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.

And, while we are seeing some encouraging signs from the economy, we are also seeing continuing bad news. A huge number of people are still “underwater” with their mortgages and the largest number ever …are late with their mortgage payments. This does not bode well for a quick recovery.

We are seeing an astounding number of people that are absolutely petrified about the future of the U.S. Not only are they scared of “socialized medicine” but also the future of the dollar and indeed the entire economy. Even Warren Buffett has come out a publically voiced his concerns saying that, without a policy to counteract the huge deficits, we are doomed…with massive inflation being the inevitable conclusion. These people are very, very seriously seeking alternatives to protect themselves.

We are not suggesting that everyone abandon their lifestyles and country. Far from it. We still believe that ultimately , America and common sense will prevail. But there is no doubt that there is a lot to be nervous about. We believe that alternatives should be examined and we obviously are prejudiced in favor of Costa Rica. There are a lot of alternatives and a lot of publicity about each… here is our take on the alternatives (and please remember… we are biased):

* Panama…a lot of benefits are being offered to retirees. We personally chose not to retire in Panama because of the extremely hot, humid weather (again, a personal bias)… and because the natives of Panama are nowhere near as friendly as in Costa Rica… it is a personal call.
* Nicaragua… simple… the country is currently being run by a group (Sandinistas) who, less than 30 years ago, were at war with the States and were known to butcher women and children. Have things changed that much? Maybe…but given the left wing leanings, even with cheaper real estate prices, would you take a chance with your retirement dollars and real estate being seized by an unfriendly government? We wouldn’t.
* Mexico… massive drugs problems and instability. Some areas of the country are gorgeous and worthwhile examining but there are an awful lot of unknowns. We love the country but simply didn’t feel comfortable there.
* Ecuador or Uruguay… down to basics… for us, too far away. We like to return to the States periodically and really don’t want to spend a huge amount of time (not to mention money) on a plane. And we would like our relatives to be able to afford to visit occasionally!
* Caribbean islands… not enough land to be able to explore. And most have gotten too prohibitively expensive… at least for us.
* Belize or Honduras… compare for yourself. We don’t know enough about the country to make a judgment. We really know very few people who have settled there.

The reasons for retirement or purchase in Costa Rica are simple: top notch medical… variety… 30% of the country is set aside for national parks… friendly people and great attitude toward “gringos”… reasonable construction and land costs as well as rentals… reasonable length of travel time from U.S. and Canada… cost of living is significantly less than “back home”… almost all amenities that are important to us “spoiled gringos” are available here in Costa Rica…

There will always be those who list the negatives as well… and we agree... there ARE negatives and our website lists them. And… some people will never be able to adapt to life in a foreign country.

Those of you who ARE interested in real estate at this time but only at a deep discount… keep on watching and reading. We will continue to feature more. We truly believe that there is nowhere else in the country where you will get more for your money than here. And our clients and readers tell us the same. If there is a place you want more information on…let us know… and we will try to find it for you. And if you have trouble reaching us… again… please keep trying. Sometimes just the internet and telephones here are not as reliable as back home… keep trying please.

Not much to report but we think that these two (one of which was featured in last week’s newsletter) are outstanding:

A dollhouse in Grecia with unbelievable views of the Central Valley. About 900 sq. feet and liveable as is. This is probably the best value we have seen in a long , long time. A year ago we were shown this property and it was snapped up immediately… except that there was a problem with the title. Well , that problem has been taken care of. It is for sale for the unbelievable price of only $25,000. Since we have been here in Grecia, we have not seen a value this good… land is only about 250 sq. meters but lot and home is private and off of the main road and tons of gorgeous trees and flowers. Hurry on this one… it is a steal. (Click the image for enlarge)

Last week we featured several lots on the beach near Parrita which we believe are as low as prices will go there. Lot sizes range from 500 to 1500 sq. meters and the average price is around $60,000 or so. The beaches are absolutely stunning and the entire area is something out of a picture book. The least expensive home in the area at present is around $150,000 ( yeah, maybe you could pick it up for a little less… maybe) but it needs work. We can work with buyers to build approximately a 1000 sq. foot home and you will have a total investment around $110-120,000. Do the math. Not only is it a great investment but you live in one of the best beach areas in the country AND… if you have ever dreamed of a great beach area…this is it. Rhonda and I went there again last weekend and we are planning on buying here within the next month or so. It IS that good. And those of you who know me know that I won’t spend a nickel on anything unless it is a good investment too!… call me and ask questions… prices will definitely be headed higher before next high season. (Click the image for enlarge)

Or

CLICK HERE FOR FLASH IMAGE GALLERY

Still much less rain this year …honestly don’t know if it is good or bad. Without as much rain you can’t watch the trees and flowers grow daily.

Randy, Rhonda and all of us at CR Home...

Last week we featured a signup for deep discounted properties and foreclosures…if you missed it…it is early notification for the “best of the best.”

Note: If you can not read this newsletter or view the images you can read it directly online at the following address:

http://www.cr-home.com/newsletter12/newsletter12.htm

Contact Information:

Office: 011-506-2444-0582
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Website: http://www.cr-home.com