Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Is there any source of recent real esate sales figures to compare Mel’s listing against? Just curious to know what has sold in the high, high dollar range and where — especially homes, not raw land for development. Anyone know how many properties have sold (or are listed) above $3 million in the last 2 or 3 years — arbitrary dollar amount I picked, btw.
We entered the deals in 2006 with a good understanding of the risks involved. Our attorney made it clear that concession property was inherently risky. We’ve not engaged the lawyer since then on the matter, since we’ve been focused on other investments and projects. Since people were finally receiving their concesssions in Palo Seco we were optimistic about our own coming up soon….but since the market crash etc. it seems that there’s been far less discussion of the entire topic — seems like everyone is on hold. Wondering if it’s best to escalate our conversations beyond the MUNI level at this point– but not sure who or where to start the conversation with in MINEA or elsewhere. Given the market situation, you would THINK it would be in the interest of the gov’t to empower folks like us who are waiting for concessions in order to invest in development. Everyday that goes by without a concession, is another day Palo Seco and Costa Rica is deprived of potential investment dollars…..
Does anyone have any updates on this concession situation in Palo Seco? We closed on two lots on the back road in 2006 and have been waiting to receive our concessions on both these lots ever since. Marvin at the municipality at one point said they were coming (round 2008-2009) but then he changed his tune and said whoever had done the enviromental plan for Palo Seco had made a mistake and did not include the back road and that only the lots on the main beach road were being given concessions until the Plan Regulator could be updated. We’ve since inquired as to progress on the concessions, and get shrugged shoulder responses from the municipality. We’re not sure if Marvin knows or has any authority in this regard any more, but would be curious to hear from others who may know the situation. It’s important for the value of everyone’s property on Palo Seco that the back road lots be concessioned — especially given the beach destruction that’s happened on the far end by Timari etc. We need to be able to develop this widest part of Palo Seco to avoid having Palo Seco be further disregarded by the government.
Thoughts, adivce, insight or any news much appreciated!
Thanks.I have heard from a friend who lives in Parrita that many people who have applied for concesssions in Palo Seco who have lots on the front road are now receiving them, while others with lots on the back road are still waiting because of a mistake with the zoning plan that’s being corrected. Are there any members who can confirm this? Exciting news if this is the case …. progress in Palo Seco!!!
Marvin doesn’t speak much English…. our discussions have all been in Spanish, and I’m with a native speaker when we talk…he had mentioned that other areas north of Palo Seco had started to receive concessions, so we assumed it was Bandera, Esterillos etc……but I also heard on here about someone who got their Palo Seco concession. Seems to me if there’s no ready zoning plan, nobody should be receiving them yet ….but everyone has their own story…Sally who owns La Isla said to me at one point it was all approved and we simply needed to get our building permits ….Marvin didn’t seem to concur when we asked him abou that in January …..so we wait until further notice….
Blago will be the biggest snake in the jungle if he gets dropped into Costa Rica…heard he’s going to make $80K per week he’s on the show, if the judge let’s him leave town for a while…evidently he needs to do this to cover his court costs …next he’ll be trying to escape from a U.S. jail….that would be the better reality show.
I’m not sure what that means “start a zoning plan” …when I talked to Marvin last in January he said the Plano Regulador had been done but a mistake had been made by not including the back road of Palo Seco so they were waiting on receiving a revised one from MINEA or whichever group did that aspect of the process. Is that different from the “zoning plan”? I’ll gone online and see if I can find the AM Costa Rica article you referred to …this is all so confusing. I also heard that some people have received their concessions in Palo Seco, which I also can’t undertand how that can happen, if we’re all supposedly waiting on the zoning plan ………..makes my head spin! Thanks again for any new knowledge or hearsay….
Yes it’s great that people here offer so much personal knowledge … does anyone happen to know about the status of concessions just one beach down in Palo Seco?
jo — I do have a question for YOU, sorry I can ‘t provide an answer to your question…but the $2000 tax seems very high. I’m wondering if you can tell me the size of the lot and location on Palo Seco. I am trying to anticipate what the tax on my lots might be …. I have one on the back road that’s about 1,000 square meters and have an interest in another on the ocean road that backs to the estuary that is about 1200 square meters. How do these lots compare in size and location to yours…my taxes are about $100 each a year right now….thanks for any insight you can provide…hope to meet you as a neighbor one day soon!
minuit — I can not offer you the numbers help you are asking for. But I am happy to hear you did receive your concession at last. I’ve been waiting for three years for a concession in Palo Seco myself — I heard from Marvin Moira this past January that the Plan Regulador was submitted incorrectly (no zoning for the back road) and that it would likely be another year for concessions ….so that you got yours is a good sign. How long did you wait in total? Any tips for moving it along? I did hear in January that the reason so many properties in Palo Seco were for sale was the fear of the “big taxes” that were coming along with the concessions. There was an article in the Tico Times about Maltapalo beach town getting hit with huge increases last year when some folks got their concessions. Not sure if this is the situation too in Parrita. I did notice that very few places in Bujuco and Esterillos on the beaches (concession land) seemed for sale in comparison to Palo Seco, so I’m not sure what’s up there. Anyone have any insight or information? Has Tesoro all but come to a halt? I did hear the fiber optic cable that was going to be installed on the island was stolen — which is terrible. Who knows when it may be delivered again!? Again, congrats on getting your concession — you could probably write a “how-to” book and recoup the added annual cost for your taxes in sales to the rest of us still waiting in line. My ultimate hope is that the government changes the Martime Zone laws and converts this all to titled property down the road, at least the 250 meter zone where construction and “ownership” is allowed.
debate or discussion …personally, I’d like one small home in the central valley up in the steep hills of Los Angeles of San Ramon … and a bloody concession to build my place in beautiful, hot, humid, secluded, pristine, buggy, cowy, monkey…y Palo Seco … anyone got any info or updates on the status of concessions in the Central Pacific!!?
Stan,
Your posting caught my attention for several reasons. My partner (a Costa Rican national) and I recently purchased two lots in Palo Seco on which we hope to build in the next few years and are particularly interested in purchasing more property in the Parrita area. So, your question is obviously of interest.His cousin, a contractor who lived for years with his family in Playa Hermosa, recently moved to Parrita. This may be a long shot, but he may be able to offer you either help or an inside edge on finding the help you need. I’m not clear what his plans are or why he moved to Parrita, but, we’ll touch base with him and see if he shows any interest in pursuing this.
You can reach me on this list serve or on my work email at Neil@jamagency.com.
Best,
Neil Griffin — Washington, DCthanks again Koty, let’s definitely plan on speaking and taking this conversation offline, unless others are interested in our Palo Seco updates! I would very much like to talk to you. Do you live in the US? I live in Washington, DC — my partner is closing NOW – this moment — on the first parcel which appears to be right around the corner from where you are…It should all be final today.
The other parcel I’m worried about given the road situation. I love stone and natural materials, but don’t think I’d like a paved living room…
thanks Koty, this information is very insightful. What do you consider a LONG TIME – a year, two, more? I know you’d just be guessing…the two lots I’ve got options are as follows:
The first is the area just to left of the restuarant/bar as you enter the beach area. The lot was divided into three parcels, I’m currently suppose to close on the middle parcel, but have concerns about its size as it’s only been measured by the front mahone, and we were unable to locate the back mahone. At just 525 square meters, I’m fearful it may be reduced based on the location of the back mahone…so we’re doing more research on that…the front mahone actually extends to the other side of the road, but, I doubt we’d be able to petition to have the road moved so that our land was actually expanded. But, who knows, maybe when the road is paved, if that happens.
The other lot is on the road in back of the main road where you take a left about midway down between the restuarant at the beginning and Timarai toward the end…take a quick left and then another left and the lot is next to a small blue house and across the street from a local family who watches over it…it’s a bit of a dumping ground now, but it’s about 1,000 square meters and has a well. There’s a empty lot to the other side and a house for sale just down the street toward the end of that road.
We like Palo Seco very very much and would love to build there both a nice beach property and a nice community of people who can help each other and watch over properties etc. My partners family lives in San Ramon and with 15 children, they’re ready, able and willing to clean up the lot and watch over it — as well as use it for camping etc. until a building permit is granted.
You can email me directly at Neil@jamagency.com — and I’ll also continue to monitor this thread.
I would also be very intersted in titled land opportunties in palo seco — there must only be a few and I suspect they’re very close this second property I mentioned only further back toward the mangrove…
thanks again for your insight. Neil — Washington, DC
