...Misc!!

ISSUE #659: May 14-20, 2017

2017-05-23

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

FOR RENT
13th Fl / East view
furnished​
$1,400

 

Escazú
FOR SALE: Agent says this is a Bargain...

$225,000
2700 sq ft house in best area Escazu
Owner finance at 8%
This is 3-4 bedroom house with garden and views with owner finance at 8% for balance of $200,000. 2 car garage with watchman directly in front of the house. Downpayment is $25,000

Market activity
sales & rentals

Sales: Los Jardines: Units #106A, #114, #123, #124 and #125

Rentals: Paradisus: For Rent: 13th Fl / East view / furnished​ / $1,400
Los Jardines: Units #106D, #112 and #123 are available for rent

Residencias Los Jardines
property management, rentals & re-sales

FOR SALE
Unit #106A: $ 165,000 / See Unit
Unit #114: $ 199,000 / See Unit
Unit #123: $ 199,500 / See Unit
Unit #124: $ 135,000 / See Unit [new]
Unit #125: $ 135,000 / See Unit

FOR RENT
Unit #106D: $ 1,250 mo / Available June 1st / See Unit
Unit #112: $ 1,250 mo / See Unit
Unit #123: $ 1,450 mo / 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 #123
FOR SALE
$199,500

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 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.

UNIT #125
FOR SALE
$135,000

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

This 662 sf, + parking for one car and 33sf locker is a one bedroom home on the 2nd floor overlooking the large pool. It is ideal for a single person or couple—or investment property.

For rent

UNIT #106D
FOR RENT
$1,250 mo.
Available June 1st

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.

UNIT #112
FOR RENT
$1,250 mo.
Available Immediately

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

This 1,290 sf single floor home includes a 300 sf front terrace plus parking for one car. It is attached on two sides by a 6 inch cement demising (common) wall, which prevents sound transfer.

UNIT #123
FOR RENT
$1,450 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.

Our Lives

Weather: Lots of rain, some thunder storms... again for this past week. It seems the rainy season started in this area several weeks before "normal".

Miscellaneous:

Drivers License: in CR they are issued for 5 years. Mine was reaching expiration. Off I go. To the same place as five years ago hoping the procedure was going to be the same... Yes it was / is: first a medical exam (C20,000 -approx $37). This consists of height, weight, visual (10 sec. for this part), self declaration of diseases, verification of address... payment / receipt... that is it... Then to pay at the bank...C6,000 for the 5 yr license... then for a picture, a couple questions... card is printed and I am out... total time, about an hour.

AirBnB: I used this organization to book a place for our upcoming trip. I hadn't done this before. It was fine after learning my way around the search mech. and filters... until I got to paying. Actually, paying was easy as well but then comes a new feature... client verification... I can understand this but I found it more than frustrating... at the end, I would rather have had a colonoscopy or root canal that this... The feature is to give the host and company some information about the client... Some form of government foto ID is required... but it cannot be scanned and uploaded... it has to be webcamed to upload... duh... I have never used the webcam and didn't know how to turn it on... multiple consultations and 5 trials later, I finally succeeded... then I was required to link to an internet presence... Facebook or Linkedin... I have neither nor do I ever want either. Then the fallback was to produce a "video" again I had never done this and really didn't want to but had no choice. I know new where the webcam was... succeeded in making a 5 sec. video...and tried to upload it... I did succeed some time but there was no feedback saying that I had been successful...... three scotches later, many phone calls to a friend helping me through this....and it was done...

Electricity Cut Off: 5pm Wednesday night I was told by a tenant that they had no electricity. I checked the meter... red tape on it and two others. I remember trying to pay the monthly bill but each time I was told by the bank that there was no charge. I thought the tenant was paying so didn't think about it much more. No, he wasn't... The gardener comes to me with a text from the former tenant who has forwarded a message from the electricity company saying that the power wold be cut of unless the outstanding balance -C278,000-/ approx. $500 was paid. How did this happen? the meters are in the name of the parent company -Doneste S.A... well, somehow he / previous tenant had changed the account to his name... he was now in Miami... what the hell!!!!!!! I tried to pay with a CC / no, had to be cash / returned to the house for that and when I got back to the store, their system was down... had to go to a different store... the company reconnected the power the next morning... I am pissed and will try to understand how the company changed the account...

RE: two viewings for rental and one follow on conversation about purchase. The buyer was, in fact, not a buyer but a thief based on the offer... he is fishing the the wrong pond. I think we are in for a LONG dry spell... rents are decreasing, clients are drying up,

Social Conversation: For the past 18 mo. at least, I have been the recipient of conservative Republican views -I guess the mission was to convert me, show me the errors of my thinking. Lately, those same people are strangely silent. As Trump, Fox, Breitbart, Drudge take their lumps... a welcome break from otherwise great people... regardless, I will take a break soon and be with the "don't-give-a-political-shit" Canadian conversations while I renew friendships...

Banking: A short term tenant from Argentina is moving to CR. He sold his house and quite his job there as he had an opportunity to buy into a company in CR which he felt would allow his career to advance. He and his wife come from money and transferred $450,000 to CR to buy into the business and buy a house. They applied for a mortgage and had brought all their paperwork with them showing the origins of the funds. They were told that the loan would be no problem and should not take more than 6 weeks. They are now approaching their 6 weeks, the bank will not release their funds, and has not given them a mortgage... still wanting more????... they are pissed and reconsidering everything Costa Rican... and the country doesn't get it!!!!!!!!

Car: one week without a problem... incredible!!!!! loving it...

News Items of the Week

Comments

1. Colon : Dollar Exchange Rate: On Friday, the rate was 587 / 574. The colon continues a steady and fairly significant devaluation... long overdue by many people's assessment.

2. "La Platina" the chaos caused by this is subsiding and if opened as promised... after several delays amounting to about 2 months, it will be a welcome relief...

1. Dollar exchange rate reaches highest price in seven years

The exchange rate of the Costa Rican colón against the dollar reached â‚¡581.90 (to sell) and â‚¡569.26 (to buy) on Thursday, the highest since January 2010.

The new record stood for only a day: on Friday, the Central Bank of Costa Rica (BCCR) reported a â‚¡583.37 / â‚¡570.71 price, the new seven-year high.

Since the start of the year, financial markets have predicted that the colón this year would face increased pressure to dip against the dollar. Central Bank officials have attributed the upward trend this year mostly to external influences, including uncertainty over economic measures issued by the new administration of U.S. President Donald Trump and to the U.S. Federal Reserve’s decisions about its base rates.

The Central Bank earlier this year reported that the exchange rate depreciated by 3.4 percent in 2016, and that the figure for this year could be very similar.

Solís will not intervene

President Luis Guillermo Solís said Thursday said at a public event in San José that he trusts the way the BCCR is handling the exchange rate of the dollar. He said the bank is “an autonomous agency outside political decisions” and noted that he has never intervened in the face of abrupt changes in the exchange rate.

“The whole country witnessed that I’ve said the Central Bank has all necessary instruments for properly handling currency policies, even at times when the dollar recorded its lowest prices,” the president said.

Solís also ruled out meeting with BCCR officials to intervene in their exchange rate policies.

“I’m not going to meet with any bank officials. If I do, people will say that I am manipulating their decisions. I trust Central Bank officials,” he said.

2. Public Works Minister pledges to open La Platina bridge next week

Public Works and Transport Minister Carlos Villalta said that vehicle passage on the six lanes of the bridge over the Virilla River, better known here as “La Platina” bridge, will reopen next week.

Villalta said in a public statement on Wednesday evening that ministry crews have finished their work on the expansion joints, the structures that ministry experts hope will fix the problem that gave the bridge its infamous nickname.

Workers are currently placing guardrails on the pedestrian lanes, placing some concrete layers and finishing other details on the bridge located on the General Cañas highway, the main route between the capital San José and the province of Alajuela.

Then they will move to the final stages consisting in setting up the illumination system and lane demarcation, and cleaning the structure and the road.

Weekend closure

Starting on Friday night crews, from the National Power and Light Company will begin installing utility poles and setting up the lighting system along the bridge.

This work will require the closure of one of the three lanes currently available, starting at 10:00 p.m. Friday and until the early hours of Saturday, Villalta said. MOPT crews then will begin painting traffic demarcation along the three new lanes, and on Sunday will complete the other three.

Finally, crews will proceed to clean the structure so that it can be ready for opening at the beginning of the week.

The administration of President Luis Guillermo Solís is the third, following those of former presidents Oscar Arias and Laura Chinchilla, to promise to fix and expand the bridge that handles some 90,000 cars daily.

Several failed attempts to fix the bridge since 2009 cost various public officials their posts.

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

 
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