Granada, Nicaragua...
ISSUE #693: Jan. 14-20, 2018
2018-01-23
 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 |
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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 |
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Market activity
sales & rentals Sales: Los Jardines: Units #106A, #114 and #124 Rentals: Paradisus: Nothing available Los Jardines: Nothing available |
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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. |
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Our Lives
Weather: We continue to experience "cold fronts"... high winds, cool temperatures -- 16-21 (ha, ha, ha) -- and showers in the Central Valley and hard downpours in the east coast... life is terrible...! Santa Fe: I think it now works... I need to test it more... but I have friends coming who can use it... Lot: I finally got the information I needed to know what can be built on the lot I now own... a 325 m2 single family residence... o.k. I will proceed t clean it of debris and market it... it will be a bargain for someone who wants to build or land bank... Trip to Nicaragua: This is being written in Granada... see pictures -they speak for the house- The house itself is very, very nice... it is HUGE, ample bedrooms, bathrooms, open air social area and kitchen... TV room... well equipped, clean, with daily maid, not far from the main square... and affordable... especially when split between 4 couples... The place is "For Sale" currently listed at $385,000 down from $500,000 ??... listed for 4 years. The property management company says business was bad last year but "... is improving" this year... I asked about occupancy rate and was given a BS answer which I won't even repeat because it belies credibility. Based upon observation of today's walk around, there are not a lot of tourists in town and what is here, is of the lower $$ people... kids, pack packing staying in hostels... The El Zaguan... perhaps the best steak house I have ever eaten at... is still in business, still serving delicious beef, $18-$19 per meal... including salad, bread, vegetables, potatoes... it was fairly busy... other places from 5+ years ago are still around, some are not... Granada hasn't changed​ that much... margarita $3... Property management company for the house: I have some suggestions for the owners... I am not too impressed. I'll pass along our experiences ...they are all fixable but part of it is cultural so... But here is the problem with this trip!!!!!! Border crossing with the car... Aside from the 5 + documents I knew I needed, I found out when I got to the border that I needed an ORIGINAL document... I had multiple copies of the original but not the original. I had to find a bloody lawyer, and get one produced... $50... but I had to wait for 2+ hours. All totaled, we spent 4 1/2 frustrating hours at the Nicaraguan border either waiting and after getting the document, going through the registration process... it was so complex it defies description... and all last night and into the morning, I have been trying to understand what happened, and why each step was necessary... what was actually accomplished... I have come to the conclusion that I will never understand and in the total scheme of things, don't really give a S....t... but as of now, I am feeling that I am either not likely to return to Nic. or if I do, it will be by bus. The total trip with the border wait took 12 hours... 7:15 to 7:15. The last several hours of driving in Nicaragua was at night... not fun... even though the roads were good and I knew the way... no wrong turns... but once we got into Granada, we had to find the house... When all this was done, it became my appointed role... some one has to carry the sh...t sled ``` for having suggested Nic. and arranged for the house... I had to make the drinks and play punished puppy!!!!!! I will get them back... no margaritas for them!!!!!!! Finding the house took us 30-45 min. and the other car 90 min. The directions were confusing and inaccurate... The map was not accurate, the near by way points were not accurate, the descriptions were more or less accurate except one way point used a name which was not recognized by locals so it was of no use... however, we did find it, the house was as advertised... and a nice drink was quickly poured by all... before heading to the El Zaguan... Now, how do eight people in two cars get along??? we'll see... right now everyone is happy... especially having survived the border and at the last few miles of the trip, one car's air conditioning failed... that is now being fixed...          |
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News Items of the Week
I am not interested in the news... margarita time has hit and I'm on self proclaimed holidays... |
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FOR RENTAL OR SALES INFORMATION Brian C. Timmons Costa Rica: Canada: Web: https://www.residenciaslosjardines.com |
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