San Rafael Abajo
Real Estate in San Rafael Abajo, Costa Rica.
Until October 1968 there was a single San Rafael in this corner of Desamparados, and that year its northern part, the side that runs toward the río Tiribí and the edge of the capital, became a district of its own under the name Abajo. San Rafael Abajo is district eleven of the canton of Desamparados, in San José province, Costa Rica, and more than 21,000 people live on its two square kilometres. Most of what changes hands is family houses in long-settled barrios and urbanizaciones such as Treviso, Valencia and Vizcaya. Small rental apartments are everywhere, and a gated condominium beside Mall Zona Centro adds apartments with shared pools and guarded gates. Vacant land is scarce. People come here to live close to San José with the shops a short walk away.
About San Rafael Abajo:
San Rafael Abajo sits at 1,145 metres in the north of the canton. It borders San José canton to the north, where the río Tiribí runs along its edge, Alajuelita to the west, San Juan de Dios to the southwest, San Rafael Arriba to the southeast and the central district of Desamparados to the east. Three national roads cross it. Route 214 heads north into the San Sebastián and Hospital districts of the capital, Route 105 runs west through Alajuelita toward Escazú, and Route 217 goes south to San Juan de Dios and on toward Aserrí. The San José – San Rafael Abajo bus ends at its own terminal in the district, and a second line carries on to Barrio Las Fuentes in Alajuelita.
The first families settled here at the end of the nineteenth century: Castro, Astúa, Jiménez, Retana, Segura, Fallas and Cerdas among them. One of the primary schools still carries the name of Elías Jiménez Castro, one of those founders, and the painter José Ureña Monge is from here. The Colegio Técnico Profesional Roberto Gamboa Valverde, named for a local teacher, trains students in network support, accounting and finance, logistics and sales. Daily shopping is close at hand. Mall Zona Centro opened in 2015 with around fifty units for shops, clinics, classes and entertainment, and the Centro Comercial Los Higuerones, a Megasuper and a Palí cover the rest.
The district has two sectors. San Rafael Abajo itself takes in Autofores, Balboa, Gardenia, Santa Cecilia, Los Ángeles, Treviso, Coopelot, part of Tejar and the Pablo Presbere estate it shares with Alajuelita. Valencia holds Los Higuerones, Las Tres Marías, Vizcaya, Sagitario, Mónaco, Pinares and the Ciudadela Fuentes Martínez. The population went from under 6,000 in 1973 to more than 22,000 by 2000, and in those decades almost every remaining field was built over. Today it ranks as the third most densely populated district in Costa Rica, after León XIII in Tibás and Hatillo in San José.
The northern edge drops into the Tiribí ravine, and that slope is the one part of the district where the ground itself deserves attention. In June 2018, heavy rain and a broken sewer main set off a landslide near the river, and three houses were condemned. Away from the river the streets are flat or gently sloping and fully urban. Buyers are mostly families who work in San José, Escazú or central Desamparados, owners who want a house with room for a rental unit, and first-time buyers looking at condominium apartments. Renters come for the same reason: the bus to the city leaves from the district.
Houses in San Rafael Abajo:
Houses make up most of the stock, and the range is wide. At one end you find two-bedroom homes built over every square metre of a lot under 100 m²; at the other, larger houses on lots of a few hundred square metres, some with a lower level that can become a separate unit. Treviso and Valencia are names that come up often among houses for sale in San Rafael Abajo, and some homes in Valencia sit among trees and gardens close to the centre. Many houses have been extended over the years, so compare the built area on the plans with what stands on the lot.
Apartments and Condominiums in San Rafael Abajo:
The Condominio San Rafael, beside Mall Zona Centro, is the main gated development in the area. It sells apartments in stages, including three-bedroom, two-bathroom units of around 114 m², with pools, a barbecue rancho, a playground and round-the-clock security. Most other apartments here are smaller units attached to or above family houses. For a first purchase close to the capital, the condominium route trades garden space for shared facilities and a guarded gate.
Rentals in San Rafael Abajo:
The rental market is mostly small apartments: studios, one-bedroom units and furnished lofts, some of them with water and cable included in the rent. Larger options exist too, such as three-bedroom condominium apartments of about 86 m² with two parking spaces. Many tenants work in San José and want the direct bus. Ask whether a unit has its own electricity and water meters before you sign.
Land and Lots in San Rafael Abajo:
With the district built out, a lot here is usually a gap left inside an older urbanización, such as the parcels of around 230 m² that come up in central San Rafael Abajo. Larger plots of several hundred square metres appear now and then. You will also see land offered as a derecho, a share in a property that has not been split into its own registered parcel. Those come cheaper for a reason, so read the FAQ below before making an offer.
Commercial Premises in San Rafael Abajo:
Retail space is a real category here. Mall Zona Centro leases units to shops and services, and the Los Higuerones area works as a small commercial centre for the south side of the canton. Street-front premises on the main roads through the district suit pharmacies, food businesses and clinics serving a very dense neighbourhood.
FAQ:
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A lot in San Rafael Abajo is advertised as “un derecho”. What does that mean?
It means you would be buying a share of a larger registered property, not a parcel with its own folio real. A derecho can be hard to finance, and building on it or segregating it later usually needs the agreement of the other owners and a cadastral plan approved by the municipality. Before you pay anything, ask the Registro Nacional (Registro Inmobiliario) for the literal certificate of the whole property and see how many co-owners and liens it carries.
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Is it safe to buy near the río Tiribí?
The river edge is the part of the district to look at carefully. The 2018 landslide near the Tiribí closed three homes after rain and a burst sewer main undermined the slope. If a house is close to the ravine, look for cracks and tilting walls, ask the Municipalidad de Desamparados whether the site has any risk restriction, and pay an engineer to inspect it.
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How do I get to San José or Escazú without a car?
The San José – San Rafael Abajo bus starts from its terminal in the district and runs into the capital, and another line passes through on its way to Barrio Las Fuentes in Alajuelita. By car, Route 214 crosses the Tiribí into the San Sebastián and Hospital districts, and Route 105 heads west through Alajuelita to Escazú.
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Is San Rafael Abajo the same as San Rafael Arriba?
No. They were one district until 1968 and are now separate neighbours, with San Rafael Arriba to the southeast. The parish of San Rafael Arcángel is in Arriba, while Abajo has the Corazón de María parish. Addresses near the line between them get mixed up, so check the district written on the cadastral plan rather than trusting the listing.
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What schools are in the district?
Public schools include the Escuela San Rafael, the Escuela Valencia, the Escuela Elías Jiménez Castro, the Unidad Pedagógica La Valencia and the María Retana Salazar kindergarten. For secondary, the CTP Roberto Gamboa Valverde offers technical specialties alongside the academic programme.