2012 Marks The Beginning of The Best Year In Lake Arenal Real Estate History

2011 was an exceptional year for real estate at Lake Arenal, the best to date in the history of the Lake. 2012 looks like it will top 2011 if January is any indication of what is to come.

Inspite of the worsening world economy, political problems, record debts, rumors of war, which is in fact one of the prime factors driving this rush to find a safe haven before the situation worsens or even a total collapse, which many world renowned economists have prognosed.

Costa Rica and Lake Arenal in particular with the tremendous promotion and exposure Patthfinder/Internationa Living is giving us is one of the fastest growing areas in all of Central America and the activity is growing and will eventually develop into one of the greatest places to live in the Western Hemisphere.

All the ingredients are here, the perfect climate, no heating or air conditioning, the 50 square mile pristine Lake, the proximity to the Liberia International Airport and the beaches, the friendly people, the low crime rate, the neutrality of Costa Rica, the energy self sufficiency and all the benefits of being a resident of  Costa Rica.
Better than this is that the developers that are here are all concerned about how the growth occurs, not with an uncaring quick buck attitude, but all realizing that Lake Arenal is someplace very special and has to maintain its connection to the beauty and the nature of this jewel and not let it get swallowed up in a rush of unplanned development.

We here at Moran Real Estate are on the front lines to see that Lake Arenal stays the exceptional gem it is.
Now is the time, while prices are still low and while I can still say undiscovered, to find your place in this paradise.

We look forward to hearing from you and meeting you here soon.

Moran Real Estate
Shiela
Juan
Bob and Terry

Moran Real Estate Almost 60 Years of Tropical Real Estate Excellence

Pathfinder/International Living - The Greatest Name in World Real Estate Values

Blessed are those that can give without remembering and receive without forgetting.

Five Things to Do In Arenal

It's a dramatically beautiful setting with lots to do... and low-priced properties

Dear Reader,
Arenal's a little hidden corner of Costa Rica, with a dramatically beautiful setting. Lush green hills and mountains curl around a wide,deep-blue lake. The show-stealer sits lakeside. It's a cone-shaped volcano, with smooth purple slopes rising skywards, its peak ringed by clouds. The scale of the views- the huge lake, the high volcano, the impressive mountains- contrasts sharply with the small towns and little farms scattered across the landscape.
It's not just the setting that draws a growing number of expats and property buyers to Arenal. The serene, placid, unhurried pace of life attracts them, too. Factor in low property prices, and Arenal's appeal becomes obvious.
More on the low property prices in a moment. But first, five things you'll enjoy if you visit Arenal...
#1, Water Sports. At 26 miles long, Lake Arenal will win over water sports fans. You can try swimming, water-skiing, sailing, kayaking, wind-surfing or fishing. Close by, you can swim in waterfalls, or try your hand at white-water rafting.
If you prefer dry land, you can explore the cloud forest and national parks that surround the lake...go hiking, horse riding, or bird watching (you can spot hundreds of bird species here).
With warm sunny weather and cooling lake breezes year-round, you can spend a lot of time outdoors in Arenal.
#2, See the Sights. Aside from the obvious lure of the lake and volcano...
You can check out the gigantic ceiba tree, that's around 500 years old and 197 feet high, at Ceiba Tree Lodge. Draped with ferns and orchids, and truly massive, this ceiba was Costa Rica's national tree in 2006.
It's a nature walk that will take some beating, and a must-see in Arenal: The Hanging Bridges. It offers 3 kilometers of walking trails, and six hanging bridges, suspended between towers. You'll see all kinds of wildlife as you walk through this tropical rainforest reserve.
If you prefer cool, dark, and underground, Venado Caves formed 15-20 million years ago. A ninety-minute tour will let you see limestone rock formations and marine fossils.
The Maleku indigenous village (thirty minutes from Arenal) gives you a glimpse of the traditional way of life of Costa Rica's smallest tribe. One tour option takes you into the forest to show you the medicinal plants used by the tribe.
#3, Thermal Springs. If relaxing is more your style, try soaking in thermal springs. La Fortuna, a town in Arenal, boasts a range of resorts and spas that make the most of the area's heated mineral water springs. The best resorts offer a selection of pools, with the water varying from cool to very hot. Some offer pampering massages, swim-up bars and cleansing volcanic mud treatments.
#4, Good Food. In the town of Nuevo Arenal, try fresh-baked bread from the German bakery. Or a recently opened steakhouse, with burgers, barbecue and wings on the menu. Little sodas offer low-cost, local plates...and there's a choice of pizzerias and cafes. Food gourmets should make a beeline for the Gingerbread restaurant. You won't find better food in Costa Rica.
#5, Good Company. Arenal's expat community is small, but friendly and active. They get together regularly, and support each other in a way I haven't seen elsewhere. It's a major factor cited by many of the expats who move to Arenal or buy a vacation home here.
Of course, Arenal's low property prices help make it an attractive location. Here's a sample:

• Half-acre lake-view lots in a private community from $19,000
• A two-bed two-bath riverfront home for $75,000
• An 8.25-acre estate lot with volcano and lake views for $195,000
• 93 acres with forest, pasture and rivers for $93,000
• A new, two-bed, two-bath home with lake views, furnished, for $125,000

If you want to check out Arenal for yourself...contact Terry Moran here. Terry is a real estate agent we work with in Arenal. He'll help you with your travel arrangements and accommodation. And he'll show you a customized selection of properties... based on your budget and requirements. You'll see what you want to see, when you want to see it.
This is the easiest way to get a feel for Costa Rica's lake country, and immerse yourself in its charms for a few days. Contact Terry today...and discover this hidden corner of Costa Rica.
Margaret Summerfield

International Living The Greatest Name in International Real Estate

Moran Real Estate - Over 50 years of Tropical Real Estate Excellence

Nothing is predestined: The obstacles of your past can become the gateways that lead to new beginnings.

10 Reasons to Buy Property in Costa Rica



Costa Rica is a popular tourist destination. More than two million tourists visit this small country each year. They love this country’s natural beauty….pretty beaches…and wildlife-packed forests. Many of these tourists put down roots here, as expats, retirees and second-home buyers. And if you’re looking for a second home destination, Costa Rica’s hard to beat. Here are ten reasons why Costa Rica is on the shortlist of savvy property buyers:

1. It’s a stable, democratic, peaceful country. In fact, it officially abolished its army in 1949. It’s the only Latin country listed in the 22 most steadily democratic countries since 1950.
2. It’s close to the US. A 2 hour 40 minute flight gets you here from Miami, and it’s only five hours from New York. With so many major airlines flying here, and budget groups like Spirit and LACSA, you can take advantage of low-cost fares to visit friends and family back home…or they can come visit you.
3. It has a growing economy, up by 3.6% in 2010. The total amount of foreign direct investment was second only to Panama in the Central American region in 2010. Last year was a record year for tourism, too, when more than two million tourists visited Costa Rica.
4. It’s stunningly beautiful.
   Costa Rica has an abundance of natural wonders… volcanic peaks, a craggy spine of mountain ridges twisting its way through the center of the country, limpid lakes, thundering waterfalls, pristine beaches, and rich cloud and rain forests. 27% of the land lies in parks and reserves. One area, the immense Corcovado park in the Southern Zone (covering more than 100,000 acres), ranks as the most biologically intense place on the planet, according to National Geographic. Fluorescent frogs, scarlet macaws, secretive tapirs, sociable monkeys, gigantic butterflies…you can’t help but spot wildlife in this place
   
5. Medical care is top quality and highly affordable. In San Jose, the capital, hospitals like Clinica Biblica or CIMA provide world-class care, at a fraction of the cost you’d pay back home. Costa Rica is a popular choice for North American medical tourists looking to cut the cost of major procedures (dental treatments, joint replacements, eye surgery, etc.). Costa Rican residents pay a low monthly fee to join the national health care system (CCSS), and can use CCSS hospitals and clinics. Fees for private medical cover start from around $50 a month.
6. Costa Rica boasts a superb quality of life. Life expectancy is high, at 77.7 years on average. The country also regularly tops the Happiness Index. The index is a measure of health, life satisfaction, and environmental footprint. A score of 8.5 for life satisfaction places Costa Rica almost a full point ahead of its closest rival in this category. Costa Rica’s easygoing, friendly, family-centered, low-stress outdoors lifestyle plays a big factor in longer lifespans and feeling content with your lot.
7. The climate is warm year-round, outside the Central Valley (where temperatures hover in the 60s). You can wave goodbye to freezing winters, ice and snow. Temperatures average in the 70s and 80s, with no tornadoes or hurricanes. If you enjoy spending time outdoors…sport fishing, swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, zip lining, horse riding, hiking, wildlife watching…the climate in Costa Rica will allow you to enjoy these activities pretty much all year.
8. You have a choice of residency options. You can become a resident if you can prove income of $1,000 a month, for example.
9. Costa Rica is already home to an estimated 30,000-50,000 North American expats who own property in Costa Rica, or live here full or part time. They have a long-established association of residents with a bi-monthly newsletter, and they help newcomers get settled in.
10. It’s affordable. It’s not just the health care. Property taxes are low, at around 0.25% of the recorded or municipal-registered value of the property annually. That’s around $462 on a $185,000 property…annually. You can afford domestic help, too.

And despite the growing numbers of celebrities and wealthy businessmen who have purchased multi-million dollar homes in Costa Rica, you can still find low-priced properties here…and afford to custom build your dream home.

Moran Real Estate Over 55 years of Tropical Real Estate Excellence

The credit belongs to those who are actually in the arena, who strive valiantly; who know the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spend themselves in a worthy cause; who at the best, know the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst, if they fail, fail while daring greatly, so that their place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat

SODAS IN COSTA RICA-SO MUCH MORE THAN “THE PAUSE THAT REFRESHES”

Ask most North American visitors to Costa Rica what a “soda” is, and you are liable to get a response concerning some kind of carbonated beverage. To those from the Southern U.S., the term “coke” applies to all carbonated drinks; in New England, they are called “tonics” (regardless of what flavor or brand) while on both East and West Coasts, “soda” is the term used. Mid-westerners call it “pop” or “soda pop” and some places just use “soft drink”. Yet, in the land of Pura Vida, a “soda” is much more than a thirst quencher.
Sodas are small, usually family-owned and operated, restaurants that can be found on roadsides, in major centers like San Jose, and everyplace in between. The term “soda” is generally translated as “diner”. To Ticos and non-Ticos alike, these ubiquitous eateries provide both satisfying and inexpensive meals and drinks. Additionally they allow patrons to share, if only for a meal, a true sample of Costa Rican life and hospitality in a way that larger restaurants and chains never can hope to equal.
You probably won’t find any menus at most sodas since the selections are fairly standard from one soda to the next. Comida tipica (native Costa Rican cuisine)iis the centerpiece and allure of their selections. Casados, fruit drinks, and, yes, sodas (the carbonated variety) are the main staples that are offered.
The casado is usually a fixed platter with a chosen meat, plantains or vegetables, and the ever-present beans and rice. The choice of meats can be large or small-depending on the owners of the soda, although you can usually find variations on the following

Carne en salsa-beef in a thick gravy, much like a pot roast type of dish
Pollo en salsa-a piece of chicken in a lighter gravy or sauce
Chuleta-a pork chop, maybe in sauce, maybe not
Pescado-fried fish
Pollo frito-fried chicken
The fruits drinks can be passion fruit, carrot, blackberry, oatmeal, mango, pineapple and more. Obviously, what is and isn’t available is dependent on seasonal availability, supply, and the preferences of the soda’s owners.
Again, as with any independent business, each soda has it’s own “special” that can vary from the Central Valley to Domincal and sometimes, even from day to day. You may find sodas that offer sandwiches and buffets, others might even have merchandise like a small convenience store-think in terms of a Tico version of a 7-11!! At night, some of these roadside locations even become clubs or discos (yes, disco lives in the land of Pura Vida!!).
While sodas are certainly an institution today throughout Costa Rica, many Ticos and non-Ticos alike are probably unaware that the concept of the “soda” actually began roughly ninety years ago. To many long time residents of San Jose, the “original” soda is El Chelles. Located on the central pedestrian walkway close to the Teatro Nacional., this culinary institution-at least to those who have been loyal customers for years- continues to sell the same tasty food, sandwiches, casados, breakfasts and beverages to one and all just as it has for nine decades. Whether you’re heading to work, or staggering in from a night of fun and frolic, El Chelles remains open around the clock to provide food, drink, and a place to people watch.
So the next time you pass one of these little shops, take some time to stop to and experience a tradition that has become an essential part of daily life in the land of Pura Vida.

Moran Real Estate Over 50 years of tropical real estate excellence

Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay, not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end. Failure is something we can avoid only by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing

Costa Rica: The Secret of a Healthy, Happy Life

Healthier and happier. We heard that over and over today at International Living's Live and Invest in Costa Rica Seminar.

I'm Suzan Haskins, reporting to you from the seminar here in San Jose, Costa Rica. This was a day of inspiration. Everyone here is pretty darn sure they made the right move when they decided to take an in-depth look at Costa Rica.

Of The 250 attendees that participated in the recent conference in San Jose Costa Rica, fully 25% came to look at Lake Arenal according to Terry Moran, a speaker at the event. Those that looked at the Lake 7 purchased property while they were on the pre and post conference tours and another 6 or more are in the process of analyzing the data and making offers on what they saw. All and all it was a tremendous success

All the attendees that came to the Lake said it was the most beautiful place they had seen in all of Costa Rica and 90% said they would be back.

A great time was had at the Gingerbread Dinners and many if not all said it was the best food in Costa Rica. Chef Eyal roasted an entire pig for each dinner and the guests raved.

Plans are underway now for next years event which will be even larger, more informative and organized to a tee.

Moran Real Estate Over 50 Years of Tropical Real Estate Excellence

Gingerbread - The best Restaurant In Central America

International Living - The Greatest Name in World Wide Real Estate Values

Escaping it all for 'paradise' in Costa Rica



Nadine Hays Pisani was desperately seeking a permanent vacation.
She and her husband, Rob, both chiropractors, had a comfortable life in York, Pennsylvania, but they were miserable. Both were working long hours, hated their jobs and felt burned-out.
So they came up with a bold plan: Sell everything and find a country with a warm climate where they could live for about $1,000 a month. They would stop working and live off their savings and interest.
They settled on Costa Rica.

The Pisanis put their home on the market and moved to the lush, verdant Central American country in 2007. (They were lucky; they sold everything just before the economy tanked.)
Pisani chronicles her adventures in the new book, "Happier Than a Billionaire: Quitting My Job, Moving to Costa Rica & Living the Zero Hour Work Week."
She self-published the memoir after she noticed that her stories were attracting a growing audience on her blog.
Pisani and her husband now live near the beach in Tamarindo in a house that they rent for $150 a month. They have few possessions, but they spend much less to support themselves than they thought they would have to. They don't work but plan to find jobs eventually.
"It's paradise," Pisani said. "I wake up. I have a great cup of coffee. There are parrots outside my window. There are monkeys in the trees. It's such an exceptional way to live."
Pisani, 41, recently spoke with CNN about her adopted home. The following is an edited version of that interview.
CNN: Many people would love to do what you did. How long did you plan for this move?
Pisani: Just a year. It was very risky, and I wish I could tell people that there's a guarantee that, at the end, it's all going to work out.
But being in the health care industry, I realize there are two limiting factors in your life: health and age. And I realized you can't bank time.
If you look at life like that, then the risk doesn't seem so risky. It seemed like a good idea that when you're young and you want to do something, you say, "OK, it might not work out, but I believe in myself. And if I have to come back to the United States and start all over again, I know that I'll be able to do it."
CNN: You write that when you saw the film "Avatar," it reminded you a lot of Costa Rica. In what way?
Pisani: There was this beautiful animation in that movie of these sort of lit up fireflies, and it looked exactly like the landscape here. There are fireflies that are just like that (here).

Over 50 years of Tropical Real Estate Excellence

To love what you do and feel that it matters—how could anything be more fun?
-- Katherine Graham



de Lux Property Management

de Lux Property Management

Moran real estate is proud to announce our association with Robert Lux of de Lux Property Management. I have known Bob for over 25 years and can attest to his knowledge, integrity, honesty and experience in property management, all types of homes,apartments, pool, spa and yard maintainance. Bob worked with me in the U.S. Virgin Islands and later in Oregon and has a wealth of experience. He is headquartered in our office at Gingerbread Hotel. So for all your property needs please contact him at:

de LUX  Property Management

LakeArenal, Costa Rica

Located at the offices of Moran Real Estate

Contact :Robert Lux                                                                      

Phone: 506-8703-9383

In the US call: 305-307-0088

E-Mail: deluxpropertymanagement@gmail.com

Each time you are honest and conduct yourself with honesty, a success force will drive you toward greater success. Each time you lie, even with a little white lie, there are strong forces pushing you toward failure.
-- Joseph Sugarman