Crete... a world apart

ISSUE #727: Sept. 9-16, 2018

2018-09-24

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)

Market activity
sales & rentals

Sales: Los Jardines: Units #114 and #124

Rentals:

Paradisus: Nothing available

Los Jardines: Unit #106C

Residencias Los Jardines
property management, rentals & re-sales

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

FOR RENT
Unit #106C: $ 950 mo. / Available immediately / 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.

For rent

UNIT #106C
FOR RENT
$ 950 mo.
Available immediately

Total Area (Sq Ft): 1250
Total area (Sq M): 120
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2
Floor(s): 1
Type: 4-plex
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.

Our Lives

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

What Happened This Week:

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

Crete

Crete: We are here —all ten of us... Why Crete? Why not? It had a five bedroom house with 5.5 bathrooms... it worked... A three story house, built on a hillside and entered on the middle floor. Natural stone exterior... about 10 years old... with swimming pool and overlooking the Mediterranean... in the middle of an olive grove... everything in Crete is in the middle of an olive grove... someone said that olive trees cover 75% of the arable land here... definitely possible although who would calculate that... There are vineyards but not nearly as much land coverage as olive trees... and that is all the agriculture I see... and other than tourism, that seems to be the extent of the industry... the pool is too chilly to be useful but the weather is sunny and dry with daytime temperatures around 25 and night time around 16.

Tourism: Even though we are on the down hill side of it, there are still plenty... mainly Germans and Scandinavians and North Americans. English is spoken most everywhere we go... but this is a tourist area and the people we interact with would have to speak English given their business.

Restaurants: Plentiful and generous portions, good service and prices are about 60% of CR... We haven’t yet adjusted to ordering one of something and splitting... Every meal is ended with “rocky” which is clear, distilled spirit made from grape skins after pressing... tends to be served ice cold, along with fruit... at one meal, the owner bought us a complete round of booze for the table along with the cooked but un-ordered lamb / chicken on the spit... Most meals with booze and tax is around $12 each... And huge portions... lamb, seafood, chicken, pizzas... the normal... delicious cheese, salamis, and off course the European breads and always a carafe of local wine... white is preferred so far.

Some of the group is interested in historical sites / others are not... we have three cars so it all works out.

Driving: We rented three compact cars... roads are good—wide, well paved, guard rails, lighted intersections, well market, signage is usually in Greek and English... and drivers are very reasonable, courteous and the motorcycles are responsibly driven... unlike CR.

Internet: We have it in the house but it is a bit problematic. Nevertheless, we are able to communicate with the outside world. I did not buy a Eurochip for my phone so I have to be connected to Internet – WhatsApp works fine for messaging and for phone calls. My MagicJack may work as well but I have not tried it and have not been at the house when I have received calls.

Traveling: A bit complicated to figure it out but in the end, it was o.k. Of the five couples, four couples used a different routes... we used Condor Air from San Jose to Frankfurt where we laid over for 18 hrs and then direct to Chania, Crete. Return will be the same way with only a three hour layover in Frankfurt. Condor was fine... no leg room but that is expected traveling today. We will return with “premium” sears which should give us a bit more legroom, free booze and better food... We’ll see... This class was not available on our way here... The flight does land in Dominican Republic for a 2 hr stretch. From San Jose to DR it was about 60% full… from DR to Frankfurt it was virtually full. From Frankfurt to Chania it was also full.










News Items of the Week

Comments:

The strike continues but it doesn't seem to me that it really has much popular support... one person was killed... nothing seems to be getting resolved. The unions are talking with the government but neither is budging from their entranced positions.

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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