Maybe... // Small Community Living

ISSUE #722: Aug. 5 - 11, 2018

2018-08-14

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


Distrito Cuatro / Guachipelín / Escazú
FOR SALE
Price reduced: $ 125,000 to $ 99,000

DOWNLOAD PDF
about Distrito Cuatro

Rendering proposed
Distrito Cuatro - click to Download full PDF







Real de Santa María / Borreal de Heredia
FOR SALE
$ 185,000
Private financing available

See location on Google Maps

Real de Santa María / Borreal de Heredia






Download more pictures (8.35 Mb)


Hyundai Santa Fe 2008
FOR SALE
$13,500 $11,000

Hyundai Santa Fe 2008, Turbo Diesel, automatic, excellent family vehicle, safe, comfortable, interior with leather seats. Good tires, engine, turbo, suspension, and AC. Marchamo 2018 and Retive. It now has been road tested for 5 weeks and performed flawlessly. I can now sell with confidence...

  • 5-door / 5 passenger
  • Power steering, windows, mirrors, brakes and locks
  • A/C front and rear
  • Cruise control
  • audio/radio control
  • Air bags - driver / pass
  • Security system
  • Fog lamps
  • Tinted windows
  • Roof rack
  • CD player / radio USB/AUX
  • Hydraulic lift
  • Leather seats
Market activity
sales & rentals

Sales: Los Jardines: Units #114 and #124

Rentals:

Paradisus: Nothing available

Los Jardines: Nothing available

Residencias Los Jardines
property management, rentals & re-sales

FOR SALE
Unit #114: $ 199,000 / See Unit
Unit #124: $ 135,000 / See Unit

For sale

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 #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.

Our Lives

Weather: Normal rainy season weather... wonderful...

What Happened This Week:

Maybe: Distritocuatro... after two weeks of incredible interest (for reasons I haven't yet been able to determine) I received two offers -very similar- within an hour of each other. In addition, I later received another offer which wasn't in the ballpark. I chose one of the two similar offers and am now waiting for it to close. The practice in this country is weird... no money is at risk and while I insisted the offer be in writing (not normal), I now wait for the buyer to (in this case) cash in his CD to pay. If he changes his mind, I am out in the cold... I don't like the system but that seems to be the way life is here. Supposedly, it is suppose to close on or about Aug. 14... which is Tuesday. I am not holding my breath but hopefully it will close next week. If this happens, I will feel much relieved and perhaps able to focus on the Heredia house which is not receiving any interest... and I really don't know why...

Small Community Living: We had our long overdue shareholder's meeting. It was long, tedious, and complicated and several issues not yet resolved. It had been preceded by the normal infighting and backbiting of small group behavior... I likened it to CNN vs FOX... In the face-to-face we didn't draw blood. I took a relatively low profile position (uncharacteristic of me)... I relieved my unpleasant previous experiences in watching the events. The self doubts I developed while in the drivers seat for 8 (?) years were finally put to rest... I know know it is the nature of small communities and the positions -esp President and Property Manager- which garner the criticism of some. Oftentimes the critics seem to be the same people / sometimes they are the people who contribute least or are the least likely to be able to do a better job... In our current situation, we have (in my opinion) a great president who is also property manager and this person has demonstrated her competency and dedication. Virtually all persons recognize this but it seems some just don't like her and / or don't want to pay her or trades for services and benefits they have received, and have in some cases asked for, and have used. When the surface veneer gets pulled away, the true person comes out. Why would one vote to pay a person $X for 4 hrs work a day who hasn't done anything for years and then turn around and not want to pay the same amount for someone who has far exceeded the previous 5 yrs. performance and has actually worked for free for the previous year? Now you don't want to pay them for arrears? You want to pay them less than the previous person when their performance was far superior? To some extent, there are cultural differences / perhaps gender bias / perhaps national biases / but the logic and human dynamics baffles me. I get depressed and lethargic...

I reluctantly stepped up to the plate as Secretary knowing I had two good teammates. I felt / feel I can make a difference and can offer things to the team... this is not what I really want to do... but this time around... I do not expect to be bugged by self doubt and do not expect to beat myself up nor allow myself to be beaten up... those who try will find a forceful and unapologetic person at the other end... two phrases come to mind: "Remember, I don't give a s...t what you think of me!" and "Get the F... out of my way". Thus, I don't expect to win any popularity contest but I do hope that with my teammates, we can leave Los Jardines in a better position than we have received it. The president has already started us down that path.. some shareholders will come kicking and screaming or leave...their choice...

Furniture: I am having to recover a sofa and chair after two years of service... the material just didn't wear... One never knows what one is buying really and there is no recourse. Unfortunately, I have four condos furnished with the same lousy furniture... looked great but the covering didn't last...

Marketing:

Santa Fe: One person actually came to view and test... after an hour, they confessed they had on 2/3rds of the money I was asking... why bother wasting everyone's time... she left saying she would talk with her husband... yeah, right... I haven't heard from her and don't expect to...

Heredia House: Looking good / looking lonely -no calls.

News Items of the Week

Comments:

1. Tuna: How to give away your resources... incredible...

Trial against the State for “giving away” tuna resource

On Wednesday morning began a trial that could further reveal the inability of the Costa Rican State to manage the fishing resource, which belongs to all Costa Rican people. The trial in the Contentious Administrative Court was initiated by legislator Jose Maria Villalta against the Government and the Costa Rican Institute of Fishing and Aquaculture (Incopesca).

The congressman from Frente Amplio denounced the actions and “illegal omissions” of the governments in the regulation and protection of the national tuna resource. For decades the country has “given away” this valuable tuna resource, caught in national waters, to the international fleet, which takes most of the product.

According to a study conducted by the Costa Rican Fisheries Federation (Fecop) based on official data from the International Tropical Tuna Commission (CIAT), between 2008 and 2011 Costa Rica received an average income of $37 per ton of tuna extracted as payment of tuna license fees.

But in the international market, every ton of tuna that is processed as a canned product has a price of $2,800. “If that ton is sold as a fresh product it can be worth between $6,000 and $10,000,” explained Villalta.

The problem for this country is that foreign ships fish so much more than the national fleet, which receives less income, since only 5% of the tuna is left for it.

Since March 2017, after an investigation, the MarViva Foundation concluded that in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Costa Rica, an average of 25 thousand metric tons of tuna are caught. Of these, only 7,500 tons are landed for use in the tuna canning industry in national ports. The rest is taken to other countries.

Before the start of the trial, Frente Amplio recalled that there is an absence of technical studies from Incopesca to direct the regulation of the fishing resource. There are also gates that allow the granting of fishing licenses to individuals.

Villalta also requests that the authorities meet the technical criteria of the IATTC regarding the use of the cubic meter as a measure of volume and that it recognizes the real value of the exploited marine-fishing resources that are part of the National Heritage. crhoy.com

FOR RENTAL OR SALES INFORMATION
ON ANY OF THE ABOVE, CONTACT:

Brian C. Timmons
Property Manager RLJ and Newsletter Author

Costa Rica:
Cell: (+506) 8-455-59-35
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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