Discover Costa Rica Spring 2008

8/14/2019 Discover Costa Rica Spring 2008

1/8

Discover

Your BEST

Investment

South of

the Border !

Inside:Learn why

Canadians areflocking to

COSTA RICA...AND How YOU Can Too!

Adventure:Keeping up with

The Jones.

F R E E

S p r i n g 2 0 0 8


2/8

Come Fly with Me!

Content s : Page 3 -

Costa Rican

History:More than just a

hill of beans.

Costa Rica

Real Estate:

A Solid Investment.

Page 4&

5 -

Page 6 -

WhatCanadiansare sayingabout

Costa Rica!

Page 7 -

Adventure

Tours:Ready for theTime of Your Life?

Did you

know:Foreigners enjoy

equal land purchasingrights as native

Costa Ricans by law!

Why Costa Rica?Why Not!If you havent had a chance to go to Costa Rica or haventthought about it yet, you probably know someone who has...or is on theirway! Canadians now make up one of the largest vacationing groupsand excited new investors in TheGolden Destination...and CostaRica couldnt be more pleased! In

under 7 hours you could be lyingon the beach in a paradise whereamazing adventures await, manyinvestment opportunities are still to

be found, and the food could notbe more fresh (try the papaya!)Todays growth and interest in

Costa Rica is akin to theexcitement Hawaii enjoyedduring the 1980s and with

the strength of the Loonie asit is right now, theres never

been a better time toDISCOVER COSTA RICA!

Lisa Jo - Editor Lisa@ 2008CostaRica.comThomas Ryan Ward - Copy and Design Ryan@ 2008CostaRica.com

w w w . 2 0 0 8 C o s t a R i c a . c o m1 - 8 8 8 - 5 0 2 - 6 5 1 9 o r


3/8

:

More than Just a Hill of Beans.

Costa Rica is a democratic Central Americancountry bordered to the north by Nicaragua,Panama to the south, and cradled betweenthe mighty Pacific Ocean andthe majestic Caribbean. TheNicoya Peninsula, whichextends like the thumb ofa mitten on the countryswest coast, was the last

area explored by theSpanish conquistadoresin the sixteenth century.Christopher Columbus vis-ited Costa Rica on his fourthand final voyage to The NewWorld in 1502 and gave thecountry its modern name,mistakenly believing it

was rich with preciousmetals. Thankfully CostaRicas location affordedit relative isolation fromcontrol by the SpanishCrown and saved its peo-ple from the slave laborexperienced by many of its

northern neighbors. Ticos andTicas, terms the native peoplesproudly refer to themselves as,deriving from unique linguis-tic twists to their Spanish(Costa Ricans might saymomentico instead ofmomentito, etc.), learnedto work their lands, and

over time, developeda rural democracy. In1821 Costa Rica officiallyproclaimed itself sovereign,

breaking from Spain, and movedtheir capital city to San Jos.

Costa Rica boasts a richmelting pot of cultures

thanks to its peoples invitingand care-free attitude whichcan be summed up in a pop-

ular phrase, Pura Vida!, liter-ally meaning, Pure Life. Many

Canadians, Americans, Europe-ans and other peoples have flocked

to Costa Rica over the past fiftyyears, making life in The Gold-

en Destination comfortableno matter where you comefrom. Costa Ricans moveddirectly from an agrariansociety to a service orientedsociety- this societal jump

may have actually savedtheir precious ecological and

biological environments fromthe ravages experienced by manyindustrialized nations while their

economy enjoyed a boost froman influx of foreign monies.

Today Costa Rica enjoyseven further successes,attracting companies such as

Intel and Hewlett Packard,ensuring its place as the best

investment South of the Border.


4/8

Costa Rica Real Estate:A Solid Investment.

-Robert Irvin, investment specialist / developer

People who have never visited Costa Rica always ask me the same threequestions. Is it safe? How is the medical care? Is the real estate market going up?On December 14th of 2007, the Wall Street Journal reported on a phenomenon thatCanadians and Americans also are beginning to discover. According to the article: Thehousing slump has sent many Americans shopping south of the border. Existing-homeprices... are still climbing in much of Latin America and the Caribbean. In San Pedro,Belize, the average price of a 2,200-square-foot home was $697,500 in September,up 18.6% from a year ago, according to a study by Coldwell Banker; the price of asimilar property in San Jose, Costa Rica, was up 20.7%, to $389,900, the study said.

Costa Rica has been popular for years because of its stable democracy, friendly people,beautiful beaches and stunning biodiversity. Starting with the 2003 opening of The FourSeason Resort in Guanacaste, along the Pacific Northwest coast, direct internationalflights to the Pacific Northwest have increased exponentially, driving an investment boom.Available airline seats are up 26% over last year. What is new in 2008 is a policy changethat looks to drive real estate values up even further. Real estate deals are transacted in

U.S. dollars. Inflation in Costa Rica traditionally has been high when measured in the localcurrency, the colon, but low when measured in U.S. dollars. In 2007, according to officialgovernment statistics, www.inec.go.cr, Costa Ricas general price inflation was 10.81%.Construction cost inflation (for construction of houses) was slightly higher, at 11.48%. Themain newspaper, La Nacion, calls for 15% construction price inflation this year, in colones.

U.S. dollar price inflation was historically low because of a creeping devaluation of thecolon against the dollar. This devaluation ended in 2007; from January through Novemberthe colon was virtually unchanged against the dollar. On November 23, the dollar lost

almost 4% of its value against the colon. Since then, the dollar has gained back most, but

Costa Rica Real Estate:A Solid Investment.


5/8

Learn more about investing in Costa Rica and Roberts

development atwww.TheOaksTamarindo.com

not all of the loss, remaining about 1% below where it was late last year. What doesthis mean for a buyer who pays U.S. dollars? Just this. In order to purchase the sameconstruction one year from now, it is prudent to count on annual construction cost inflation of

15%, plus or minus, measured in dollars. What does this mean for a developer?It is equallyprudent to raise prices by 15%, more or less, during 2008, just to stay even. And this doesnot take into account inflation in land prices, driven by the same forces, plus supply anddemand. No wonder, then, that prices were up 20% in 2007, according to the WSJ article.

Does this make sense? If you are my age, you have been there before. Wheninflation was roaring in the United States in the 1970s, real estate was your refuge. Theconsumer price index was going up in double digits annually, and real estate was

going up even more. In inflationary times, you want to own hard assets. Like real estate.And since real estate prices move in long cycles, you dont want to bargain hunt in a fallingmarket (trying to catch a falling knife), you want to buy in a rising market, with the wind inyour sails. What about a buyer who pays Canadian dollars? Economic Nirvana. A PerfectStorm. The Loonie has risen by about 50% against the U.S. dollar over the past five years,from 65 cents to parity, making this an interesting time to buy Costa Rica real estate- priced inU.S. dollars. Combine this with no capital gains taxes and a ridiculously low of 1% annualreal estate tax rate, and the Canadian investors stage is set. Now mix in a price of around$200 per square foot, compared to Canadian prices of around $500 per square foot. If you

havent planned your exploratory trip, maybe you should. NEXT TIME: MEDICAL


6/8

I am the owner of two small businesses, a fishing lodge in Port Renfrew anda Bed & Breakfast (www.arbutuscoveguesthouse.com) in Sooke, B.C. Onthe advice of some friends who have a club in Canada and own a resort atthe tip of Costa Rica, my wife, young son, and I traveled to Tamarindo, CostaRica recently and discovered the beautiful Oaks development. It was a greatplace to get away during the colder months. We left for Costa Rica at justthe right time to enjoy their dry weather in November while we are havingwet weather here in B.C. While in Tamarindo, we met many interesting,international people and enjoyed the local estuary tour, zip-lining in thecanopy, and snorkeling in the Pacific Ocean. I would suggest Costa Rica toany fellow Canadian interested in travel or investment, especially The Oaks

because of the high caliber management and the property itself. Its a greatholiday location.

What Canadians are saying about Costa Rica:

- Mike Hicks, business owner

Six months in Canada, Six months in Costa Rica... its a no brainer!

- Ken Shew / Drayton Valley, Alberta

I love it in Costa Rica! There are some many things to see and do.

- Kathy H. / Vancouver Island, B.C.

Being in Costa Rica is like stepping into a postcard, you are surrounded byeye-popping beauty and some of the friendliest people in the world. I cantwait to go back when the weather gets cold again!

- Thomas W. / Calgary, Alberta

Ah, fresh papaya, mangos, bananas, the local favorite Shrimp in Avocado,and monkeys...lots and lots of Monkeys!

- Cassie S. / Edmonton, Alberta

My husband and I went to Costa Rica this past winter and had the time ofour lives! The trip into Liberia airport from Edmonton was a quick and easy 5hours with no stops, the food was some of the freshest and most delicious wehave ever tried (even foods I had never had before), and the people couldnthave been more friendly and helpful! Were glad we invested in Costa Rica inour retirement and can come back any time we like! I never thought I wouldbe traveling on white-water rapids or repelling down waterfalls at my age!

- Judi F. / Edmonton, Alberta


7/8

Where can you see lush tropical rainforestsand white sandy beaches, active volcanoesand natural hot springs, enjoy zip-liningthrough tree canopies then do a night out onthe town with fine cuisines from nearly everyculture without leaving a few kilometers fromyour doorstep? Costa Rica of course!

Its true. For those looking for the unforgetta-

ble adventure of a lifetime (the kind most canonly see in a movie theatre) without fear ofbreaking the bank, Costa Rica is THE spot foryou. Here are some incredible images of themany adventure opportunities you will enjoywhen you come to Costa Rica!

If youd like to learn more or book atour, call us at 1-888-502-6519.

ADVENTURE...Included!

Did you

know:

Costa Rica, only51100 sq. km large,holds just over 4%

of the PlanetsBiodiversity!


8/8

World Class... Diving

Golf

Sunsets

Natural Wonder

Rentals & Investments

And much more...

Let us be your guide.

GreenSealRealty.com

Documents

Discover Costa Rica Spring 2008