I Am Retired -BS!!!
ISSUE #688: Dec. 3-9, 2017
2017-12-12
 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 |
|
Featured
rentals & sales Paradisus Condos / Rohrmoser 
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 |
|
Market activity
sales & rentals Sales: Los Jardines: Units #106A, #114 and #124 Rentals: Paradisus: Nothing available Los Jardines: Nothing available |
|
Residencias Los Jardines
property management, rentals & re-sales FOR SALE  For sale
UNIT #106A Total Area (Sq Ft): 1250 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 Total Area (Sq Ft): 1290 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 Total Area (Sq Ft): 662 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. |
|
Our Lives
My Week: This is the second writing of this... after two hours of writing, the first disappeared... into cyber world never to be recovered nor seen nor read... perhaps that is the message. It’s been a ridiculously busy week... but actually got some things accomplished... 1. New (to me) car: After again being stranded on the road another few times, I caved in and considered buying a different car... one came up on CraigslistCR... European returning wanted to dump a 2008, Volvo, SUV, diesel, automatic with 58K, asking $16,200. I did some research... I didn’t get that car but found another one, very similar... been marketed for 5 mo. Now asking $14,500. I made arrangements to view the car... fine... we discussed price... my price was $12,000... he balked. It needed new front tires, 2018 Marchamo, and the legals / transfer costs... if he wanted to pay those, o.k. I would pay $14K he said no, left... 10 min. later he phoned and said he would accept the deal. I said I would think about it and ask him to call me the next day... he did... I accepted the deal. He changed the tires, paid the marchamo, and brought the car. The issue of legals and transfer came up... he insisted he never agreed to that... two of us were very clear that that was part of the deal (he was trying to change the deal)... we parted... 5 min. later he called offering to split the cost... said “no” a deal is a deal... he hung up... 5 min. later he phone back accepting the deal. O.k. off to the bank (yes, Scotiabank). Fifteen minutes in line... 10 min. at the teller wicket... they don’t have enough money... mmmmm... O.k off to another Scotiabank... waited 30 min. in line, they had the money, but it took another 15 min, multiple copies of paperwork, a long written explanation, and I got the money... Off to the lawyer... papers signed... money exchanged... lawyer and transfer taxes paid by him. He wanted to deposit the funds since he had to cross town by taxi or public transit. Ok, off the Banco National where he had an account... it is closed... it is now 5:30. Ok off to BCR... it too was closed... it is now 6pm. Mmmmm off to Multiplaza where we are sure banks are open until 7. BCR had a LONG lineup. He had an account at Scotiabank... it was virtually empty... we waited 15 min... at the teller, he was advised that it really wasn’t a Scotiabank but a CITI bank with Scotiabank lipstick on it... they have not yet integrated their accounts and could not access his (sellers’s account). He remembers his wife has a CITI bank account... where her salary is deposited. Scotiabank (?) finds it... 45 min. later the $13K deposit is made. Wow!!! I arrived back home around 7:30. (I was not willing to give him the money before the title was transferred... I didn’t trust him... after all, he had tried to change the deal? What happens if he didn’t own the car or????? whatever...) Now to get used to the car... all the buttons, etc. What about insurance...?? Yes I go... no, I cannot get it without two pieces of paper from a lawyer (new requirement)... Another day, another $30 and now, a second trip... 2. Santa Fe: it is again in the shop being torn apart to fix the screw-ups caused by the first bozo mechanic. The only good thing about this, is that now I have found a REALLY good mechanic... methodical, organized, knowledgeable, clean well organized garage, communicative, etc. I am going to like this guy but I hope to not see he much... Right now, he has to tear the engine done again and start over... I will sell it for sure... but I cannot sell it the way it is... In the interim, I had Paul’s car and that involved jocking cars around... now that I have the Volvo, that interim transportation has been returned... just a lot of screwing around for transportation. 3. Investment Inspections: I looked at three mortgage investment opportunities: (1)... wanted loan of $180K for a $350 K value commercial property, 12% interest in San Jose; (2) loan of $60K for residential condo under construction in Rohrmoser with value of $135K, 12% interest; (3) primary residence in Heredia wants $110K at $14% on a $250K value property... Friends pick up the $60 and the $110K opportunities. The $180 was larger than anyone wanted to take on in one place... This are all in process to be completed next week. 4. Pending (?) sale of 125: An agent brought a client 5 min. after contacting me. He viewed the unit and two hours later made an offer -he wanted to close the next day... (today). I contacted the seller... he wanted a higher price and couldn’t deal with the time frame... mmmm. it has been for sale for the past year, no offers... it sits empty, in a state of disrepair as work is not getting done... in fact the electricity had been cut off... because the owner who is managing it himself, doesn’t have time or focus to deal with it... he seems befuddled now... the price goes back and forth... I don’t know where things stand now... the seller is incommunicado... after having said he was checking with the lawyer... And here I thought old people had difficulty making decisions... 5. Social: We found time to host 6 others on Sunday, I attended the Old Farts on Tuesday luncheon, and the annual Wine Club Christmas luncheon on Thursday... and will contribute our Greek Salad on Sunday. 6. Investigative Report: Lita and I walk past an abandoned house in Villa del Sol... right on the golf course. It had been owned by a crook... I saw that the Hacienda (tax department of CR) was auctioning off. We went to the “open house” no one showed up to open the property. I asked a friend who he used to research these situations since I was hopelessly out of my depth. I referred me to a guy... I hired him. He investigated and when he had his ducks lined up, made an appointment to meet in the parking lot of Mas X Menos in Belen. He recommended I stay away from it... the Hacienda will eat me alive with demands, will take forever to dispose of the property, and an insider will buy it. I had come to that conclusion myself and had lost interest in it... but this guy was full of stories and wanted to tell me some... I listened. He is a good find and I will use him in the future to solve my problems... I liked the guy... methodical, detailed, charming. 7. Repossessed Property: I arranged for it to be surveyed. I wanted to know what I had before dong any work. Good thing since there had been a number of encroachments since 1991 survey. I lost 4.5 meters... I also arranged for an architect to view the property and to begin doing a study as to what an be done with it. I do not plan on doing anything with it but feel I need to know what can be doe in order to place a value on it... values I am getting vary widely... the survey is done / the land – use is not yet completed. My strategy will be to simply offer it at a rock bottom price... as is... that is after I remove the debris and clean it up a bit. If that doesn’t work, I will offer to backfill the property to make it level with the street and sell it at a value added price... 8. Emerald: I saw a loose stone advertised for sale. I followed up... Since I had managed to piss Lita off for 18 hours until she thawed... and since I don’t give presents at Christmas, anniversaries, or birthdays, I though maybe the stone might be something she would like... I met the guy at the escalator of Walmart, Escazu (are you beginning to see a pattern here... parking lot of Mas X Menos, escalator of WalMat)... I didn’t like the stone... to light, not enough green color. While I didn’t expect it to be top quality, I do want better than that... o.k. several hours wasted. 9. New Phone: I continue to try to move into the 21 century technology... I have develop a friend to knows this stuff... I know my want around CR and am introducing him to life and opportunities here... he is helping me in auto mechanics and phone technology... It seems a fair trade as of now... and we are getting to know each other in the process... fun to have someone to do this stuff with... My new number is: (506) – 8 – 455-5935 I will carry both phones for a while... Note... for those of you who don’t know... when I first arrived here 17 years ago, foreigners could not have phone numbers... you had to “buy” one from a local. I did... since it is not my phone number, I cannot change to a data plan so I can connect to Internet, WhatsApp, send / receive pictures... etc... all of which seems to now be required for business / social... 10. Rent: yes, I still have three from which to collect... and I never got to the banking this week... I collapsed at 3pm on Friday... I will pick it up on Monday. All I can say is, I am glad I am retired ???? so I have time to work a 50 hr week. The hammock is getting dusty... we have NOT done our daily exercise this past week... we are grumpy... but at least I got a few things done... |
|
News Items of the Week
Comments ​I have no idea what happened in the country... |
|
FOR RENTAL OR SALES INFORMATION Brian C. Timmons Costa Rica: Canada: Web: https://www.residenciaslosjardines.com |
Previous reports
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007