JUMP TO:
- Real Estate Update
- New Members of the Senderos Homebuilding Services Team
- Costa Rica Continues Push for New Residents
- ADI Tamarindo | We ? Tama
NEW NATURAL BEAUTY AND A DESIGN DEBUT FOR 3E!
The hot start to 2021 continues in Senderos, and this month we’ve got a lot of good news that we’re excited to share, including a new design for 3E, improvements to phase 1, the opening of the first sales center in the Garden Plaza, and a slew of closings, contracts, and phase 2 updates.
The Debut of “Sunset Sanctuary”, a 3E Design by Richard Müller
It feels like every month we have something great to share about the Senderos Architect’s Guild, and this one is no different, with the debut of “Sunset Sanctuary” by Richard Müller.
Müller’s design philosophy focuses on embracing the natural beauty of Costa Rica with stunning contemporary designs, while at the same time treading lightly on the natural environment and creating homes that are built to last.
His expertise (refined over more than 35 years in the country), is on display at the 5 bedroom gem with a 5 star view for homesite 9E, and he’s done it again with the launch of this 4 bedroom, 4.5 bathroom home on homesite 3E.
With jaw dropping sunset views over Playa Tamarindo and spacious indoor/outdoor living, this stunning home strikes the perfect harmony between tropical vacation home and luxury investment property, designed to be ideal for personal use and a highly attractive rental earner.
Outdoor spaces like the saltwater infinity pool and covered terrace offer a natural gathering place for any time of the day, and both upstairs and downstairs master suites open to private patios with gorgeous views to the north and the west.
This beautiful Sunset Sanctuary is listed for $1,799,000, and you can explore this beautiful new home concept in detail on its listing page.
Real Estate Update
More good news from the real estate front as well this month. A particular headliner is the “Lakefront Retreat” at 15B, which debuted just last month and is already under contract. This is the second home to sell within weeks of its announcement!
Elsewhere in the project, early stage designs have been completed for new clients who have homesite 3-D under contract and contracted with Senderos Homebuilding to create a 4 Bedroom, 4.5 Bath with incredible valley and estuary views.
With only two lots left in phase 1, sales have begun to move up the mountain into phase 2. Homesite 4-E closed and the client elected to move an existing design we had up to some serious ocean views.
Joined by the concept home at 6E, “Ocean View Aire”, which has also gone under contract.
In Homesite sales, 6-C/7-C have closed in a package deal. Homesite 9-C has closed, And unlisted homesite 6-D has closed. With all these sales, new listings have been posted for homesite 1-E, homesite 15-E, homesite 24-E and homesite 25-E.
New Natural Beauty Coming to Phase 1
Senderos is a vibrant, lively place, surrounded by the natural beauty of Costa Rica and the colorful community of Tamarindo. And a big part of that is making sure that the shared spaces are just as beautiful as the custom homes that dot the mountainside.
That’s why we’re excited to share some of the beautiful improvements that are coming to Phase 1, which aim to emphasize the natural beauty and unique nature of our town even more.
Front and center, the lake and the island will be completely transformed with new planting and landscaping, all with natural grasses and flowers that thrive in this region year-round.
Throughout the roads and pathways, we’re going to be renovating the streetlights, adding modern footlights, and adding in other careful details to further emphasize the subtle blend of natural and manmade beauty throughout Senderos.
This change also means we have begun design of the first of the pocket parks! A big part of building this community is creating spaces that invite you to share time together, get outside and appreciate nature, exercise, and more.
Meant to be discovered, these small parks will be special moments, with curated community installations and sculpture, making them a place to connect with that wonderful spirit of Tamarindo that we all love.
Finally, this series of Phase 1 improvements will be complemented by the design and construction of our first Senderos Sales Center in the Garden Plaza, where our sales and concierge team will be based and able to welcome anyone coming into town.
Moving Fast, and More to Come
Phase 1 is becoming more beautiful, more welcoming, and the homes and lots are selling fast. This is all great news, and it’s got us very excited about what’s to come.
In the next few months, we’ll also be able to go into detail on the full-scale developments currently going on behind the scenes for phase 2, so stay tuned for more details.
We’re racing forward towards an even more beautiful, better Senderos every day, welcoming new families, homeowners, and visitors. If you’re interested in seeing for yourself what the buzz is all about, you can reach out to us at info@senderos-cr.com.
The Senderos Homebuilding Services Team Gets Even Better
Here at Senderos, we follow a design-build process, which is proven to make the creation and completion of your dream home more streamlined, simple to understand, and cost-effective.
But even more so, we want to make this process fun! The thrill of moving to a beautiful town like Tamarindo and leaving your mark on a thriving, growing community is second to none, and we’re firm believers that your build should be just as exciting and satisfying as the end product.
This wouldn’t be possible without the Senderos Homebuilding Services team, who handle the heavy lifting, precise details, and in-depth data required to transform your vision and the designs that you love into a reality.
This month we’ve welcomed three new team members to the Senderos Homebuilding Services team. As we do, we’re taking a look at the team that they’re joining, and how their expertise contributes to the build process for you and any other potential Senderos homeowner.
And Our Team Is Getting Bigger and Better
Any builder can buy materials and pull together a home, but great homebuilders know that to deliver on a stress-free process and happy customer they must laser focus on two things: communication and people. We think people come first, and we have three excellent additions.
Marvin Carmona brings in a blend of experience in architecture and construction, and in his position as Staff Architect will strengthen the link between homeowners, designers, and the construction team.
Magaly Molina is a skilled engineer with particular expertise in infrastructure design. In her role as an Infrastructure Project Coordinator, she is managing the build out of all new infrastructure in Phase 2. As she does this, she’ll help ensure that each home seamlessly meshes into the existing infrastructure, alongside other projects throughout Senderos.
Jonathann Herrera is an engineer as well, but with a specialization in project management and construction. As demand continues to increase for homes in Senderos, his on-the-ground expertise will be invaluable in his new position as Assistant Project Manager.
Getting to Know Marvin, Magaly, and Jonathan
Born and raised in a small town south of San Jose, Marvin now lives in Tamarindo, where he worked for Richard Müller Architects to design luxury homes. In his spare time, he follows his passion for photography and the exploration of new places and cultures.
“I’m excited to work at Senderos because it is an open concept, with visions of houses brought to life while respecting nature and the space of others. There’s also a great team here, and I can’t wait to contribute my ideas.
Tamarindo is a special place, one that’s closely-knit for the fact that it is large and multi-ethnic, and you can feel the warmth here from the moment you arrive. I can’t wait to share that!”
Magaly is from San Josecito de Alajuela, San Jose, and brings more than 24 years of experience as an engineer, urban planner, and project manager to the Senderos team, as well as an intimate knowledge of Costa Rican zoning, infrastructure, and legislation.
In her free time, Magaly enjoys hiking in beautiful, mountainous parts of the country, spending time with her family, and getting plenty of reading done.
“Joining the Senderos project is inspiring to me both personally and professionally. It’s a great challenge, it’s a chance to collaborate with a fantastic team, and it’s a chance to work alongside some fantastic professionals who I have an immense respect for. I’m very excited!”
A native of Heredia, Jonathan comes to Senderos by way of stints with GK Engineering and various projects throughout the region of Guanacaste. In his spare time, you can find Jonathan playing futbol, listening to music, or searching for the next spot to explore.
“I am super excited to work at Senderos for a couple of reasons! First, the team here is one of the best in the region, and I can’t wait to see what they have to teach me. And second, I love the Tamarindo area, and it will be amazing to be able to contribute to this fantastic place.”
The Senderos Family Keeps Growing!
Just like the community of homeowners within Senderos has continued to grow, so too has our team. Just last month we added two new team members, this month another three join, and we’re looking forward to what new additions the future holds.
With Marvin, Magaly, and Jonathan, we’re especially excited about what this means for the Senderos Homebuilding Services team. More great minds and more expertise is a recipe for success, and it only translates to a process that’s easier and more inspiring than ever before.
If you’d like to learn more about the Senderos process, and how you can turn Tamarindo into the site of your dream home, you can reach out to us at info@senderos-cr.com.
Costa Rica Continues Push For New Residents
The Route to Recovery
As a country that heavily relies on the economic contributions of tourism and expatriates, Costa Rica was faced with quite a challenge during the pandemic.
But the response was coordinated and effective, a sign of Costa Rica’s continued rise as a leader in Latin America and throughout the world, despite its small size.
Costa Rica’s decisions as a nation have been characterized by long-term thinking for decades. In 1948, it abolished its military, investing in education and sustainable energy.
In the 1980s, it reversed decades of deforestation and remains home to more species per square mile than almost any other country. And just a few years ago, it set ambitious targets to be entirely decarbonized by 2050.
So it was characteristically long-term thinking that helped Costa Rica’s pandemic response. Borders were shut down, and there was a cohesive nationwide response to controlling the disease. Now, Costa Rica is in the process of vaccinating its entire adult population.
Next comes the process of safe reopening and economic recovery, with an emphasis on reigniting many of the industries that went dormant over the pandemic. The tourism industry is a major target for support, and it’s showing with climbing visitor numbers month after month.
However, another way that Costa Rica is looking to spark economic recovery is making Costa Rica one of the most attractive destinations in the world for expats.
We covered the start of this process with their new “digital nomad visa”, and now Costa Rica has begun to focus on other aspects of the immigration process to incentivized people to live here.
In many ways, this actually represents Costa Rica cashing in on many of those long-term investments that they made over the past 50+ years.
Emphasizing nature and sustainability, modern infrastructure, and a peaceful, healthy way of life has already made Costa Rica an incredibly desirable place to live. Now, with loosening restrictions, it’s even easier to make the decision to move to Costa Rica.
Changing Restrictions for the Next 5 Years
The most recent push to make Costa Rica even more attractive to investors centers around Inciativa 22,156, more commonly known as the “Law to Attract Rentiers, Investors, and Pensioners”, which would make the following changes:
- Lowering the barrier to entry on investors to $150,000, or the Costa Rican equivalent. Currently, the minimum investment required for an investor visa is $200,000, making it easier than ever to achieve residency as an investor.
- The investor visa has also expanded to include new types of investments, including investors into venture capital funds within the country or sustainable infrastructure projects. This is in addition to real estate, securities, and businesses, which are existing categories.
The law also adds several key incentives to anyone moving to Costa Rica as a resident. For example:
- There will be no import taxes on household items for a move to the country. Future residents will be allowed to import up to a shipping container’s worth of household items entirely duty free.
- Future residents will be allowed free import of a motor vehicle for family use. This is another big change, as currently importing a motor vehicle can cost up to 50% import tax.
- There will be no income tax on declared income to meet residency requirements. *Officials are still discussing the top-end cap for this bracket
- Residents will be exempt from taxes on any professional/scientific materials, lowering the barrier to entry for any business owner or professional.
In all, this marks some very attractive changes to the Costa Rican immigration process!
Why Take Them Up? Well, We’re Not the Only Ones Who Believe in Costa Rica
At the begining of the year, we touched on 10 articles that showed that we’re not the only ones bullish on Costa Rica. And it turns out that a strong belief in Costa Rica continues to sweep across international industries.
Just recently, United Airlines significantly expanded its routes to Costa Rica during the US Summer months, which is somewhat unprecedented.
We often expect a bit of a drop off in Costa Rica after Semana Santa, but with dozens of new routes, including new routes from Lufthansa as well, that might be changing.
To those who stay here throughout the year, this change is well overdue. June, July, and August are beautiful times to be in Costa Rica, and calling them “rainy” season can mischaracterize these lush mid-year months. Maybe the rest of the world is finally catching on!
Filling out the positive travel news: while you don’t need a Covid test to enter CR anymore, many countries require international travelers to have negative test in hand when they return home.
But the good news for visitors is that you can now get Covid test by appointment or walk-in at the departures terminal in LIR!
We’ve also had an eye on RCL Co’s real estate research recently and spotted a trend that might indicate it’s a great time to buy in Costa Rica.
Second home purchasing is on its way up, with ski towns and beach towns at the heart of this post-pandemic spike. And another area that has begun to show signs of similar growth is Guanacaste, which has comparable amenities, international access, and outdoor activities.
The big opportunity here is that despite the fact that Guanacaste’s market has begun to spike as well, global trends show that the majority of growth in our area may be still to come. Translation? Guanacaste looks like the next big thing to reach incredible heights, and we hope you get in early!
No one can predict the future, but we’re confident in Costa Rica’s. If you’d like to learn a bit more about why we’ve chosen to make our homes here, or you’d like to browse a home for yourself, you can reach out to us at info@senderos-cr.com.
ADI Tamarindo | We ? Tama
This series is a chance to focus on the people, organizations, and events that make Tamarindo the wonderful place to live that it is. And today, we focus on an organization that loves Tama almost as much as we do: ADI Tamarindo.
What Is ADI?
ADI Tamarindo stands for the Associacion Developmental Integral de Tamarindo, and they’re a non-profit community group who work to advance the economy and infrastructure, as well as the social and cultural development of Tamarindo.
Drawing its board of directors from volunteers elected from within the community, ADI Tamarindo is a collective advocacy and leadership group for Tamarindo, funded entirely by donations from the community and grants from the government.
Though ADI is not a government entity, they serve an important role as a voice of the community, and are frequently involved with municipal, regional, and national governments, as well as other nongovernmental organizations as they work to make Tamarindo a better place.
According to Costa Rican law, every town or city in Costa Rica has the right to establish its own ADI, and there are more than 3600 such organizations nationwide. However, ADI Tamarindo is widely regarded as one of the three most active and effective such organizations in the country.
A Force for Good Around Tamarindo
ADI Tamarindo’s goal is the overall promotion and improvement of this town that we all call home, which includes everything from fighting for infrastructure and road improvements to running daily programs.
Just a few of their contributions to town include:
- Making Tamarindo safer for everyone both on land and in the water. They’re major sponsors of the Tamarindo Lifeguard Program, and also contribute to various initiatives to make Tamarindo a safer place.
- Offering places for kids of all ages to play. Whether through their support of the beautiful Oneida Park, or their local Soccer Academy, ADI knows that happy, healthy, and active kids are vital to a great town.
- Helping keep town clean and fun! Every day ADI sponsors beach and street cleanups, and they also organize regular farmer’s markets and fairs throughout the year.
The Tama that we know and love wouldn’t be quite the same without the efforts of ADI!
A Project Close to Our ?
Here at Senderos, we’re big supporters of ADI Tamarindo. After all, they’re a vital player giving back to the community spirit we care about, and they can’t thrive without the help of the community.
So you’re looking to donate or volunteer, they’re always welcoming new people and contributions.
The coalition they’ve put together is pretty amazing, full of builders, translators, entertainers, event organizers, gardeners, project managers, painters, soccer coaches, website developers, photographers, and more, and only continues to grow!