Homes for sale and homes for rent in Santa Ana, San José, Costa Rica | Newsletters

» NOTES

When I started Residencias Los Jardines, I started writing a weekly news letter —determined to tell all the good, bad, and the ugly. I knew some readers would be interested in the construction process. I expected others might be interested in the lifestyle of two people who had decided to live outside the box. For others, the adventures of lita, the parrot and the cat took on an entertainment saga all its own.

Residencias Los Jardines is finished. We periodically have resales and rental availability. Some readers may be interested in this information.

More and more, the content will be dominated by events of our new project, "El Dorado" for short. While the future is always uncertain, I again aim to tell it like it happens —the good, the bad, and the ugly, and that is what follows.

In an effort to make the format more interesting and visually appealing and to field inquiries re. El Dorado, the news letter is now being distributed by Jan Kozak, Marketing Manager, Hacienda El Dorado. I will remain the author.

»MARKETING, WEBSITE & SALES

Webdesign: We've gained more direct control over our ability to update items and Jan has added CR content to the links section. We have a ways to go before we are finished with this but we've started.

Sales: We are still working on the same set as the previous two weeks.  Delays are mainly due to getting information.

Trees: The scrub tree cutting and clean-up is mostly completed. MINEA will be called to inspect.

Gaviones: We've started building and installing these along  the back of what will be buildings 14-17.

» CONSTRUCTION LOG

 

Use of the Well Water: Another week gone and no D1. We get various stories--that all the staff are in Guancaste reviewing the mess they've allowed happen there, that Thursday was Environment Day so no one worked, who knows why things don't happen in CR--one just has to get plugging away at it.  There is no magic elixir just patience, persistence, and sweet oil.

Note: There isn't much that happens in CR that is not a struggle. Any schedule you set you should probably double it and add 20%.

As per what I was told the D1 will be ready this coming week. (This would be the week of May 19)

» RESIDENCIAS LOS JARDINES

Sales: Paperwork is progressing on 124 / 125. This has become an exceedlingly tedious and frustrating effort;  one of the owners is very distracted with personal issues. We also have an offer on 103 and on 114. We might be receiving an offer on 107 next week. We'll see what happens.

Title Protection: In CR, there appears to be a major weakness in securing title and makikng sure it stays in the name in which it is registered.  In a country where there are more lawyers than taxi drivers (so I'm told) there a bound to be a few bad, ie. unscrupulous, characters. All that seems necessary is for one of these lawyers, who's a notary ( higher, more trustworthy character, to swear before the officals of the National Registry, that the documents he / she presents represents the will of the registered owner, and almost bingo, the title starts being transferred without the registered owner knowing anything  about it. When the land is then "sold" to an "innocent third party" and the original owner who's been swindled finds out and sues to get it back, , the courts have pretty consistently held that the "innocent third party" is now the rightful owner. While this scenario doesn't happen very often, it has happened and can happen and has been reported several times in literature I read. Admittedly, this is more likely to happen when the property is owned by people not in CR and not actively inhabited, it could happen. A year or so ago, a company was started which monitors titles in the National Registry's data base. When activity is detected, the owner is immediately notified.  We bought this service for Doneste, S. A. and Residencias Los Jardines. It is an inexpensive Excedrin for a potential problem. 

Units for Sale/Lease:

Unit 123 - For Rent
Total Area (Sq Ft):662
Total area (Sq M):61
Bedrooms:1
Bathrooms:1
Floor(s):2nd Floor
Type:Semi-Detached
Furnished:Yes

This two story, detached 1,423 sf home + parking for one car has two bedrooms, 2 ½ bathrooms and a 2nd floor covered terrace.
The open railed wrought iron cement stair case leads to the 2nd level where the master bedroom with en-suite master bathroom as well as 2nd bedroom and en-suite bathroom are located. Also accessed from the 2nd floor hallway is the covered terrace.

This is a very nicely furnished home with a good floor plan for those wanting two floors.



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Unit 114 - For Sale
Total Area (Sq Ft):1290
Total area (Sq M):120
Bedrooms:2
Bathrooms:2
Floor(s):Single Floor
Type: Attached
Furnished:Yes

This 1,290 sf. (plus covered parking for one car and two lockers 67 sf.) single story, semi detached house, with garden terrace, two bedrooms is a beautiful executive style home. This home consists of two large bedrooms one with six piece en-suite bathroom with additional access to separate full shower. Each bedroom has large closets with extensive built-ins for personal organization. The vaulted living room and bathroom ceilings provide a feeling of grandeur while allowing the warmer air to rise and exit through the ceiling ventilating system. There are four TVs (one in each bedroom, one in the living room and one in breakfast / dinning room.) This is a beautiful well appointed home.

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»EXPLORING SANTA ANA

The Rooms

      

      

      

      

www.cortezaamarillalodge.com

Phone: 2203-7503 - Fax: 2282-6641

reservations@cortezaamarillalodge.com

 

»MEET THE DREAMMAKERS

Gabriel

Gabriel is 19 years old, a Costa Rican from Lindora in Santa Ana, comes from a family of five, has a 9 year old brother still in the primary school and a 23 year old sister. As is the tradition in many Costa Rican households, his mother takes care of the home while his dad is a foreman at a construction site in Quepos on the Central Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Gabriel and his dad are the two men that provide the financial income to support the family.

Gabriel dropped out of the first grade of high school at the age of 14. Despite that, he managed to complete a general course in computing at the age of 16 and another course on macros and Excel at the age of 17. These two courses gave him a competitive advantage over some of his peers and was able to secure an office job with a construction company in Escazu, where he dealt with suppliers, monitored internal budgets and invoicing. Unfortunately, that construction company went bankrupt last November and everyone working there was fired. He ended up working with us thanks to his uncle Sylias, our foreman. Gabriel is now our warehouse manager and continues to learn to assume more responsibilities in our construction site office in the near future. His objectives for the immediate future are to learn as much as possible every day... In the medium run, he hopes to be able to take up more courses in computing and learn English. In the long run, he looks forward to establishing his own family.

His older sister has a disabled son who suffered from cerebral paralysis at a very early age and she recently gave birth to another baby. Occasionally, she succeeds to secure a night-time job as a waitress in one of the many bars in Santa Ana. She made it through the third grade in high school, does not know much about computers and English is a truly foreign language to her. The employment opportunities for her are minuscule.

His free time, he spends with his friends. Like most Costa Rican guys, he is crazy about football (soccer) and makes sure not to miss an opportunity to play some. 

» NEWS FROM COSTA RICA

If your browser does not support the hyperlinks below, you can view the COSTA RICA NEWS section on our website from the following URL: 

» https://www.eldoradocostarica.com/English/News/index.php

June 06, 2008First Tropical Storm
(La Nacion) Alma became the first tropical storm of the hurricane season and the first ever to form on the Costa Rican Pacific Ocean.
Read

June 06, 2008
Chinatown in San Jose
(La Nacion) According to a plan promoted by the Municipality of San Jose and the Chinese-Costa Rican Chamber of Industry and Commerce, part of the southern area of the capital city of Costa Rica will be dedicated to Chinese business, food, and culture; in other words, a Chinatown in all senses.
Read

June 06, 2008
Mega-Marina in Limon
(La Nacion) SolerPazos Group, a Costa Rican firm, plans to develop Isla Moin, a project that would harbor 600 condominiums, 100 villas, and over 100 houses, as well as a marina with 100 berths for yachts and mega-yachts and a de-luxe hotel.
Read

June 04, 2008
Relief Reaches 80% of Alma's Worst Victims in Costa Rica
(The Tico Times) Relief workers persevered yesterday, making headway to reach residents of some of Costa Rica's hardest hit communities after Tropical Storm Alma drenched the region last week killing at least four people.
Read

June 04, 2008
Costa Rica Looks to Go Smoke Free
(The Tico Times) The country is one step closer to passing a smoking ban in public places, including bars.
Read

June 04, 2008
Western Union to Double Its Size
(The Tico Times) Western Union deepened its hold in the country yesterday when it announced an expansion of its service sector, effectively doubling the size of its workforce on Costa Rican soil.
Read

June 02, 2008
Living in Costa Rica’s Santa Ana, a San Jose Suburb
(Costa Rica Pages) The best thing that has happened to me in Costa Rica was to start living in Santa Ana. I did not know it so well then, but I had some friends living there and always really liked the place, if only for its warmer and drier climate.
Read

» OUR LIVES

Weather: We had normal weather for this season.

Coq au Vin and Driving: What's the connection? I decided to make coq au vin on Monday--I'd been longing for it for some time. After three stops to purchase the ingredients--nothing extradoairy, I was ready to go. Having to go to numerous places to buy everythiing you want, is not unusual here. I did buy some large, fresh artichokes and did get some nice mushrooms at the right price (for here) from Saretto's in Escazu. Here's the connection: In the process of buying my ingredients, I saw three accidents involving 7 cars--one a three car accordian hit-from-behind, another involving two cars (one a BMW SUV and a small truck) on straight away at the top of a hill, and the third a bus clipped the bumper of an SUV parked right in front of him who probably didn't want to move. The driving capabilities here are continue to astound and confuse me. And I'm not sure why so many drivers feel compelled to honk their horns in an underpass just to hear how macho they are.....The coq au vin was outstanding and fed us and guests for the entire week.....Next time I'll make some changes to Emeril Lagasse's version to better suite my tastes.....

On Friday I wrote the above. Now, Saturday afternoon, I have this post script:

On my way back from grocery shopping with Lita, I got rear ended-----waited 45 min. for the transit autorities to show up and record the accident. I saw it coming in the rearview mirror--traffic was congested due to construction; the idiot behind me was looking to the right and not watching the traffic in front of him (me) and bang ..... I got off with a broken tail light, twisted bumper and pushed in tailgate (I have a Jeep); His piece of junk is now really junk.... Before we left from the Transit cop, I asked how many accidents had he attended today? He said he started at 2 and had attended three--all in 1 hr. 15 min. I asked him how many he usually attends--answer--"during the rain, usually about 10". Before we finished that short conversation, one of the construction works approached him saying there was another accident 100 yards up the road which was a another rear ender. People here just don't know how to drive!

Cycling Accident: While cycling Saturday afternoon, Paul got clipped by a car. I don't know the details other than after a thorough check out at CIMA seems fine other than bumbs, bruises and scrapes. The bike is a total write off but that's o.k. since Paul has vowed not to road cycle again in CR.

Time for Reflection: Earlier this week we were informed by Lita's family that a very good friends of theirs and one we had come to know and like, was, at 52, seriously ill. It seems that he experienced back pain, went to the doctor who diagnosed it as muscle strain. Three days later, our friend was paralyzed from the waist down. An MRI scan showed the problem to be cancer of the spinal cord; he's been given 2-3 weeks to live.

Thursday night we were also shocked to hear that a close family member is again having personal problems. This has shaken us and elevated me to a triple scotch night. The bottom line isn't yet written on this one.

We see, hear and associate with people who are going through struggles in their personal lives and relationships. It's always sad but that's life as we know it. I guess I'm fortunate in that whenever I get out of line, Lita just smacks me a good one and beats me back into line.