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This was meant to be a reply to a previous post.
Edited on Apr 27, 2007 13:12
Edited on Apr 27, 2007 13:13
South beach? You mean we’ll be seeing $200,000 cars, hookers, and drugs available on every corner? Remember the Will Smith song? If it’s going to be another South Beach I can stay in Florida and skip the 2 hour flight!
While you might be doing well on the investment end… how about quality of life… and how about a little bit of the low cost, slow paced, simple life many of us came to Costa Rica seeking? With real estate prices going up so quickly… so does the price of everything else. In no time at all… Jaco will seem as if it’s in another country… and NOT Costa Rica!
In January a buddy and I were fishing on Lake Arenal… we came across two Ticos enjoying a day at the lake fishing… we started chatting… both worked in Jaco… they had taken the day off to come up to Arenal to fish… neither had a good word to say about Jaco… drugs, many prostitutes, nasty people, and expensive….they were only there to work… two nice young guys… nothing to gain with expressing an opinion about the area… so if that’s how the locals feel… one can only wonder!
I’ve been to Jaco… was a nice area… but other then looking to flip property for a profit (remember the bigger fool theory) it’s nothing like it use to be!
I do hope that the local government does something about the development and the growing pains that Jaco is seeing…
Just my opinion…
Thanks for your opinion. South Beach may have been a bad comparison!
I also came to Costa Rica to enjoy low cost, slow paced, simple life & most of all GREAT SURF. I saw an opportunity in Jaco & went for it – I couldn’t be happier with the results. Sorry you are so bitter about “development” but that’s life & it’s gonna happen regardless if you or I buy a condo in Jaco. Honestly, from the footage I’ve seen the development has been cleaning Jaco up in major way. They are even financing a daily effort to keep the beach clean & focusing on more police.
Just my opinion!
in response to Imexploring post:
Imexploring you completely contrdict yourself an have no idea what you are speaking of. I am a local in Jaco and love it very much. The developers are giving Ticos jobs (like your amigos u met fishing). Jobs provide a better quality of life that you speak of. Jobs also keep people from dealing and doing drugs and stealing from gringos like you.
Esteban
No arguement from me Esteban… as I said the two fellows I met up in Arenal were in Jaco for the work… and that’s great. The problems I mentioned are what THEY saw in the area. And YES… it does improve the quality of life for the Tico’s in Jaco… but when the price of everything go up as much as real estate… do you REALLY think that my Tico friends will be able to live in the area? I’d like to think they could… but let’s be real! They won’t be able to buy a house, rent a home… or be anything other than low paid employees in a resort… that’s NOT what most of use want for our tico neighbors. When we price out or friends and neighbors… we lose the true beauty of CR!
The LARGE gap between the have’s and have not’s is what causes people to steal and deal drugs… and I’m sure that even YOU would agree that the gap is getting larger and larger in areas like Jaco!
As for development… I know it’s a fact of life… but I think eveyone would agree that it’s out of control in many areas of CR… so much so that the government is trying to get a handle on it before it leads to further social and enviormental problems.
The current electrial problems are an example… CR, up until very recently, was a NET exporter of electric… and now… they can’t keep the lights on in CR! And the water and sewage problems are another problem we’ll all be dealing with VERY shortly!
I hope that clears things up a bit!
Edited on Apr 27, 2007 19:23
hmmm is it afact of life? Do you think there is a way that CR could curve development such as changing laws?
Maybe if CR would cut the amount of land that could be sold to foreigners this might be able to curb developments?
You are correct Lotus. It has been like that for as long as I can remember just like all the other populated towns in Costa Rica. I agree with hooven that the development is cleaning jaco up. Examples are new roads, nice restruants, cleaner beaches, more police, better schools, etc….
Hi Esteban… No I’ not in the real estate business… my wife and I own a home in CR and some other real estate in different parts of the country… we’re not in the business nor do we flip property… I’m a buy and hold guy. I don’t have anything to gain (or lose) with my observations about real estate. We have many Tico friends of all backgrounds and enjoy seeing them do well. We enjoy them as freinds and family… and above all enjoy calling them our neighbors. And we listen when they talk.
I understand your opinion about Jaco… and I’m glad that it is bringing jobs to the ticos in the area. Jaco is an example of what is going on in many beach areas of CR. Properties being flipped by investors with NO real interest in the area or the people. Much like the real estate market in the US. And when the music stops and the market runs out of gas… what then?
The real problem is balancing the development and economic gains with the social and enviormental problems. Water, sewage, and now… electrical problems are what I’m addressing. The idea of limiting investors from outside CR won’t work… but CR must make this growth problem an issue. People have always complained about the roads in CR… now where hearing about water and sewage problems while we sit in the dark without electric. Is that what you wish to trade for the jobs this growth creates?
In the southern area in the OSA region I believe they have placed a freeze on new approvals… trying to catch up and look at the overall picture with delvelopment. When you have developers pushing projects without proper approvals figuring it’s easier to deal with being caught… or using the arguement “but we’re bring jobs to the people” defense… you have a problem. Just as in the US… developers, investors, and real estate people pushed the market… strip malls everywhere… all in the name of jobs and growth… but one has to wonder about their intent… think about it… they have a vested interest… they want the profit… if their actions destroy an area… and it’s people… do they really care… NOT ONE MINUTE… they’re gone… profit taken… on to another “project”
I have to ask Esteban… are you really a Tico… or are you a gringo in the real estate business? Seems your writing has improved much and it’s odd that a tico would be on a CR board talking about these issues?
I’d love to see Jaco become another South Beach with only the good things for all… but chances are that when their done “developing” the area and flipping the condos until they all sell for $500,000+… not many of the folks buying there will have any interest in you and the other ticos that built the area… your usefulness will have been used up… it’s a funny thin about people with big money…. they very rarely have folks around them without…
To each his own…
Hola
You make some good very speculative points. I am a proud well educated jaco local that was offended by your comments about my home town. Not all builders are in jaco to rape and pillage the land. Some actually care about the people and infrastructure of the town. I could list about 20 FACTS or examples of what builders and the chamber of commerce is doing to improve the quality of life and education for ticos in jaco area.I have done research on the infrastructure of jaco keeping up with development and jaco is doing a excellent job.
I think we both have made are points but one last question. You are not a Tico and you have bought properties in Costa Rica so in my eyes you yourself have contributed to the problem you speak of…
You would be surprised how many Ticos are on this website. I know a few in Jaco/Playa Hermosa, I was asking how do you know this or where did you hear that? Then they tell me that website “We Love Costa Rica”! There are also Ticos building homes for “gringos” and running there own small construction companies. It is all word of mouth, no big signs up or ads in the Tico Times.
You are correct again Lotus. Ticos are not all helpless like they were made out to be in some of the comments. Some are capitalizing on the development that is occuring.
Pura Vida!
Hey Esteban,
It sounds like you really are on top of things… that’s great! Take an active role in your community and be sure that the needs of your friends and neighbors are ALWAYS looked after! Ticos are intelligent and hard working… and the economic boom has many good things… and some bad! Keep Jaco a place that both ticos and gringos can afford!
There’s no doubt there are many people out there looking to make quick money with no real concern for the local folks… I think we can agree on that!
I wouldn’t go as far to say it’s an economic boom. maybe for investors and developers,yes. but at 20 bucks A day the work force is never gonna be able to survive.would you like #’s from an eavsdropper? land in bulk,650 an acre, sold in lots at 60,000
to 188,000. now the home built for less than american prices,sold for american prices and the labor 1/12th what we get in the states for tradesman.jaco is beautiful. it’s great, had it been left to it’s own devices.somethings gotta give. for property owners that didn’t build for themselves, you just short of used/implemented slave force mentality. your builder and developer exploited some one for something. you didn’t win anything but someone sure lost.bet they’re not american or canadian or germen or french.
that said, how bout A rally to bring up the pay scale so’s these kind folks can compete in A market they never asked for?
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