Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Papaya in Permalife Farms, Naturewalk
Papaya growing in Permalife Farms, Naturewalk. Looks like it'll be ready to harvest in about 6 to 8 weeks:
Monday, January 26, 2015
Cost of Living in Costa Rica
We are often asked about the Costa of Living in Costa Rica. Here are some facts and figures from Numbeo as of January 2015
| Indices Difference | |
|---|---|
| Consumer Prices in Costa Rica are 17.12% lower than in United States | |
| Consumer Prices Including Rent in Costa Rica are 27.97% lower than in United States | |
| Rent Prices in Costa Rica are 51.41% lower than in United States | |
| Restaurant Prices in Costa Rica are 21.82% lower than in United States | |
| Groceries Prices in Costa Rica are 19.31% lower than in United States | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Costa Rica is 63.28% lower than in United States | |
| United States |
Costa
Rica
| Difference | |
| Restaurants | |||
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 10.00 $ | 7.46 $ | -25.40 % |
| Meal for 2, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 45.00 $ | 37.30 $ | -17.11 % |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 6.50 $ | 7.00 $ | +7.69 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter draught) | 3.50 $ | 2.00 $ | -42.86 % |
| Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle) | 5.00 $ | 3.18 $ | -36.43 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 3.69 $ | 2.28 $ | -38.39 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33 liter bottle) | 1.63 $ | 1.53 $ | -5.93 % |
| Water (0.33 liter bottle) | 1.30 $ | 1.30 $ | +0.57 % |
| Markets | |||
| Milk (regular), (1 liter) | 1.01 $ | 1.39 $ | +37.56 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (500g) | 2.44 $ | 1.57 $ | -35.86 % |
| Rice (white), (1kg) | 3.07 $ | 2.23 $ | -27.54 % |
| Eggs (12) | 2.35 $ | 2.93 $ | +24.66 % |
| Local Cheese (1kg) | 9.64 $ | 6.62 $ | -31.31 % |
| Chicken Breasts (Boneless, Skinless), (1kg) | 7.99 $ | 6.86 $ | -14.16 % |
| Apples (1kg) | 3.84 $ | 4.09 $ | +6.43 % |
| Oranges (1kg) | 3.81 $ | 2.80 $ | -26.38 % |
| Tomato (1kg) | 3.88 $ | 1.92 $ | -50.54 % |
| Potato (1kg) | 2.45 $ | 1.53 $ | -37.55 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 1.60 $ | 0.94 $ | -41.04 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 1.78 $ | 2.31 $ | +29.47 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 12.00 $ | 10.72 $ | -10.63 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 2.32 $ | 1.94 $ | -16.61 % |
| Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle) | 3.33 $ | 2.67 $ | -20.02 % |
| Pack of Cigarettes (Marlboro) | 6.00 $ | 3.00 $ | -50.00 % |
| Transportation | |||
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 2.00 $ | 0.75 $ | -62.70 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 69.00 $ | 43.02 $ | -37.66 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 3.00 $ | 1.19 $ | -60.21 % |
| Taxi 1km (Normal Tariff) | 1.55 $ | 1.19 $ | -23.16 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) | 30.00 $ | 11.53 $ | -61.57 % |
| Gasoline (1 liter) | 0.94 $ | 1.43 $ | +51.39 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 21,000.00 $ | 27,976.47 $ | +33.22 % |
| Utilities (Monthly) | |||
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Water, Garbage) for 85m2 Apartment | 158.51 $ | 75.61 $ | -52.30 % |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local (No Discounts or Plans) | 0.15 $ | 0.06 $ | -58.62 % |
| Internet (6 Mbps, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 46.94 $ | 58.86 $ | +25.39 % |
| Sports And Leisure | |||
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 39.42 $ | 38.98 $ | -1.13 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 18.17 $ | 16.63 $ | -8.50 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 10.00 $ | 6.53 $ | -34.72 % |
| Clothing And Shoes | |||
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 41.27 $ | 65.86 $ | +59.57 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 35.88 $ | 52.47 $ | +46.23 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Shoes | 77.99 $ | 107.54 $ | +37.89 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Shoes | 85.23 $ | 79.20 $ | -7.08 % |
| Rent Per Month | |||
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 1,020.07 $ | 448.07 $ | -56.07 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 772.85 $ | 374.16 $ | -51.59 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 1,743.09 $ | 820.30 $ | -52.94 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 1,312.63 $ | 713.55 $ | -45.64 % |
| Buy Apartment Price | |||
| Price per Square Meter to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 1,941.06 $ | 1,122.38 $ | -42.18 % |
| Price per Square Meter to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 1,283.52 $ | 1,065.62 $ | -16.98 % |
| Salaries And Financing | |||
| Average Monthly Disposable Salary (After Tax) | 3,079.65 $ | 814.51 $ | -73.55 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly | 4.23 | 13.54 | +220.50 % |
Friday, January 23, 2015
Upcoming Webinar - Golfito and the Southern Zone
Bob Corson and June Kraemer
Tuesday 3rd February 2015, 6.00 PM EST
Bob Corson and June Kraemer purchased property
outside of Golfito in 2008, moved there permanently in November, 2011
and recently completed building their new home.
Bob and June will talk about the Golfito area
specifically and the Southern Zone of Costa Rica generally. Sport
fishing, surfing, biodiversity, seclusion, the Southern Zone has it all.
Bob and June will describe their personal experiences of moving to and
living in Golfito and also their experiences of building a home there.
As experts in real estate in the area they will also give you the inside
track on the very best locations and properties in the area. If you are
planning to have a home in Costa Rica and the Southern Zone is on your
radar, dont miss this webinar.
There will also be a 15 minute Q and A session at the end of the webinar.
Attendance is limited to silver members of Costa Rica
Insights. To read more about access to this webinar and to all the
information on the Costa Rica Insights by Costa Rica Invest website,
click on the link below:
https://costaricainvest.infusionsoft.com/app/page/welcome-to-costa-rica-insights
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Webinar on Tuesday 13th January
Costa Rica - the Good, the Bad and the Ugly
(and the Funny, the Unexpected, the Surprising)
Our first Costa Rica Insights by Costa Rica Invest webinar of 2015, is coming up at 6pm Eastern on Tuesday the 13th of January.
Paul and Janene Boyd have
recently moved to Costa Rica and they give an insight into the
challenges, pleasures and unexpected surprises of moving from the USA to
Costa Rica.
Attendance is limited to
silver members. To read more about access to this webinar and to all the
information on the Costa Rica Insights by Costa Rica Invest website,
click on the link below:
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Saving the Earth Without Losing a Buck
By KEVIN BRASS DEC. 25, 2014 for the New York Times
PIEDRAS BLANCAS, Costa Rica — When he was growing up in Pennsylvania, Dave Angstadt’s favorite movie was “Swiss Family Robinson,” the story of a family living in a tree house on a deserted island.
Mr. Angstadt, 60, a business consultant and former professional basketball player, was thinking of the plucky Robinson clan recently, when he decided to invest $250,000 to build a 1,500-square-foot tree house in Finca Bellavista, a development in the jungle in southwest Costa Rica.
“Being self-sustainable, living in a tree, fending for yourself, figuring stuff out, always intrigued me,” said Mr. Angstadt, who plans to use the house as a personal retreat for friends and family.
Finca Bellavista, which is more than a mile from the nearest town and accessible only by unpaved roads, is one of several projects in Costa Rica targeting a new generation of buyers looking for an eco-friendly alternative to the second-home developments that line the coast.
While sales of second homes remain sluggish in the wake of the 2008 crash, eco-conscious buyers, primarily from North America, are playing an increasing role in the Costa Rica market, developers and sales agents say. And instead of $1 million beachfront homes, many of these buyers are interested in simpler, inland projects touting sustainable elements and with prices of $250,000 to $400,000. (Prices in Costa Rica are typically quoted in United States dollars.)
“People are more humble,” said Richard Lemire, a developer in Manuel Antonio, a centrally located community on the country’s western shore. “Big homes are not so sexy anymore.”
Buyers in eco-centric projects typically base their purchase decision on a variety of factors, including the location and the investment potential, agents say. And not all of them are solely focused on saving the Earth.
“I wouldn’t say I am an environmentalist,” said Al Molnar, 47, who bought eight acres in a project in 2012.
Mr. Molnar, who owns a sports agency in Canada, spent $260,000 for the land in NatureWalk, a combination agriculture and residential development covering 1,200 acres east of the coastal town of Jacó, Costa Rica. A buyer must agree to allow 85 percent of the land to be used for crops such as vanilla, coffee, teak and pineapple; in return, the buyer receives the bulk of the revenue from the crops and the right to build a home on the remaining land.
Mr. Molnar primarily viewed the purchase as an investment, a way to diversify his portfolio. But he plans to build a home on the property, and he considers the sustainability aspects to be a bonus. “The fact that they weren’t destroying the land to develop it into something else,” he said. “It alleviated a little guilt about how things are being done in the world right now.”
Aware of buyers like Mr. Molnar, the developer of NatureWalk, the Canadian-based PRG Group, changed its marketing strategy. Instead of focusing on the environmental aspects, the developer now emphasizes the potential revenue, catering to what the company president, Tim Alexander, calls “economic environmentalism.”
Read the full story in the New York Times HERE
Views of a tree house in the Finca Bellavista development in Costa Rica. Credit Matt Berglund
PIEDRAS BLANCAS, Costa Rica — When he was growing up in Pennsylvania, Dave Angstadt’s favorite movie was “Swiss Family Robinson,” the story of a family living in a tree house on a deserted island.
Mr. Angstadt, 60, a business consultant and former professional basketball player, was thinking of the plucky Robinson clan recently, when he decided to invest $250,000 to build a 1,500-square-foot tree house in Finca Bellavista, a development in the jungle in southwest Costa Rica.
“Being self-sustainable, living in a tree, fending for yourself, figuring stuff out, always intrigued me,” said Mr. Angstadt, who plans to use the house as a personal retreat for friends and family.
Finca Bellavista, which is more than a mile from the nearest town and accessible only by unpaved roads, is one of several projects in Costa Rica targeting a new generation of buyers looking for an eco-friendly alternative to the second-home developments that line the coast.
While sales of second homes remain sluggish in the wake of the 2008 crash, eco-conscious buyers, primarily from North America, are playing an increasing role in the Costa Rica market, developers and sales agents say. And instead of $1 million beachfront homes, many of these buyers are interested in simpler, inland projects touting sustainable elements and with prices of $250,000 to $400,000. (Prices in Costa Rica are typically quoted in United States dollars.)
Views of a tree house in the Finca Bellavista development in Costa Rica. Credit Matt Berglund
“People are more humble,” said Richard Lemire, a developer in Manuel Antonio, a centrally located community on the country’s western shore. “Big homes are not so sexy anymore.”
Buyers in eco-centric projects typically base their purchase decision on a variety of factors, including the location and the investment potential, agents say. And not all of them are solely focused on saving the Earth.
“I wouldn’t say I am an environmentalist,” said Al Molnar, 47, who bought eight acres in a project in 2012.
Mr. Molnar, who owns a sports agency in Canada, spent $260,000 for the land in NatureWalk, a combination agriculture and residential development covering 1,200 acres east of the coastal town of Jacó, Costa Rica. A buyer must agree to allow 85 percent of the land to be used for crops such as vanilla, coffee, teak and pineapple; in return, the buyer receives the bulk of the revenue from the crops and the right to build a home on the remaining land.
Mr. Molnar primarily viewed the purchase as an investment, a way to diversify his portfolio. But he plans to build a home on the property, and he considers the sustainability aspects to be a bonus. “The fact that they weren’t destroying the land to develop it into something else,” he said. “It alleviated a little guilt about how things are being done in the world right now.”
Aware of buyers like Mr. Molnar, the developer of NatureWalk, the Canadian-based PRG Group, changed its marketing strategy. Instead of focusing on the environmental aspects, the developer now emphasizes the potential revenue, catering to what the company president, Tim Alexander, calls “economic environmentalism.”
Since beginning sales in 2011, PRG has sold more than 100 lots, with prices ranging from $55,000 to $100,000 for parcels of a quarter-acre to one and a quarter acres.
“It’s not a decision based on the eco-value,” Mr. Alexander said. “They look for both, but the investment comes first.”
Eco-developments also are benefiting from the growing group of buyers in North America concerned about the state of the world economy, local industry executives say.
Osa Mountain Village Resort, located in the mountains along the southern Pacific coast, is billed as “a sustainable, fully functional, food-producing resort community.” In addition to a secluded setting and enticing swimming pools, the resort offers residents a steady supply of fresh fruits, vegetables and other food items.
The availability of an independent food supply is a key component for many buyers, said the developer, Jim Gale. “Without the food production, we’d have 80 percent less sales,” he said. “The main thing is food security.”
Osa has sold more than 100 properties in the last four years, Mr. Gale said. Sixty of the 150 planned homes have been built, with prices ranging from $69,000 for a rustic 250-square-foot house to $259,000 for a 1,200-square-foot condo with full amenities.
In 2011, Dan Lutz, a chiropractor in Minnesota, paid about $125,000 in a pre-construction deal for a 1,300-square-foot apartment. He said he made the purchase because he was concerned that the United States was on an “unsustainable trajectory.”
“As far as I’m concerned, it just made sense to have a piece of real estate where you do have a guaranteed abundance of food, you have guaranteed abundance of water,” said Mr. Lutz, 44. “We had just went through a big recession, it was kind of scary. I thought I better have a Plan B.” For now, he uses the house on vacations, and loans it to family and friends.
In Finca Bellavista, the tree house development, the developers have sold 54 of the 96 available plots, totaling 100 acres, since 2006. Lots average about two acres and are typically priced from $40,000 to $80,000, depending on the location and accessibility.
Buyers purchase the land and the right to build a house in selected trees. At this point, 12 tree houses have been built, connected to the rest of the project by narrow trails, rope ladders and zip lines. Although amenities are few, there is a fiber optic connection to the base camp, as the developers call the headquarters, for owners who are not quite ready to completely discard civilization.
Mr. Angstadt’s custom-designed tree house will have a flushing toilet and a solar-heated hot water shower, in addition to a wide deck and extra high ceilings to accommodate his 6-foot-8 frame.
“I appreciate a good hot shower and I appreciate a flushed toilet,” said Mr. Angstadt, who hopes to start construction on his tree house in early 2015. “But I’m also quite happy out there getting muddy and washing off in the river.”
“It’s not a decision based on the eco-value,” Mr. Alexander said. “They look for both, but the investment comes first.”
Eco-developments also are benefiting from the growing group of buyers in North America concerned about the state of the world economy, local industry executives say.
Osa Mountain Village Resort, located in the mountains along the southern Pacific coast, is billed as “a sustainable, fully functional, food-producing resort community.” In addition to a secluded setting and enticing swimming pools, the resort offers residents a steady supply of fresh fruits, vegetables and other food items.
The availability of an independent food supply is a key component for many buyers, said the developer, Jim Gale. “Without the food production, we’d have 80 percent less sales,” he said. “The main thing is food security.”
Osa has sold more than 100 properties in the last four years, Mr. Gale said. Sixty of the 150 planned homes have been built, with prices ranging from $69,000 for a rustic 250-square-foot house to $259,000 for a 1,200-square-foot condo with full amenities.
In 2011, Dan Lutz, a chiropractor in Minnesota, paid about $125,000 in a pre-construction deal for a 1,300-square-foot apartment. He said he made the purchase because he was concerned that the United States was on an “unsustainable trajectory.”
“As far as I’m concerned, it just made sense to have a piece of real estate where you do have a guaranteed abundance of food, you have guaranteed abundance of water,” said Mr. Lutz, 44. “We had just went through a big recession, it was kind of scary. I thought I better have a Plan B.” For now, he uses the house on vacations, and loans it to family and friends.
In Finca Bellavista, the tree house development, the developers have sold 54 of the 96 available plots, totaling 100 acres, since 2006. Lots average about two acres and are typically priced from $40,000 to $80,000, depending on the location and accessibility.
Buyers purchase the land and the right to build a house in selected trees. At this point, 12 tree houses have been built, connected to the rest of the project by narrow trails, rope ladders and zip lines. Although amenities are few, there is a fiber optic connection to the base camp, as the developers call the headquarters, for owners who are not quite ready to completely discard civilization.
Mr. Angstadt’s custom-designed tree house will have a flushing toilet and a solar-heated hot water shower, in addition to a wide deck and extra high ceilings to accommodate his 6-foot-8 frame.
“I appreciate a good hot shower and I appreciate a flushed toilet,” said Mr. Angstadt, who hopes to start construction on his tree house in early 2015. “But I’m also quite happy out there getting muddy and washing off in the river.”
Read the full story in the New York Times HERE
Growing Vegetables for Asian Markets in Costa Rica
By Jaime Lopez – December 28, 2014 for The Costa Rica Star
Farmers and grocers in Costa Rica sometimes lament certain facts of free trade and globalization; to with: A significant portion of garlic, rice and even black beans, all staples of traditional cuisine in this country, are actually imported from China. Due to the agricultural economic background of Costa Rica, some may consider this to be a trade imbalance; however, some entrepreneurs are taking this situation in stride by growing vegetables traditionally used in Asian cuisine and exporting them to that region.
The following press release is from Naturewalk Farms, a rural business community in Turrubares, located near between the Central Valley and the Central Pacific Coast.
Sustainable Organic Asian Vegetable Production Expands in Naturewalk, Costa Rica
PRLog – Nov. 18, 2014 – JACO, Costa Rica — Over the last 8 months, Naturewalk completed a test growing program, involving 6 varieties of asian specialty vegetables. The results proved very successful with crop growth and yields meeting or exceeding expectation.
These vegetables have been traditionally grown in other parts of Central America and the Caribbean for the North American market. “This is the first large commercialization program of these specialty vegetables to take place in Costa Rica” says Tim Alexander, President of Naturewalk “we are pleased to be adding this strong agricultural component to our activities at Naturewalk. This is a real win for the area in terms of jobs, employment and economic stimulus and of course we are excited to be developing this program at Naturewalk”.
The first of 4,000 Chinese, Indian and Thai eggplants are due to be shipped the third week of November from the nurseries in Grecia. Over a 4 month cycle a total of 90,000 plants will be planted to meet demand for two containers per week shipped to U.S. east coast seaports due to beginning in February 2015. Other vegetable varieties include Thai Hot Pepper, Preeti, Bangana Lina, and Greengo Cucumber.
Participating in the program with technical support and seed stock are East-West Seed Company Limited with head offices in Nonthaburi , Thailand. East West Seed is one of Asia’s leading vegetable seed suppliers distributing high quality seeds to over 60 countries worldwide. East West is supporting Nature Walks program locally with on-the-ground technical expertise through its locally trained agricultural engineers.
Naturewalk Farms, a division of Naturewalk Brands grows a wide variety of tropical produce including Tiquisque, Nampi (Taro), Nami, Vanilla, Ginger Papaya and Organic Pineapple. The Farms, located in the Central Pacific, supply local markets as well as export to North America. Naturewalk is a fully master-planned community of 1200 acres in Turrubares Costa Rica. Owners in Naturewalk own fully serviced lots on which they can have their dream home. Owners further benefit from fully managed crops growing on their land, giving them an income. The master plan for Naturewalk includes a condo hotel, eco hotel, adventure center, equine center and town center with shopping facilities in addition to homes.
For further information visit www.costaricainvest.ie or call USA +1-202-697-9284 or Europe +353-1-272-4184
Farmers and grocers in Costa Rica sometimes lament certain facts of free trade and globalization; to with: A significant portion of garlic, rice and even black beans, all staples of traditional cuisine in this country, are actually imported from China. Due to the agricultural economic background of Costa Rica, some may consider this to be a trade imbalance; however, some entrepreneurs are taking this situation in stride by growing vegetables traditionally used in Asian cuisine and exporting them to that region.
The following press release is from Naturewalk Farms, a rural business community in Turrubares, located near between the Central Valley and the Central Pacific Coast.
Sustainable Organic Asian Vegetable Production Expands in Naturewalk, Costa Rica
PRLog – Nov. 18, 2014 – JACO, Costa Rica — Over the last 8 months, Naturewalk completed a test growing program, involving 6 varieties of asian specialty vegetables. The results proved very successful with crop growth and yields meeting or exceeding expectation.
These vegetables have been traditionally grown in other parts of Central America and the Caribbean for the North American market. “This is the first large commercialization program of these specialty vegetables to take place in Costa Rica” says Tim Alexander, President of Naturewalk “we are pleased to be adding this strong agricultural component to our activities at Naturewalk. This is a real win for the area in terms of jobs, employment and economic stimulus and of course we are excited to be developing this program at Naturewalk”.
The first of 4,000 Chinese, Indian and Thai eggplants are due to be shipped the third week of November from the nurseries in Grecia. Over a 4 month cycle a total of 90,000 plants will be planted to meet demand for two containers per week shipped to U.S. east coast seaports due to beginning in February 2015. Other vegetable varieties include Thai Hot Pepper, Preeti, Bangana Lina, and Greengo Cucumber.
Participating in the program with technical support and seed stock are East-West Seed Company Limited with head offices in Nonthaburi , Thailand. East West Seed is one of Asia’s leading vegetable seed suppliers distributing high quality seeds to over 60 countries worldwide. East West is supporting Nature Walks program locally with on-the-ground technical expertise through its locally trained agricultural engineers.
Naturewalk Farms, a division of Naturewalk Brands grows a wide variety of tropical produce including Tiquisque, Nampi (Taro), Nami, Vanilla, Ginger Papaya and Organic Pineapple. The Farms, located in the Central Pacific, supply local markets as well as export to North America. Naturewalk is a fully master-planned community of 1200 acres in Turrubares Costa Rica. Owners in Naturewalk own fully serviced lots on which they can have their dream home. Owners further benefit from fully managed crops growing on their land, giving them an income. The master plan for Naturewalk includes a condo hotel, eco hotel, adventure center, equine center and town center with shopping facilities in addition to homes.
For further information visit www.costaricainvest.ie or call USA +1-202-697-9284 or Europe +353-1-272-4184
See the full story in The Costa Rica Star HERE
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