Beginnings of Improvements???...

ISSUE #673: August 20-26, 2017

2017-08-28

Brian Timmons, Newsletter Author
Brian Timmons

Dear friends,

When I started Residencias Los Jardines, I started writing a weekly newsletter -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 re-sales and rental availability. Some readers may be interested in this information.

Brian Timmons
Developer / Property manager
Residencias Los Jardines

Web: https://www.residenciaslosjardines.com
Emails: info@residenciaslosjardines.com
ResidenciasPropertyManagement@gmail.com

Featured
rentals & sales

Paradisus Condos / Rohrmoser
FOR SALE / RENT
Visit our website

Paradisus Condos - click to visit

Each of the units consists of two bedrooms / two bathrooms, and a large living/dining/kitchen area. The floor plan of each of these units has eliminated the optional "den / office" divider. The result is a larger area offering more flexible furniture arrangements while still maintaining the option of including an office area. At 105m2 plus two parking spots each and storage locker, they offer a great opportunity for someone seeking views, security, central location, and first class, all round living...

PRICE REDUCTION
Semi furnished unit: For sale: $235,000
Fully furnished unit: For sale: $245,000
Floor 12 -west view

Market activity
sales & rentals

Sales: Los Jardines: Units #106A, #114 and #124

Rentals: Paradisus: nothing available.
Los Jardines: Units #106C and #106D are available for rent

Upcoming vacancies: Los Jardines: Unit #102 end of June / Unit #118 end of May

Residencias Los Jardines
property management, rentals & re-sales

FOR SALE
Unit #106A: $ 165,000 / See Unit
Unit #114: $ 199,000 / See Unit
Unit #124: $ 135,000 / See Unit

FOR RENT
Unit #106C: $ 1,050 mo / Available Immediately / See Unit
Unit #106D: $ 1,150 mo / Available Immediately / See Unit

For sale

UNIT #106A
FOR SALE
$ 165,000

Total Area (Sq Ft): 1250
Total area (Sq M): 120
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2
Floor(s): 1
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.

UNIT #114
FOR SALE
$ 199,000

Total Area (Sq Ft): 1290
Total area (Sq M): 120
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2
Floor(s): 1
Type: Semi-Attached
Furnished: Yes

This 2 bedroom/2bathroom,1,290 sf single floor end unit home includes a 150 sf front terrace plus parking for one car. This house is fully air conditioned and has recently been professionally decorated by international decorator Alcides Graffe and has undergone a complete renovation—new modern furniture, finishings, window coverings, and art work by Carlos Gambino. It is arguably the nicest furnished unit at Residencias Los Jardines and only steps from the pool

UNIT #124
FOR SALE
$ 135,000

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.

For rent

UNIT #106C
FOR RENT
$ 1,050 mo.
Available Immediately

Total Area (Sq Ft): 1250
Total area (Sq M): 120
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2
Floor(s): 1
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 #106D
FOR RENT
$ 1,150 mo.
Available Immediately

Total Area (Sq Ft): 1227
Total area (Sq M): 113
Bedrooms: 1 + den (bedroom possible)
Bathrooms: 2
Floor(s): 2nd Floor
Type: apartment in 4 plex
Furnished: Yes

This 2nd story, 1,227 sf (113 m2 + one parking space) )is a georgous home with one of the best views at Los Jardines. The very large front covered terrace faces west and is suitable for entertaining; the off-bedroom covered terrace faces east for sun sets. This very tastefully furnished and fully equipped home offers a lifestyle envied by many. The owner offers financing if desired.

Our Lives

Weather: Mostly partly sunny, normal rainy weather, no wind, temperatures 25º C / 78º F – beautiful...

Teeth Implants: Phase 1 is completed... we wait for 4+ mo. for Phase 2. Not a problem...

Beginnings of Improvements ???: Following the elections for new Board members, I have been waiting and watching. This week I saw and heard what I have been looking for for 4+ years... the beginnings of intelligent property management... what a breath of fresh air... I was very happy to give credit where credit was due... the new President... and suggested some simple fixes on other items and said I would be willing to work with her -if she is really serious- to fix a long list of deferred mtnc. She asked me to draw up a list... I will... I don't want to fight... I want to move together to fix what has become less than it was and should be... we'll see how the future unfolds... but I am not cautiously optimistic.

Mortgage payout: I was notified that a debtor was selling their house and would be paying me out. o.k. I was a bit disappointed since this person paid like clockwork every month on time for two years... but fine... After finding that the legal company involved had changed locations and not told me, and after arriving at the bank where the transaction was to go down and trying to figure out how to use the elevator... incredible... I finally got there, waited along with the lawyers, only to be notified that the closing was to be rescheduled... Wow!!!!! It isn't just gringos that have problems here... it is difficult for everyone... "difficult" is the norm here... get used to it or stay away...

Hospital Metropolitano: I'm scheduled for elective hernia surgery Sept. 8. I will be down and out for a few days following that... you can reach me in the hammock.

Fixing Houses: Still working on this... little things take time and are not noticed until they are lived in. We had one unit managed by another person which was vacated recently. Why? I have heard different reports...don't know what is correct. I just try to be the best in my category and to keep the client happy... I discouraged one potential client this past week... I had concerns...

Misc. Info: I was told that 250,000 Credimatic Credit Card users in CR were behind in payments. I was also told that in San Jose, 100,000 houses / properties are in foreclosure... I know it is not unusual to watch someone at the grocery store check out go through numerous CC's to pay for a soft drink and candy bar... and I read that 78% of Am. live paycheck to paycheck... seems we are on real shaky grounds...

News Items of the Week

Comments

1. Road Construction: Another botched road... drainage????? when will they ever learn it is important... along with retention walls, culverts, signage and the list goes on...

2. Commercial Construction: It is amazing... the number of new, sizable project​s coming to Santa Ana... lots of money pouring into commercial and residential real estate... not much into the infrastructure... the bridge to Belen is being built and will probably be finished before the road is widened... the parking lot in Pozos is finished but not yet open??? why? and who is going to park there anyway... doesn't make sense to me.

3. More Airlines: another compilation of airlines offering service to CR...

4. Service Center Jobs: this segment of the economy is growing... more and more jobs are being offered to English speaking, educated people... other areas -eg. traditional areas like agriculture- of the economy are not doing as well...

1. Costa Rican Government Inaugurates Road on Wednesday and it gets Flooded After Rains Thursday and Friday

On Wednesday, August 23 a press release proudly announced the opening of the new 27 kilometer road that connects Bajos de Chilamate in Sarapiquí, Heredia to Vuelta Kooper in San Carlos, a road that Costa Rica had been waiting on for at least 10 years.

President Luis Guillermo Solís and the Minister of Transportation German Valverde along with other Government authorities and community members all celebrated this achievement. The road goes through the counties of San Carlos, Rio Cuarto and Sarapiquí; it cuts the former route from San Carlos to Limon in 53 kilometers.

The road had a cost of US$52.45 million.

However, the happiness didn’t last long, on Thursday the heavy rainfall during the afternoon hours caused an important flooding in an area of the road. According to construction company Sánchez Carvajal, supervisor of the project, “the floods lasted for 15 minutes and the draining systems worked properly evacuating the water and returning transit to normal”; the Minister of Transportation commented this morning that the incident occurred due to problems with the water drainage system which was blocked, a situation that should never have happened, he also stated that professionals were already doing further investigation and solving the problem.

This Friday, though, the problem occurred again, worse than the day before, several vehicles were trapped in a segment of the road that was completely flooded to the point that firefighters had to intervene to rescue drivers.

We will have to wait for the explanation and solution by the Ministry of Transportation.

2. Another Office Building is Coming to Santa Ana, Costa Rica Despite Lacking Infrastructure

The county of Santa Ana on the west side of San José, Costa Rica continues to grow, in the past few months there have been several announcements: the new PriceSmart which opens in October in Rio Oro, the new Clínica Bíblica in Pozos, the Santa Ana Country Club, the City Place Town Center (second stage of City Place shopping center) and the shopping center Santa Ana Town that will be ready in the second semester of 2018; now it’s a new office building… This certainly won’t help the traffic situation for all those that have to drive through this area on a daily basis with the current lack of infrastructure.

Oficentro 310 is the name of this new project that is expected to be ready by July 2018; the office building belongs to Costa Rican HVC Inmobiliaria and involves an investment of close to US$25 million.

The office space will run $15.00 a square meter and for every 20 square meters, there will be a parking space assigned.

Located next to the Furati sports complex, the building will have 36,000 square meters of construction, 14,000 square meters of which will be rental spaces and 700 parking spots.

Construction started April of this year and has generated 150 jobs.

HVC Inmobiliaria saw the need of providing office solutions to the east and south of Lindora.

The corporate building will offer modern designs and efficient systems including optical fiber.

3. A Variety of Airlines Prepare to Enter the Costa Rican Market With Direct Flights

The Costa Rica Tourism Board has been aggressive in its strategy to attract more tourism to the country and diversify its markets. With many new European airlines operating in the country the number of tourists from this continent has increased considerably. Efforts continue and apparently the country will be celebrating the arrival of more airline options soon.

According to Aeroinfo Costa Rica there are several negotiations and plans in the works, among them the possibility that Japanese airline ANA will start flying to San José from Tokyo in the charter modality, this however, is only in its early stages as the company studies the Costa Rican market and its potential.

Air Europe is also currently evaluating the start of their operations in the country, flying from Madrid, Spain to San José, Costa Rica.

Turkish Airlines on the other hand, is in the process of making all necessary arrangements to offer flights from Istanbul, Turkey to San José. Turkish Airlines it is likely to start operations in Costa Rica in the second semester of 2018.

Argentine Airlines is also considering adding flights from Buenos Aires, Argentina to San José, Costa Rica whether in a non-stop flight or with a stop in another Latin American country, this is in the early stages.

Finally there are plans on the table to for another airline to connect Sao Paulo, Brazil with Costa Rica, and finally another European airline might be flying soon to the Liberia Airport.

We expect an official announcement soon by the Costa Rican Government.

4. Service Centers in Costa Rica doubled the number of jobs offered in reference to 2016

This 2017 the service center sector has announced the opening of close to six thousand jobs in Costa Rica, almost double the amount of the previous year.

The company that has shown the biggest and most aggressive expansion is Amazon, which recently opened 2,500 openings in different areas; other companies that have considerably increased their payroll include Microsoft, Roche, MSD, Concentrix, Convergys, Smile Direct Club, McKinsey & Co., Feuji and TransPerfect.

According to Alejandro Filloy, General Manager for Amazon, their expansion and growth which registers an annual 30% globally, has allowed them to have this expansion and thus the demand of personnel.

Smile Direct on the other hand went from having 50 collaborators in August of 2016 to 160 by the end of that same year and opening 400 new positions in 2017. The company expects to quadruple their operation in the next two years.

The Costa Rican Investment Promotion Agency (CINDE) reports that companies are fulfilling their requirements with local talent but they have expressed that if there was a larger number of candidates with the necessary technical abilities, the proficiency in a second language and degrees in the most demanded fields, the number of jobs that open every year in the country could double.

Data by CINDE also shows that multinational companies have generated between 2008 and 2016 in average almost 7 thousand jobs a year.

Jobs in this sector pay a competitive salary, which is beneficial to the country.

FOR RENTAL OR SALES INFORMATION
ON ANY OF THE ABOVE, CONTACT:

Brian C. Timmons
Property Manager RLJ and Newsletter Author

Costa Rica:
Cell: (+506) 8305-3965
Land line: (+506) 2282-4142 Ext. 101

Canada:
VOIP: (+416) 461-2203

Web: https://www.residenciaslosjardines.com
Emails: info@residenciaslosjardines.com
ResidenciasPropertyManagement@gmail.com

 
Previous reports

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

Contact Us