June newsletter

Rainy season has come upon us with a vengeance. 
Today ( Saturday, the 26th ) is the first day in over a month when we have not had rain starting in the early afternoon…or even before.   Normally, rains in our area of Grecia start about the middle to end of May and end in December…not this year.   The first three years of rain were difficult for me, a dyed in the wool Type A…Rhonda had an easier time and can stay busy with hobbies…I have finally learned to accept the rain, the green, and yes, the breaks. 

 
The upside, the gorgeous flora, the green, and the profusion of colors…and of course that brings the birds ( especially the flocks of parrots who love the rainy season ) and the butterflies.
Does much stop during the rainy season?   No, things just move slower.  

We are hitting stride on our developments…the second property has been sold in Grecia and the underground utilities will be laid next week.  See the last newsletter for more pictures of this gorgeous area in the mountains above Grecia…

San Mateo has now had its first lots and properties marked for resale and we will receive permitting to begin construction in the next two weeks.  Amazingly enough, the views to the ocean are even better during rainy season and that will definitely help sales…here too, you can see pictures and links to more information in our last newsletter.

For first time readers, an ocean view property with a great home in a secure area only a short drive from over a dozen beaches is now offered at preconstruction prices of $99,999.
 ( yeah, the price is a little corny…but…still, it is under a hundred grand!).   We have been up and down the coast and these beat the pants off of anything out there.  Only six are available at these prices.
We will have new websites available for these properties and developments within the next few weeks and will send the addresses out for all.

Our “fixer uppers” are down to less than five.   I suspect that there will be one or two that we simply cannot move for whatever reason, but they are almost gone…but remember we will be building in the area within the next six months.  Watch for details as these will really put us on the map…we anticipate a sellout even before
we start the second one.   300 meters from the water…and in one of the best wildlife areas in the entire country.  

Oh, for those of you who are asking “what is next for beach stuff?”…well, Woodpecker, our best scout will be concentrating his efforts in the rainy season doing just that and trying to outdo himself.   Don’t bet against him.  ( oh, part of his impetus…a new baby and soon to be wife #7...and his drinking is drastically curtailed…)

We are also instituting a new investment program specifically for individuals who wish to pursue specific goals.    Because we have not only the properties, but also the buyers and the means to build and develop…we will be forming alliances with a few investors.  A good example:  a new property is shown to us which is an exceptional buy…it has enough room for three building areas and still has sufficient space to allow privacy AND fantastic views…the land cost is $95,000, the first home to be erected will cost approximately  $60,000 and another $20,000 will be needed for infrastructure and marketing.   The homes should sell for $175,000 at a minimum.  You do the math.  Presales will be done on the last two.   Those of you that have an interest…please email or write . 

We do not have an abundance of spare time and these projects do not pop up every week or even every month.
We are choosy about our projects and will do everything we can to ensure their success.   We will not be associated with any project or real estate or construction that is not done correctly and does not offer good value. 
Those of you who have an interest…please contact us as soon as possible to indicate your interest and we can discuss specifics.

We have mentioned this before but we ARE seeking people in the States to find us buyers for our properties, cabinas and development properties.   We have five thus far…Key West, Austin, TX, Los Angeles, Bakersfield, CA and Germany… oh, and Minneapolis MN.
What are we seeking?   Self starters or people in specific vocations or placements who can talk about Costa Rica from a personal perspective and simply steer people our way…yes, a commission will be paid. 
 If you wish to discuss this further, please call our toll free number or email.  We will provide literature and even fly to specific locations for seminars or Q and A sessions if necessary. 

New properties in the area…
…this one is already on the website, but is new….7 manzanas , over 12 acres of gently rolling land in Rio Cuarto ( yes, I know, where the heck is Rio Cuarto and why do you care?)…This property is approximately an hour and 15 minutes north of Grecia just on the northern side of the downslope of the Poas Volcano stretching into San Carlos or the breadbasket of Costa Rica…we anticipate that the next few years will bring many more gringos to these areas as they are more rural , yet still close to decent sized towns and amenities ( ok, maybe not Outback Steakhouse or Office Depot yet…but that can be a good thing too! ).  Vistas stretch for literally hundreds of miles and life is simpler here, much as life was back in the 30s and 40s
in the Midwestern States of the USA.   There are two gorgeous rivers on the property which are large enough to swim in and catch fish.  It runs along one border of the property for almost 4-500 meters.   Trees and jungle and animals abound.  And of course, the road in is lined with huge mango trees which have wild orchids almost dripping off of them.  This is a fairytale
property.   
Only $75,000.  And yes, there are utilities on the property AND the roads are excellent.

2300 meters…over half an acre…gorgeous views of the valley and into the Central Valley,  trees and coffee…directly off a main road  but virtually no neighbors…great building area…  in the mountains above Grecia  only $22,000

7000 sq. meters of hugely panoramic views in the mountains overlooking Grecia.   Planted in coffee.  The last manzana with views like this under $40,000. 
Honest.  Others are being sold for as much as $80,000 or even higher in San Isidro.  Great building area and utilities closeby.

We are currently bidding on two “fixer uppers” in Grecia…if we get them under option we will be simply passing the savings on…one is around $15,000 with gorgeous views, small lot , and the house is actually liveable as is…the second will be in the high $20,000 range, stunning views with over half an acre of land…house is so-so depending upon your definition…if you have an interest in either of these, please email quickly.   The last fixer upper in this range was
snapped up within a week.

Our home in Bajamar is still for sale…we have not probably advertised it as much as we should have.    It is gorgeous and now all of our lots in this area have sold as well.   It is a steal at this level and replacement is a lot higher. 

Those of you who have not visited Costa Rica during rainy season…don’t stay away…it is gorgeous and slower paced and it is greener than anywhere on earth.  This is especially recommended for those of you thinking of
retiring here…a true must.  

Other news of note: 
Logan is doing well, and yes, he still has hair on his back (mono, mono!);  Marzena is back in Calgary for a week visiting family, Steve is lonely, Hanz is making himself irreplaceable although his daughter visited for a week and he was beside himself trying to take care of too many details ( ask him about his days as a loan shark on the beaches in the Phillipines in his early years!)…we also have a new sales person with us… Javier Merino who is from Pamplona , Spain by way of Los Angeles…they have already purchased property here and his wife , Gina will be joining him in September.
We think that Javier ( yes, he did run with the bulls in Pamplona …but only once …and at age 14) resembles one of the Incredibles …see if you think so too.

Those of you who have met us…please pass on to others that we really do believe that it is important to have a good time here…and to laugh ( and yes, even to be a little bit crazy some of the time! ).   Business is business and we love what we do…but we also do our best to ensure that we enjoy what we do ….that is why we are here.  I think that all of us will agree that every day that we wake , we all thank our lucky stars, or whatever gods we pray to, for leading us to Costa Rica and our new lives here.   And if there is nothing else that any of you get from these newsletters…and this is it…that life is good here…then the time sending and writing these has been worth it.   Come and see for yourselves. 

Pura vida… once again.
Randy, Rhonda,  Steve, Marzena,  Rodrigo, Char, Dolan