It is All About NATE...

ISSUE #679: Oct. 1-7, 2017

2017-10-08

Brian Timmons, Newsletter Author
Brian Timmons

Dear friends,

When I started Residencias Los Jardines, I started writing a weekly newsletter -determined to tell all the good, bad, and the ugly. I knew some readers would be interested in the construction process. I expected others might be interested in 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 Los Jardines is finished. We periodically have re-sales and rental availability. Some readers may be interested in this information.

Brian Timmons
Developer / Property manager
Residencias Los Jardines

Web: https://www.residenciaslosjardines.com
Emails: info@residenciaslosjardines.com
ResidenciasPropertyManagement@gmail.com

Featured
rentals & sales

Paradisus Condos / Rohrmoser
FOR SALE / RENT
Visit our website

Paradisus Condos - click to visit

Each of the units consists of two bedrooms / two bathrooms, and a large living/dining/kitchen area. The floor plan of each of these units has eliminated the optional "den / office" divider. The result is a larger area offering more flexible furniture arrangements while still maintaining the option of including an office area. At 105m2 plus two parking spots each and storage locker, they offer a great opportunity for someone seeking views, security, central location, and first class, all round living...

PRICE REDUCTION
Semi furnished unit: For sale: $235,000
Fully furnished unit: For sale: $245,000
Floor 12 -west view

Market activity
sales & rentals

Sales: Los Jardines: Units #106A, #114 and #124

Rentals:

Paradisus: Nothing available

Los Jardines: Unit #106D is available for rent

Residencias Los Jardines
property management, rentals & re-sales

FOR SALE
Unit #106A: $ 165,000 / See Unit
Unit #114: $ 199,000 / See Unit
Unit #124: $ 135,000 / See Unit

FOR RENT
Unit #106D: $ 1,150 mo / Available Immediately / See Unit

For sale

UNIT #106A
FOR SALE
$ 165,000

Total Area (Sq Ft): 1250
Total area (Sq M): 120
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2
Floor(s): 1
Type: Apartment
Furnished: Yes

This is a fully furnished 2-bedroom unit situated in a 2-story building, which has two units on the ground floor and two units on the 2nd. floor. Each unit is the same size (1,250sf) divided into 800 sf of interior space and 450 sf of covered front and back terraces. Units 106A and B are on the ground floor; Units 106 C and D are on the 2nd. Floor. The solid masonry demising wall (common wall) as well as the 5" concrete slab prevent sound transference.

UNIT #114
FOR SALE
$ 199,000

Total Area (Sq Ft): 1290
Total area (Sq M): 120
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2
Floor(s): 1
Type: Semi-Attached
Furnished: Yes

This 2 bedroom/2bathroom,1,290 sf single floor end unit home includes a 150 sf front terrace plus parking for one car. This house is fully air conditioned and has recently been professionally decorated by international decorator Alcides Graffe and has undergone a complete renovation—new modern furniture, finishings, window coverings, and art work by Carlos Gambino. It is arguably the nicest furnished unit at Residencias Los Jardines and only steps from the pool

UNIT #124
FOR SALE
$ 135,000

Total Area (Sq Ft): 662
Total area (Sq M): 61
Bedrooms: 1
Bathrooms: 1
Floor(s): 2nd Floor
Type: Semi-Detached
Furnished: Yes

This 662 sf, + covered parking for one car, is a one bedroom home on the 2nd floor overlooking the large pool. It is ideal for a single person or couple.

For rent

UNIT #106D
FOR RENT
$ 1,150 mo.
Available Immediately

Total Area (Sq Ft): 1227
Total area (Sq M): 113
Bedrooms: 1 + den (bedroom possible)
Bathrooms: 2
Floor(s): 2nd Floor
Type: apartment in 4 plex
Furnished: Yes

This 2nd story, 1,227 sf (113 m2 + one parking space) )is a georgous home with one of the best views at Los Jardines. The very large front covered terrace faces west and is suitable for entertaining; the off-bedroom covered terrace faces east for sun sets. This very tastefully furnished and fully equipped home offers a lifestyle envied by many. The owner offers financing if desired.

Our Lives

Weather: Tropical depression NATE dominated our life this past week. Los Jardines survived fairly well and so did most of our friends... all had some problems but minor compared to the many and too the country.

Foreclosure: more twists and turns without results.

NATE: lots of stories; areas of the country are still seriously affected. At Los Jardines, we had lots of rain but fortunately our new President rehabilitated and / or replaced all our pumps so we were dry. Yes, we found a few new leaks in the roofs of some houses and some wiring shorted out but this is minor. We were without power for 5 hrs one day... our pumps didn't work but we were o.k... I cannot help but wonder why people, who have a choice as to where to live, choose areas frequently isolated from the Central Valley... From my perspective, it is short sighted and foolish... it is, in my opinion, better to visit these places... not live there... because you can, at any given time, be isolated for various reasons... weak road infrastructure... being a main reason.

Friends living in Jaco which was more or less center of the worst recorded 14" rainfall in 18 hrs...

Below is a summary from a friend of NATE's effect -it is colorfully and cleverly written which pretty well sums up the more detailed reports which follow... and it brings a little specific realism to life this past week. In the Central Valley, we did not have any winds...

Oh come on now! The sun is starting to peek out, no rain for 12 hours, after a week of water, clouds are burning off, rivers, which last week were little creeks, are now swoshing, crashing, and thundering away the water downstream. Watch out below!

Life in the tropics.

Our elevator well is flooded and we bought an Italian 2 hp 1.5 inch output diameter pump, $600, and have pumped out some 2 meters out in 2 days! This morning, I will take the pump to the barrio guard shack and pump out the septic tank, 36 inches by 2 meters deep for the 3rd time in 5 days. The leach field is working in reverse and is flooding the tank! All the hood septics are flooded!

Our creek is roaring! Incredible!

Landslides everywhere!

On the coast roads, idiot truckers and cars are trying to cross bridges and flooded roads. Several 18 wheel tractor trailers and cars have been turned over and washed into the creeks - now roaring rivers!

Roads, bridges, dams, poles, wires basic infrastructure badly damaged. Roads near rivers are simply gone. A huge bill to pay!

Dams are in deep caca mud water! Logs, trees, tires, refrigerators, and carcasses are threatening the spillways and tunnels.

As the water moves down stream the coast is really getting it! Cattle, horses, and pigs are trying to climb onto hummocks but then fall off and are washed away. TV showed one young bull trying to get back up the hummock. No way. Another bull reached down to rub noses and then the young guy washed away... bye, bye, adios.

Damage to 10s of thousands of houses, fincas, pueblos, and towns is pretty bad! Lots of human tragedy as very hard earned furniture, cloths, appliances, cars, shacks, bodegas, talleres, etc... are flooded with the liquid mud. Plus some 20+ dead and a bunch are still missing... before the crocs get busy!

Crocks are swimming up stream, and the Emergency Commission is warning everyone to stay away from the water, no sightseeing or bathing - or get washed away or eaten - or both.

Paradise Lost, Temporarily!

Many flights cancelled and Guanacaste and many mountain and coastal pueblos are cut off from roads, water and electric. And cable and internet.

Apparently the Pacific Ocean is a little stormy and the yachts and fishing boats are being bounced a bit. In Quepos, the news says that several yachts broke their anchor lines in the storm. No further word on where they went! News has pics of native fishing boats up to 40 or so feet washed ashore.

Flooding is incredible all over the country. Landslides everywhere - but thankfully not in our condominium slope under my apartment! 23 important roads are closed to landslides or flooding. Including Routas 27 and 32 to Caldera and Limon and the PanAm norte y sur. Sierra de la Muerte is also closed.

I guess that the drought in Guanacaste is now officially over, eh! What do ya tink!

We hardly ever get mold, but now, all our shoes and belts are covered!

So that is our story of the tragedy of this fooking Honduran bastardo Nate which has departed for NOLA after sucking all this storm over us! Where the pumps are feared to fail!

I guess this is more proof for the libtards that man made global warming is causing these hurricanes and storms. Yup. This is more proof. Right in our elevator well!

Saludos!
Ned - not Nate

News Items of the Week

Comments

Lots and lots of articles but they are mostly the same. The headlines tell the same story minus the details... yes, it has been wet... some new condos in Santa Ana built near a creek... River Walk, got flooded on the ground floor.

Tell me why again would I go to this little country? The Dominical bridge is out? Route 27 closed? What the f----k????

The tropical storm Nate has left the country with at least six dead people, 377,000 (9% of the country) with no water, about 7,000 living in emergency shelters, 11 people disappeared and more than a 1,000 calls to the 9-1-1 system. When Caldera - Ciudad Colon is cut off the Ticas will begin to starve. Can't get new cars on carriers up the mountain! No more Hyundais. Or Datsuns, Toyotas. Nissans, Mitsubishis etc. Third world country once again.

The deaths occurred as a consequence of landslides, falling trees and car accidents. They were reported in Cartago, Mora, Valverde Vega, Tarrazú and Santa Cruz, according to the Cruz Roja Costarricense.

What started as a low pressure system later evolved into tropical storm Nate, which has pummeled the country's infrastructure.

As of now, Ruta Nacional 32, a major artery that connects San José to Limón remains closed until further notice, according to the latest afternoon statement from the Consejo Nacional de Vialidad.

The reason is heavy landslides and debris.

For those who need to head to or from the Atlantic coast or province of Limón, CONAVI recommends drivers it take the Ruta Nacional 10 passing through Turrialba or take the newly inaugurated Bajos de Chilamate-Vuelta Kooper.

Ruta Nacional 1 is not an option because of another landslide between Río Grande and Cañal Grande.

There are also some other landslides along Ruta Nacional 32, while Ruta Nacional 34 has been flooded by the Tárcoles and Las Palmas rivers and remains closed.

Some other closed roads are 21 Santa Cruz-Nambí-Nicoya, 218 Coronado-Rancho Redondo, 107 Poás de Alajuela, 723 from Chilamate towards Poás, 209 Ram Luna - Ojo de Agua, 243 Pérez Zeledón - Dominical due to the collapse of the bridge at Las Palmas community.

Those in need to take Ruta Nacional 27, which connects San José and Caldera, should be warned the road is closed at Kilometro 38 between Atenas and Orotina.

This is also due to landslides, according to the Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes.

There is a partial 35-kilometer long closure on Ruta Nacional 2, between the villages of Buenos Aires and Paso Real due to landslides.

Other roads fully closed are: 243 at Río Palma, 321 in Pérez Zeledón, 34 Bajo Capulín, 141 Bajo Tapezco, 228 Tablón Copalchi, 126 between Cinco Esquinas and Cinchona, 142 between Cañas and Tilarán and 707 at Turrubares.

Airport operations have also been affected by Nate. Currently Jetblue, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines and Copa Airlines have had to change the itinerary on some of their flights or cancel them.

Some of these cancelled flights were: Copa CM392 coming from Guatemala to San José, CM145 and CM115 going from San José to Ciudad de Panamá, CM391 from San José to Guatemala and CM168 between Managua and San José. More updates are expected from the airports.

At Daniel Oduber Quirós international airport in Guanacaste province, all domestic flights have been cancelled until further notice, according to Dirección General de Aviación Civil. The smaller Puerto Jiménez, Palmar Sur, Tamarindo, Nosara, Coto 47 and Pavas will remain shut down, according to the dirección.

In the morning, the Instituto Nacional de Electricidad also informed the shutting down of its hydroelectric plants at Cachí, Brasil, El Encanto, Cote, Electriona and Ventanas.

The measure is taken due to sudden flow increases in the river. According to the Instituto, the national electrical grid continues working as usual and the geothermal plant at Miravalles is working to its full capacity.

However, during the afternoon, the Instituto said about 35,000 people were lacking electricity in 54 communities located in the Chorotega, Central, Central Pacific and Brunca regions. The blackout meant 400 two-men support groups were deployed to re-establish the power.

In regards water supply, the Instituto Costarricense de Acueductos y Alcantarillados reported 377,000 people did not have the service due to the lack of electricity that power the pumps. Other reasons are avalanches affecting the pipes and sedimentation.

The Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social announced that its facilities and services would remain open. Officials from the institution said that there were no new closures of local clinics due to the flooding or landslides at this time.

All national parks are now closed excluding access for emergency services at this time, according to the Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación.

More news...

Nate causes six hydroelectric plants to stop working

Liberia airport cancels domestic flights

OIJ: “We’ve had as many as 20 missing people reports during Nate Storm”

State of National Emergency for the whole country

911 received more than 8,700 reports

Nate took power away in 85 area of the country

And while we got hit with bad weather, one answer to the question as to why one would choose to live here is provided in the following article. While I don't buy into all of it nor necessarily into the narrative....my answer is simply a better quality of life...but each has to define what they are looking for....

Want to avert the apocalypse? Take lessons from Costa Rica
Jason Hickel
Saturday 7 October 2017 03.30 EDT

In the coming decades, we’ll be able to reduce the carbon intensity of the global economy by about 1.9% per year, if we make heavy investments in clean energy and efficient technology. That’s a lot. But as long as the economy keeps growing by more than that, total emissions are still going to rise. Right now we’re ratcheting up global GDP by 3% per year, which means we’re headed for trouble.

If we want to have any hope of averting catastrophe, we’re going to have to do something about our addiction to growth. This is tricky, because GDP growth is the main policy objective of virtually every government on the planet. It lies at the heart of everything we’ve been told to believe about how the economy should work: that GDP growth is good, that it’s essential to progress, and that if we want to improve human wellbeing and eradicate poverty around the world, we need more of it. It’s a powerful narrative. But is it true?

Maybe not. Take Costa Rica. A beautiful Central American country known for its lush rainforests and stunning beaches, Costa Rica proves that achieving high levels of human wellbeing has very little to do with GDP and almost everything to do with something very different.

Every few years the New Economics Foundation publishes the Happy Planet Index – a measure of progress that looks at life expectancy, wellbeing and equality rather than the narrow metric of GDP, and plots these measures against ecological impact. Costa Rica tops the list of countries every time. With a life expectancy of 79.1 years and levels of wellbeing in the top 7% of the world, Costa Rica matches many Scandinavian nations in these areas and neatly outperforms the United States. And it manages all of this with a GDP per capita of only $10,000 (£7,640), less than one fifth that of the US.

In this sense, Costa Rica is the most efficient economy on earth: it produces high standards of living with low GDP and minimal pressure on the environment.

How do they do it? Professors Martínez-Franzoni and Sánchez-Ancochea argue that it’s all down to Costa Rica’s commitment to universalism: the principle that everyone – regardless of income – should have equal access to generous, high-quality social services as a basic right. A series of progressive governments started rolling out healthcare, education and social security in the 1940s and expanded these to the whole population from the 50s onward, after abolishing the military and freeing up more resources for social spending.

Costa Rica wasn’t alone in this effort, of course. Progressive governments elsewhere in Latin America made similar moves, but in nearly every case the US violently intervened to stop them for fear that “communist” ideas might scupper American interests in the region. Costa Rica escaped this fate by outwardly claiming to be anti-communist and – horribly – allowing US-backed forces to use the country as a base in the contra war against Nicaragua.

The upshot is that Costa Rica is one of only a few countries in the global south that enjoys robust universalism. It’s not perfect, however. Relatively high levels of income inequality make the economy less efficient than it otherwise might be. But the country’s achievements are still impressive. On the back of universal social policy, Costa Rica surpassed the US in life expectancy in the late 80s, when its GDP per capita was a mere tenth of America’s.

Today, Costa Rica is a thorn in the side of orthodox economics. The conventional wisdom holds that high GDP is essential for longevity: “wealthier is healthier”, as former World Bank chief economist Larry Summers put it in a famous paper. But Costa Rica shows that we can achieve human progress without much GDP at all, and therefore without triggering ecological collapse. In fact, the part of Costa Rica where people live the longest, happiest lives – the Nicoya Peninsula – is also the poorest, in terms of GDP per capita. Researchers have concluded that Nicoyans do so well not in spite of their “poverty”, but because of it – because their communities, environment and relationships haven’t been ploughed over by industrial expansion.

All of this turns the usual growth narrative on its head. Henry Wallich, a former member of the US Federal Reserve Board, once pointed out that “growth is a substitute for redistribution”. And it’s true: most politicians would rather try to rev up the GDP and hope it trickles down than raise taxes on the rich and redistribute income into social goods. But a new generation of thinkers is ready to flip Wallich’s quip around: if growth is a substitute for redistribution, then redistribution can be a substitute for growth.

Costa Rica provides a hopeful model for any country that wants to chart its way out of poverty. But it also holds an important lesson for rich countries. Scientists tell us that if we want to avert dangerous climate change, high-consuming nations – like Britain and the US – are going to have to scale down their bloated economies to get back in sync with the planet’s ecology, and fast. A widely-cited paper by scientists at the University of Manchester estimates it’s going to require downscaling of 4-6% per year.

This is what ecologists call “de-growth”. This calls for redistributing existing resources and investing in social goods in order to render growth unnecessary. Decommoditising and universalising healthcare, education and even housing would be a step in the right direction. Another would be a universal basic income – perhaps funded by taxes on carbon, land, resource extraction and financial transactions.

The opposite of growth isn’t austerity, or depression, or voluntary poverty. It is sharing what we already have, so we won’t need to plunder the earth for more.

Costa Rica proves that rich countries could theoretically ease their consumption by half or more while maintaining or even increasing their human development indicators. Of course, getting there would require that we devise a new economic system that doesn’t require endless growth just to stay afloat. That’s a challenge, to be sure, but it’s possible.

After all, once we have excellent healthcare, education, and affordable housing, what will endlessly more income growth gain us? Maybe bigger TVs, flashier cars, and expensive holidays. But not more happiness, or stronger communities, or more time with our families and friends. Not more peace or more stability, fresher air or cleaner rivers. Past a certain point, GDP gains us nothing when it comes to what really matters. In an age of climate change, where the pursuit of ever more GDP is actively dangerous, we need a different approach.

FOR RENTAL OR SALES INFORMATION
ON ANY OF THE ABOVE, CONTACT:

Brian C. Timmons
Property Manager RLJ and Newsletter Author

Costa Rica:
Cell: (+506) 8305-3965
Land line: (+506) 2282-4142 Ext. 101

Canada:
VOIP: (+416) 461-2203

Web: https://www.residenciaslosjardines.com
Emails: info@residenciaslosjardines.com
ResidenciasPropertyManagement@gmail.com

 
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