San Antonio

About San Antonio:

San Antonio covers about three and a half square kilometres at 912 metres, on the western side of Belén, and lies 10 kilometres west of the city of Heredia. Ruta 111 and Ruta 122 both run through the district, and Juan Santamaría airport is roughly five kilometres away by road. Buses leave for Heredia, Alajuela, Santa Ana and La Guácima, and the Santa Ana service crosses the Río Virilla on the radial to Lindora. On weekdays the train adds a direct link to the Estación del Pacífico in San José and on to Pavas and Curridabat.

The town grew along a road. When Costa Rica began shipping coffee to Europe in the 1840s, the cart road from San José to Puntarenas was laid through this land, and San Antonio became a regular stop for the ox-cart drivers carrying beans to the Pacific port. That is why the old centre stretches east to west along one main street instead of around a square. The González, Murillo and Moya families are named as its founders, the first chapel went up in 1856 and the parish of San Antonio was created in 1867. When Congress made Belén a canton in 1907, San Antonio became its seat.

Daily life runs through a compact centre. Escuela España stands on Calle Central, named after Spain at the request of Francisco Vidarroeta, the Spanish resident who led the school board that built it; it was finished in 1929. The Polideportivo de Belén on Calle Escobal has a 50-metre pool and is home to the canton’s swimming club, while the Centro de Eventos Pedregal, 800 metres east of the station, hosts big fairs, concerts and graduations, with six halls, parking for more than 3,000 cars and its own train stop. Warehouses, workshops and offices line the streets around the Panasonic crossing, and Belén’s industrial parks and hotels are a short drive away.

The 2011 census counted 9,942 people in San Antonio, the most of Belén’s three districts on the smallest area. The barrios are Escobal, San Vicente, Zaiquí, San Isidro and Calle Flores, plus parts of Chompipes and Labores. Older family houses sit next to newer condominiums and apartment buildings, and buyers include people who work in the canton as well as commuters to Heredia, Alajuela and western San José. San Antonio is denser and more of a working town than the golf-course streets of Cariari, and its housing runs from modest homes priced in colones to condominium units priced in dollars.

Houses in San Antonio:

The oldest homes are the family houses along the main street and the barrio roads that branch off it. Most of the newer homes are inside gated condominiums: two-storey houses with three bedrooms and around 180 square metres, and larger units with five bedrooms for bigger families. Some have been fully remodelled. If you are comparing houses for sale in San Antonio de Belén, check whether the house sits on its own registered lot or is a condominium unit with shared areas and a monthly fee, because that changes both the paperwork and the running costs.

Apartments in San Antonio:

Apartments are the newer option here. Small condominiums offer two-bedroom units of about 77 to 82 square metres with parking, and Veredas de Belén, a project 250 metres north of Lagar, has been selling off-plan studios from 48 square metres up to three-bedroom units of about 119. For a first purchase close to work, an apartment for sale in Belén often makes more sense than a house. Before you sign an off-plan contract, ask for the construction permit, the delivery date in writing and what happens to your deposit if the project is delayed.

Rentals in San Antonio:

Rentals are aimed mostly at people who work nearby. Studios and lofts for one person, sometimes semi-furnished and with all services included, sit alongside two-bedroom apartments with a parking space and family houses let unfurnished. Some units are let to one person only and exclude pets, so ask before you visit. Anyone looking for apartments for rent in San Antonio de Belén should also check how far the unit is from the station and the bus stops, as walking to the train is one of the district’s real advantages.

Land and Lots in San Antonio:

Empty land is scarce in such a built-up district, so most lots are infill plots between existing houses. Residential lots of about 800 square metres come up from time to time, some on quiet dead-end streets, and parcels of 2,000 square metres or more are also offered. Corner lots with mixed-use zoning on the main roads are bought for shops, offices or small apartment buildings. Belén’s zoning plan protects the area around the San Antonio springs with low-density rules, so the same size of lot can allow very different projects depending on the street.

Commercial and Warehouse Property in San Antonio:

San Antonio has more working property than the other districts of Belén. Warehouses of around 1,000 square metres, workshops and small industrial buildings are sold and rented near the Panasonic crossing,. The airport, the train and the road links to Heredia, Alajuela and Santa Ana make the district practical for distribution and services. Check the land-use certificate for the exact activity you have in mind, since not every industrial use is allowed close to homes.

FAQ:

• Is San Antonio de Belén the same as the other San Antonios in Costa Rica?

  No. There are districts called San Antonio in several cantons, including Escazú, Desamparados and Alajuela. This one is district 1 of Belén, in Heredia, with postal code 40701. Search and compare listings using “San Antonio de Belén”, and check that the cadastral plan says Heredia, Belén, San Antonio.

• Can I commute to San José by train from San Antonio?

  Yes, on weekdays. The interurban line starts at Belén station, stops at the Pedregal events centre, which also works as a park-and-ride, and runs to the Estación del Pacífico, Pavas and Curridabat. Check the current timetable before you count on it, since there are few trains and they run only at set hours.

• Which parts of San Antonio flood?

  The Quebrada Seca, which joins the Río Burío, has repeatedly flooded houses in barrio La Amistad, and an early-warning network of river gauges now monitors its basin. Ask the seller and the neighbours whether water has reached the property, and look at the municipal risk map before buying anything close to a channel.

• What should I check on title and land use before buying a lot in San Antonio?

  Start with water. Belén’s zoning plan sets lower densities near the springs and keeps protection strips along rivers and streams, so a lot that looks buildable may allow less than you expect. Order a registry study and the cadastral plan from the Registro Nacional, then ask the Municipalidad de Belén for the land-use certificate and the setbacks that apply. On older family land, also make sure that every heir has signed and that the plan matches the fences on the ground.

• Who rents in San Antonio?

  Mostly people who work close by: staff from the warehouses and companies around the Panasonic crossing, the hotels and industrial parks of Belén, and the airport. Single professionals look for studios with services included, and young families look for two-bedroom apartments or small houses with a garage.