Real estate can carry hazards for the unwary buyer - beachfront property, the majority of which is classified as ‘concession property’ subject to strict planning rights, requiring investors to check zoning issues thoroughly before buying. “It’s vital to check title insurance when buying an older property or a plot to build,” stresses Serge Galkine of agents Tropical Felgate. “Off-plan is more straightforward - although you need to ensure that a developer has a finished product to show as well.”

Finding an agent through the Association of Residents of Costa Rica is a good starting point. “They’re an expat community group and don’t stand to make any money off you, so they’ll tell it like it is,” adds Driessen. “Buyers can also use the services of a title insurance company. It costs around 1 per cent of the property value, but it’s worth it for peace of mind.”

“Tamarindo, Conchal and Playa del Coco are prime areas,” adds Bexon, “but the real bargains lie further north in Brasilito and Playa Junquillal, a luxury villa with pool setting you back £200,000. “Prices here are 30 per cent lower than the Mid Pacific and South Pacific regions,” adds Galkine. “Infrastructure isn’t in place as yet, but local authorities are on the case.”

Popular ‘hang-outs’ with weekending ticos (locals), the lively beach area of Jaco and the national park of Manuel Antonio in neighbouring Puntarenas offer a holistically hip atmosphere - offshore islands and expensive white sand beaches backed by swathes of canopied forest. “Condos in Jaco currently start from £40,000,” adds Bexon, “ocean view homes with pools upwards of £160,000, but values will shoot up once the Ciudad Colon-Orotina-Caldera highway from San Jose opens.”

A safe distance from off-the-peg tourism, hippy residents in the region’s Southern Nicoya Peninsula are also enjoying the trickle of ‘new blood’ into their community. “Buyers have plenty to choose from,” confirms Andrea Drost of Tropisphere Real Estate, “from beachfront bungalows to farmhouses and rainforest eco-lodges.”

So what are the downsides? “Potential over-development, particularly in Guanacaste is a concern,” says local resident Yan March, who relocated from London three years ago. “There’s also talk of a new international airport near Palma Sur in the Southern Osa Peninsula, big enough to take the Airbus A380, which could encroach on the nearby Corcovado National Park - where the majority of Costa Rica’s biodiversity lies. All in all though, it’s a fantastic and safe place to live: Quality of life isn’t measured by material things - it’s having wildlife come right up to your door and picking fresh-fruit for breakfast every morning. Living takes that bit longer here. But then you’ve got the time to take it all in.”