Semana Santa ( Easter week ) has come and gone and everyone is slow to return to work…in fact, another Holiday is official tomorrow…Juan Santamaria day. So life slowly returns to normal.
The rains have apparently come early this year. We have now had about a week and a half of rain every day …some heavy , some light. The day starts gorgeous and with sun and then turns cloudy by early and late afternoon. And of course, here in the mountains the rains bring in the clouds, which make for gorgeous pictures AND rainbows but make for lousy driving. The first year or two that we were here, I admit that rainy season was difficult for me. Being about as close to a Type A as you can get, I regarded the rains as something that interfered with my schedule, thus being my enemy. Now? It gives me a chance ( albeit, sometimes forced) to relax and take time off from a formerly inflexible schedule. The rain brings green and a profusion of new plants and flowers. Anything can grow in this climate…and with the rich volcanic soil…it does. If any of you are seriously considering a move to Costa Rica…you SHOULD experience a little of the rainy season BEFORE your move.
A note in the forum and the last newsletter about work available in Costa Rica bought us tons of response. We ARE seeking additional sales people and those interested should email me directly at randy@cr-home.com . Those of you that are seeking additional income here should talk to us about other opportunities such as: income housing, home renovation, land development…and more . We do not pretend to have all of the answers for you as each individuals talents, skills and desires are different…but we CAN tell you what is possible and what is required. Again, email me directly.
We currently have two new projects which will be ready for “general consumption” within the next week. The first is a small, private development of eight properties ( each averaging  about 2 ½ acres) in the mountains above Grecia. Roads are being installed as this is written and a large gate is being erected to ensure privacy. Views are gorgeous and each piece has been designed to ensure privacy and maximum enjoyment of the land. There are literally hundreds of huge cypress trees and other hardwoods on the property , coupled with coffee and hundreds of additional fruit trees. The property is gently rolling and is populated with hundreds of species of birds and butterflies. We have seen deer, porcupine and other native species there. AND, the property is bordered on two sides by rivers. The nearest comparison to this property is Plantation Estates where an acre of land sells for $150,000 …OR…smaller developments where 500-1000 sq. meter lots are selling for more than $35-40 per sq.. meter. Pieces of land in neighboring San Isidro and Atenas are selling for much more . Ours are priced between $70 and $90,000 and that includes all amenities and utilities. If you are planning on becoming a “part timer” here , this is perfect for you as it will be gated and secure as well. This property truly is one of a kind. We call the area “las brisas de cielo.” or “ breezes of heaven.” ( for those of you who don’t know the area…the temperatures are close to perfect…68 to 82F all year round!)
 The second development is ocean view…located in the mountains just outside the small village of San Mateo ( just adjacent to Orotina, the “fruit capitol of Costa Rica”). It is comprised of 29 acres of stunning tropical forest with huge , panoramic views of the pacific ocean. This “mountain” is home to 35 types of hardwood trees and literally thousands of species of plants, fruits, shrubs , flora and fauna. The best way to describe this property is that it is almost a perfect combination of ocean view and jungle.
The property will be a combination of smaller two BR, two bath casitas of approximately 1000 sq. feet and large terraces AND larger homesites , on which individual buyers will be able to customize their own residences. The casitas will be designed for maximum privacy and approximately 1000 sq. meters of land ( ¼ acre ) coupled with usage of a community pool and clubhouse. Each casita has been designed for easy maintenance and care as we recognize that most buyers here will only use the casitas for part of the year.
We will also be offering a rental program for income. Financing will be available as well, which makes this a perfect investment.
 The San Mateo project ( yet to be named…that is becoming difficult…suggestions are welcome ) is conveniently located only 3 kilometers or about two miles off of THE only road connecting to the ocean from close to the Juan Santamaria airport in San Jose. It is within 15-30 minutes of a minimum of 15 different beaches and only a five minute drive to Orotina , which is a smaller town of approximately 10,000 and contains everything that almost all of us “fussy gringos” want or need. Those of you that prefer a more active nightlife…Jaco is about 30 - 35 minutes away.
Sounds good, you say? Well, it gets better. There is teak on the property, which in 12-15 years will be worth nearly $3,000,000. ( and that is at TODAY’s prices….a more realistic “guesstimate”, given teak’s popularity is closer to 2-3 times that value ). The teak will be managed by an outside firm BUT the profits will accrue to the owners of the San Mateo property. You do the math! ( doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that each buyer will actually be acquiring the property for close to almost nothing …)
And better…pricing is , at present intended to be at levels approximating 75% of our “competition’s prices.
And better…for a very short time we are offering one casita and all of the amenities…for only $99,900. This is more than a 30% reduction in the base price . ( there will be only four available at this price! ) . The larger pieces of land will be offered at a 25% reduction in price and one can be purchased with a rustic cabina ( see our webpage, page one , bottom ) … for a total package price of well under $100,000. Land and all amenities and a home of over 2000 sf for under one hundred grand? Yup.
And better…online marketer International Living, which is known as the premier online marketing vehicle for international real estate and retirement overseas, will be featuring our development in their first tour to Costa Rica in over ten years. This will take place in NOVEMBER of this year! This is a major coup and illustrates how good this project really is. We are not exaggerating.
Call or email very very quickly.
Additional news and feedback on specific real estate:
We have sold another three beach homes ( yes, the “fixer uppers” ) since our last newsletter. They are almost gone and we have time scheduled this week for at least three more visitors and potential buyers. One note here: two of our favorites: the “higueron tree” house for $32,000 and the “yellow house” are still available. They will be gone soon.
Our advertised beach home in Bajamar is still for sale and we don’t really understand why as it is easily the best value out there in a beach home….see…….
Now reduced to $175,000 (OBO) as we enter rainy season. Gorgeous home and fantastic location AND titled besides!
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Best values in Central Valley:
 1. Grecia…almost two manzanas ( almost 3 ½ acres ) of easily the best view property in the area…hugely panoramic view of the entire Central Valley…sloping to a river…and backing up to a reserve which cannot be built upon …12-14 minutes to downtown Grecia. Absolutely stunning and definitely one of a kind. For those who want the best. The property was sold verbally and the buyer still has not come forth with his earnest money….”first come, first served”. priced at $75,000 for immediate sale.
2. Take a look at these pictures …unbelievable ocean view properties for low ( and I mean REALLY low ) pricing. These are both from different areas, each about 20 minutes from San Ramon. Utilities are very close to the properties and so are all conveniences. We believe that the coming weeks will result in many more specifics and those who want this type of property should watch our listings page on our website for specifics. We estimate that these properties will be “very very “ popular, and that is an understatement. Pricing should be around $20-25,000 per manzana or 1 ¾ acres. Our scouts have been REALLY busy and these are the results. (say, “thank you , Woodpecker!” ) |
More news:
Char has not delivered YET. Any day and will post pictures of our second grandchild. The “boys” have decided to forego the Trojas ATV rally as their rear ends are still sore from the last one. Maybe age is catching up. LOL. We are now at work on our fourth cabina project and we have not even advertised them yet. Everyone that sees either ours, Rodrigo and Char’s , or Steve and Marzena”s has absolutely fallen in love with them…either for full or part time use. See the first page (bottom) of our website for more details. Base price near this area is around $35,000. We are turning down orders from further away and wish we could satisfy everyone. Our new dogs are still chewing everything in sight and go in this week for neutering.
One last note: we spend a great deal of time sourcing properties and believe that we do a superior job. Our client list will attest to our success. However, we occasionally get a client that we literally spend a whole day with…and then the client disappears without so much as a “thank you”. Please, know from us that it is OK if you do not buy. BUT we want your feedback and want you to just disappear because you think it is OK. CR Home is not like real estate companies in the States. A typical showing of a property here ( along the pacific as an example ) takes up a full day….four hours of driving time at a minimum… and then more time with showing…and each property costs a significant amount of money to source and advertise. Please do us the courtesy of calling us back and giving us feedback. Again, this is not about commissions, it is about respect. Thank you.
Have a great April and spring and rainy season!
All of us at CR Home.. Randy , Rhonda, Rodrigo, Char ( and Dolan ) , Steve, Marzena, Jeff, Melissa, ( Grey ) , Susan, and the ever present “Woodpecker” . |
