Upala

About Upala:

Upala district covers almost 150 square kilometres of plain in the far north of Alajuela, nearly all of it close to 50 metres above sea level. The ground only starts to climb at the edges, toward Aguas Claras and Bijagua on the lower slopes of Tenorio and Miravalles. The town grew on the bank of the Río Zapote, which rises at the foot of Miravalles and runs north into Lake Nicaragua. Route 6 comes in from Cañas and the Inter-American Highway by way of Bijagua and Canalete, while Route 4 heads east to Guatuso and San Carlos and west to Santa Cecilia in La Cruz, Guanacaste. From the terminal, buses leave for San José, Cañas, Liberia, La Cruz, Guatuso, Los Chiles and San Carlos, and a small airfield with a 1,000-metre paved strip sits on the edge of town.

The first settlers came up the Zapote around the 1870s from Rivas and Río San Juan in Nicaragua, looking for wild rubber trees. Cattle still carry the economy, beef and dual-purpose herds above all, and the Montecillos livestock auction on the road out toward Bijagua is where much of the canton’s stock changes hands. The farms around town also grow beans, rice, maize, roots and tubers, citrus, plantain and cacao, and pineapple has taken over some sectors. In the centre itself, ranching has given way to shops, public offices and services: the CCSS hospital, the canton’s only technical high school, a UNED campus open since 1981 and the parish of San Juan de Dios.

Flat, low land beside a big river shapes how this town builds. On the night of 24 November 2016, Hurricane Otto tore through Upala, flattening much of the town with wind, floodwater and falling trees, and six people died here. In the reconstruction that followed, the Zapote was cleaned and channelled through the centre and the communities upstream. The river can still rise fast after heavy rain, so how high a lot sits above it counts for more than almost anything else on the plan.

Outside the centre, the district breaks into farming communities such as Colonia Puntarenas, where one of the gravel roads to Caño Negro begins, along with San Fernando, Llano Azul and Carmen. Closer in are barrios like Don Chu, Venecia, Las Palmas and La Unión. Most buyers are local: families who want the hospital and schools nearby, ranchers adding pasture, and traders after a unit on a busy street. Visitors bound for Caño Negro or Río Celeste pass through, but Upala is a working town, and its property is built for the people who live in it.

Houses in Upala:

Houses in the centre are mostly single-storey family homes on modest lots, many of them under 300 square metres, and three bedrooms is a common layout. Five minutes out the plots get bigger, yards appear and prices drop noticeably, which is why many families look just past the edge of town. Some properties carry two houses on one lot, and houses for sale in Upala often come with a separate apartment that can be let. Ask how the house came through 2016 and whether it was repaired or rebuilt afterwards.

Land and Lots in Upala:

Town lots in and around the centre run from about 240 to 500 square metres, and plots of up to 2,000 square metres turn up a few minutes out, including in San Fernando. Colonia Puntarenas has lots of its own close to its centre. Between a house lot and a working farm sit rural parcels of one hectare and blocks of five hectares near town, which suit anyone who wants a few animals or an orchard. Get the municipal land-use certificate for the exact parcel, and confirm in writing that water and power can reach it, before you treat any price as a bargain.

Farms in Upala:

Pasture is the backbone of the rural market. Fenced cattle farms of eight or nine hectares come up around Llano Azul, alongside holdings of about 20 hectares and larger fincas of 50 hectares with a house. Around Colonia Puntarenas, fincas of 20 to 30 manzanas change hands, some with water, power and a cadastral plan already in place. Renting is an option too, and ten hectares of pasture can be leased rather than bought. On land this flat, check the drainage and whether the farm has any higher ground to move the cattle onto.

Rentals in Upala:

Rentals cluster in the centre. In residential areas such as Urbanización Don Chu, apartments for rent in Upala are mostly one-bedroom units with a kitchen and carport, and whole houses are let as well. Small buildings of several apartments also come up for sale as income property. For anyone who comes to Upala to work, renting near the centre puts the hospital, banks and terminal within walking distance.

Commercial Property in Upala:

Upala centre is where the canton shops, so commercial premises have a market of their own. Units of about 150 square metres are offered for rent on the main streets, and larger premises of around 1,000 square metres come up for sale. Upper floors are let as offices or classrooms, and Colonia Puntarenas has commercial property in its own centre. Before you sign, confirm with the municipality that the business licence you need can be granted for that address.

FAQ:

• How far is Upala from San José and from the border?

  The town is about 210 kilometres from San José and roughly 25 kilometres south of the Nicaraguan border. The road in from the Inter-American Highway is Route 6, which leaves it at Cañas and runs north through Bijagua. Direct buses run from the Upala terminal to San José, Liberia, Cañas and San Carlos, among other towns.

• Can I buy a parcel that came from a land-settlement scheme?

  Around Colonia Puntarenas, some land was handed out through state settlement schemes, such as the old Los Tijos settlement, under assignment contracts with INDER, formerly the IDA. While the contract’s trial period runs the land cannot be transferred, and later sales or subdivisions still need INDER’s authorisation. Ask the seller for the registered title and check at the Registro Nacional (Registro Inmobiliario) that no INDER restriction is noted on it.

• How do I check a house or lot for flood risk?

  Ask the neighbours how high the water came in November 2016 and whether the street has flooded since. Lots close to the Zapote and in the lowest barrios deserve a visit in the rainy season, not only in the dry months. Compare the cadastral plan with what you see on the ground, and look at whether the floor of the house sits above the street.

• What services are there in Upala?

  Upala has the canton’s CCSS hospital, branches of the three main state banks, the municipality and the regional offices of several public institutions. For study there is the Colegio Técnico Profesional, several liceos, a UNED campus, a private university and an INA office. Shops, the bus terminal and the cattle auction cover most of what residents need without leaving the canton.