We moved to Los Angeles de Sabalito two years ago and feel you can't make a better move. Our friend and neighbor Miguel Prendas has asked us to help him sell his house and farm - in English on the internet. So here we go.
The three bedroom typical concrete block house was built in 1986 and is tiled throughout. Miguel added on a 20' x 12' kitchen/dining area last year; the total house measures 20' x 27'. While considered one of the nicer homes in the area by Tico standards, foreignors will surely want to do renovations. That being said, it will serve you well as is. House is set back from the main road which is in excellent condition. Yard is securely fenced and level, a rare commodity in this mountainous region. There is a driveway to a carport. If in the future you wish to build another house or cabin, you'll find several excellent locations, one just a step above the house near the road, very flat. The property has views to the east, south and west of the bucolic landscape.
The farm still has primary forest on its western edge, secondary forest, fruit trees (many and varied: plantain, lemon, orange, grapefruit, guanabana, achiote, palm with delicious pillivalle, cacao) and the fertile soil yields crops for family staples such as corn, beans, yucca potatoes, chayote, and a type of red pasture which is excellent cattle, horse and pig feed. The main cash crop until recently has been coffee: Miguel estimates there are 1000 coffee plants (I saw them yesterday and they are budding - looks like a great crop at Christmastime!) There are two creeks; one spring fed. House is served by municipal water - the best in all of Costa Rica, coming from the aquifer in Las Tablas - and electricity. Miguel's request for telephone service is pending. If it doesn't happen, we, your neighbors with a line of site, can distribute satellite internet and telephone or you can get cellular.
As full time residents here we know this is a crazy good deal. Last year, 5 acres across the street from Miguel's was sold for $50,000, and has no house. There are quite a few North Americans with vacation homes on the highest points with views in the area, and the appeal of this area is high and growing on the part of investors, retirees, conservationists, organic farmers, eco-developers due to its outstanding climate, soil, proximity to the world-class Wilson Botanical Gardens and Parque La Amistad wilderness. It is just 3 hours to the nearest Pacific beach, Playa Zancudo. There's not much to Los Angeles itself; San Vito 8 km away has everything you need. If you are an experienced farmer, you may find this finca is capable of providing most of your food, with room to raise a cash crop (organic coffee, anyone?) and do a reforestation project. If you have any 'ties' to the Organization for Tropical Studies and the Las Cruces Biological Station/Wilson Botanical Garden, you are only 4 km away.
Miguel has to move to San Jose for a job. He wants a downpayment of half and will transfer title upon payment in full. We are not real estate agents; we are bilingual facilitators and interpret in negotiations with Miguel, if any, and at legal appointments if the lawyer chosen does not speak English. (We can show you other properties in the area as well.) We live half a kilometer away and are permanent legal residents. We have young children in public school, and a farm that keep one of us here almost all the time. Emailing is the best method to reach us, as we are often outside working.
