Poco y Poco & Possible Sale-RLJ
ISSUE #236: April 13-18, 2009
2009-04-19
Poco y Poco & Possible Sale-RLJ
» 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
»MARKETING & SALES
Advertising: We will be changing our advertising to include Residencias Los Jardines AND Hacienda El Dorado. This will cover off people looking to purchase / lease now and for those with a longer time horizon.
Sales: A couple of presentations and inquiries.» CONSTRUCTION LOG
Water: The engineer / consultant for this is working on the drawings for the pumping station and for the pipe installation. We expect that INVU will require this.
Black water Treatment Plant: The engineer responsible for this is also working on the detailed layout, location and the mechanical drawings. We expect this information to be required by the Min. of Salud (Health).Erosion Abatement: The government ministry still has not given final approval for some work. Since the rainy season will start soon, we consider it unlikely that we will do any of the planned work--this is not a problem from our perspective. However, this week we did do some work to minimize erosion we experienced last year. In addition, we plan to plant native grasses on the graded, bare earth--this will be done when the rains begin and when we plant the bamboo.
» RESIDENCIAS LOS JARDINES
Texas Hold'em: It was a rousing game on Tuesday night and a newbie walked off with the winnings from the first game... There may not be games now for a few weeks as the main organizer is away.
Rentals: none available right now
Sales: I expect to be working on an offer for 108 this week. A couple from LA looking to move to CR in a year or so feels that Los Jardines is the place they'd like to be. We might be formalizing the sale of 107...
Units for Sale/Lease:
Unit #107 - For Sale/ REDUCED PRICE $239,000 / Leased for $1,650 mo. to Jan. 2010.--OWNER FINANCING AVAILABLE
Total area (Sq M): 158
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2.5
Floor(s): 2 Story
Type: Detached
Furnished: Yes
Read More
Unit #120 - For Sale--$185K /Leased at $1,450mo.
Total Area (Sq Ft):1312Total area (Sq M):122
Bedrooms:2
Bathrooms:2
Floor(s):1 Story
Type:Semi-Detached
Furnished:Yes
This 1,312 sf single floor home includes a 300 sf front terrace plus parking for one car. It is an end unit and therefore attached on only one side providing ample lighting and views. The 6 inch cement demising (common) wall prevents sound transfer. This is a very nicely furnished and accented home.
Read More
Unit #108 --For Sale-$245,000; Leased at $1,600 mo. to March '10
Total Area (Sq Ft):1716Total area (Sq M):158
Bedrooms:2
Bathrooms:2.5
Floor(s):2 Story
Type:Detached
Furnished:Yes
This 1,716 sf. (plus parking space for one car) two storey, detached house, with two terraces, two bedrooms (one on each floor) and an upstairs master suite is a beautiful home.
This home consists of two VERY large bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms (one on each floor) and a powder room each with closets with extensive built-ins for personal organization. The vaulted living room and ground floor bedroom ceilings as well as the master bedroom on the 2nd floor provide a feeling of grandeur while allowing the warmer air to rise and exit through the ceiling ventilating system.
Read More
Unit #109 --For Sale $214,900 - FURNISHED (Leased until August 1, 2009 - $1,550 pr month)
Total Area (Sq Ft):1506Total area (Sq M):140
Bedrooms:2
Bathrooms:2
Floor(s):1 Story
Type:Detached
Furnished:Yes
This single story home (1506 sf. + parking for one car) is detached, has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, home office, living room wall / entertainment center along with a built in office and a semi-private terrace. In addition, it has a vaulted ceiling in the “great” room and two skylights. The covered entrance way is suitable for two chairs located next to a covered garden area. Once through the impressive front door, you enter the “great room” which houses the kitchen, dining room, office and living room. Upon entering, there is a built in wooden hutch surfaced with granite—it matches all the built-in furniture in the great room. There is a clothes washer and dryer off the 2nd bedroom. It may also be used for storage.
Read More
» NEWS FROM COSTA RICA
April 19, 2009
Catholic Church Vs. Mel Gibson: Marriage Is For Life
(Fox News) Last Thursday Mel Gibson’s wife of over 28 years, Robyn Moore, filed for divorce in the Los Angeles Superior Court citing irreconcilable differences. Gibson is believed to be worth around $900 million and the couple did not have a prenuptial agreement. Robyn is seeking spousal support, joint custody of their child Tom (the only minor of their 7 children together) and attorney fees.
Read
April 19, 2009
U.S. follows Costa Rica, El Salvador along bridge to Cuba
(The Tico Times) Making another stride toward improved U.S.-Cuba relations, President Barack Obama announced a series of changes to U.S. foreign policy that will ultimately lift travel restrictions for family members flying to the island and improve communication between residents.
Read
April 19, 2009
IMF approves $735 mln standby loan for Costa Rica
WASHINGTON (AFP) — The International Monetary Fund said Monday it had approved a 735-million-dollar standby loan for Costa Rica to help it weather the global financial and economic crisis.
Read
April 15, 2009
Costa Rica president set for Trinidad summit
(The Tico Times) The Costa Rican government has confirmed President Oscar Arias on Friday will attend the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago, an event the government has been billing as the first opportunity for Arias to finally come face to face with U.S. President Barack Obama.
Read
April 15, 2009
Sales of vacation homes fall during recession
(USA Today) Since Suzanne Wegerland put her vacation home in Costa Rica up for sale last summer, she has had plenty of visitors.
Read
April 15, 2009
Costa Rica demand for fuel falling fast
(The Tico Times) Costa Ricans are buying and burning considerably less fuel than last year, according to the nation's oil authority, which registered a 23 percent drop in demand last month from March 2008.
Read
» OUR LIVES
Weather: No further sign of the rainy season--dry and breezy. Actually, it's been quite warm over the past two weeks. The Tico Times even noted it as being some type of record. We still haven't needed AC here in the Central Valley; in the coastal areas--definitely!!!
Semana Santa--hold over: Even though the holiday was officially over at Easter, the reality is that this past week is effectively a continuation. There were fewer than normal people around--fewer cars, fewer phone calls, and I bet even less got done in government offices than normal....which is hard to believe that less than nothing gets done. Construction projects which are underway, were operating.Chinese Police cars: A few months ago, China gave to CR some 200 police cars. We've seen them all over the place...somehow the government found money to gas them up. I heard on Sunday that there are no replacement parts for them so the question is how long the cars will remain on the road.....
Villalobos case: I was contacted Friday saying that an agreement has been made with the creditors and that the government would soon begin paying out. This is bitter sweet but it does put some type of closure on it. Two friends and fellow "investors" got dropped along the way; why my name remained on, I don't know. However, I'm not spending my refund yet, not that it will take a long time to spend a little but..... Personally, I haven't necessarily accepted the judgment of the court; Perhaps it's just me, but even in the Bernie Madoff era, I believe there continues to be an untold story in the Villalobos case and it could be one worthy of Le Carre's intrigue.
Underpass: As part of the upgrade to the autopista, the one way underpass between Santa Ana and Pozos was widened with a 2nd. underpass. This process took about 6 weeks. When finished and aside from some really ill thought through issues, they had not built in a drain for rainwater. The builder returned this past week, ripped up recently finished work and put in a drain..... why this wasn't done at the same time when it was simpler and more cost effective, I don't know....the other short sited issues remain...eg. having to take 35 degree turn at the end because had they excavated the hill, the house sitting on it would have collapsed and the fact that the new roadway is 2+ feet below the other one and forms a well providing an overall height of probably 30 feet --we'll probably have our share of screw ups at El Dorado as well but I hope we are more on top of our game than these guys were.
Lita & her parrots: She hasn't been going to the gym lately--her eyesight has failed to the point where it's dangerous for her (she hurt herself a few times) and the people who use to look out for her, are no longer there. So, she plays with her birds for hours and hours each day.... It's amazing and often times funny to see how they respond to each other. I'm continually pressed into service to find her birds when she looses contact with them and they go silent or to ensure the cat is shut out.
Lomito (Beef Tenderloin): at "...hermanos..." meat market in Escazu. which has aged beef and is frequented by Ticos is C7500 kilo ($6 USD) lb. It 's delicious. AutoMercado's price is C10,000+ ($8.00 lb)--I'll stick to "......hermanos...."
Time Out Tavern: We hadn't been for several weeks due to Good Friday and diverted traffic on two successive Friday evenings. It was a pleasure to return this week--the food remains delicious and reasonable.
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
E-mail: brian@eldoradocostarica.com
For inquiries about availability of residences at Hacienda El Dorado or Residencias Los Jardines, contact:
Jan Kozak, Marketing Manager
Hacienda El Dorado
Rio Oro, Santa Ana
Costa Rica
Web: www.eldoradocostarica.com
E-mail: info@eldoradocostarica.com
MSN: jan.kozak.jr@hotmail.com
Skype: jan.kozak.jr
Tel (US) (+1) 647-477-5825
Cell: (+506) 8345 8018
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