Progress Report

November 13-19, 2006 // CONSTRUCTION LOG #110

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: NOW THAT THIS DEVELOPMENT IS ESSENTIALLY FINISHED, THE LOG WILL FOCUS MORE ON THE RIO ORO DEVELOPMENT. IT WILL BE INFORMATIVE TO THOSE PLANNING ON BUILDING, THOSE LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO PURCHASE OR TO LEASE, AND FOR THOSE WONDERING WHAT EXPATS DO IN COSTA RICA AND THE LIFESTYLE OF TWO ORDINARY PEOPLE.

CONSTRUCTION

Pictures: none

Weather: lots of rain with some broken sunny mornings

Irrigation system: no progress but moving higher on my list-when 126 is finished, it is the only thing left to be done and just before the advent of the dry season.

Satellite TV system: The new system / technology continues working.

The new house-Unit 126: it's ready for the cabinetry to be installed this next week. By week's end, the unit should be nearly finished. This will be available for sale when finished and possibly for lease if an investor buys it.

Turnover Meeting: This is now scheduled for Dec. 15. The board of directors of the association and officers of the company will be elected. Paul and I as owners of the property management company will begin reporting to and working with them for the final wrap up, transitioning, and the on-going management.

Rio Oro Development: Construction of the warehouse continues. Walls and roof are about 50% framed and braced. By week's end, all will be ready for sheathing. A large septic tank for employees has been ordered and will be installed this week. Tree and road location work has progressed. More needs to be done.

As we trim back plants at Los Jardines, we are trying to propagate those that we wish to carry forward to Rio Oro. This week we started three different varieties including ixora, climbing variegated philodendron, and a double pink and double yellow hibiscus. Our plan is to continue to do this and over time, the gardener will pay for himself and the person we have in mind is the person who had the accident with the lawn mower-he should be able to work within a month.

Now the biggest challenge we have is the leaf cutting ants which are all over the place. Over time we will get the upper hand but now, they are eating us out of house and home.

House Resales and Rentals: One of our purchasers has two units; he advised me that due to health reasons, he wants to sell one of the two. Agent 1 showed a group of people through the development including the two houses which are for sale. A week later, one of these people returned with a different agent. They ended up making an offer to purchase. Now the issue becomes how to allocate the commission. In N. Am., it would be split 50-50. Here there appears to be no established rules. The deal may falter as a result. Foolish in my view-everyone looses-simply because compromise isn't part of the vocabulary. I suggested paying the commission into a trust until the two parties work it out and sign a mutual release. I don't think this suggestion is going to fly either.

Therefore, we still have one of two units each with executive class furnishings, for sale-1,300 sf at $190,000 and 1,725sf at $270,000.

Rentals: We have one 1,300 sf 2 bedroom/2bathroom unit available for lease-fully furnished at $1,350 mo or partially furnished at $1,250 mo.

OUR LIVES

Lita arrived here on Monday. I think her trip was rather emotionally challenging. She's taken most this week to recover. I knew she was back when she invited everyone for spring rolls she brought from the Philippines. The next morning my liquor cabinet was virtually empty of anything decent to drink and comments which included " not remembering a thing" were commonly heard after noon the next day. The parrot was alive when she returned so I didn't have to sleep in Canuk's dog house.

I actually found time to read a book in the hammock and to enjoy the company of a homeowner friend who's returned between contracts and will be here the next 6 weeks. He's also a great chef so I'm looking forward .. and am creating "debts" until he get's his frig stocked. It seems like if you walk around with an empty glass around cocktail hour, it usually gets filled soon and the conversations begin and the evening's events are charted. This is the way I imagined life here to be when I was in the designing phase.

Brian, Lita, Hugo and irreverent Vicka, the pigeon toed parrot.

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