Comments on: A Brief History of Real Estate in The Zone

By: loren_wendel

loren_wendel — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 16:32:20 +0000

Part 3) Besides the views, the aspect that we plan on emphasizing is that the elevation (1100 m?), while a little farther from the beach, is a heck of a lot more comfortable, because the clouds roll in and out from about 10 in the morning, acting like a natural air conditioner, while the climate near the beach is too damned hot to live in. Do you think this is accuratea good selling point? What do you think we could get right now for a 2400 sf house on 5 acres with a big ocean view? Please contact me via email, there are a couple more questions I'd like to ask you in private. Thanks!

By: loren_wendel

loren_wendel — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 16:30:49 +0000

Part 2)We do have access to a road to Uvita, but the last time I rove it it was pretty scary (the government 'fixed' it last year, which I know because they helped themselves to a bunch of our rock to do it). Our strategy is to hold it at least until the Quepos – Dominical road is completed, and probably until at least the first phase of the new airport is completed, after which we are thinking of bullding a spec house on a 5 to 10 acre good ocean view lot, and selling, and slowly repeating this process, trying to conserve as many lots as possible for when the airport is expanded to accomodate the jumbo jets. My questions to you are 1) Do you think what we paid was a good deal,or at least a reasonable price (if not, what do you think would have been)? 2) Is this a sound business strategy? Do you think we should wait for the Jumbo Jets? Do you think we should wait for the Airport at all?

By: loren_wendel

loren_wendel — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 16:28:37 +0000

Part 1) We purchase 38 hectares 5 years ago (from this August) for $335,000, and added 4 hectares for $80,000 three years ago, for a total of 42 hectares, plus we spent about $35,000 putting in roads. The property is near, but not on, the high point of the mountains above Uvita, near Aguas Bienes, and has about 1000 meters of ridgeline, plus a lot of relatively flat land behind that, plus 8 or 9 hectares that is past the rige, and has a slope, but it's not real steep, and has a lot of potential view sites. The view is stunning, including everything from the Manuel Antonio to the Osa Peninsulas, including Three Sisters and Cano Islands (Cano on a clear day). The Whale's Tail, however, is mostly blocked by a mountain farther down the road towards the beach.

By: David Goodridge

David Goodridge — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 14:51:36 +0000

Good information, Ben.

By: Claudia Gonella

Claudia Gonella — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 18:22:23 +0000

Great content! This kind of price transparency and historical perspective is exactly what buyers need to make informed real estate investing decisions.