Shinning Light -Danger or Relief?

ISSUE #755: March 31-April 6, 2019

2019-04-08

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

Market activity
sales & rentals

Sales: Los Jardines: Units #114, #116 and #124

Rentals:

Paradisus: Nothing Available at the moment

Los Jardines: Units #112, #113 and #116

Residencias Los Jardines
property management, rentals & re-sales

FOR SALE
Unit #114: $ 199,000 / See Unit
Unit #116: $ 195,000 / See Unit
Unit #124: $ 125,000 / See Unit

FOR RENT
Unit #112: $ 1,150 mo. / Available immediately / See Unit
Unit #113: $ 1,200 mo. / Available immediately / See Unit
Unit #116: $ 1,250 mo. / Available May 1st / 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 #116
FOR SALE
$ 195,000

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

This 1,290 sf single floor home includes a 300 sf front terrace plus parking for one car and a separate, secure storage locker. It is and end unit and therefore attached on only one side by a 6 inch cement demising (common) wall, which prevents sound transfer.

UNIT #124
FOR SALE
$135,000 $ 125,000

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 #112
FOR RENT
$ 1,150 mo.
Available immediately

Total Area (Sq Ft): 1290
Total area (Sq M): 120
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2
Floor(s): 1
Type: 1 Story
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 #113
FOR RENT
$ 1,200 mo.
Available immediately

Total Area (Sq Ft): 1290
Total area (Sq M): 120
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2
Floor(s): 1
Type: Semi-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 one side by a 6 inch cement demising (common) wall, which prevents sound transfer. The three other sides allow light, ventilation and garden views.

UNIT #116
FOR RENT
$ 1,250 mo.
Available May 1st

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

This 1,290 sf single floor home includes a 300 sf front terrace plus parking for one car and a separate, secure storage locker. It is and end unit and therefore attached on only one side by a 6 inch cement demising (common) wall, which prevents sound transfer.

Our Lives

High Winds: mostly calm / slight breeze -it is warm for us... 35C / 85F

What Happened This Week

Irrigation and Gardening: I am training our new head gardener how to do this. It is talking him longer than I wanted but he is making all his mistakes now... hopefully... and soon the balance of systems will go faster. I started with a simple system and most recently gave it a more complex system -4 watering zones from one pipe standard. He solved it and made a nice installation. He shows promise.

Camera System: Installed, but not all cameras are functioning. Guess we need "one more" piece of equipment... that seems to be the way "plug and play" electronics goes...

Vacancies: we rented 104 -the unfurnished unit. We were not ready with the contract... he had not been translated into Spanish. This past week we got on that, networked, found two willing / capable people for amazing prices, chose one and he is now working on all our documents. I think he is a find and am optimistic he will prove useful as a "go to" guy in the future.

Accounting: Again networking, I arranged a meeting with a company. We had an interview a week ago and got a quote. Looks good to me. Hope we made the change soon... continuing as we are is a lost cause.

Compliance with new Tax Law: Waiting for Hacienda (IRS of CR) to issue a ruling... in the meantime, I interviewed another accounting firm... I am still waiting... it is now 15 days. They have to respond in 10 days... I laughed at the accountant when he said that... I was right to laugh... I continue to wait.

Cleaning Silica from Glass Shower Doors / Faucets: This little tidbit continues to do wonders...

Septic System -my birthday day's activities: We are digging up an area we hope to answer our questions... It is a lot of work... on a maybe result.

Maybe a Light -Danger or Relief? I have been working flat out for the past month... I have burned up a tank of diesel each week and feel I have spent more time in the car than at home... in fact, I know I have... It is so time consuming to do things here and so frustrating that I periodically lose it. I have started many mornings at 4 and 4:30 only to fade 12 hrs later and rise to the next day's tasks and repeat it. A number of the items I have been working on have come together and/or are in the process of coming together...: (1) the missing documents for Doneste that I created are being finalized and being translated; (2) and accountant has been identified and, at least, for me, I will hire... hopefully Doneste will as well... but that is not my decision alone; (4) 4 houses have been cleaned and repaired ready for renting one of which was not mine to focus on but I did because of experience and contacts; (5) Internet marketing initiative, and (6) the following:

Mortgages: About two weeks ago, around 3 AM I was browsing my emails and came across one from a mortgage broker I know... he had a deal which looked interesting... but it was too large for me... I went to bed thinking who I might partner with... around 8 I again checked my emails and there was one from a friend asking me it I wanted to partner... I said yes, we checked out the building over the next week, (I was blown away at the location... it is in an area of San Jose which is actually being re-born with existing residential area being transformed into chic cafes, restaurants, spas, bars, etc... in my day we would have called it a "developing yuppieville". We waffled a couple times on our decision as info came available (limited on-site parking being a key issue) but in the end, we decided to do it (we believed the value was there and if worse to comes to worse, I think I know how to solve the parking issue)... The deal was suppose to close Monday, it got postponed to Tuesday 12:30. Four of the 6 people including me in the 4 were given the wrong address... some of the 4 showed up late... however, the borrower thought the meeting time was 2:30 -he showed up 1 and 45 late... wow... When it came time to transfer $$, laptops and cell phones came onto the table... I had to make phone calls / or attend in person being the low tech guy that I am. This is CR... nothing gets done with out hiccups...//// Another small loan took three weeks to close but it did on Thursday... I had to go all the way across town... but everyone did show up... ...and now, I am focusing on another opportunity with partnering on the purchase of a small strip mall... the current owner (gringo) wants to dump it when his beautiful farm sells as he exits the country. I am hoping that my resolution to stay out of trouble is being fulfilled... We'll see.

Motorcycles -High Risk: Over the past week, I have seen four motorcycle - vehicle accidents. In two cases the motorcyclist tried passing on the inside lane while the truck made a left hand turn... The bikes were crushed / drivers seemed o.k. // In one case it was a car-motorcycle... same scenario // the 4th was a vehicle on the highway, somehow got turned around and a motorcycle crushed.

Organizing: Every 4 years or so, I have to re-organize files - purge and organize - and inventory - sort, consolidate, chuck. It is always chaotic but therapeutic in the end. This is my week... next week and forward should be a breeze -for another three years.

Beauty of Nature: The attached picture is my morning coffee / hammock view... it is from the Cassia family and begins blooming around March 1 and through most of April... absolutely gorgeous...

News Items of the Week

COMMENTS

Head down... ass up ... doesn't give one much time for checking out what is going on... that should change this next week.

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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