San Rafael Arriba
Real Estate in San Rafael Arriba, Costa Rica.
Before it had a saint’s name, this place was Palo Grande, after an enormous higuerón at the entrance to the village where ox-cart drivers coming from Candelaria stopped to rest in the shade. Today San Rafael Arriba is district four of the canton of Desamparados, in San José province, Costa Rica: just over three square kilometres at 1,200 metres, on the road from central Desamparados to Aserrí. Most of what sells here is houses, from family homes on generous lots in the older barrios to two-storey houses inside gated condominiums. Unlike San Rafael Abajo next door, where almost every field has been built over, land still comes onto the market, including parcels of a few thousand square metres. Rentals are fewer and mostly family-sized.
About San Rafael Arriba:
San Rafael Arriba lies in the north of the canton of Desamparados. San Rafael Abajo borders it to the northwest, San Juan de Dios to the west, San Miguel to the east and the central district of Desamparados to the northeast, while its southern edge is the line with the canton of Aserrí. National Route 209, the Desamparados–Aserrí road, runs through the district, and Route 214 crosses it as well. Buses on the San José – Desamparados – San Rafael Arriba line start from a terminal on the west side of the football ground, and Lared runs a second service through the district.
In 1841, when Desamparados was still a barrio of San José, Palo Grande was already one of its quarters. Three saints’ images were later brought to Desamparados to be shared out among the hamlets around Dos Cercas, as the town was then called, and they were raffled: Palo Grande drew San Rafael and took his name. The school opened on 20 March 1893 with President José Joaquín Rodríguez in attendance. The old church was a wooden Gothic building clad in sheet metal, with a mosaic floor given by former president Alfredo González; it came down in 1968 to make way for a road widening that never happened, and the site is now Parque Lucas Ulloa, named after the man who oversaw the building. Each October the patron saint festivities of the San Rafael Arcángel parish bring the image of San Rafael and those of the outlying chapels together in that park.
Coffee had its place here. The Castro family ran a beneficio in the district, and for many years the Café Segura factory of Juan Rafael Chinchilla and his sons operated here too. People came out to the Balneario Los Juncales and the Villa Luisa recreation grounds, and Los Juncales lives on as the name of a barrio. Today the district divides into barrios such as Alpino, Arco Iris, Bambú, Berlay, Concordia, El Huazo, Macarena, Maiquetía, La Tolima, Lomas de Jorco and the Grano de Oro urbanización, with Méndez and Villa del Sur shared with San Rafael Abajo and Santa Teresita running over into Aserrí. The Buen Pastor women’s prison, run for many years by the Good Shepherd sisters, is also in the district.
In 1963 fewer than 5,000 people lived here; today it is well over 15,000, and that growth shows in the mix of old family houses, urbanizaciones and gated condominiums. Public primary schools include the Escuela Manuel Ortuño Boutin, the Escuela Sor María Romero, the Escuela El Higueroncito and the Escuela San Rafael, still called the “escuela quemada” by many neighbours. Older students go to the Liceo Joaquín Gutiérrez Mangel. Most buyers are families after a house with some land, or a condominium home, within bus reach of San José and central Desamparados, and the larger parcels are offered with multifamily building in mind.
Houses in San Rafael Arriba:
Older houses in the central barrios often sit on lots far larger than the house needs. Some lots hold two fully independent homes, such as a 692 m² property whose main house spreads over four levels, which suits an extended family or an owner who wants rent from the second house. The range of houses for sale in San Rafael Arriba is wide, from compact family homes to large residences on land measured in thousands of square metres. Keep in mind that two houses on one registered parcel are a single property in law: selling or mortgaging them separately means segregating the lot first.
Condominium Houses in San Rafael Arriba:
Gated condominiums such as Altos de Capua add a different kind of stock: modern two-storey houses with three bedrooms and 130 to 160 m² of floor space. Some come with a two-car garage and shared green areas. Owners pay a monthly maintenance fee on top of the purchase price. For a buyer who wants a newer house behind a gate, without the upkeep of a big lot, this is the main option in the district.
Rentals in San Rafael Arriba:
The rental stock is small and leans toward families. Three-bedroom apartments of around 150 m² with parking come up, some on the upper floors of small buildings close to the schools. Before you sign, confirm whether the parking space is inside the property or out on the street.
Land and Lots in San Rafael Arriba:
Land is where San Rafael Arriba differs most from its built-out neighbour to the northwest. Alongside barrio lots in places such as Alpino, parcels of 2,500 to nearly 3,900 m² reach the market, among them a flat, rectangular lot at the top of that range and another advertised for multifamily use. These larger lots for sale in San Rafael Arriba can take a family compound, a small condominium or a builder’s project, but what can actually go up is set by the municipality, not by the advert. Ask for the certificado de uso de suelo from the Municipalidad de Desamparados before you put down a deposit.
FAQ:
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The listing says San Rafael Arriba, but the house is in Méndez or Santa Teresita. Does that matter?
It can. Méndez and Villa del Sur are split with San Rafael Abajo, and Santa Teresita runs over into the canton of Aserrí, so a house there may answer to a different municipality for permits and property tax. Check the district and canton on the cadastral plan, then ask the Registro Nacional (Registro Inmobiliario) for the literal certificate to confirm the owner, the area and any liens. If the plan and the advert disagree, go by the plan.
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Can I build a small condominium on one of the larger lots?
Only if the land-use rules for that parcel allow it. Before you make an offer, ask the Municipalidad de Desamparados for a land-use certificate tied to the exact cadastral plan, and confirm that water and sewer connections are available for more than one home. Have an engineer look at the slope and the rainwater drainage too, since both decide how many units the ground can carry.
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How do I get to San José by bus?
The San José – Desamparados – San Rafael Arriba line leaves from its terminal beside the football ground and runs through central Desamparados into the capital. Lared buses also pass through the district. By car, Route 209 takes you north to Desamparados and south to Aserrí.
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What should I ask for before buying a condominium house?
Get a copy of the condominium regulations and a statement showing the seller is up to date on the monthly fees, which in some developments here run to tens of thousands of colones. Then check at the Registro Nacional that the house is a registered finca filial in the seller’s name, with no liens carried over from the development.