It is a major step when one is giving consideration to retiring in Costa Rica

When new clients contact us, we usually try to make them comfortable by outlining the obvious many features and benefits of  Costa Rica.  It is nice to see that what we say about our country is substantiated as seen in the following reports.

In early January , New York Times op-ed columnist Nicolas Kristoff wrote a terrific article about Costa Rica entitled: The Happiest People.

1. The title of Deloitte’s April 2010 report about business in Costa Rica is ‘Excellent prospects for the future of business’, isn’t that great news?
   1. Costa Rica was also ranked the 8^th most stable country in the world by The Economist, the 5^th cleanest country in the world by Yale’s Environmental Performance Index (EPI) and the first country to be designated a Bio Gem by the Natural Resource Defense Counsel.
   2. The 2010 Global Peace Index was published by the Sydney, Australia-based Institute for Economics and Peace and ranks Costa Rica was #1 in all of Central America.
   3. In July 2010 Costa Rica was recognized as the Greenest and Happiest country on the Planet by the British independent research group New Economics Foundation. “Costa Rican report the highest life satisfaction in the world and have the second-highest average life expectancy of the new world (second to Canada),” the organization said in a statement.

All of this confirms what we already know, that Costa Rica is the wealthiest, safest and most peaceful country in Central America, that Costa Rica has “excellent prospects” and is the greenest and happiest place on earth 

There are many choices out there today.  Many promotions offer living as low as $600 per month.  Costa Rica probably cannot accommodate that budget and frankly not many people that we speak with have an interest in that level of lifestyle.  Costa Rica as a retirement haven has evolved because of the what the market wants.  One can live very comfortably on a lot less than you are currently spending in north America or Europe. Most important, you can live with pride and comfort that you are accustomed to.

Whether your interest is Investment or Retirement, with our Lifestyle Real Estate Tours, we try to give you a feel for why people say these things about Costa Rica.  We are located in all Costa Rica markets suitable for retirement or investment.  Our Tours are very comprehensive and we fill you Real Estate viewing time very efficiently. 

if you have Costa Rica in your cross hairs, contact us and find out how easy and efficient finding your dream home can be.  Call 1 888 581 1786 and ask for Robert, Steve or Patricia.

President Laura Chinchilla has taken the speculation out of Costa Rica’s southern zone Airport project .  The following is a reprint from the Tico Times

Southern zone airport gets key public interest designation
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

The project to build an international airport in the southern zone got a boost over the weekend when President Laura Chinchilla declared the concept to be in the public interest.

That technical designation put a high priority on the 35 million project, which will start in 2012 to put in the bare bones of an international airport. Until then there are more studies and surveys.

Significant planning and environmental work already has been done. For example, officials can say with certainty that the land proposed for the airport does not contain any of the famous pre-Columbian stone spheres of other important sites. An archaeological survey already has been completed. 

According to plans reviewed Saturday, the airport will have a runway from 2,000 to 2,600 meters, some 6,560 to 8,530 feet. The site already has been selected. It is fincas 9 and 10 in the Valle de Diquis in Sierpe de Osa. Officials also plan on getting two adjacent fincas for eventual expansion.
Finca 9 is the property of the Instituto Nacional de Fomento Cooperativo, a public agency. It contains 233 hectares (about 576 acres). Finca 10 contains 261 hectares (645 acres). This is enough land for the runway, ramps, taxiways, a passenger terminal, parking and space for a fixed base operator to handle private aviation. Also needed will be a fire station, a control tower, navigation and landing systems and space for customs and immigration.

The money for this project will come from the Dirección General de Aviación Civil, the national budget and an allocation the Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes received from the International Civil Aviation Organization, officials said.

Ms. Chinchilla said that the airport is important to generate employment and combat poverty. Real estate operators and tourism agencies are solidly in favor of the project.

Ms. Chinchilla made a tour of the southern zone over the weekend and attended a meeting of the Golfito municipal council. There central government officials agreed to help the city with its tourism promotion.  (End of Tico Times report)

This addition, combined with the new road from Quepos to Dominical changes the dynamics of travel, tourism and southern zone Real Estate.  From this destination, travellers can visit the far south and the central Pacific with ease.

The Airport project will certainly help the economocs of the area, but the revitalizing of the development industry will be most refreshing to those who have gone through the slow down of the past two years.

The current world economy has finally forced pricing to what it was 5 years ago in a lot of the southern zone Real Estate. It appears that this is the standard for some time and that bodes well for new southern zone development opportunities.

For a complete rundown on prime development land for sale, contact Robert or Alonso at 1 888 581 1786.

Many people are looking to early retirement these days based on finding offshore locations with lower cost of living. If your income is not geared to growth (and very likely is not in this climate) that can be a serious problem in the future

Semi retirement is a good alternative to your present situation.  Living with growing concerns over shrinking dollar, unemployment political concern and the state of affairs world wide is a strain on everyone these days.  One needs to give some consideration to alternatives available such as buying into, or outright a business that has potential and can be operated by yourself and an assistant with less hours than you work at present.

This article is prompted by the large number of Hotel inquiries we have had lately and our experience in coordinating between buyer and seller. In one instance the seller was committed to leave the Country and his time away was not helping the business. Many people came for rooms and no one was there to register  them.  This Hotel historically had a following and began losing clients.

The buyer recognized this and had the background to make this niche hotel a winner in short order.  He bought it a very good discount with excellent terms.  Both buyer and seller were content with the deal.  The buyer was astute and considered all factors including the history, the niche market  and what he himself could bring to this operation.  He made an offer relative to what he  could live with, and bought it.  The seller knew he was offering good value because of the past years business when he was present and working it.  The age and quality of the structures were important as well.  He finally accepted the terms because it all made sense.  

Many Costa Rica Hotel sellers today are too intimate with their properties and need to go through the exercise to see it from the buyers perspective.  Once a property has a willing buyer today, they need to listen and work together especially if you really need to sell.

Let me give you a simple menu of things that one should use as a guideline when looking at Hotels for sale.

Price relative to net profit
Condition of the property
Opportunity for expansion
History of income and occupancy
Source of bookings
Willing seller

Things that can influence the outcome
You are associated with the travel business 
You have marketing experience
You are a highly organize and efficient
Low rate for financing

Here is a classic example of a semi retirement opportunity buying a Costa Rica Hotel.

The Playa Hermosa Hotel Playa Hermosa Hotel is a very popular niche market Surf Hotel. It is beachfront, well known, and priced right. More, it is an older Hotel but rustic in nature because of the market. Therefore, maintenance and refurbishing are not  major factors now or in the future.. 
Price: $786,000
Financing: 33% down
It has – Location, reputation, history

This can be a good deal for semi retirement, and… on the beach   This resort property is located on the beach at Playa Hermosa, one Costa Rica’s best surfing destinations. Only 10 minutes away from Jaco and 1 hour drive from Manuel Antonio/Quepos National Park.  It has it all: restaurant, surf shop, ample parking, manager’s apartment, 9 spacious suites and an owners direct ocean front residence. It is a well established business with high occupancy rates, good cash flow and a marketing system in place.It has – Location, reputation, history
 
This can be a good deal for semi retirement, and… on the beach   This resort property is located on the beach at Playa Hermosa, one Costa Rica’s best surfing destinations. 10 minutes away from Jaco and 1 1/2 hour drive from Manuel Antonio/Quepos National Park.  It  has it all: restaurant, surf shop, ample parking, manager’s apartment, beach front with 9 spacious suites and more.

 For more information on Niche market Hotels, contact Carol Odonnell at 1888 581 1786 or 506 2293 2446

Watch for more on semi retirement with Costa Rica small Hotels