San Rafael

About San Rafael:

San Rafael covers 14 square kilometres west of San Pedro, the canton seat, on the slope that falls toward Grecia. Route 107, the national road between Poás and Grecia, crosses it from one side to the other, and the centre has its Catholic church and a Megasúper on that road. Side streets such as Calle Solís, Calle Tablones and Calle El Sitio branch off into the coffee. Buses on the Alajuela–San Pedro–San Rafael line run every 15 to 30 minutes through most of the day, and Autotransportes Santa Gertrudis runs two Grecia lines into the district, one through Guatusa and one through Santa Rosa and Churuca.

This is a string of small communities rather than a single town. Santa Rosa, Guatusa, Churuca, Bajo Zamora, Solís, Potrero Chiquito, Monte, Volcán and Barrio Cristo Rey all belong to it, along with parts of El Sitio and Tablones that it shares with neighbouring districts. Coffee is the traditional crop, and ornamental plant nurseries and poultry sheds add to the farm work. In La Guatusa a nature lodge with a pool and restaurant serves coffee grown on its own land to weekend visitors from the Central Valley.

The western communities look as much to Grecia as to San Pedro, because the buses and the road both run that way. For the municipality and most errands, residents go to San Pedro de Poás. Teenagers stay closer to home: the old Liceo de San Rafael became the Colegio Técnico Profesional San Rafael de Poás in 2010, and primary schools such as Escuela El Sitio serve the outlying streets. Fibre-optic internet reaches houses on the main road, which matters if you plan to work from here.

The population went from 2,586 at the 1984 census to 5,025 in 2000 and 5,436 in 2011. Most buyers are Costa Rican families, some building on land that has been in the family for generations, others looking for a house with a garden. A smaller group are foreign buyers: newer two-storey homes, sold furnished and marketed in English, have gone up on quiet side streets. Grecia and the road up to the volcano are both close.

Houses in San Rafael:

Most houses for sale in San Rafael de Poás are detached homes on their own plots. Along Route 107 you will find older brick houses on lots of 900 to 1,000 square metres, some renovated with gardens, terraces and even a pool, and on the side streets newer builds with mountain views. Some properties carry more than one home: a main house with apartments, or several houses on a single lot. At the other end of the scale are small houses in gated condominiums on lots of little more than 100 square metres. If a property has extra units, check that each one was built with permits before you count on the rent.

Land and Lots in San Rafael:

Building lots of 1,000 to 1,500 square metres come up on side streets such as Calle El Sitio, sometimes with the owner financing part of the price. Larger parcels of around 7,000 square metres appear too, and now and then a coffee farm of several hectares. Coffee ground is farmland, so if you want to build, ask the municipality what the land-use plan allows on that parcel before you agree a price. Commercial corner premises come up now and then as well.

Rentals in San Rafael:

Rentals here are local and small-scale: apartments built beside or above family homes, sometimes let with water and electricity included in the monthly rent, and the occasional whole house. Some have a wide view from the slope. If you want to rent while you look for land, San Pedro de Poás and Grecia are both close enough to widen the search.

FAQ:

• How do I get to San Rafael de Poás without a car?

  From Alajuela, take the Alajuela–San Pedro–San Rafael bus, which runs every 15 to 30 minutes for most of the day and ends in the district. From Grecia, Autotransportes Santa Gertrudis runs a Grecia–Poás line through Guatusa and a Grecia–Santa Rosa–Poás line through Churuca. Check which line passes your street before you choose a house.

• What is Route 107 like?

  Route 107 is the national road that links San Pedro de Poás with Grecia through the middle of San Rafael, and many houses front it directly. Its surface has been a long-running complaint, and neighbours in both cantons have campaigned for a full rebuild rather than patching. Drive it in the rain before you buy on it, and ask locally whether any works are planned.

• What should I check on a lot off Calle El Sitio or Calle Tablones?

  Both streets are split between San Rafael and neighbouring districts, so confirm which district and cadastral plan your plot actually falls under in the Registro Nacional (Registro Inmobiliario). Many lots are carved out of family coffee land; make sure the segregation is registered and the plot has its own legal access. Get a land-use certificate from the Municipalidad de Poás and written water availability from the municipal aqueduct or the local ASADA that serves the street.

• Can I buy a small coffee farm here?

  Yes, coffee farms of several hectares do come up, along with larger agricultural parcels. Ask whether the coffee is still in production and who buys the harvest, and check what the municipality will let you build on farmland before you plan a house on it.

• Is San Rafael practical for a family?

  The district has its own technical high school, the Colegio Técnico Profesional San Rafael de Poás, and primary schools in its communities. A Megasúper on Route 107 covers daily shopping. For the municipality and bigger errands you go to San Pedro de Poás, and Grecia is the other nearby town.