Times are a Changin for Piper..Happy New Year to All!

 

This past year I persevered down a rather twisty road but encountered many great new experiences as well as ones, which I call “learning experiences.”  The highlights were ending the year with my Andalusian horse, purchased as a baby, finally grown and delivered to my home stable fro me to ride (which has been going fantastic) and going home for Christmas with my Brother and father and their spouses for an excellent holiday.  Many of the “learning experiences” this year occurred with my home remodel; now that it is done, I feel like my home is really entitles “Piper’s home” and I am reminded everyday of how fortunate and blessed I am.

Another “learning experience,” which was highlighted along the way, (especially on a personal level by the individuals who worked with me) was my work with 2 Costa Rica Real Estate whom I recently left to work for Resort Realty of United Country. Real Estate is a competitive and difficult business and like any business the office’s basic structure and functioning is so important. As agent in the Jaco office of 2CRRE, those issues were hindering me, in turn, I left my clients neglected, and myself discouraged in this difficult market.  I hope to reach out to some of those whom I might have neglected because, as of now, I have my mojo in motion and solid structure behind me. So, feel free to contact me anytime at my new office and I assure a quick response (see my new contact below!).

I have known the family team at Resort Realty for years and feel at home and fortunate to be part of it. I took note over the last couple years RR has been quietly pulling off fantastic sales. Resort Realty was started by one of the original sales agents for Los Suenos, so they specialize in the Los Suenos community with a wealth of experience and knowledge there, but have been successful in sales in the immediate Jaco area as well. I am beyond happy for this new road that lies ahead. On this path I see a lot of outdoors with my horses and a reenergizing for my real estate career and maybe some additional pleasant career highlights (think interiors, Costa Rica, Art)…

Every new year I seem to be more and more great full for my health, family, and, love I receive everyday…also, my doggies are happy and healthy!

For  little thanks for all I have; I drove around the poor local areas with tons of wrapped up goodies form soccer balls to lots of candy and coins for the children there and I know this will be a yearly tradition from all the smiles I got..

The Physical Activity Lowers Risk of Death

A study done in Taiwan with 400,000 people in eight years, said that 15 minutes of daily exercise increases life expectancy by up to three years and reduces the risk of death by 14%. According to the report, this benefits all people, regardless of age, physical condition, sex or have a chronic disease. Exercise training reduces chances of heart disease and of cancer.

The research, published in the prestigious British medical journal, The Lancet, says that 15 minutes of exercise six days a week - or 90 minutes of exercise distributed during the week - protects the heart, reduce diabetes and helps prevent cancer development. The research found that for every 15 minutes of physical activity a day the risk of death from heart failure lowers chances by 4% and lowers chances of developing cancer by 1%.

"If sedentary or inactive people do a little exercise every day, one in six deaths from heart disease or cancer could be avoided. This measure has a similar success to snuff control programs", said Chi-Pang Wen in a press release, of the National Institute of Health Research in Taiwan, the study coordinator.

How was it done? Doctors and physical education instructors in Taiwan recruited 416,175 people over 20 years. All participants gave blood samples, were weighed, measured and cholesterol and blood glucose levels were recorded. Participants also completed a questionnaire indicating how much physical activity per day, and how much they drank or smoked. They were divided into five groups according to the level of exercise they do: idle or low (no or little physical activity), medium (you exercise often), high and very high (almost a professional athlete). All were followed for eight years in order to determine the impact of exercise on your health.

"If only 15 minutes of physical activity is needed to give a longer life to a person, governments and health professionals should give more support to the creation of spaces for people to do exercises," said The Lancet magazine in a comment about the study.

A Costa Rican Film will participate in Festival Film in New York

The movie, "El Regreso", was selected for the International Latino Film Festival in New York, which will take place from August 15^th thru the 21^st. "El Regreso" will be displayed in the main feature film category, alongside films from several countries in the region, whose names have not yet been announced.

This festival is considered one of the most important Latin cinema activities in the U.S. The festival will include the participation of more than 100 productions in English and Spanish, including feature films, shorts and documentaries.

The festival is an attractive showcase for potential distribution contracts abroad and to catch a production partner.

The New York event is the first event for this new movie to participate in. This event is faster than expected for Hernán Jiménez (director and lead actor of the new film), as the news came before their official release.

There will be many guests at the event, including representatives of several large distributors such as Columbia, Focus, Universal and other independent film. In the past, films that have participated in this event have achieved good contracts.

"El Regreso" will be released on September in Costa Rica.

Chasing a Guinness Record

A Costa Rican town called Naranjo will seek to achieve a Guinness world record this July 30 by making a cup of coffee that is 8,000 liters. They are doing this to promote internationally the coffee of that area.

The goal to break Guinness’ World record is the idea of ​​the Youth Ministry of Naranjo. Until now, the world’s largest coffee cup contained 7608 liters, 392 less than the Naranjo's goal. The coffee holding the current world record was prepared in the U.S. in October 2010.

The coffee cup combines 8,000 liters of boiling water with 400 kilos of coffee. It is unclear how they will prepare a cup of coffee almost three meters high. "We want to promote that we produce one of the best coffees from Costa Rica", said Marco Vinicio Ruiz, the sponsor of the initiative.

Liberia's International Airport Plans a $27 million Expansion

The Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport in Liberia is planning a $27 million expansion, due to open in November of this year. The current terminal just hasn’t been able to handle the large number of tourists flooding Costa Rica. Currently the terminal has the capacity for about 900 passengers, and with many more than that coming through, the result has been long lines, and cramped waiting areas. The new facility will be able to handle 1500 passengers, and will include a food court, several new gates, and a new sports bar.

Currently there are 8 non-stop routes from Canada and the United States to the Liberia airport. Delta, United, US airways, American Airlines, Frontier and Continental all have flights into this Guanacaste airport. Liberia is the gateway to many of Costa Rica’s more northern Pacific beaches, as well as the National park, Rincon de la Vieja, a unique park filled with endless waterfalls, rivers, and of course their famous hot springs.

While they authorities hope to have the new facility open by November, don’t hold your breath, often “tico time” prevails, and while everyone’s intentions are good, well, lets just say, things tend to take a little longer. Pura Vida!

Al Gore to Speak in Costa Rica

Former Vice President of the United States, Al Gore, is coming to Costa Rica this March! He will be giving a presentation related to climate change.

The Title of his presentation is "Business Forum on the Environment and Sustainability" or in Spanish: "Foro Empresarial sobre Sostenibilidad y Ambiente" and it will take place at the Marriott Hotel in San José, Costa Rica.

Due to Al Gore's determination and hard work educating the public about the climate change, he was granted the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. And now he is coming to Costa Rica to continue the discussion of Sustainability and the Environment.

The Business Forum will be held March 16th in San José, Costa Rica.

Choosing a Real Estate Agent in Costa Rica

There are many important things to consider when picking a Real Estate agent in a foreign Real Estate Market, such as Costa Rica. Below are five things that I regard as most important when embarking upon this daunting process.

1. Credible Company: When Buying and Selling Real Estate in the difficult market of today, it is much safer and smarter to be represented by a company with a credible reputation. It is important to check out the company website, agents, marketing and history in the area before choosing which company will represent you best.

2. An Agent who Owns Real Estate and Lives in that Market: If your agent is selling Real Estate in one area and living in another it makes you think, “Well what’s wrong with the area where you are selling Real Estate?” You need to know that your agent has confidence in the area, that they believe it is a good investment (and have made the investment themselves) and that they believe it is a good place to live, vacation and/or fully enjoy.

3. A Full Time Agent with Experience in Real Estate: In the Real Estate world you constantly run into people who call themselves “Part Time Real Estate Agents”. The main problem you encounter when working with a Part Time Agent is they don’t know the market as well, they are only dedicating some of their time to Real Estate, and therefore it is almost impossible for them to stay updated on the ever-changing housing market in Costa Rica.

4. Communication: Looking for an agent with whom you communicate well is vital. You want an agent who you understand and who understands you; an agent who responds to your phone calls and emails within a reasonable amount of time is essential.

5. Referrals: Check to make sure that your agent has plenty of referrals from past clients. If they are not readily available, online or in print, ask for them to be provided for you or ask for the contact info of referrals to check on them yourself.

Make sure to do your Homework before picking the best Real Estate Agent for you in Costa Rica!

www.PropertiesJaco.com

Fee Simple Ownership in Costa Rica

The most widespread and complete form of owning Real Estate in Costa Rica is called “Fee Simple” Ownership.

For this type of ownership the conditions and regulations are equal for residents and foreigners alike.

The concept is basically the same as in the United States, Canada and Europe; specifically, fee simple ownership provides the owner with the right to use, enjoy, sell, lease, improve upon and materially own the property in question. The only areas of discussion being details that are outlined in the Costa Rican Laws, for example, various zoning policies.

For example, in Mexico, real estate is not Fee Simple, Panama has problems with Title, in various other countries you can’t own real estate if you aren’t a resident or national; however here in Costa Rica anyone can own, enjoy and benefit from the beautiful property we have to offer.

Low Property Taxes in Costa Rica

The common rate of Property Tax in Costa Rica is 0.25% of the declared value of the property, which is typically determined by the local government. So that is just one quarter of one percent of the registered property value.

This rate is extremely low when compared with many other countries, especially Canada and the United States. The property taxes make investing in Real Estate in Costa Rica a great and very affordable option for foreigners.

Titled Versus Concession Real Estate Costa Rica

In Costa Rican Real Estate there is something called “Zona Maritimo Terrestre” which loosely translates to the Maritime Shoreline Zone. This is also referred to as “Concession Land” which can be a very tricky aspect of Real Estate here in Costa Rica. Roughly 95% of the beachfront property in Costa Rica is labeled Concession Land, in order to try to protect the pristine Pacific and Caribbean Coast beaches.

The main problem with this is that the government does not allow private ownership of this beachfront property.

The first 200 meters from the shoreline are owned by the government of Costa Rica, the first 50 meters are public beaches on which no construction may take place and the remaining 150 meters may be developed through special "concessions" that are approved by the local government.

Beyond this there are many specific rules as to getting a concession from the government and these rules are very important for foreign investors. For example, foreign investors must have lived in Costa Rica for at least 5 years prior to the purchase of Concession Real Estate and at least 50% of the development capital must be Costa Rican.

However we are lucky enough here in Jaco Beach, Costa Rica, to have beautiful TITLED beachfront property. One of the only beaches in Costa Rica that is completely titled and therefore foreign investors don’t have to worry about these restrictions when buying Real Estate in Jaco Beach.

For more information on Titled vs. Concession Real Estate in Costa Rica please feel free to contact me: PiperCostaRica@gmail.com

Ortega on The Border Dispute with Costa Rica

Ortega said that he will continue with his work of dredging in order to open up the navigation in the San Juan River.

The president of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega, called to the OEA to help with the border conflict with Costa Rica, meanwhile the Costa Rican president Laura Chinchilla declared before the Central American bishops that her country has absolutely no hope for the San Juan River.

Ortega announced that his government will present a book titled, “Las verdades que oculta Costa Rica” or “The Truths that Costa Rica Hides” in which he will expose his version of the territorial dispute.

He also claims that although Costa Rica says they don’t have armed forces, the Central American country really does have an armed military that occupied the Nicaraguan Territory and began this territorial dispute in the first place. So Ortega’s plan for now is to expose his idea of the “truths” of Costa Rica in his book, which is yet to have a precise date of publication.

I guess we will just have to wait on the edge of our seats for this best seller!

The Changing of Seasons in Costa Rica

The weather this week and possibly next will be dry and wet and dry and wet, as the change from the rainy season to dry completes in the Central Valley, Central Pacific and North Pacific.

The national weather service of Costa Rica says that the dry/wet days will continue until the process of change is complete, which is expected by the end of the month.

The weather during this period will include hot sunny days, cold cloudy mornings, heavy afternoon rains, cold nights and everything in between and all in the same day on some days.

The experts in Costa Rica say that when strong winds are present there is less chance of rain. However, the winds are expected to stabilize over the coming week, which signifies the change to the dry or summer season.

The Central and South Pacific has yet to enter the transition period and can expect more isolated rain. The dry season is expected to reach the area by mid December. So very soon we will be back to our beautiful pacific coast beaches full of sun all day long!

This Holiday Season’s Upcoming Events in Costa Rica

• 2010 Christmas Festival: Arts and culture activities, eco-friendly product fair, gifts, Nov. 20-21 and 27-28, CENAC, Av. 3/5, Ca. 11/15,
• Lighting of Coca-Cola Christmas Tree: With cultural shows, Nov. 28, 6 p.m., opposite National Gymnasium, southeast La Sabana Park, San José.
• Christmas Choir Festival: Dec. 1-3, 6 p.m., Plaza de la Cultura, San José.
• Lighting of the Children’s Museum: Featuring 3,000 lights, concerts by the Colegio Metodista Choir and the University of Costa Rica Symphony Band, with fireworks, live nativity scene, Dec. 1, 6 p.m., Children’s Museum, north end of Ca. 4, 2258-4929.
• Hanukkah Menorah Lightings: Dec. 1-8, 6:30 p.m.; family program and lighting, Dec. 5, 5:30 p.m., La Sabana Park, behind León Cortes statue, 2296-6565.
• Lighting of Children’s Hospital Tree: Including cultural events, Dec. 2, 6 p.m., National Children’s Hospital, Paseo Colón, 2523-3600.
• Christmas Festival: Float parade, bands, dance, Dec. 3, 6 p.m., Miramar, Puntarenas.
• Teletón: Proceeds support the National Children’s Hospital, featuring national and international singers, bands, actors, dancers and other entertainers, Dec. 3, 9 p.m., through midnight Dec. 4, Palacio de los Deportes, Heredia, www.ayudemos.com. Donations can be made to Banco de Costa Rica account 12345-5, or by text message in amounts of ¢1,000 (dial 2030), ¢2,000 (2032), ¢5,000 (2035) or ¢9,000 (2039).
• Annual Nativity Scene Contest: Enroll by Dec. 6; award ceremony with choir recital, Dec. 18, 5 p.m., José Figueres Ferrer Cultural Center, San Ramón, Alajuela, 2447-2381, ccehjff@ice.co.cr.
• Arte Hoy International Art Fair: With approximately 150 national and international artists, Dec. 8-12, Avenida Escazú shopping mall, Escazú.
• Embrujarte Art Fair: With approximately 200 artists, Dec. 8-13, 9 a.m.-9 p.m., soccer field, San Rafael de Escazú, 2280-9121, 8383-3518.
• Christmas Fair: Workshops, gift fair, Dec. 9, 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Crowne Plaza Hotel Corobicí, 2291-8831, navidad @aportasolutions.com.
• Festival of Lights: Companies and organizations compete to construct the most elaborate illuminated floats in a parade with band music, Dec. 11, 6 p.m., from National Gymnasium, La Sabana Park, along Paseo Colón and Av. 2, San José.
• Christmas Concert by National Youth Symphony Orchestra: Dec. 17-18, 7:30 p.m., Melico Salazar Theater.
• Zapote Traditional Fair: Rides, food, games, concerts, bullfights, Dec. 25-Jan. 3, Zapote.
• Tope Horse Parade: Dec. 26, 1 p.m., Paseo Colón, San José.