As we head into rainy season…and it is the norm to “slow down”whether we like it or not…it appears that we are getting busier and busier.

Our projects ( at least some of them ) have been “discovered” by other realtors who are realizing what a value they are.   From our standpoint, obviously this is a good thing.   Three sales last week and two more pending.

This is partially, we feel, due to the home we are building on Ventanas.   Obviously it engenders confidence if the owner/developer builds on his/her own property.

And it really has exceeded our own expectations, so building in Ventanas was not exactly a sacrifice for us… in fact, quite the opposite.

Read More Here: http://www.cr-home.com/newsletter37/

I have to admit that I do not have the most patience in the world when it comes to home building…

Particularly when I am in the situation of “waiting” until the home is complete… and I am living in a one bedroom equivalent of a hotel room.

But…we are almost done. The lower level has been complete for a while but the  second bedroom and other area has been used for storage as the upper level  nears completion. Windows and  Doors are now in as well as the granite counter. Appliances are totally  in and final coat of paint was applied last week. And the furniture from  downstairs will be
moved to upstairs THIS WEEK.

Read More Here: http://www.cr-home.com/newsletter36/

How many of you get emails from International Living?    I have been on their mailing list for nearly ten years and consider them to be a pretty decent group.   And they have actually blazed a lot of trails and planted seeds in a lot of minds about living overseas…and given root to the thought that there truly are alternatives to life in the States.

For the past couple of years though, they have been stating that land in Costa Rica was “overpriced” and bargains were much better in Nicaragua, Mexico, and Panama.  ( yeah, they were also recommending Uraguay, Brazil, and Argentina…but face it, how many of us really want to face an entire day on a plane if we want a short term visit to the family “back home?” ).   Lately, however they have been changing their tune.

Read More Here: http://www.cr-home.com/newsletter35/

More and more visitors are becoming "serious" about investing in and even permanently relocating to Costa Rica. They are not only here to enjoy the beauty of the country...it is now much more than that.  The economic and social problems which have taken root in the rest of the world are being translated into not only fear, but the beginnings of action. 

I have never seen so many conflicting opinions about the future of our country and economy...we all know that economics and predicting the future is definitely an inexact science and that it is not necessarily a good thing to "follow the herd" when investing or planning your future.

Read More Here: http://www.cr-home.com/newsletter34/  

This past weekend I received more inquiries about listings and projects than any WEEK in the past two years.   The phone was ringing almost non- stop and we had 6 showings which are still carrying over into Monday.    

Feast or famine.

We are approaching the 70% sold figure in the Ventanas project…and as many of you may remember, Rhonda and I just moved into our new home there this past weekend.   While there is still a lot of work to be done…it is a treat to be away from the hustle and bustle of the city and a more serene environment.   Maybe it has something to do with age.  

Read More Here: http://www.cr-home.com/newsletter33/

This past week I have been spending time with an employee who is from the States who has only been with us a short time.   And, again, I have been reminded of how truly different our cultures really are.

In this case we were at a work site at one of our developments and my friend saw something being done which he did not agree with.  And  before I  knew it the workers were being asked if this was “the way the finished product would look.”   It was not a critical question nor was it meant to be accusatory but within an hour I received a call from the foreman asking who was bitching about the project and why didn’t they come to him.

In this case…for those of you who do not know…the owners, employers, or gringos…are NOT welcome to criticize.  Discussions can take place with the foreman, but things must follow a proper protocol.   And NEVER can an employer raise his voice  or berate an employee on the jobsite.   Entire crews will quit enmasse.

Read More Here: http://www.cr-home.com/newsletter32/

"What do most expats do with their time in Costa Rica?" I remember asking my father what he did with his time a few years after he retired and was living in California.  His answer ( and it was almost always the same ) "I don't know where we ever find the time to get everything done."   It did seem like they were always on the go.

My in laws?   Same thing...they travelled...they spent summers at their lake home and their winters "down south."   Seemed like they were always doing something.  I do remember him being relatively contemptuous of other retirees that spent most of their time complaining and drinking.    "life is too short for that,", he said. 

Read More Here: http://www.cr-home.com/newsletter31

March 30th Newsletter

We had a tremendous response to our Pueblo Escondido offerings in the last newsletter.   Over 75 people either called or wrote for more information.   And while I did not expect anyone to buy sight unseen,I would like to address why you should not think about this offering too long…at the end of the newsletter.

As mentioned last week, it is Semana Santa, or Holy Week… and, like Christmas, the country virtually shuts down.  In fact, almost everyone started shutting down on Friday morning rather than waiting for even another day.  ( no, the emphasis is not on work and performance NEARLY as much as in the States ).

Read more at http://www.cr-home.com/newsletter30/news30

I originally wanted to start off this newsletter with a discussion of the new health care proposals ( Stateside ) which have just passed into law.   But the entire matter is so complicated and so contentious that I have decided not to touch it with the proverbial “ten foot pole.”  Virtually everyone has something to say about it and usually the speaker’s voice is raised by several decibels when discussing it.    Suffice it to say that we are extremely gratified that we are using the health system here which is outstanding.  
(and very inexpensive)

Read More Here: http://www.cr-home.com/newsletter29/newsletter29

This past Sunday Rhonda and I were down at Ventanas San Mateo where we are building our new home. On the way there, we bumped into two new friends that had decided that they were going to try to find our development on their own as apparently we had piqued their interest in a conversation and description earlier in the week.

They followed us and after seeing our home and the area, we stopped in at our friends, Chip and Barb who also live at Ventanas. One thing lead to another and we ended up as expats often do, talking about the “situation” in the States. And that leads into this newsletter…

Read More Here: http://www.cr-home.com/newsletter28/news.html

We have had a HUGE number of responses to our beach homes for sale in the Playa Azul and Tarcoles area. Most of the questions center around the question of title, which was addressed in the postcard. 

Many of you who have been coming to Costa Rica or studying about the country think you know what life is “really” like here. You have been here perhaps 3-4 times, have driven all around the country, have spent time with Ticos and consider some of them your close friends.

We are starting off this New Year with a look at many of the things which are facing “my” generation:

Many of us are facing our retirement years with much less resources than previously. And frankly, it is scaring the crap out of us because we have no confidence in the future any longer. It appears that the “climb” out of the economic problems faced by the entire world may be much longer and much more severe than previously thought.

Many of you have responded to our last newsletter with overwhelming interest, especially with regard to the Parrita beachfront lots… and of course, the dollhouse in the mountains overlooking Grecia. Well, many of our offerings got even better…

Most of you already know that the White House is now projecting a deficit over the next 10 years which will be in the range of 9 to 10 TRILLION dollars. 99.99% of us cannot even conceive of numbers like this.

Heading into September…it appears that “little summer” has wound down and we are back to everyday afternoon rains. For those of you coming, at least partially, to look at properties…plan on viewing only in the morning and early afternoon.

Our ten day trip to Minnesota was an eye opener. Sometimes those of us who live away from the States cannot see the forest for the trees.

This week Rhonda and I head back to Minnesota for our annual “summer reunion” at the lake home. It is bittersweet because both my mother and father have cancer and are fighting having to move into an assisted living facility.

Here are some of the questions (and our comments) that are probably the most asked here:

Well, most of you have no doubt heard that Costa Rica has been voted the “happiest place on the planet”.

Up until recently I have been an optimist about the state of the economy and its eventual recovery.

In the past two weeks we have begun introducing our “postcards” which our newsletter subscribers have opted to receive.

Rhonda and I visited Minnesota for a “quick” five days last week. Here are a few of our initial impressions…

Many thanks to those of you who wrote in commenting on my ramblings in the last newsletter. Only one negative and even that was not TOO bad. Thank you. ( to those of you who haven’t read it…go to the index on the front page of our site… www.cr-home.com)

When Rhonda and I first moved to Costa Rica, we did so for a few basic reasons:

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.

At least twice a week we get asked “how much does it really cost to retire in Costa Rica?”…for the record: we think that it IS possible to retire on Social Security benefits here, but it would be tight ( but then again, think of how much tighter it would be in the States or Canada!).

...it is for those who are seeking not only real estate but also an investment...and it IS time sensitive as well ( with even a few more stipulations )

Our last “property of the month” generated such huge response ( and sold in record time ! ) that we have put together a short list of properties which we feel are exceptional buys and grossly under priced.

This property is GROSSLY underpriced and will definitely be taken advantage of one of our subscribers in the next two weeks.