Dear Robert:

Thank you for your outstanding service in the sale of my condo at Del.  You, your sales team and choice of Attorney were a pleasure to work with and made a difficult process seem very simple.

I would particularly like to thank Carol for all her hard work in this deal.  She is professional from start to finish and is a tremendous asset to your company. I know that this sale required a lot of patience and perseverance, and I really appreciate all you did.

Sincerely,

Rich Drake

Rich:  When you take the time to write us, we view it as something special and we thank whole heartedly.

HI Robert,Thanks for arranging the property tour with Moises. He is a very enthusiastic and diligent representative for you. I like his demeanor. We are attempting to put an offer in on the property in Dominical. Hopefully we can complete this transaction soon.Thanks for your assistance.

Regards Ron

Thanks Ron, we always appreciate it when a client recognizes our people and their efforts. All the very best and good luck in your project in Dominical. I just that heard it is going to be superb.  Thank you for using Costa Rica Retirement Vaction Properties

Hi Rudy, My name is Nancy Ellis and I was referred to you by Lynn McPeak. I have heard some very flattering things about you and your business. We live in Northern California and are going to sell our house and move to Costa Rica next year. We have been reading every book we can get our hands on, studying Spanish and using the Internet to learn about the real estate and everything else we can about Costa Rica. My husband and I are in our mid fifties and ready for a different lifestyle! Could you let us know more about your Costa Rica listings , We are going to come down towards the end of this year to look around. Thank you very much, Nancy Ellis

Nancy: I am sure when Rudy tightens down on what your lifestyle needs are, you will find  your dream here easily and safely. Good luck in your new venture.   Thank you for using Costa Rica Retirement Vacation Properties

Hi Robert:

It is so nice to deal with a company that has high standards for customer service!!

Lynn Peak

Reply to Lynn:

     Hi Lynn:    You have no idea how nice it is to hear from people in that manner and I thank you whole heartedly for your attention to this as well.

The work that goes into protecting clients in this whole process is often never seen by the client as they are so preoccupied with their investment they are about to make, and  naturally so.  When I receive these, I can’t wait to pass it on tour people.

I will share a small story that I thought was quite timely when Rudy was with a client in the area you are looking to reside.

Right when the client was present,  the guy was giving him a rough time as some of the developers routinely do. He said to Rudy that “Your company is getting a bad reputation here because it takes so long to close on deals for us”

Rudy’s tuned to his client who was present and said calmly “I guess that’s why we have never had a problem after a sale and you can feel that you are in good hands: Very appropriate.

Anyway, thanks again and we hope all goes well and you can become neighbors soon.

All the best,

Robert

Hola Robert,

It is so amazing and exciting that on my very first trip to Costa Rica that I realized that a real paradise does exist, not in Mexico but in Costa Rica!

I write to you today in hopes that others may read about my journey for a retirement paradise. After searching five years in Mexico & thinking that Puerto Vallarta, Mexico was paradise, you & Carol have shown me that paradise does truly exist, but in Costa Rica!

As you know Robert I have spent the last 5 years looking in Mexico. The last few years I have zeroed in on Puerto Vallarta, “The Mexico Paradise.” It is such a shame that I have not visited Costa Rica sooner than my first visit in May 2007. My journey would have been a shorter route to paradise!

I hope others will realize that in Costa Rica they will feel more wanted, safer & a much easier place for an American to fit in. The way of doing things in  Costa Rica are some much simpler. Costa Rica “ticos” really do want us to become a part of their beautiful country. They make us feel so warm, it is wonderful and easier than Mexico.

The only advise that I can give to others that are in search for a piece of Paradise to live or to retire to then they should not waste any time & get on the next plane to the real Paradise, Costa Rica. I was very fortunate to be lead to my piece of paradise at Tesoro, a real treasure & paradise @ playa palo seco. Tesoro is a beautiful sliver of  a magnificent paradise on a pristine & beautiful  5 mile stretch of a secluded beach front in Costa Rica.

If they want to make their journey the best that they could have then they should secure the services of your very knowledgeable, friendly & warm company. You guys are the greatest!

I am looking so forward to living there full time in the next couple of years and truly enjoying a real paradise! I can’t wait to get back. I am looking forward to seeing you all & paradise next month in June.

Best Regards,

George Worley

George: We had fun working with you and we thank you   Good luck to you always.

As the USA markets indicate heavy slow downs, we proceed with caution. We are still finding good sales activity with a low inquiry rate which suggests there is still a lot of cash out there.

We are seeing Costa Rica Real Estate sales in single family homes in the central valley, select condo projects on the coast, building lots in both areas and some major development land activity in the north, south and central Pacific.

We have a broad base of select terms we optimize for in our webs which can be very enlightening form a marketing point of view. However, with the distinct slow down in volume of inquiries, it is difficult to use that as a guide today as in the past. Our Company Costa Rica Retirement Vacation Properties with offices in many locations is a good barometer for business activity.

We are now looking very selectively at projects based on pricing, amenities and ability to finish. We expect some serious discounting in Costa
Rica  Real Estate but that does not preclude risk as the reason for  the discounting could very well be survival and we need to be certain in each case.

Even with the USA market conditions, there ares still 70,000,000 Baby Boomers in the US alone, not to mention Canada and Europe. Costa Rica is still the number retirement location of choice for American Baby Boomers.

A great number of the Baby Boomers are now ready to move. We anticipate this to accelerate rapidly in the beginning of 2009.

There are some real fine projects here in Costa Rica and we will be very judicious about our selection for our clients.

Our very popular  Property Scouting Tour is a very good vehicle for finding the best properties for our clients simply and safely.

From time to time we encounter people that really want to retire in Costa Rica and are handicapped with to various degrees with a health condition.  Their chief concern is can they get the same care for their condition in Costa Rica if an emergency arises.  The simple answer if you read things quickly is, yes.

In my experience, the answer for the most part is correct, but I have had occasions where the recommendation is that they need the USA for  their condition.

We at Costa Rica Retirement Vacation Properties recognize that the retirement age is often accompanied by some fairly common health conditions.  They are: Prostate, Heart conditions and Arthritis. We have made arrangements with some of Costa Rica’s leading Doctor specialists in these areas to consult with us for our clients seriously considering relocating to Costa Rica..

If a client has any doubt about having the kind of care they need for their condition, we get the proper diagnosis and submit it to our Doctor of that specialty and receive his opinion. When the client arrives for the investigation process, we also arrange a meeting with the Doctor personally at no charge.

If you would like more information on this, please call 1 888 581 1786 and ask for Robert.

Be aware that for the most part the Health care in Costa Rica is excellent. We have major Hospitals and highly trained specialists. Many have experience in many different areas of the world that have quality medical facilities including the USA.

Even if  you are healthy with no symptoms, most people have this as a foremost concern. It is important to understand the quality of care available for these and other illnesses that often befall us in these retirement years.

When Baby Boomers come to Costa Rica seeking locations to retire or invest, the main choices are Escazu, Cariari and Santa Ana for good reason as they include, location, quality, services and that English is spoken widely.

With the growth in the central valley and the fact that the new highway to the coast has begun the surfacing portion, it has opened up a number of serious options for residing that are between 15 and 25 minutes to the Capital.

Puriscal is directly in the path of growth and development and is finding it’s way into the choices of marketing people not just for it’s beautiful scenery and mountains but it’s relative ease to travel to many destinations quickly. When the road portion is completed in one year and a half, a trip from Puriscal to San Jose will be approximately 40 minutes to the coast about 35 minutes and many other areas of interest in just minutes as well.

One of the new communities in the area is a very well laid out project with only 28 home sites of a minimum of 1.2 acres and gorgeous views all over. The great part is the lots are between $79,000 and $120,000.

There is a fine development well underway in anticipation of this growth and is offering large home sites of 1 acre at $79,000 with outstanding mountain and valley views. This is soon to be 20 minutes from the Capital and everything.

If you want the inside on this one, drop me a note HERE  and I will get back to you quickly  and answer all your questions. You can also call me at 1 888 581 1786.

As we speak, the whole area is preparing to capitalize on this growth that is destined to occur. One of our leading newspapers did a full story on Puriscal and the growth pattern. The following is a synopsis of the article.

La República
Costa Rica’s financial newspaper
Puriscal Awakens in the Face of Tourism

Due to the area’s abundance of natural beauty a huge effort is being made to create interest in the Puriscal area. Small businessmen want to increase tourism to this region southwest of San Jose. The Puriscal Chamber of Tourism and The Costa Rican Institute of Tourism are the main agencies involved in the promotion of the area. “The region is just beginning to grow in the field of tourism, however we want people to discover its real potential”, explained Ricardo Gutiérrez president of the Puriscal Chamber of Commerce. It was also pointed out the need for more lodging in the area as it popularity grows. Currently tours offered in the area are the Indian Reserve of Zapatón, Santiago de Puriscal, Turrubares, Mora and Acosta. There are also tours offered to La Cangreja national park.

It must be pointed out that this area is also becoming extremely popular with foreigners as a place to live because of the spectacular scenery, views and so much more.

We are very high on this beautiful part of Costa Rica as well and have begun to include it in our very popular Property Scouting Tours and recommendations as a location of choice for both investment and retirement.

There is a strange phenomenon happening for the last 4 months here in Costa Rica. In our business and with some associate Realtors, we have seen a noticeable drop in inquiries. However, the ones of late are of much higher quality. What I mean by higher quality is that they are a more seriously minded buyer and have cash. Before there we had a larger number but mixed with a large number of curiosity seekers. This results in more efficiency and certainly increased sales even with the lower count.

We are very pleased to report this during these times with the US market crisis.

One would have thought that the Europe and English buyers of Costa Rica  Real Estate would be coming here in droves. Personally we have not seen that much of an increase there even with the high cost they are experiencing in their countries and the buying power of the Euro.

As you watched the market spin down last week, it appeared to support the old belief if the USA sneezes the rest of the world gets a cold. Other markets fell dramatically in sync with the US. That would lead one to believe that the US is still the factor in real estate here no matter how bad it looks for the dollar.

This is merely an observation, but when correlated, it seems we cannot bank on the foreign markets as one would assume.

Our large development projects division indicates that there is still a high level of confidence here as we are swamped with requests for large tracts for Hotel, Casino beach front and ocean view land. This is made up of 80% USA then the balance from Europe and other sources.

With over 70,000,000 baby boomers on stream, and Costa Rica’s Real Estate ranking (in the top 5 in the world) and Tourism rating I am sure this factors into it and the confidence has not fallen even in light of the US market.

Our banks are finally taking an int erst in end financing which is helpful especially for the investor types. Hopefully the rates will get more favorable with the recent US drop in the prime rate.

We are beginning to see an upturn in inquiries again and feel this will continue through 2008. We need to be very sensitive about pricing of product as there are some pretty attractive buys in the USA today.

We are fortunate to be able to offer low taxes, great climate, good proximity to the USA, excellent health care, high standard of education, friendly people and beautiful country.

We have more Americans per capita here than anywhere else in the world and there is a large mix of other nationalities.

I have every confidence that Costa Rica is still a very viable consideration for retirement and investment.

If you are an investor or planning retirement, please feel free to call me at any time toll free at 1 888 581 1786 for any further information you may need.

Caldera highway gets construction go ahead at last

By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Transport officials have given the much-awaited go ahead for the $230 million San José-Caldera highway.

This means that Autopistas del Sol S.A., the concession holder for the project, has 30 months to complete the highway. The 77-km (48-mile) highway will decrease dramatically the travel time from the Central Valley to the Pacific coast.

The first stage of the job is the reconstruction of the existing highway from Parque La Sabana to Ciudad Colón. Much of the highway already is multi-lane.

The big job is a 39-km (24-mile) section from Ciudad Colón to Orotina. That highway is only graded roughly now, although bridges are in place. The third and final step is improvements of the highway from the Orotina interchange to the Puerto de Caldera at Puntarenas.

Autopistas del Sol will have the right to collect tolls for 25 years to offset the investment.
The Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes said that employees worked during the holidays to make sure all the requirements were in place for the start of construction.

Autopistas finally got all its financial commitments in order four days before Christmas, and a company official asked to be allowed to start work a week ago.

During the holidays transport ministry workers said they got final approvals from the Ministerio de Ambiente y Energía, reviewed and approved plans and did the paperwork so that the company would not have to pay taxes on imported equipment. Environmental approval was needed because Autopista will take gravel from several deposits along the route.

Ministry workers also had to coordinate with the Compañía Nacional de Fuerza y Luz, the Instituto Costarricense de Acueductos y Alcantarillados and the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad for moving water and sewer lines, electric lines and telephone cables, they said.