I travel to Costa Rica a lot.
If you look around the web, you can bird dog a house or apartment that meets your needs.
I don't know what scoop is, how long you need a place, or what kind of budget your on.
A) beache towns - Maual Antonio Is a great but pricey quid-essential beach town. Touristy but beautiful. If you can get a house with ocean views - your the boss!
B) Jaco is not pretty, but a condo on beach with internet can be had cheap and its close to action, sin, and surfing.
C) if you want a quiet house no distractions near the beach - google eco properties near playa bejuco. A gated community called Costa del sol has 3bd rentals with pool for $1500 a month 300meters from beach in an American style house.
D) I would personally get a an apartment near Escuza mall in suburban San Jose or near the University.
You get best of both worlds with beach only 90 minutes away. Plus internet or electricity won't crash!!! San Jose is much cooler. Beach is REALLY HOT.
Check out costaricaticas.com
Good Luck.
Pure Vida