Well, by now I am sure you have all heard about the story. Not sure whether it was CNN or MSNBC, but the report was clear: Costa Rica just earned the number one spot on the Happy Planet Index.
That makes me feel better. After nearly 12 years of living in Costa Rica, someone worthy of a CNN report has justified my decision to be in Costa Rica. I was seriously doubting my life for a while there, but it all makes sense now. You can certainly understand my confusion I am sure... First and foremost, although I met my wife and have a beautiful daughter and one on the way, I was still not convinced that one could be happy down here.... With a successful and growing business, I was not convinced that happiness could be achieved. With a lifestyle hard to achieve in most parts of the world, I was still not sure about the place that I call home.
But, here comes a report on CNN. I can finally sleep at night. I can finally wake up in the morning with an ear to ear grin. And it has nothing to do with the gorgeous backdrop, the tropical weather, the laid back lifestyle, my lovely family...it is all thanks to our good friends at the Happy Planet Index, who I now cordially invite to my real estate office, where I ensure we can make them even happier :)
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
This one Makes a Fire look Cold
Well, all of us abuse the term...Fire Sale. A term too often used by agents and sellers to pawn anything that has been reduced from an already overpriced property back to a realistic level.
Not this one. A hectare of land, at the peak of the mountain in Escazu, offering dizzying panoramic views of the entire city, central valley and surrounding mountains...A breathtaking estate, private entrance, surrounded by coffee plantations, 600 sq meters of construction including a master suite designed main home, a guest quarters, employee's quarters, plenty of room for expansion....
JUST REDUCED From $1,050,000 to $525,000! Yes, and there is nothing wrong with it....Buy now, remodel, hold, move in, no way to go wrong on this one...
Check it out:
http://www.2costaricarealestate.com/San_Jose/Central_Valley/Homes/Escazu/Escazu/Agent/Listing_696861.html
Not this one. A hectare of land, at the peak of the mountain in Escazu, offering dizzying panoramic views of the entire city, central valley and surrounding mountains...A breathtaking estate, private entrance, surrounded by coffee plantations, 600 sq meters of construction including a master suite designed main home, a guest quarters, employee's quarters, plenty of room for expansion....
JUST REDUCED From $1,050,000 to $525,000! Yes, and there is nothing wrong with it....Buy now, remodel, hold, move in, no way to go wrong on this one...
Check it out:
http://www.2costaricarealestate.com/San_Jose/Central_Valley/Homes/Escazu/Escazu/Agent/Listing_696861.html
Monday, July 6, 2009
Psychology of Buying Real Estate
In these unique times as some markets drop, other show signs of increased value and therefore start to show signs of stability, I have been forced to watch an entirely new side of my clients...Their heads. Yes, it is is tough to look in there, but it seems like people are now wearing their neurons on their sleeves, and although thoughts, logic, and decision making are always the key factor in making smart real estate decisions, this aspect is being taken to an entirely different level.
In our office, we deal with a wide variety of clients from residential buyers, commercial developers, transnational businesses, retirees, speculative investors and every other category that you can imagine. In today's market, each one's analysis of the market, in conjunction with the education and insight of our team of professionals, has become more intriguing.
With our international buyers, no one wants to be guilty of buying the wrong property, at the wrong time in the wrong place...the brunt of the dinner jokes, the cocktail party, the business meeting or the guys' night out. At the same time, with opportunities that have risen from the challenging market, no one, either, wants to miss that deal....You know the one...the one that everyone looks back on and says, yeah that was a no brainer. I wish I would have done that. Man, he's so lucky, he picked that up for a song....Of course he's happy, he got a great deal and bought that in yesterday's market...
Well, you gotta make a move, to make a buck. I know, easier said from the real estate broker, than the one forking out the money. The true success in real estate comes from buyers who find a broker or agent that they can really trust. A PROFESSIONAL in any business, is the best company that you can find. Many people erroneously believe that by digging on their own, they will somehow gain the insight and knowledge that a real estate professional has learned both in their studies, and in their extensive experience. A real broker/agent should take the time to truly understand your investment criteria, before "selling" you anything. Finding the right trusted advisor can make or break your investment, and the right one, can cut through weeks and months of research, and take your investment goals and turn them into a reality.
For the clients who are out in the market place today, if you do not have the trust and confidence in your agent to tell him your realistic goals, realistic expectations, budget parameters, then you are probably not working with the one that is best for you. Once you feel that level of trust, know that your agent works for you and that you should find comfort in knowing that when he brings that opportunity to you, along with your own analysis, you want to pay attention as those true opportunities may not come back around.
I know these are not easy decisions. They require time, patience, care and often times, life savings. A professional will understand this, and will guide you through the process, and seek out the property that not only fits your criteria, but falls into your timeline so that you can buy the rihgt property, in the right place, at the right time.
In our office, we deal with a wide variety of clients from residential buyers, commercial developers, transnational businesses, retirees, speculative investors and every other category that you can imagine. In today's market, each one's analysis of the market, in conjunction with the education and insight of our team of professionals, has become more intriguing.
With our international buyers, no one wants to be guilty of buying the wrong property, at the wrong time in the wrong place...the brunt of the dinner jokes, the cocktail party, the business meeting or the guys' night out. At the same time, with opportunities that have risen from the challenging market, no one, either, wants to miss that deal....You know the one...the one that everyone looks back on and says, yeah that was a no brainer. I wish I would have done that. Man, he's so lucky, he picked that up for a song....Of course he's happy, he got a great deal and bought that in yesterday's market...
Well, you gotta make a move, to make a buck. I know, easier said from the real estate broker, than the one forking out the money. The true success in real estate comes from buyers who find a broker or agent that they can really trust. A PROFESSIONAL in any business, is the best company that you can find. Many people erroneously believe that by digging on their own, they will somehow gain the insight and knowledge that a real estate professional has learned both in their studies, and in their extensive experience. A real broker/agent should take the time to truly understand your investment criteria, before "selling" you anything. Finding the right trusted advisor can make or break your investment, and the right one, can cut through weeks and months of research, and take your investment goals and turn them into a reality.
For the clients who are out in the market place today, if you do not have the trust and confidence in your agent to tell him your realistic goals, realistic expectations, budget parameters, then you are probably not working with the one that is best for you. Once you feel that level of trust, know that your agent works for you and that you should find comfort in knowing that when he brings that opportunity to you, along with your own analysis, you want to pay attention as those true opportunities may not come back around.
I know these are not easy decisions. They require time, patience, care and often times, life savings. A professional will understand this, and will guide you through the process, and seek out the property that not only fits your criteria, but falls into your timeline so that you can buy the rihgt property, in the right place, at the right time.
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