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

Dear friends,

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.

Brian Timmons
DEVELOPER / PROPERTY MANAGER
Residencias Los Jardines / https://www.residenciaslosjardines.com info@residenciaslosjardines.com
ResidenciasPropertyManagement@gmail.com

 

Featured house this week

UNIT #123:
FOR RENT: $1,650 mo.

Total Area (Sq Ft): 1516
Total area (Sq M): 140
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2.5
Floor(s): 2 Story
Type: 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.

 

Residencias Los Jardines
Property Management, Rentals, Re-Sales

Market Activity

Sales: one call viewing

Rentals: 1 lease; two viewings

 

FOR SALE

Unit #114: $235,000 / See Unit

FOR RENT

Unit #106C: $1,250 mo. / Available Immediately / See Unit

Unit #123: $1,650 mo. / Available Immediately / See Unit

Unit #124: $1,000 mo. / Available Immediately / See Unit

 

HOUSE FOR SALE

UNIT #114
FOR SALE $235,000

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.

 

HOUSES FOR RENT

UNIT #106C
FOR RENT $1,250 mo.
Available Immediately

Total Area (Sq Ft): 1250
Total area (Sq M): 120
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2
Floor(s): Single Floor
Type: 4-plex
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.

 

 

UNIT #123
FOR RENT $1,650 mo.
Available Immediately

Total Area (Sq Ft): 1516
Total area (Sq M): 140
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2.5
Floor(s): 2 Story
Type: 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.

 

 

UNIT #124
FOR RENT $1,000 mo.
Available Immediately

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

This 662 sf, + covered parking for one car, is a one bedroom home on the 2nd floor overlooking the large pool. It is ideal for a single person or couple.

 

 

Our Lives

WEATHER: some rain but not much--beautiful weather.

All in a Week's Living in CR:

Health Stories:

1. We visited friends in Jaco -- they built and manage a small, very nicely run hotel... we found out they were, at one time, neighbors of ours in Toronto. We get together periodically and swap stories, drinks, and dinner. We did and as always, there were lots of stories... and lots of drinks... After dinner, we returned to the hotel and we each went our separate ways. The next morning, we learned there had been an accident, she lost her balance when playing with their frisky dog, hit her head and injured her shoulder. They went to the clinic in Jaco... the clinic had no Xray or sonogram equipment. The person on duty assessed that the shoulder had been dislocated... they tried to reset it... had to knock her out, it didn't work. The next day they drove to CIMA and, yes it seemed the shoulder had been dislocated but also there was a fracture... so surgery and 9 pins later, three weeks of immobilization and physio... she'll be o.k. --- we hope...

2. Again while in Jaco, we visited a former owner at Los Jardines and a great friend. While at Los Jardines, he went through extensive dental procedures and eventually got implants... both top and bottom. He went for a check up and was told that his jaw bone had continued to deteriorate and it was likely that he would loose all the work done. This was not happy news after all the pain, suffering, and expense. He's not happy.

Misc: An expat contacted me a month ago re. a house he wanted to sell. He's having trouble getting reliable absentee management for it and active marketing. I checked it out. It's in Lindora and backs onto Valle del Sol... the house and property has some nice features but it also needs some work to finish it. As it is, it will be a tough sell in that it has only specialized appeal (my opinion). He also has a 2002 diesel Galloper for sale... that will be an easier sell.

Private Financing: There continues to be a good market for private lending. Banks are just too difficult and too slow for many clients --both Ticos and expats-- to deal with. A number of people looking for higher returns-12%-14% interest fully secured by 50% distressed sale to loan value --are entering this market.

 

 

News Items of the Week

Comments:

1. I didn't do a good job of following the news this week. Google switched formats and I lost the threads on some issues. Below is one article I did read. While written by a contributor, the article seems based on government supplied content and especially the last paragraph does not consistent with what I see and hear... More expats are leaving the country than arriving and those who are arriving seem to have lower budgets... Basis for this is: (1) what few purchases there are, seem to be further from San Jose in lower priced areas... Atenas, Grecia, and San Ramon. (2) postings on CostaRicaLiving of people exploring CR as a possible citing limited budgets; (3) commentaries by connected expats in groups, eg Wine Club, Little Theater Group, re. the drop in attendance, (4) the number of furniture sales posted on CostaRicaLiving. La Nacion, a large conglomerate controlled by one of the influential families in CR, just laid of over 200 people.

Despite short-term slowdown, economy here is on the upswing
By Mark Benson*
Special to A.M. Costa Rica

Earlier this month financial giant HSBC issued a raft of economic downgrades across Latin America. While these downgrades were perhaps unsurprising, considering the international situation, they are now starting to play out in countries such as Costa Rica which saw a reduction in the rate of economic growth between the last quarter of 2012 and the first quarter of 2013.

While it is too early to panic, there is a growing suspicion that outside forces may well have a short- to medium-term impact upon the overall Latin American economy.

An analysis of the news

Despite all the doom and gloom with regard to economic growth across Latin America, the Costa Rican economy still grew by 2.43 percent in the first quarter of 2013, compared to the same period in 2012.

When one looks at the performance of European and North American economies, growth of 2.43 percent in the first quarter is something which many governments can only dream about. So why are experts concerned?

The growth of 2.43 percent in the first quarter of 2013 compares with growth of 3.05 percent in the final quarter of 2012. Indeed the growth in the first quarter of 2013 is the lowest since the country emerged from recession in 2009, and some are concerned that this is the start of a worrying trend.

The recent HSBC review of Latin America suggests that regional growth will fall from 2.8 percent in 2012 to around 2.7 percent in 2013. This is primarily because of a slowdown in China, issues with commodity prices and a general opinion that domestic demand may be slowing somewhat across the region. It is more likely that there will be further downward revisions than any upward revision in the short- to medium-term, especially until problems within Europe and North America are resolved.

The two major barometers of the region, Brazil and Mexico, suffered from the HSBC downgrade to different extents.

Brazilian growth is expected to come in at 2.4 percent for 2013 against earlier forecasts of 2.6 percent while Mexico is expected to be hit a little harder, falling from 3.2 percent to around 2.9 percent economic growth. In many ways the direction of these two economies is indicative of the region as a whole and perhaps offers the best insight into the short- to medium-term outlook.

While short-term economic expectations are falling in the region, the fact is that the long-term prospects are still very positive. It is easy to forget that controlled growth in these economies is still relatively new to the region, a region which has suffered from sky high inflation in the past. The ongoing economic boom is also putting money in the pockets of workers, and experts predict a large increase in the middle classes in the short, medium and longer term.

As more disposable income becomes available to the masses, this will feed into local demand which will encourage international investment and lead to further growth in employment, placing more money in the pockets of the masses. There are some experts who believe that only the surface of economic growth has been scratched across Latin America and while Costa Rica is under some pressure, the president still believes that growth in the region of 4 percent is still possible during 2013.

In many ways the gravity defying growth in economies across Latin America lasted far longer than many people expected when set against European and North American economic turmoil. A short-term reduction in economic growth was not wholly unexpected, and, indeed, once the European and North American issues are resolved, Latin America will be in a very strong position.

Costa Rica in its own right has enjoyed a strong economy since 2009, and while it is disappointing to see expectations of a short-term slowdown, the long-term position still looks very positive. This is also reflected in the ever-growing number of expats moving to Costa Rica, and Latin America on the whole, as they look to benefit from employment opportunities, financial stability, political stability and long-term economic growth.

* Provided by the Latin American Forum.

 

Brian, Lita, the Late Hugo IV, irreverent Vicka, the pigeon toed parrot, Chico II and Chica II