Construction grew by 20 percent in 2007, with 1.2 million more square meters popping up country –wide, according to the Costa Rican Construction Chamber.
 Most constructions permits were taken out in the San Jose province (24 percent) last year, with housing construction accounting for 67 percent of growth.

NEW YORK (Associated Press) - Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc., which makes fresh-cut fruit and vegetables, said Monday it bought two Costa Rica fruit companies and an affiliated sales and marketing business for a total of $403 million.

The company said the businesses, which include banana producer Desarollo Agroindustrial de Frutales S.A. and gold pineapple provider Frutas de Exportacion S.A., are collectively known as "Caribana."

By Helen Thompson
of the A.M. Costa Rica staff

An American man linked to a development company that owns projects on the Pacific coast has been arrested in Florida on four charges of racketeering and money laundering.

The man, Jeffrey Martin Goldberg, was confirmed to be one of the owners of Costa Developers by a representative of the company's San José office Thursday.

U.S. citizens will be the first clients in bank’s foray into C.R.

Making history on the local real estate front, Lehman Brothers Bank has agreed to finance mortgages for foreigners hoping to call Costa Rica their new home.
Lehman is the first foreign bank to provide home financing to non-residents. The Delaware-based institution struck a deal with Stewart Title, which has an office in San José, to facilitate the process on local soil.
“As we look to expand our mortgage lending opportunities outside of the United States, they (Stewart Title) were a natural fit,” said Eric Hibbert, managing director of Lehman's resort home lending group, based in New York.
However, the bank does not mean for the deal to be exclusive.