and helped me get a post office box, just to name a few extras.
Brooke loves to help people find a place where they will be happy, and it shows. My eternal thanks!


Thank you, Brooke!
By Mareena Cords, El Cajon de Grecia

My husband and I were extremely fortunate to have been given Brooke Bishops phone number from Go Dutch Realty. We were having a problem where we were staying and the realtor we had lined up was less than helpful. We called Brooke and she promised she'd find us a place to stay before the day was out. She said no way would she leave us in the situation we were in. Brooke came through with flying colors. She found us the perfect place, a nice one bedroom casita owned by two expats who had been in country for about a year.

Since we were in Costa Rica to decide if we wanted to retire here, it was our great good fortune to now be under Brooke's care. She really listened to our needs and wants. She showed us the perfect properties for us at the right altitude (for weather preference). Brooke also was a jewel with the purchase, working with our lawyer and the sellers, hiring a Gardner and taking care of everything while we returned to the US to prepare to move.

Once we arrived back in Costa Rica, again Brooke to the rescue. Her ability to speak fluent Spanish and her knowledge of the culture was such a blessing. She helped us get our utilities turned on, bank account set up, where to shop.

I could go on and on, a year later she is still helping with signing up for caja. I have known many realtors in my life, but I have never met anyone who so lovingly gives of herself to her clients. Thanks again, Brooke!

posted 7/2017

by Debra and Don Rogan

Chris Schoo is a true professional real estate agent who speaks both English and Spanish fluently! We decided to move back from remote Costa Rica to Grecia because we loved all its benefits so much and all our friends are here. We contacted Chris and shared our wish list with him.

Chris promptly contacted us and shared that he currently had some great properties that fit our wish list we should first check out on his wonderful website www.greciarealestate.net or www.realestategrecia.net. He guided us to the properties he thought we would like most.

We then promptly took the bus for the 3 to 3 1/2 hours back to Grecia to spend a couple days with Chris showing us his homes he'd picked for us the first day. Chris kindly met us in Naranjo on this beautiful morning as part of his service as a courtesy to us! Well, the last house Chris showed us that first day was definitely a wow-er and perfectly fit our wish list! A house we could make our home for some time, in our beloved Grecia, on the wonderful ridge of Carbonal, at a lower elevation where it isn't as chilly at night on a very private and protected ridge away from the summer winds. The house is angled perfectly against the blazing hot afternoon suns we have at altitudes of 4,000 ft. too and built extremely well! Chris is low pressure, he wants you to 'sleep on it' before making your final decision, and, if you don't like what you've seen so far to let him know you want him to keep looking. We decided we had to have the wow-er right away. We met second day mid day with the owner who could not have been nicer! Chris took us through the house with him addressing any issues we might have, with the owner letting us know he would make sure all was repaired that needed repaired, cleaned completely and big lawn mowed fresh before we moved! He made concessions for changes we asked for without hesitation. He even ran back home for a key to the house for us!

Chris clearly relayed his plans to collect our deposit, provide both English and Spanish version lease agreements the next day via email, relayed information about utility payments where and when, how the utilities worked at the house with the owner's assistance etc. making sure we fully understood how rent would be collected etc. Key as provided, receipts were written and move in date was established without a hitch. Handshakes and smiles all around!

We could not be happier and more excited to return to Grecia! A big shout out to Chris Schoo for his wonderful and very professional services and great care! Thanks Chris Schoo you come highly recommended - an easy 5 star rating!

posted 1/16/2017