Casas a la venta y en alquiler en Costa Rica | Paradisus Condos / Rohrmoser - Newsletters

One Sale & Price Reduction!!

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

Paradisus Condos / Rorhmoser
FOR SALE

 

 

Residencias Los Jardines
Property Management, Rentals, Re-Sales

Market Activity

Sales: The offer on the condo at Infinity Terraces closed.

Rentals: no viewings.

 

FOR SALE

Unit #114: $235,000 / See Unit

Unit #116: $214,000 / See Unit

FOR RENT

Unit #107: $1,500 mo. / Available Immediately / See Unit

Unit #114: $1,400 mo. / Available June 1 / See Unit

Unit #116: $1,400 $1,300 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.

 

UNIT #116
FOR SALE $214,000

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

This 1,290 sf single floor home includes a 300 sf front terrace plus parking for one car and a separate, secure storage locker. It is and end unit and therefore attached on only one side by a 6 inch cement demising (common) wall, which prevents sound transfer.

 

HOUSES FOR RENT

UNIT #107
FOR RENT $1,500 mo.
Available Immediately

Total Area (Sq Ft): 1716
Total area (Sq M): 158
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2.5
Floor(s): 2 story
Type: Detached
Furnished: Yes

This 1,716 sf. (plus parking for one car) two story, detached house, with three terraces, two bedrooms (one on each floor) and upstairs master suite is a beautiful home. This home consists of two VERY large bedrooms (one on each floor) with en-suite bathrooms and a powder room, each with large 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. There are three TVs (one in each bedroom and one in the living room.) This is a beautiful home. There is a rough-in for a dishwasher in the kitchen area.

 

UNIT #114
FOR RENT $1,400 mo.
Available June 1

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.

 

UNIT #116
FOR RENT $1,300 mo.
Available Immediately

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

This 1,290 sf single floor home includes a 300 sf front terrace plus parking for one car and a separate, secure storage locker. It is and end unit and therefore attached on only one side by a 6 inch cement demising (common) wall, which prevents sound transfer.

 

Our Lives

WEATHER: The normal pattern of sunny mornings, clouding in the mid day followed by a short rain and then clearing has developed. A beautiful time of year...

All In A Week's Living in CR

Colon: The rate has pretty well stabilized around 556. While always difficult to forecast, the current expectation is that the rate will gradually creep up this year towards the 600 range.

Comments

The outgoing president gave a 3 hr. self assessment of her 4 year term of office. She blamed everyone and everything thing for her failures, accepted credits for things started by the previous administration and accepted little responsibility for failures during her term... and there-in lies the problem...

The incoming president, Solis, has staffed his administration but a number of former government officials and a number of fresh out of school, educated highly motivated, supporters... The good thing is they are probably too young to be corrupted, probably idealistic and less likely to be at first at least persuaded into the dark side but nieve and inexperienced at governing... it's always a trade off... we'll see how they do...

A number of the people we associate with are not having positive assessments of the future... Probably the two most significant reasons for their reassessment is the increased cost of living in CR vs their perception of the cost of living in certain areas of the US AND the increased complexity of living here... not all of it caused by CR but nevertheless CR has a dismal record of streamlining processes to the point of total exasperation. These issues are not necessarily because of the new government, but because of the last 4 + years... Having said that, many are also concerned about having medical care insurance in the States and not here and are becoming more concerned about the quality of their lifestyle here vs. returning to the States for their remaining years. In addition, some would like to be near their children and grandchildren... However, figuring out where to move next is not a slam dunk as weather and lifestyle in CR still seems to be the trump card... The current issue in leaving CR now is the ability (or inability) to sell their homes... there is virtually no market for the $200k - $500k homes. They know it will take time and they will take a beating on the price.

 

News Items of the Week

1. Costa Rica Turnaround...?? It will be a challenge. Once the cloud is formed, it's harder to change the image than it was to promote the former. While the author compares CR to Panama in a the reality is that Panama has its warts as well.

2. Government Shapes Up: Solis has made his alliances in the legislature so he can begin governing. We'll see...

 

1. Can Costa Rica make a turnaround for its expats?
By Garland Baker, Special to A.M. Costa Rica

Is Costa Rica moving forward or backward for expats? Is the country killing the golden goose? Is it too late to turn things around for foreigners? Are taxes and the red tape getting to be too much for expats to live here?

Even Ticos are tired. That is one reason the new president, Luis Guillermo Solís, received so many votes. The country was trying to send a message to the current powers to reflect their discontent. Does the new man have what it takes to turn things around or will he be inheriting such a mess he will be doomed to failure? One thing for sure, he will have to deal with Costa Rica’s out-of-control national debt and dwindling internationals interest in the country.

Ten years ago, the government started talking about taxing people more and more. Over that time, they have put new computers in place and hired additional personnel to do so. They have added a luxury tax, a tax on companies, and a land-travel exit tax to name a few.

On the new president’s agenda, there is a list of new tax proposals to raise more money for the country:

1.) Widening sales taxes to include services;

2.) Increasing sales taxes from 13 to 15 percent;

3.) Making a new scale to include more people who earn service fees;

4.) Capital gains taxes;

5.) Tax on world income; and the list goes on and on.

Last week the municipality of San José notified bar owners they would have to pay an additional assessment of 400,000 colons (about $740) per quarter to stay in business for bars over 60 square meters. For those under 60 they will have to pay 200,000.

Surprises like these never cease. And, they probably will not, because the country keeps on spending more and more like money is going out of style.

Where is Costa Rica in its development life cycle common to tourist destinations? The phases to the cycle are exploration, involvement, development, consolidation, stagnation and, decline and/or rejuvenation. Where does this country lie in this model? Does the life cycle model even apply to Costa Rica anymore?

Panamá on the other hand is burning up the metrics. The country’s growth last year was an astonishing 7.0 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP in English and PIB in Spanish). Costa Rica’s was only 3.4 percent, near the bottom of the list for Central America and the Caribbean. Panamá also has reduced poverty 12.6 percent in the past six years.

What is the difference? Panamá is working at attracting investors and retired people while Costa Rica seems to be shooing them away. Years ago, Costa Rica had great benefits, too, before the Hacienda ministry started taking them away one benefit at a time, until there were none left. International Living ranked Panamá the best retirement destination in the world not once or even twice, but seven times in a row.

The World Bank is not forecasting a very rosy future for the country over the next few year either. Annual GDP growth is projected to stagnate or decline while debt will continues to rise. This may change if the new administration is strong enough to do so.

There seems to be a fundamental difference in philosophies between Panamá and Costa Rica. Panamá seems to building itself up as a corporate inviting country as well as one for tourists and retired people. Costa Rica on the other hand does not seem to doing much to keep the latter.

Panamá invites retired residents who can show an income of $1,000 a month. Costa Rica requires much more and takes years in some cases to process the file.

Baby boomers retiring from the work force are looking outside the United States for a welcome place to hang their hats. What message is Costa Rica sending to them? Over the past five years expats who once where very happy in this country have sold cheap and left. One woman who had a beautiful house in Nosara sold it for one-third its value. She said at the closing, “I came here to live and not to be hassled. Living in Costa Rica is not fun anymore. I am moving back to the United States because it seems easier than living here now.”

Costa Rica is a beautiful country, unique in the world. However, politicians must believe it is so unique retire people will live here regardless of what they do. Here is a wake up call. There are other very nice places in the world. They need to learn that squeezing every nickel out expats and Ticos alike is not a good economic policy.

2. Party of president-elect wins leadership positions
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Luis Guillermo Solís, the president-elect, got a legislative leadership that he can work with Thursday.

His political party, the Partido Acción Ciudadana, made agreements with lawmakers from two other parties in the legislature to win leadership posts.

Henry Mora Jiménez of Acción Ciudadana will preside. He is one of 12 lawmakers from his party in the legislature.

Partido Unidad Social Cristiana contributed eight votes and saw two of its members elected to leadership positions. Frente Amplio with nine lawmakers in the 57-seat body contributed its nine votes although the party did not seek leadership positions.

Also voting for Acción Ciudadana candidates was Jorge Arguedas Mora, who won election on the Frente Ampio ticket but was rejected by the party leaders when a domestic violence situation became known.

Also voting for the winners was Víctor Morales Zapata, who was rejected by Acción Ciudadana after he won nomination. He ended up running in the general election but is considered an independent.

Marcela Guerrero also of Acción Ciudadana was named vice president. The terms are for two years.

The Partido Liberación Nacional presented its own ticket. The party has 19 members in the legislature and has the capacity to block any motion that requires a two-thirds vote.

As part of the agreement with the Unidad Social Cristiana, Acción Ciudadana pledges to work toward a reform of the government and the Constitution and to hold legislators' pay raises to the increase in the consumer price index.

For its votes, Frente Amplio won concessions on a long list of current and proposed bills.

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