IMPORTANT NOTICE & VILLALOBOS !

ISSUE #253: Aug.10-15, 2009

2009-08-16

IMPORTANT NOTICE & VILLALOBOS !

» NOTES

IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THIS NEWSLETTER IN THE FUTURE, PLEASE, MAKE SURE TO JOIN GOOGLE GROUPS! SEE MORE INFORMATION BELOW.

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.com/English/Newsletter/index.php


NOTE.  WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF SWITCHING OUR DISTRIBUTION TO GOOGLE GROUPS BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS OVER THE PAST MONTH.  SOME PEOPLE HAVE NOT RECEIVED THEIR NEWSLETTER AND WE HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.  IF YOU HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED AN INVITATION TO JOIN THE GOOGLE GROUP, PLEASE NOTIFY EITHER MYSELF OR JAN AND WE WILL MAKE SURE YOU GET AN INVITATION. IT'S EASY TO JOIN THE GROUP, FOLLOW THE LINK TO GOOGLE, CLICK "I ACCEPT" AND DONE.... 

To read this newsletter on Google Groups, click here:

https://groups.google.com/group/hacienda-el-dorado---newsletter?hl=en

To join this Google Group, click here:

https://groups.google.com/group/hacienda-el-dorado---newsletter/subscribe?hl=en


This Google Group has been established to facilitate the distribution of a weekly newsletter published by Brian C. Timmons, the developer of Residencias Los Jardines and Hacienda El Dorado in Santa Ana, Costa Rica.

» CONSTRUCTION LOG

IMPORTANT NOTICE:  To continue to receive this newsletter, you need to join the Google Group by clicking here:

         https://groups.google.com/group/hacienda-el-dorado---newsletter/subscribe?hl=en 

Once at this website, click "I Accept" and that's all there is to it.  Going forward, you will continue to receive the newsletter.

INVU--On Tuesday, we received the paid invoice from INVU which means they have accepted our document package for processing.  We know we are still missing one document--the approval of the proposed location of the black water treatment plant.  We are expecting this document in a week or so.  We anticipate INVU may request  additional information....this, it appears, is normal although we won't know what the additional information will be until they so request it.

» RESIDENCIAS LOS JARDINES

IMPORTANT NOTICE:  To continue to receive this newsletter, you need to join the Google Group by clicking here:

         https://groups.google.com/group/hacienda-el-dorado---newsletter/subscribe?hl=en 

Once at this website, click "I Accept" and that's all there is to it.  Going forward, you will continue to receive the newsletter.

Electricity:  We all received our electrical bills this week.  Instead of an expected reduction of 14%, I actually received an increase from C68,000 to C72,000 or about $8.00. Consumption supposedly increased from 739 kwh to 779 kwh ....I'm stumped to figure out how our lifestyle changed that much in a month but this is just another mystery amongst many in CR.

For Sale:

109, two bedroom, one level, furnished,  $214,900
111, two bedroom, one level, unfurnished, $200,000

Units for Sale/Lease:

Residencia Los Jardines Site Plan

Unit #109 --For Sale $214,900 -  FURNISHED (Leased until July 31, 2010 - $1,550 pr month)

Total Area (Sq Ft):1506
Total 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


Unit #111 --For Sale at $200,000 SEMIFURNISHED* / Leased until August 1, 2010 - $1,200 pr month

* INCLUDED ARE:  refrigerator, 6 burner gas range, built-in microwave/exhaust; stacked washer / dryer, curtains throughout, a king and queen bed if desired.

Total Area (Sq Ft):1738
Total area (Sq M):161
Bedrooms:2
Bathrooms:2
Floor(s):Single Floor
Type:Attached
Furnished:No
 
This corner home located in set of four homes, is very private. The entrance belies the 1,738 sf to be found on the other side of the entrance door. The short entrance hallway opens into a huge "great room" consisting of the kitchen, LR and DR. This room is truly of huge proportions including the 16' high vaulted ceiling. This vaulted ceiling has clear story windows for light and ventilation. Valance lighting surrounds the room and provides ambiance with its upward sighing lights as well as accent lighting with the recessed halogen lights. From the living room, a large sliding glass door leads onto a private covered terrace.





Read More
 

» NEWS FROM COSTA RICA

 

August 16, 2009
World Surfing Championship Puts CR On The Global Sports Map
(InfoWebPress) – The recent World Surfing Games that took place in the Central Pacific beaches of Jacó captured the attention of fans of this popular sport from all around the world.
Read

August 16, 2009
Stranded in Costa Rica, refugees look for freedom
(The Tico Times) Six weeks ago, political and religious refugees from Africa walked up a white sand beach on the Costa Rican Caribbean coast after being abandoned by a team of “coyotes,” or smugglers of human beings.
Read

August 15, 2009
Gas Price Hike On The Horizon
(Inside Costa Rica) Tighten the belt because gasoline prices will be shooting through the roof next month when the price of a litre of super will got to ¢601 colones and regular to ¢582, if the Autoridad Reguladora de los Servicios Públicos (Aresep) approves the latest proposal.
Read

August 14, 2009
President Arias Nurses Flu at Home
(The Tico Times) Following orders from his doctors and protocol set forth by the Health Ministry, Arias will remain at his home in Rohrmoser to avoid transmitting the disease to others.
Read

August 14, 2009
First ecologically friendly McDonald's in Central America opens in Santa Ana, Costa Rica
(The Tico Times) The first ecologically friendly McDonald's Restaurant in Central America opened last week in Lindora, Santa Ana.
Read

» OUR LIVES

IMPORTANT NOTICE:  To continue to receive this newsletter, you need to join the Google Group by clicking here:

         https://groups.google.com/group/hacienda-el-dorado---newsletter/subscribe?hl=en 

Once at this website, click "I Accept" and that's all there is to it.  Going forward, you will continue to receive the newsletter.


Weather:  We continue to have the driest "rainy season" in the Central Valley that anyone can remember.  This week we had one 15 min. storm around 7pm.  We continue to irrigate. Last year, we had to install a $17,000 rainwater containment and management system which hasn't gotten close to being needed this year.

VILLALOBOS --"The BROTHERS"--PAYOUT!: On Friday afternoon around 3pm, my phone rang.  The caller was from the government prosecutor's office announcing that they were ready to payout 26% of funds lost in this case.  The other 14% will be distributed later in two payments.  While this has taken a long time to be resolved, and while lots of "victims" got lost or dropped  in the process, I didn't.  All "investors" with the Villalobos or "The Brothers" were urged by the government to file criminal charges, two groups continued to argue for different strategies.  One of those groups has fallen into disarray and some controversy;  another group continues to press it's case through international dispute resolution processes.  When the incident unfolded, I never expected to see any payday.  Now, I may recover 30% of my losses.  The caller told me to present to their office, a bank authorized letter with my account number on it.  I'll deliver that on Monday.

INTERNET:  It has been o.k. this week although AMNET seems to be having problems delivering.....whether political or technical I don't know--perhaps both.

Mother's Day:  Saturday and it is a statutory holiday--a major event in CR.  Along with a number of businesses being closed and Ticos off to the beach for the weekend, the cemeteries were filled with family visiting the graves of relatives.

Dim Sum: On Sunday, we again enjoyed dim sum at Don Wangs.  It compares favorably to that which we use to enjoy in Toronto's extensive China town restaurants.  As I've said many times, there isn't a lot we want for here in the Central Valley--virtually everything one might want is available; one just has to find where and sometimes, how to  arrange it, eg. USDA "Choice" ribeye steaks fora reasonable price.

MULTIPLAZA MALL:  The addition is HUGE....while not yet open, it appears to double the original size as well as parking space.  Many malls are sitting with vacant space;  guess they feel they can fill their additional area.

McDonalds (Lindora):  I counted their parking spaces--18.  The design of the traffic flow (?) is incredible and with a parking lot less than full, results in bottlenecks.  This won't affect me that much as I won't be going there but I did want to see and experience it.

Granada:  We're leaving this Thursday along with two other couples.  It will be their first visit there and we are all looking forward to having a great time as well has having lots of delicious food, including our favorite steak restaurant--El Zaquan.  We've got a gourmet picnic planned for the bus ride.

 
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) 8393-4666

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