As we head into the high season here in Costa Rica, we want to take this opportunity to introduce (or reintroduce) ourselves to you, our audience. Many of you are currently planning your trips to either visit or to specifically look at properties and we know that you have many options for real estate offices to visit in Costa Rica. We would like to take this opportunity to invite you to meet our team and to welcome you into our office whenever you are in the area. Our goal is to provide great service to anyone who walks in or contacts us, whether or not you are ready to work with us or even ready to buy. We consider ourselves to be ambassadors for our Costa Ballena region of Costa Rica, serving Ojochal, Uvita, Dominical, and their surrounding communities, providing helpful information via our blog, videos, and through our great team of agents. Read on for a little introduction to our company, Osa Tropical Properties, and our growing team.

Osa Tropical Properties: One of the few independent companies in Costa Rica real estate

Osa Tropical Properties is an independent company (not affiliated with any of the big names like Remax, Century 21, Keller Williams, Coldwell Banker). This is a family company that was started in 2005 by Remy Champagne, the father of current broker, Kevin Champagne, who took over the business in 2014.

Our team of real estate agents are experts in the buying and selling process of homes, land, and commercial properties in Costa Ballena. We have represented buyers and sellers in hundreds of transactions since 2005 and we work tirelessly to serve our clients and our community. Our three missions are: 

  • To find the best property for our clients looking to buy
  • To represent sellers with the most active marketing campaigns
  • To offer the most accurate and up-to-date knowledge of our local real estate market

Over the years, Osa Tropical Properties has proudly built a reputation for an unshakeable work ethic and integrity. Our clients can count on our most respectful attention and constant accessibility. We are here to assist you the best we can and will be with you every step of the way so you can find your dream place in this beautiful area of Costa Rica we call home. We love Costa Ballena and we want to share the passion that it inspires in us with the whole world!

ABOUT OUR BROKER, KEVIN CHAMPAGNE

Hi! My name is Kevin Champagne and I was born in Montreal, Canada, but I moved to Costa Rica at the age of 11 with my father. I became involved in Costa Rica real estate at an early age, helping my father show listings and creating promotional material. At the time, my father, Remy Champagne, owned a small restaurant selling ceviche by the roadside. He agreed to help a friend market his property by putting some flyers on the wall of his restaurant and those properties quickly sold! Word of mouth meant that more properties were being advertised at Remy’s Ceviche and in 2005, Osa Tropical Properties was created.

As a young man, I learned real estate naturally through regular contact with the growing number of local and expatriate clients. I loved helping people find their dream home in Costa Rica, and to help my neighbors and friends in Costa Rica sell their properties for a good price. 

I loved real estate so much that I bought Osa Tropical Properties from my father in 2014 and set out to surround myself with the best team of diverse professionals who are hard-working, respectful, and dedicated to manifesting a great future for this region of Costa Rica. 

I am fluent in Spanish, French and English (Spanish quickly became my primary language in my youth) and I have a beautiful family here — my wife, Maria, and my two daughters, Zoe and Mikaela. I welcome you to meet my team, who have become like an extended family to me.

“Kevin was friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. He was able to answer all of our questions. He showed us the houses we requested and also suggested a couple that were not on our radar. He has a great rapport in the community and with the homeowners. I would definitely recommend him to anyone who is thinking of purchasing a home in the area.”

Kara C.

MARCIA ORO, OSA TROPICAL PROPERTIES REALTOR

Hello. My name is Marcia Oro and I have been working as a realtor in Costa Rica with Osa Tropical Propertiessince 2011. I moved to Ojochal from Calgary, Canada in 2006 to enjoy the peace and tranquility of this part of the country. I was a Certified Management Accountant and a real estate investor back in Canada and I continue to hold investment properties there. My history in real estate has given me a wealth of real estate investment expertise that I bring to both my Osa Tropical Properties team and to my clients.

I enjoy my life in Costa Rica with my dog, Karma, and a great community of friends and clients who keep me busy and entertained. I love working in real estate because it helps me meet new people coming into Costa Ballena and to learn the many diverse reasons why people want to move here and it feels great to help them make their dreams come true.

“Marcia Oro at Osa Tropical Properties did an outstanding job representing my corporation, La Caballeria, in the sale of our lot at Finca Marañon. She obtained a good price and guided us through the steps necessary to get to settlement. My wife Mary & I are present using Marcia as our agent in the acquisition of another property.”

Gus G.

REBECCA ROWNTREE, OSA TROPICAL PROPERTIES REALTOR

Hi, I’m Rebecca Rowntree, and for several years I was longing for a high-quality, slower pace of life. I felt like I needed it for my sanity and health. My high-level career in the corporate world involved commuting hours each day, which had beat me up for two-and-a-half decades. I visited Costa Rica in 2011 and toured the country extensively to see if this was really my dream destination. Soon after this trip, I put the wheels in motion to relocate from Ontario, Canada, and I finally made the leap in 2014! 

I chose to move to the South Pacific region of Costa Rica in Costa Ballena, which is known for unspoiled natural beauty, where the mountains meet the sea. This is a lesser populated region that is rich in biodiversity and has an amazing culture with a fantastic assortment of top-quality restaurants (I’m a foodie!). I rented for a couple of years before finally settling on an amazing property that I built a home and BnB business on.

I am a third-generation realtor and I bring extensive sales, marketing, and negotiating skills, which were honed in a high-level retail career, where I skillfully negotiated and delivered sales contracts worth tens of thousands to tens of millions. I am proud that my keynote traits of action, authenticity, and accountability shine through in every relationship and transaction. I have personal experience purchasing land, construction of an income property, and business development.

I speak English and Spanish, and enjoy sharing my local knowledge and showcasing listings that align with the criteria and budgets of incoming house hunters from around the globe, most notably North America and several European countries.

“The sale of my property with Rebecca was an easy no-stress experience and at rocket speed! She took care of everything that mattered and went out of her way to make things easy breezy for everyone involved. So thankful!”

Annie C.

KEITH RICHMAN, OSA TROPICAL PROPERTIES REALTOR

I’m Keith Richman and I’m originally from the San Francisco Bay Area. I bring with me over 35 years of residential real estate experience from my time in the U.S. and three years now in Costa Ballena, Costa Rica. 

My wife, Cindy, and I moved to Costa Rica in January of 2016 looking for relaxation and adventure. We now live in Ojochal with our 5 dogs and 2 cats. Like many of the expats who have moved into the area, we both believe that it is important to contribute to the community and we spend our time volunteering with the local elementary school and animal shelter.

I enjoy working in all aspects of the business, from working with first-time buyers to running a new-home development. However, what I have always enjoyed most has been sharing the joy and excitement of buyers who find just the right home and of seeing sellers who are able to move forward with their plans for themselves and their families.

KATHERINE APSEY, OSA TROPICAL PROPERTIES REALTOR

Hello there. I’m Katherine  Aspey and I have been a full-time resident of Ojochal since 2018. Prior to moving to Ojochal, I lived outside of San Jose, Costa Rica, where I worked as an English teacher at Lincoln School. Then, with the help of Osa Tropical Properties, I was able to purchase my dream lot in Ojochal, where I built my home and yoga studio amid a diverse community of international expatriates and Costa Ricans.

I have always had an interest and passion for real estate. I was a licensed real estate agent in the U.S. and I purchased, renovated, and sold several homes there for significant returns before deciding to make Costa Rica my next project.

I love Costa Rica for its beauty, ecological diversity, and most of all, the amazing people who call it home. It is exciting to help others find their perfect property and I use my keen business sense, a strong passion for life, and commitment to bettering the world to help others in their endeavors here in Costa Ballena.

“My wife and have just moved from the USA and completed the purchase of our new home in Ojochal through Osa Tropical. We dropped in the office totally on spec and we were greeted by Katherine. She was enthusiastic, helpful, and over the coming weeks, she has become a good friend, as well as our valued realtor. She went out of her way to help us view properties and once we had decided she handled the purchase professionally. She was always responsive to questions and gave us sound advice. We look forward to continuing to see her as a neighbor living in Ojochal.”

David N.

NELLY REUSSE, OSA TROPICAL PROPERTIES REALTOR

Sea turtles and their protection motivated my first trip to Costa Rica in 2011, where the beauty of the landscapes, the sweet style of life, and a biologist in charge of the sea turtle project I visited won me over. A few years later, I left Switzerland to settle in Ojochal, where my biologist husband is from. Since then, I have enjoyed watching my children grow up in this enchanting environment.

With my family, we have bought and built our property in Ojochal and I am delighted to share my knowledge of this area and pass on the relevant information that has been useful to me, from the buying property, construction in Costa Rica, schooling for kids, and everyday living advice.

I have learned a lot over the years about this country, its contrasts, and its subtleties. Today, thanks to real estate, I can guide newcomers and help them with the concepts necessary for a peaceful installation, while showing my attachment to this welcoming country. I am here to serve clients in my native language, French, as well as in Spanish, and English.

RICHARD OWENS, OSA TROPICAL PROPERTIES REALTOR

As one of the newest members of the Osa Tropical Properties’ team, I want to extend my greetings to everyone in the extended OTP family! My name is Richard Owens and I have been working in real estate with a local developer for a number of years. It is now my pleasure to continue my growth in the industry alongside such a distinguished team!

Prior to moving to Costa Rica, I began my professional life by joining the US military in May of 2001 and serving for 6 years. I changed career paths in 2007 when I started working for a local bank, then switched to insurance in 2011. After living through a number of tragedies that seemed to follow my career choices in Alabama (9/11 while I was enlisted in the military, the market crash of 2008 while working in banking, and a series of devastating tornadoes while working in insurance), I decided it was time for a change of pace, scenery, and way of life.

I moved to Costa Rica in 2012 to change my luck…. and it worked! I’m still here and wouldn’t want to have my home anywhere else. Like so many others before me, I fell in love with the immense and diverse beauty of this country, the friendly people, and I met my wife here (can’t get better than that!) In our free time, my wife and I love spending time on the incredible beaches of the South Pacific. Or you might find us enjoying lunch or dinner in one of the many exquisite restaurants in and around Ojochal.

I have spent over six years working in real estate while living in Ojochal, where I have been evaluating and selling properties and showing people how to make room for their dream life here. I am thankful for the opportunity to continue on this journey with Osa Tropical Properties and I look forward to meeting all of you one day soon!

INTRODUCING… MARK SAVOIA, OUR NEWEST REALTOR AT OSA TROPICAL PROPERTIES

Hello! My name is Mark Savoia and I’m a former custom home builder from Ontario, Canada, who is now a realtor with Osa Tropical Properties in Uvita, Costa Rica. 

I’ve been building homes for 23 years and I have always loved real estate thanks to my wife, Ida, who is a Realtor in Canada and has been in business there for 18 years. Through watching her in her element, I was inspired and decided to shift my career towards real estate. 

We found that Costa Rica was the perfect place to call home and that this would be a great place to step my new career path into full swing. My wife and I traveled Costa Rica extensively and decided to settle in Uvita based on the incredible beaches, the community, the restaurants, and the healing potential of living in a ‘Blue Zone’ — one of five regions on the planet where people regularly live to 100 years old because of their uniquely healthy lifestyles. 

My extensive background in construction is my special asset with which I help my clients find a place that they love to call home. It is my passion to help people love where they live and I’m certain that Costa Rica will be a right fit for those like us because we simply LOVE it here.