Progress Report
September 31 - October 5, 2007 // CONSTRUCTION LOG #156
Contact phone numbers
Internet Phone:
New York: 315-279-6711
Toronto: 416-907-5758 // 416-461-2203
Costa Rica:
Cell: 506-305-3965
Land: 506-282-4142 Ext. 101
NOTE: the New York and Toronto numbers are "local calls" for people in the area codes; calls from outside the area code will be billed at the normal rate from the caller's area code to either the "315" or the "416" area code.
NOTE: WHEN I STARTED RESIDENCIAS LOS JARDINES, I STARTED WRITING A WEEKLY NEWS LETTER—DEETERMINED TO TELL ALL THE GOOD, BAD, AND THE UGLY. I KNEW SOME READERS WERE INTERESTED IN THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS. OTHERS WERE INTERESTED IN HAVING INSIGHT TO THE LIFESTYLE OF TWO PEOPLE WHO HAD DECIDED TO LIVE OUTSIDE THE BOX. FOR OTHERS, THE ADVENTURES OF LITA, THE PARROT AND THE CAT TOOK ON AN ENTERTAINMENT SAGA ALL ITS OWN.
RESIDENCIAS LOR JARDINES IS FINISHED. WE PERIODICALLY HAVE RESALES AND RENTAL AVAILABILTY. SOME READERS MAY BE INTERESTED IN THIS INFORMATION.
MORE AND MORE, THE CONTENT WILL BE DOMINATED BY EVENTS OF OUR NEW PROJECT, “EL DORADO” FOR SHORT. WHILE THE FUTURE IS ALWAYS UNCERTAIN, I AGAIN AIM TO TELL IT LIKE IT HAPPENS—THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY, AND THAT IS WHAT FOLLOWS:
EL DORADO
The STORY: moving along on the marketing plan,
Pictures: none —more of the same.
Architect: I received the additional floor plan I was
asking for as well as the rendering. I'm now waiting
for the few remaining outstanding items and some
changes to details.
We did fine the missing 15 m. It was there. The rapid
measurement we made over rough terrain with inaccurate
starting points... By eliminating the option to
purchase an adjoining lot, we opened up an
opportunity to build a larger building in the area
where only a smaller one would fit. We still have
some positioning problems but we feel we can work it
out. The current site plan is being surveyed this
weekend and we'll do a final (hopefully) detailed
analysis that what is planned and marketed will be
able to be built.
Structural Engineer: we should have the solution for
the Mayan Tower by the end of this next week at which
point we can finalize the floor plans.
Well Application: we continue to wait.
Quebrada: this land fill is nearly completed-if we
have a week of dry weather and it will be finished.
Fence: this work continues.
Web site: we continue to create material for this.
Nothing to show for our efforts yet. The translation
to Spanish should now be done.
Marketing: We've signed a contract to lease 4
billboards for a year on major thoroughfares around
Santa Ana and San Jose. We've also signed an
additional contract for a year's double page ad in a
specialized target magazine.
Logo: We have again changed the logo. It seems that
only Paul and I liked what we had designed and
agonized over for so long. The marketing manager
pounded our hands and stomped on our feet for so long
that Paul did his own survey. He even tried to fudge
the results but in the end we looked at one another
and confessed that we didn't know anything about
marketing and if we hired a marketing manager and if
the majority of the informal survey went against our
opinion, maybe we should listen. So in the end, we
changed our position yet again, and are going with
the young and successful group we are falling into.
Legal counsel: He's working on developing the offer
to purchase and the RE agent agreement. He's also
working on setting up 75 corporations. In CR there
are two forms of corporations-S.A. and LTDs. The SA
is the more common form but it is also a structure
designed more for business. There are more
administrative requirements than for LTDs which
require only one member to be on the Board of
Directors. This structure, the LTD structure, is
really more convenient for holding non-commercial real
estate.
RESIDENCIAS LOS JARDINES
For Sale: nothing available at the moment
For Lease: nothing available
Black Water Management: one of our septic tanks
failed and subsequently collapsed. We're having to dig
it up, replace it and re-plumb it with a different
type. It will be messy but it has to be done. Four
units only one of which is currently occupied will be
marginally affected.
OUR LIVES
Weather: rain almost every day and frequently
hard —some beautiful clear mornings.
We had guests for 4 nights. They had been here about
18 mo. ago and flew from Malaysia where he is
stationed with a multinational company. They are
interested in buying at El Dorado and we had also
become friends so it was a bit of both. We shared
some great meals and caught up with one another.
My days are normally 8-10 hrs of work followed by
social times. My backside hasn't felt the comfort of
the hammock for a long time and my cigar box is
remaining full.
Note: I will be switching from Yahoo mail to Gmail.
For reason unknown, names kept dropping off my
mailing list. I've received too many inquiries and
statements saying that people were no longer
receiving my posts and didn't understand why. Well, I
didn't know why either so... All Yahoo e-mail will now
be automatically forwarded to my G-mail account.
We'll see if G-mail can do a better job.
Brian, Lita, Hugo, irreverent Vicka, the pigeon toed
parrot, and the newbies- Chico and Chica.
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