Tarbaca

About Tarbaca:

Tarbaca covers just over 15 square kilometres in the north of Aserrí canton, on the ridge between the canton seat and the Acosta valley. Aserrí district lies to the north and Salitrillos to the northeast, Desamparados canton to the east, San Gabriel to the southeast, Vuelta de Jorco to the south and Acosta along the western side. Two national roads meet at the village: Route 209, which climbs from Aserrí and carries on toward Vuelta de Jorco and San Ignacio de Acosta, and Route 222, which branches east through San Gabriel toward La Fila and the southern districts of Desamparados. The Acosta and San Gabriel buses both run through, with stops at the church, the communal hall and the football ground on the way down to Aserrí and central San José.

Tarbaca was one of the five districts Aserrí started with in 1882, and its boundaries have barely moved since. Its old name, Praga, survives in Bajos de Praga and in the Escuela Praga. Beyond the centre, the district takes in Cedral and Bajo Cedral, El Tigre, La Joya, Máquina Vieja, Bajos de Praga and part of Kamaquiri, which it shares with San Gabriel. Five of those settlements keep their own primary school. That says more about how spread out life is here than any map: 1,446 people at the 2011 census, scattered over hills where the next neighbour can be a ridge away.

These are cloud hills more than rain hills. Mist settles on the ridge and the ground soaks it up, which is why Tarbaca counts as one of the water recharge areas of the Central Valley and why its springs feed taps in Aserrí, Desamparados, Acosta, Alajuelita and Escazú. Part of the high ground lies inside the Zona Protectora Cerros de Escazú, created in 1976 to protect the remaining forest and the springs. The cedar and oak that once covered the slopes went for timber and charcoal decades ago, and cypress stands and eroded banks took their place. For anyone building, the altitude means cool nights and damp air: design for ventilation, dry foundations and walls that do not grow mould, and forget about air conditioning.

Coffee is the crop Tarbaca is known for, grown on steep ground alongside avocado, and the district belongs to the wider Los Santos coffee region. The other economy lines Route 209: view restaurants serving chicharrones and comida típica, cabins, a hotel and cafés that draw families up from the city on Sundays. The ICE earth station antenna beside the road is the landmark everyone uses to give directions. Buyers tend to be families from Aserrí and southern San José who want a house with more land, and city people looking for a weekend place or a full-time home with a view and fresher air. For banks, the municipality and bigger shopping, everyone still goes down to Aserrí.

Houses in Tarbaca:

Houses here are mostly detached family homes on generous ground, often with a garden, fruit trees or a separate cabin, and some properties carry two or three dwellings on the same plot. The ones that sell on their view face north toward the Central Valley; those in the hamlets off Route 222 are plainer and quieter. When you look at houses for sale in Tarbaca, check how the building copes with damp: gutters, ventilation and the walls on the shaded side tell you most. On a hillside plot, also look at the bank behind the house and where the water goes in a heavy storm.

Land and Lots in Tarbaca:

Plots start at around 500 square metres on a public street and run to two or three thousand metres with room for a house and garden, and among the lots for sale in Tarbaca the ones with an open view toward San José are the most contested. Much of the ground slopes, so measure the flat area where a house will actually fit, not just the total. Before you fall for a view, find out whether the parcel lies inside the protected zone or holds a spring or stream, because either one limits what you can clear and build. Ask early for a water availability letter from the community water association, the ASADA de Tarbaca.

Coffee Farms in Tarbaca:

Working fincas of one to two hectares come up for sale, planted with coffee and sometimes avocado, usually with a family house and now and then a second house for a caretaker. Several are still harvested every season, which helps if you want the farm to cover part of its own costs. Ask where the crop is delivered, how old the coffee plants are and who has been working the land. On slopes like these a farm is also a small watershed, so keep trees on the steepest ground and look after any spring on the property.

FAQ:

• Can I get to San José from Tarbaca without a car?

  Yes. The Acosta buses run along Route 209 through Tarbaca to Aserrí and San José, and the San Gabriel line comes through on Route 222, stopping at the communal hall and the El Tigre turn-off. The road is winding and has been closed at times by fallen poles, accidents and retaining-wall works, so leave margin on days when you cannot be late.

• What should I check before buying land near a spring or the protected zone?

  Start with the location. Costa Rica’s Forestry Law protects a 100-metre radius around permanent springs, and land inside the Zona Protectora Cerros de Escazú carries its own limits on clearing and building. Pull the title and cadastral plan from the Registro Nacional, compare the plan with the boundaries on the ground, and get a land-use certificate from the Municipalidad de Aserrí before you sign.

• Is Tarbaca too cold or damp to live in all year?

  It is cool and often misty, more so in the rainy months, and that is the main reason people move up here. It suits a house with good ventilation, a dry floor and warm bedding; it punishes cheap construction that traps moisture. Spend a few nights there in October before deciding.

• Can I rent in Tarbaca before buying?

  Some family houses with views are let long term, and there are cabins for short stays near the main road. Renting for a season is the easiest way to learn the fog, the bus timetable and which side of the ridge suits you.

• Will a coffee finca here pay for itself?

  Rarely in full, but a finca still in production can offset part of its costs. Ask for the last few harvests, where the coffee was delivered and what the labour cost, and treat the house and the view as the main value.