Originally from Philadelphia, our agent Steve Hooven came to Costa Rica in 2006 in search of an income-producing property. Fast forward 4 years, and he is living in Jaco, enjoying life in paradise as a successful real estate investor. Steve’s experience working with high-level investment portfolios for 15 years and his subsequent involvement in the vacation rental market in Jaco were natural bridges to his career as a real estate agent. Nowadays, Steve has found his ideal work/life balance and splits his time between surfing, hiking, and helping buyers with his expert knowledge. Continue reading about Steve’s story in the following interview.
1. What Was Your Dream Job as a Child?
I would have to say, like a lot of young kids, it was to be a professional athlete. I was always too small for football and basketball, so I gravitated towards sports like wrestling and surfing. I was asked this same question on a post-college interview, and my response was “a professional tour guide on a tropical island”, so I’m pretty close to that job right now.
2. Why Did You Decide to Become a Real Estate Agent?
I spent 15 years in one of the most corporate jobs you can imagine: “Vanguard Mutual Funds”. During those years, I learned a lot of valuable business skills that I still use daily, so I don’t regret my old life at Vanguard. That being said, I always knew the corporate life was not for me and was in need of a career with more independent freedom. I saw an opportunity in something I have always had a passion for, which is real estate in Costa Rica. I started out by investing in my own income-producing beachfront rental property in Jaco Beach. I stayed in touch with my Real Estate broker, Todd Cutter, after my purchase and mentioned to Todd that I was thinking about moving to Costa Rica. Todd’s response was “I’m thinking of opening an office in Jaco”... and just like that, we seized the opportunity and started my Real Estate career in Jaco Beach, Costa Rica in 2010.
3. What Do You Love Most About Being a Real Estate Agent?
After being in an office for 15 years working a corporate job, I LOVE being out in the field showing luxury properties with stunning views. The Los Suenos & Jaco Beach area is very scenic with natural beauty in every direction. I still get excited during the showings, and I think that resonates with my clients. I also enjoy the negotiating aspect of my job, getting my clients the best deal possible, and earning my clients’ trust to build a long-term relationship.
4. What is the Biggest Challenge?
The biggest challenge for me, coming from a stable salary job, is getting used to the Roller Coaster ride with the ups and downs in market conditions. That took me some time to get used to, and I am getting much better at taking everything in stride. I work in a vacation town, so another big challenge is showing properties in our high season when they are occupied with renters or owners.
5. What is the Most Rewarding Aspect of Your Work?
This is an easy question to answer, as I truly believe I’m changing people’s lives for the better, and I take that very seriously. Most of my sales are lifestyle purchases & I know from my own personal experience how important the process is to find the perfect property to allow clients to start living their best lives.
6. What Do You Do in Your Free Time?
Lately, there hasn’t been much free time as we are seeing a tsunami of buyers from North America since the border opened back up. I moved to Costa Rica to enjoy the outdoors and have more of a work/life balance. I enjoy surfing in front of my beachfront home and hiking in the rainforest that surrounds Jaco Beach. We also enjoy outdoor beachfront BBQ Happy Hours and watching the sunset over the beautiful Pacific Ocean.
7. If You Did Not Live in Costa Rica, Where Would You Want to Be?
I love the beach lifestyle, so it would definitely have to be in a beach town. I already tried to live in Hawaii after college and didn’t last long, as it was just too expensive to live a comfortable lifestyle. I have family in California and on the East Coast in Avalon, New Jersey. So I’d have to say one of those two areas, but there is no place I’d rather be than Costa Rica.
8. What is Your Most Ambitious Goal in Life?
I am living my most ambitious goal in life right now. A lot of people thought I was crazy to leave a great-paying job in the United States, sell my house, SUV, etc., and move to Costa Rica over 10 years ago. I think a lot of people’s mindsets have changed after Covid, and now they are saying, “That took a lot of ‘guts’, I wish I could do something like that”. My response is always the same: you can do it with the right planning...
To know more about our agents’ unique stories, tune in every Wednesday.
Read More | Get to Know Your Agent: Dopper Huckel