A Whacky Week...Wow!!
ISSUE #325: October 18-23, 2010
2010-10-23
A Whacky Week...Wow!!
» 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.
Brian C. Timmons, Author
Residencias Los Jardines/Hacienda El Dorado - Developer
E-mail: brian@eldoradocostarica.com
YOU CAN ALSO VIEW THE COMPLETE VERSION ONLINE AT:
https://www.eldoradocostarica.
» CONSTRUCTION LOG
» RESIDENCIAS LOS JARDINES
A WACKY WEEK
1: Recovery of Stolen Car: One of our owners kept their car on site and asked their friend to look after it while they were in Canada. About four weeks ago, his place was broken into while he was out of the country probably by his disgruntled tenant and amongst other things, the keys to his friend's car and the car itself was taken. While we never expected to see the car again, the corporate lawyer and I dutifully filed a stolen car report. On Thursday afternoon, the car was recovered not due to great police work, but simply due to a series of fortunate events--had any of the events not happened, I'm sure we would never have seen the car again. Here's the story I reported to the owner:
A parking guard at MultiPlaza saw a car back into yours -- probably about 3 weeks ago (you now have a small ding in the back access door of your Jeep but be thankful for that because: He made a note of it and placed the note on the car asking the owner/driver to contact him re. the accident. That didn't happen. Week after week the car sat there. Multiplaza guards were rather desperate to find out who owned the car. They found that the car door was open and the keys were in the car.... (Perhaps the car hadn't been re-stolen or left because it wouldn't start.....) When looking through the paper work for the owner of the car to contact, the guard came across a torn piece of paper that was in the glove compartment that had been prepared by Max and had his name on it as the lawyer responsible for setting up the corporation. At this point, I believe the security at Multiplaza called the OIJ to trace down Max's number and to contact him. Fortunately, Max answered his phone--he doesn't always do that. The OIJ and the Guards wanted to do a party call including me because I'm listed as President of the company owning the car. My cell phone was not working properly; Max phoned Lourdes to find me; she called me at home fortunately I was beside the phone. The conference call was routed through my home phone. Fortunately I was able to be at Mulltiplaza in 10 min through the worst rain storm we've had in three weeks; and Max in 45 min. of heavy traffic...he had the corporate documents and the FISCAL missing car report file. If neither of us had been available, Max says the car would have gone to the car pound and it would have taken about 2 mo. and many trips and lots of paperwork to get it released....IF they ever connected it to the stolen car report. After a going over for finger prints (I don't think they got any), the car was released to me....we got it going through jumper cables I always carry (and which are now required) and Flavio drove it back to Los Jardines. I have the key locked in my safe and have removed the battery--not that it was really necessary but..... Max and I will be finishing off some paperwork next week (basically, canceling the theft report which still hasn't been reported to OIJ and stating that the car has been recovered. ....and this all happened as a result of a ding in the parking lot.....
2. An Upset Girlfriend: One of our owners, a quiet man who just wants peace in his life, has lived with a girlfriend for 5 years. I guess the relationship was faltering; he asked her to leave. She returned with the police and filed a "denuncia" against him claiming domestic abuse. Eight police returned the next morning and evicted our owner; the girlfriend is now living in the house. This situation will now work its way through the court system which may take six months or so. In the meantime, our owner has a second house.
3. Another Upset Girlfriend: Filed a "denuncia" against another one of our owners. I don't know anything about this and don't care to.
Comment: Personally, I don't believe that physical violence was involved in either incident--simply a verbal sparing with the girlfriend being told the relationship was over. The law is very severe and one sided in CR and the man always has the uphill battle. There is a message here in these two stories and I personally believe that the situation each finds himself in, is not due to a character flaw in either--it's just the wrath of a spurned Tica in CR world where the law is stacked in her favor.
4. An Upset Tenant: Over the past month, a landlord upset his tenant a number of times for reasons which neither I nor the tenant ever understood. He simply did things which he shouldn't have done; the tenant filed a "denucia" which he doesn't want to pursue. Life is too short, he doesn't want to fight; he's walking away in mid stream. I got to know the tenant a little through the series of incidents and would love to have kept him at Los Jardines but it won't happen.
Note: A "denuncia" is a formalized complaint; having one filed does not imply "guilt"; it is the beginning of a fact finding process which, if carried to conclusion, may lead to some legal conclusion. In the case of "denuncias" filed in domestic issues, the law presumes the man as guilty and his legal challenge is to prove he is not.
Unit 106A: $155,000
Unit 106B: $169,000
See Descriptions and photos below.
Rental Vacancies:
Unit 106C Nov 1 $1,250 pr month
Unit #106A -- For Sale $155,000 - FURNISHED (Leased at $1,000 pr month until January 2011)
Total Area (Sq Ft):1250Total area (Sq M):120
Bedrooms:2
Bathrooms:2.5
Floor(s):Ground Floor
Type:Apartment
Furnished:Yes
This is a fully furnished 2-bedroom unit situated in a 2-story building, which has two units on the ground floor and two units on the 2nd. floor. Each unit is the same size (1,250sf) divided into 800 sf of interior space and 450 sf of covered front and back terraces. UnitS 106 A and B are on the ground floor; Units 106 C and D are on the 2nd. Floor. The solid masonry demising wall (common wall) as well as the 5” concrete slab prevent sound transference.
Read More
Unit #106C -- For Rent $1,250- FURNISHED (Available November 1, 2010)
Total Area (Sq Ft): 1250
Total area (Sq M): 120
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2
Floor(s): Ground Floor
Type: Apartment
Furnished: Yes
This is a fully furnished 2-bedroom unit situated in a 2-story building, which has two units on the ground floor and two units on the 2nd. floor. Each unit is the same size (1,250sf) divided into 800 sf of interior space and 450 sf of covered front and back terraces. Units 106A and B are on the ground floor; Units 106 C and D are on the 2nd. Floor. The solid masonry demising wall (common wall) as well as the 5” concrete slab prevent sound transference.
This is a fully furnished 2-bedroom unit situated in a 2-story building, which has two units on the ground floor and two units on the 2nd. floor. Each unit is the same size (1,250sf) divided into 800 sf of interior space and 450 sf of covered front and back terraces. Units 106A and B are on the ground floor; Units 106 C and D are on the 2nd. Floor. The solid masonry demising wall (common wall) as well as the 5” concrete slab prevent sound transference.
» NEWS FROM COSTA RICA
October 23, 2010
Nicaraguan Army Denies Incursions Into Costa Rica
The Nicaraguan army flatly denies any incursion into Costa Rican territory, contrary to assertions and protect by Costa Rica for an apparent violation of national sovereignty in the area of the dredging of the San Juan river.
Read
October 22, 2010
Costa Rica Among Money Laundering Countries
Costa Rica, Cuba, Honduras and Nicaragua are among nations that pose rising risks in the global fight against money laundering and related security threats, a new survey indicated.
Read
October 20, 2010
1.425 Drivers With Suspended License For Accumulating Points
The Consejo de Seguridad Vial (COSEVI) reports that 1.425 drivers have lost their license in the last seven months, losing all 50 points for traffic violations, as stipulated in the Ley de Tránsito that went into effect on March 1, 2010.
Read
October 18, 2010
Costa Rica, A Land Of Apathy
Recently an Inside Costa Rica reader named Larry lamented in “comments” that we are a land of apathy and that got me thinking.
Read
» OUR LIVES
Residency: We're trying to get a status report on our file which we are planning to review on Monday. We'll see; I suspect we'll be told to return in ???? days...
We have some non-resident owners on site who are preparing for their post-retirement move to CR in the first part of next year. I hope they don't reconsider their decision after the tumultuous events of this week.
Comment: This has been a chaotic week which I would never have expected any of the events to have happened. There's certainly never a dull moment here and it seems, always a lot of surprises. .... and all I really want to do is grow flowers, make people some money, and sit in my hammock.
Brian, Lita, Hugo, irreverent Vicka, the pigeon toed parrot, and the newbies - Chico and Chica.
Brian C. Timmons, Newsletter Author
Residencias Los Jardines/Hacienda El Dorado - Developer
Cell: (+506) 8305-3965
E-mail: brian@eldoradocostarica.com
For inquiries about availability of residences at Hacienda El Dorado or Residencias Los Jardines, contact:
Jan Kozak, Marketing Manager
Residencias Los Jardines/Hacienda El Dorado
Web: www.eldoradocostarica.com
E-mail: info@eldoradocostarica.com
MSN: jan.kozak.jr@hotmail.com
Skype: jan.kozak.jr
Voicemail (Canada) (+1) 647-477-5825
Skype (US) (+1) 954 903 0830
Office (Costa Rica) (+506) 2215-6000
Cell (Costa Rica): (+506) 8707-9930 / (+506) 8345-8018
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