Ahhhh, Costa Rica , the island of …
By now, most of you know that Costa Rica is not an island, but situated in Central America between Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south…
However for the millions that have visited Costa Rica, or for the happy residents that live here, Costa Rica is indeed an island of peace and tranquility in the sea of Central American political turbulence and poverty. Plus the fact that it's so close to the U.S. helps to ensure interest in Costa Rica by North Americans forever and ever. For those using "euros", the prices are great!
This “developing” nation has it’s reputation continually and romantically enhanced by:
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The lack of a military and a Nobel Peace Prize winning President, Oscar Arias.
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The evolving ecological consciousness and large quantity of natural reserved and protected areas.
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The absolutely amazing amount of spectacular scenery (from its beautiful beaches, rainforests, volcanoes, to the endless variety of flora and fauna).
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The wealth of activities ranging from adventure sports both day and night, or the leisurely moments spent sipping sunrises during spectacular sunsets.
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The fact that all foreign property purchasers have the same legal rights as the Costa Ricans.
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But most of all, Costa Rica is a great place because of the incredibly friendly and warm-hearted people known as Ticos (males) and Ticas (females).
WHY THIS AREA ALONG THE PACIFIC?
APRIL 4, 2008 Jaco earns 1st Blue Flag, the coveted ecological award! (see all details in our section "Costa Rica in the News").
Announced February 2008:
Jaco Beach won the distinction as Central America's Leading Beach! The World Travel Awards with tens of thousands of travel professionals cast their favorites and Jaco won the Leading Beach in Central America.
The Importance of Location
One of life's little pleasures (he says sarcasticly) is dealing with "city hall" or "municipalities" as they are called in Costa Rica, but here in Jacó life is easier than some other popular beach towns because almost all government services are offered here. From building permits, business licenses, establishing telephone or electric services, cable TV, police, etc., the county seat of Garabito is located in Jacó. Trust me, this is a big advantage.
Here are reasons that property values will increase further in Jacó & surrounding areas:
The large developers of the approximately 2000 new beachfront condos in Jacó center have helped to form a Central Pacific Chamber of Commerce to deal with all the pressing issues that concern the residents of Jaco. From improving security and adding traffic lights, to beach cleaning equipment and the coming municipal regulation plan, this group of concerned citizens will ensure that the future growth of Jacó will benefit residents and tourists alike. For more information check out www.cenpac.net.
Jacó To Get $3 Million Beach Boardwalk
| By Leland Baxter-Neal The Beach Times Feb. 15, 2008 |
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A group of developers has announced plans to build a $3 million boardwalk and promenade along the length of Jacó’s beach.
“The promenade will be a private gift to the city from Daystar and a couple investors from the area,” Mr Hundley later told The Beach Times.
According to Mr Pat Hundley, beachfront streets that already exist would be improved and widened to make a boulevard, and then connected to a pedestrian promenade that would follow along the beach where there are no roads.
Mr Hundley estimated the promenade could be anywhere from eight to 14 feet wide, built with brick pavers or other decorative materials, and would be on the beach side of the palm trees currently lining Jacó’s beach.
“We want it to be well lit and very well landscaped,” he said, adding that he envisions the project increasing public access to the length of the beach. “I think this project will change the face of Jacó.”
Last year, the Chamber of Commerce and the municipality collaborated on importing and operating two beach cleaning machines purchased by Daystar; repairing and paving local streets; and various cultural events. They also brought both President Oscar Arias and Tourism Minister Ricardo Benavides to town, among other top government officials. *read more in the Costa Rica in the News section!
Just Announced Feb. 24, 2008
A tourism and real estate mega-development will be developed in a 400-hectare (988.4-acre) area located between Herradura and Jaco beaches, on the Costa Rican Central Pacific. Environment, culture, luxury, and exclusivity would blend in Garabu, as the project is called. The resort would include two 5-plus-star hotels, a golf course, an amphitheater, condos, and a business area. Garabu general manager Gabriela Barrantes said that the first stage alone –representing close to 10 percent of the overall project– demands an $88-million investment.
Friday, December 21, 2007 Garabito To Spend $6.6 Million In 2008
| The Beach Times By Leland Baxter-Neal |
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The municipality of Garabito, which includes the towns of Herradura, Jacó and Playa Hermosa, is to spend $6.6 million dollars next year according to its 2008 budget. Included in that spending is the creation of a 25-strong municipal police force, into which the municipal government is investing $800,000; city beautification projects for Jacó; the construction of a city park and amphitheater and four playgrounds; $250,000 in reparations and works on area schools; and two low-income housing projects that would build homes for between 650 and 750 families. With nearly every road in Jacó now paved, including beach entries, Mr Elizondo added that he hopes to have most of the roads in the canton of Garabito paved by the end of next year.
OCT 15, 2007 Puntarenas With Greatest Growth in Construction
Between January and August of this year the province with the greatest number of construction permits issued is Puntarenas, with more than 5 million square metres (m2) Tof construction, similar to the number registered in all of 2006. (See full article in our Costa Rica in the News section!)
UPDATE: The Central Pacific Chamber of Commerce Inaugurates Costa Rica’s First Beach Cleaning Machines in Jaco Beach
Part of its commitment to improve the quality and future of Jaco Beach – Costa Rica’s most popular beach destination, the Central Pacific Chamber of Commerce inaugurated the country’s first beach cleaning machines on September 6, 2007.
Pulled by a John Deere tractor, the machines will clean the entire stretch of Jaco Beach, an estimated 2.5 miles (or 4 km) of wide sandy beach. In a joint effort by the Jaco Municipality and Chamber of Commerce, the machines are set to operate on a daily basis, cleaning small stones, litter and drift wood from the sand through a dig and sift process.
Costa Rica’s most popular beach town, Jaco Beach experiences heavy tourist traffic year-round and has long faced the challenges of ongoing maintenance to keep the environment clean.
Here in Jacó we have tons of water, and ......
Yes we have cable TV with CNN, Fox, ABC, CBS, ESPN, HBO,...
Yes we have Direct TV, and DISH
Yes we have high speed and wireless internet (compared to dial-up),
Yes we have land lines and cellular phone service, (ahem).
Yes we have modern grocery stores to satisfy most "foodies."
A New Freeway: Scheduled to be completed during 2009?, which will link San Jose to Jacó and the Pacific Coast, thereby generating increased interest in all adjacent areas. This toll road should cut driving time to 1 hour 15 minutes and should eliminate those super slowwww vehicles. This is not a pipe dream, as the bridges have been built and the roads have been cut. See January 17,2008 UPDATE in our news section!
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3-4 New Marinas: Jaco, near Punta Leona, Puntarenas (50 minutes north) and Quepos, Manuel Antonio (50 minutes south).
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Many new commercial centers-including Costa Rica's top grocery store chain, high quality restaurants, and hopefully soon a new Air-Conditioned Movie Theatre.
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New Jaco beachfront walkway-boardwalk and other exciting infrastructure improvements!
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ATTENTION DEVELOPERS: BUY NOW AND SUBMIT YOUR BUILDING PLANS PRIOR TO THE COMING MUNICIPAL REGULATION PLAN!!!
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Remember, timing is everything, and the time is now!
WHY JACÓ?
Jacó, (pronounced ha-CÓ) has always been one of the most popular beaches in Costa Rica due to its great infrastructure and proximity to San Jose. Jacó Beach and Playa Hermosa are world reknowned favorites with the surfing crowd thanks to the consistent waves, invitingly warm water, scenic mountain backdrops, tropical temperatures, and availability of surf instructors.
Jaco and the surrounding area has many conveniences including : world class sport fishing, fitness centers, casinos, golf courses, wide variety of restaurants and bars, 4 large grocery stores, TCBY and tcbg (the country's best gelateria), emergency medical services, pharmacies, unique shops and professional services like lawyers, accountants, and registered real estate agencies (CR Beach included!). Activities include canopy tours, spa treatments and massage, sunbathing, boogie boarding, mountain biking, horseback riding, 4 wheeling, surfing, exploring lush rainforests, swimming pool hanky panky, kayaking, water rafting, ......... or just snoozing with a tropical breeze cooling you off.
Getting Here Is EASY!!!
Basic Information for Entering Costa Rica
You will need a Passport that is valid for at least 3 months beyond your intended stay in Costa Rica. For U.S. Citizens a visa is not needed unless you stay in Costa Rica for more than 90 days. Other countries have different requirements so if you are not a U.S. Citizen visit the Embassy of Costa Rica. A Ticket for Return or continued travel is necessary.
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More Flights Coming here! Check our travel tips section for discounted flights to Costa Rica!
Every month, Costa Rica is the destination of 1,888 international flights, 508 more than a year ago, according to the Consejo Técnico de Aviación Civil (CTAC).
While most operations take place at Juan Santamaria (San José) International Airport, a growing number of airlines are also serving Daniel Oduber International Airport in Liberia, Guanacaste.
According to the Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (ICT), the increase in the number of flights has increased as more visitors choose Costa Rica as their vacation destination.
The number of visitors has increased from 1.24 million in 2003 to 1.72 million last year. This year an expected increase of 10% over last year is predicted. | | | |
AWARDS to COSTA RICA
Why believe what we say about Costa Rica? After all, we are here to sell “the dream”.
The fact is that Costa Rica has received a lot of incredibly favorable press the last few years, so we thought we should share what others are feeling and saying regarding this amazing place:
Best Destination:
Second In Tourism
Costa Rica is the second best tourist destination in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to a survey by the World Economic Forum (WEF), which evaluated 130 nations.
Feb. 04, 2007 At the International Tourism Fair (FITUR in Spanish), held in Spain, the U.S. Travel Weekly chose Costa Rica as the best destination in Latin America. The variety of attractions and the many chances a visitor has here to enjoy the best of vacations were among the reasons to bestow the award on Costa Rica, whose competitors included Panama, Chile, Peru, Argentina, and Brazil. The Costa Rican Minister of Tourism Ricardo Benavides pointed out that the best feature of the award is that it results from the choice of the magazine’s 140,000 readers, who belong to the U.S. tourist industry. The readers also remarked that Costa Rica is one of the most saleable destinations in Central and South America because of its mild tropical weather, natural and adventure attractions, exotic sites, and the warmth of its inhabitants.
Costa Rica One Of Top Five Emerging Real Estate Markets For 2006
Successful real estate investors are well aware that one of the fundamental keys to building a successful property portfolio is the careful timing of market entry; therefore investors always seek to buy ahead of an emerging trend and often take a national or international perspective when looking for the next big thing in terms of real estate.
In 2006, Costa Rica is one of five countries that stand head and shoulders above all other nations worldwide in terms of the potential their real estate markets present property investors.
The CIA World FactBook has recently begun listing Costa Rica as “a Central American success story” because the Costa Rican government have successfully established an economically and politically stable country in which more overseas investors are focusing their financial interests.
According to the CIA report, the retiree and second home markets in Costa Rica are growing as is tourism interest and the country offers visitors and expatriates a stunning climate, an abundance of rare and beautiful flora and fauna, it is bordered by both the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean and the standard of living is both high and affordable.
The report continues that the real estate sector in Costa Rica offers investors an affordable platform and the Costa Rican government offer investors certain tax breaks and incentives to commit to the country.
The other four countries in the CIA World FactBook are: Ghana – Located in West Africa; Malaysia; Qatar: and, Turkey.
Costa Rica Ranked Among Top 10 Fastest Growing Tourism Markets
The Travel Industry Research Firm Future Brand recently ranked Costa Rica among the countries predicted to have the most growth in tourism during the next five years, according to a statement released yesterday by the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT).
The current edition of Future Brand's magazine named Costa Rica as one of 10 countries classified as a “rising star” in the tourism world, the statement said. Additionally, Costa Rica was ranked the second most exotic travel destination. (for full story see "Costa Rica In The News" section of our website.)
11.4 percent more visitors (La Nacion, Aug. 3, 2007)
Costa Rica remains a choice destination for tourists and the arrival of visitors surpasses even official expectations. During this year’s first six months, the number of visitors arriving by air was 832,604, 50,258 more than in the same period last year. This figure means an 11.42 percent increase on the same period in 2006. The data were disclosed by the National Chamber of Tourism (CANATUR in Spanish), based on data from both Juan Santamaria International Airport, in Alajuela, and Daniel Oduber International Airport, in Liberia.
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Sunday 19 August 2007 (Inside Costa Rica, Aug. 19, 2007) Full Article in our page "Costa Rica in the News" |
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Costa Rica will Soon Unveil its Fourth Fully Sustainable Resort Giving the Eco-Tourist Another Chance
Written by EditorsChoice
San José, CR (PRWEB) -- Costa Rica is a country rich in culture and natural beauty and resorts have finally started to cater to the twenty-first century traveler. Today, travelers are attempting to experience the social-cultural and ecological aspects of the local community.
There have been huge advances in the conservation of the local area and resorts have started to follow the trend by assisting its customers in finding their perfect eco-friendly vacations. Soon the Arenas Del Mar will open its doors to customers giving them an opportunity to live amongst nature knowing that they are not hurting the ecology of the area.
Volcanoes, rivers, beaches, waterfalls, and rainforests cover the small country making it a playground for visitors. With so much natural beauty and an increase in visitors each year, the need for natural conservation is at its highest and the Costa Rican Tourism Ministry is setting new standards for sustainable tourism.
Costa Rica has become a world contender in adventure tourism drawing in over 1.5 million visitors a year...........
 Readers' Choice Awards
Year - Publication - Award
2007 Travel Weekly Best Destination Latin America
2006 Smarter Travel.com #3 Safest Destination for Women Travelers
2006 Magazine "Viajes y Turismo" granted Costa Rica a prize as "Best Nature Tourism Offered"
2004 Recommended (one of the most read magazines by employees of travel agencies), Readers’ Choice Award- Best Destination for Ecotourism and Adventure.
2004 Recommend Readers’ Choice Award Best Selling Destination for Latin America
2004 Modern Bride - Best Destination for Honeymoons (Culture)
2004 Modern Bride - Adventure Destination for honeymoon
2004 Travel Weekly - Best Destination for Latin America
2004 Travel Weekly - Best Destination for Tourism from the United States
2003 Recommend - Best Destination for Latin America.
2003 Pacific Business News - Best Destination in the World for Adventure Tourism.
Fodors Travel Guide 2006
“ Costa Rica is riding a wave of well-deserved popularity as an ecological wonderland. For a country about the same size as the state of West Virginia, it is packed with incredible biological diversity. This diversity is astoundingly evident in the variety of flora, fauna, landscapes, and microclimates with national parks that cover about 15% of the country and are home to 850 species of birds, 205 species of mammals, 376 types of reptiles and amphibians, and more than 9,000 different species of flowering plants, among them 1,200 varieties of orchids. Costa Rica’s varied landscapes provide a seemingly endless selection of outdoor diversions, from bird-watching to beach trips to rigorous rafting or rain forest hiking trips, Whichever type you are, and whether you visit the cool mountain valleys or massive volcanoes, hilly coffee fincas (farms) or flat banana groves, sultry mangrove forests or palm-strewn beaches with deliciously warm water and year-round waves, it's apparent that from nearly every angle the country is downright gorgeous."
According to Frommers 2006
"For more than 100 years, it has enjoyed a stable democracy and a relatively high standard of living for Latin America. The literacy rate is high, as are medical standards and facilities. Perhaps most significant, at least for proud Costa Ricans, is that this country does not have an army. … it's the most technologically advanced and politically stable nation in Central America, and it has the largest middle class. Even the smallest towns have electricity, the water is mostly safe to drink, and the phone system is relatively good."
Positive News Items About Costa Rica Recently
(many more articles in "Costa Rica in the News")
Costa Rica Hospitality in Strong Demand
More foreign hotel operators are setting up in Costa Rica, but strong demand will help the country's real estate sector continue growing. Despite growing prices and infrastructure challenges, Costa Rica is the hottest hospitality property market in Latin America today, experts say.
"From a resort perspective, clearly Costa Rica," says Scott Berman, a principal at PricewaterhouseCoopers, when asked to name the hottest real estate market in Latin America.
Shannon Robertson, managing director of the Latin America operations for Jones Lang LaSalle, agrees. "Costa Rica is the...flavor of the day," he says. "There are some real problems infrastructure-wise, but because of the brand name among Americans, it's got a lot of momentum."
Costa Rica has recently seen an influx of new hotel projects ranging from Hilton and Inter-Continental to a Steven Case resort, especially in the popular Guanacaste region. Feb. 14, 2008 Inside Costa Rica. | | | |
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The travel industry research firm Future Brand recently ranked Costa Rica among the countries predicted to have the most growth in tourism during the next five years, according to a statement released yesterday by the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT). The current edition of Future Brand's magazine named Costa Rica as one of 10 countries classified as a “rising star” in the tourism world, the statement said. Additionally, Costa Rica was ranked the second most exotic travel destination. Tico Times 15/11/06
Showing confidence in Costa Rica, the Costa Rican subsidiary of the Canadian banking giant Scotia Bank acquires Interfin Bank for just under U.S. $300 million, becoming the largest private bank network. (they currently are undergoing language courses to teach "ehh"!)
“New Hot sites for Honeymooners” (Pope still insists, no condoms!)
Let’s face it: Getting married is exciting, crazy, fun and totally exhausting. So after a whirl of a day that is the culmination of months, perhaps years, of planning, it’s time for your long-awaited honeymoon.
And whether you’re looking for sun-soaked beaches or majestic mountainsides, there’s a place on this great big Earth made specifically for you. Among the list of places to go, Hawaii, Las Vegas California's Napa Valley, Tahiti, Greek Islands, and St. Lucia, there is Costa Rica.
Ranked first by Carlson Wagonlit Travel experts among the “new, hot sites for honeymooners,” Costa Rica boasts rugged highlands, including several active volcanoes, relatively long coastlines on both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and a number of rivers and streams that attract specialist kayakers and rafters worldwide.
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Serious Stuff: According to data obtained from the U.S. FBI, crime in the United States, annual, the following cities have a much higher murder rate per 100,000 inhabitants than the 9.2 in San Jose, Costa Rica:
| Los Angeles |
17.3 |
Washington DC |
45.9 |
| Houston |
12.5 |
New Orleans |
53.1 |
| Philadelphia |
18.9 |
Kansas City |
18.5 |
| Phoenix |
12.6 |
Atlanta |
34.9 |
| Dallas |
15.8 |
Oakland |
26.1 |
| Las Vegas |
11.9 |
St. Louis |
31.4 |
| Detroit |
41.8 |
Pittsburgh |
13.7 |
| Indianapolis |
13.9 |
Cincinnati |
21 |
| Jacksonville |
11.7 |
Tampa |
11.7 |
| Columbus |
11.3 |
Buffalo |
14.6 |
| Memphis |
22.5 |
Newark |
23.3 |
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Milwaukee |
18.3 |
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These FBI statistics may surprise many people, but we who live here know that we feel generally safer here than we did back home.
Costa Rica Safest Country in Latin America March 14, 2008
Even though it is hard to believe, Costa Rica is being called the safest country in Latin America when it comes to security for business executives and multinationals, according to the latest Latin Security Index developed by FTI Consulting Ibero America for Latin Business Chronicle.
The Latin Security Index measures the danger level in Latin America based on homicide rates as well as other factors affecting corporate security and the safety of foreign business executives.
FTI Consulting bases its ratings on official numbers from public security secretariats, local police, governments, NGO's and institutes of crime investigations.
Each country receives rating from 1 to 5 with 1 representing a non-dangerous country and 5 representing a very dangerous country.
Joachim Bamrud, director of the Latin Business Chronicle, said that although Costa Rica has the same score as Chile and Uruguay, the index places Costa Rica as the safest country.
Last year, Chile was given the top spot, meaning that Costa Rica has risen.
Laura Chinchilla, Costa Rica's vice-president, said that the top spot given to Costa Rica in the index is an excellent aspect for foreing investors who are looking at Costa Rica for expansion.
English translation of the article NEWSPAPER LA NACION - Monday November 6 of 2006 - Page 25A ��
A SQUARE METER IN A BEACH FRONT PROPERTY MAY COST UP TO $2,000
PROPERTY PRICES IN JACO INCREASED FOUR TIMES IN TWO YEARS.
The price of a property per square meter (m2 ) in Jaco, Garabito, Puntarenas, increased four times in the last two years. One square meter of a beach front property costs an average of $1,200. However, it could be up to $2,000. In 2004 the square meter cost an average of $300, according to urban developers and businessmen in that county. This Puntarenas county, and especially its capital, Jaco, have become during the last three years, a magnet for local and foreign investors.
The construction built in the last 12 months - accumulated up to last August - reached 292,750 square meters in Garabito. This number is five times greater than the construction accumulated up to August 2004 (47,073 square meters more) according to the Costa Rican Chamber of Construction.
Garabito went from being in the 28 th position in 2004 to the 6th position in 2006, of the counties with more construction. 5.5% of the total building of the country is in this area, more than those being constructed in Escazú.
Luis Fernando Villalobos, Major of Garabito, estimated that between this year and the middle part of next year, only in Jaco, more than 1,000 new apartments will be built. Villalobos indicated there are more than 20 housing projects for condominiums and hotels, mainly towers with 8 to 15 floors, are being built or in the process of breaking ground, Depending on the location, size and finishing, the price of each apartment varies between $140,000.00 and $1,198,000.00.
Carlos Castillo, an architect of Day Star Properties, is developing three projects and is planning to have four more in the coming years; he explained that the farther the property is from the beach the lower is the price, but that it stays over $300. Reasons: The main reason for the success on the property in Jaco is that they have a title and the Government does not give a concession, as it occurs in other parts of the country, according to Castillo. The closeness to San Jose is also an influence “we are less than two hours from Juan Santamaria airport”, he stated.
At the same time, there is optimism that in the forthcoming years the highway between San Jose and Caldera is going to be finished, which will reduce the traveling time to 45 minutes , indicated Mr. Juan Carlos Rodo, General Manager of the Best Western Jaco Beach Resort.
The housing boom of the zone has allowed the locals to have the same services existing in San Jose, such as clinics, private schools, banks, grocery stores, according to Brad , Operations Manager of xxxxxxCR, which is developing Vista xxx, a condominium with eight floors and 28 apartments, mentioned that the construction of the Marina & Resort Los Sueños, in Herradura, at the end of the 90’s was the reason why investors like himself “would discover the high potential of Jaco”. Brad, Canadian, has been living in Garabito for eight years; he explained that more than 90% of the investors buying condominiums are from the U.S. and Canada, the buyers are between 45 and 60 years old, and plan to retire in the coming years or spend some time here. “They love the people from Jaco”, he said. For the Major and the businessmen from Jaco, the boom in Jaco “is just starting” and will stay for the next decade.
(I didn't believe some of these prices when this article first came out, but now, 6 months later, its accurate.)
LET CR BEACH SHOW YOU OUR MANY REASONS FOR "WHY HERE, WHY NOW"
and that it's still possible to find great “deals” and smart investments!
Experience.....Integrity....Selective....
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