Guanacaste has posted some great numbers in 2011 however things still seem to be slow in talking with many hoteliers, restaurateurs and retailers. Our real estate friends in Guanacaste are positive and things seem to be picking up a bit, but our friends in Atenas are talking about a slump. Their situations were completely reversed a year ago. Many other factors on the table are very positive for Guanacaste and we are predicting big things here in the next ten years instead of the up and down market in the last few years.
One very notable positive is that Costa Rica has returned to the top ten places to invest in Real Estate in the world, this by the highly respected International Living Magazine after an eleven year hiatus. The reason given for being taken off the list originally were exorbitant real estate prices. This has changed, and is great news for those people that were careful or lucky with their finances and are looking to invest in a way of life that is often not affordable in the United States or Canada anymore. Read more... (882 words, 3 images, estimated 3:32 mins reading time)
Costa Rica Real Estate has seen a lot of downs and ups and downs in my 7 years in Guanacaste. A prime example are the surf side lots in Potrero. When I arrived they were giving the things away for as low as $7,000 dollars apiece. About a year or so in to my sojourn here the lots started a fantastic spiral along with all of the tourism and vacation style property in the area. Fueled by the equity line of credit craze that has ultimately left America gasping for financial air, prices of these lots zoomed up 500% in as little as a year. Prices in the area took on a surreal Californiaesque notion of scarcity and everybody came down with their imaginary equity and purchased incredibly overpriced real estate. Said lots mentioned above were suddenly $50,000.00 and up and selling like hotcakes.
Construction trucks rumbled by daily tearing up the roads delivering gravel, cement, cinder blocks, and metal rods for all the projects taking place. Read more... (686 words, 1 image, estimated 2:45 mins reading time)
Monkeys may be cute hanging out on the balcony, but leave a door or window open and they can do more damage than any vandal
Costa Rica’s is the most popular destinations in Latin America and for good reason. With over 5% of the world biodiversity it’s no surprise people from around the world flock to experience her beauty and charm.
Buying a home in Costa Rica is a sound investment. If you are not planning to live full time in your home, renting it out to folks who want to have a dream vacation here is a great way to subsidize the ownership costs. What’s not to love about relaxing on the beach, zipping through the trees with the monkeys or enjoying a pacific sunset cruise? Sounds like a getaway to paradise! However, when owning a home where you will not be spending all your time and possibly rent out, it is ever so important to have someone you can trust to watch over it when you are away.
Lucky for you, property management doesn’t get any better than in Costa Rica and companies can be found throughout Costa Rica. Read more... (861 words, 1 image, estimated 3:27 mins reading time)
Developers of Jaco Condo Project sue bank for $120 million.
Yesterday morning, the Internet was flooded with the Press Release FROM the developer of a Jacó condo and hotel project suing its lenders, seeking arbitration on $120 million that has caused what it claims was a successful project on the verge of falling apart. No doubt the $120 million was an eye-opener of what is at stake.
The developer, Desarrollos Naturales de Costa Rica S.A., named Banco Centroamericano de Integracion Economica and Banco Improsa S.A., as the defendant. It was pretty clear the developer wanted to make everyone aware of whom the “Bad Guy” was and sought public support. Banks have always been the portrayed as the Snidely Whiplashes.’
Just about every Social Media website (Twitter mostly) had the story copied from every major website like Yahoo, PRWeb and CNBC. Type in Desarrollos Naturales de Costa Rica S.A in Google and the first three pages are filled with the story.
Without getting into the legal grit, lawsuits of this nature have two things in common, money and most important, time, which they are trying to buy. Obviously, it appears to be some type of investment tactic for the developer, in a wishful wish the Costa Rica economy turns around, which it is. Read more... (584 words, 1 image, estimated 2:20 mins reading time)
There is no government regulations to put WARNING signs on Electric Fences.
When I was a kid, I went dove hunting with my dad and his friends, who also brought along their sons. As we were walking the fields, we came upon a fence with a sign, WARNING ELECTRIC FENCE.
One of the older sons, pointed to me, “Yeah, kid, go touch that fence” with the warning sign, ” it’s just a fake sign … see the bird sitting on the wire.” Being naive at the time, I touched it and literary got the shock of my life. I was told later (after a round of laughs) the reason birds don’t get shock, is because they are not grounded.
In Costa Rica, electrified fences are becoming the cheap source of security in many residential communities and private homes, however, unlike the U.S., there is no government regulations as to their use or requirements to post any signs or warnings.
In other words, no permits are required by any government agency to erect an electrified fence, anyone can put unregulated amount of high voltage and amperage passing through the metal wires. María Luisa Ávila, the Ministra de Salud (Health ministry), explains that she could not find any regulation governing electrified fences. Nor can officials of the Instituto Nacional de Seguros (INS) find any such regulation. Read more... (565 words, 2 images, estimated 2:16 mins reading time)
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