Advertising Supplement to Todays Financial News

Get Ahead of the Path of Progress

Polynesian Villa-Condos have just been released at Hacienda Matapalo. The
most important news for investors, though, is that road improvements on the
Costanera Highway are underway and property prices are likely to climb.

Get Ahead of the Path of Progress

The Leading Edge

Tuesday, 13h May, 2008.
Waterford, Ireland.

Dear Todays Financial News Reader,

Some of the most amazing scenery in Costa Rica is in the southern zone, in an area that runs south of Quepos to the border with Panama. Landscapes here are dramatic--panoramic ocean-views… lush tropical rainforest …and sheer jungle-clad slopes, rising sharply away from pristine stretches of sandy beaches. In a country with an established real estate market like Costa Rica, this sounds like just the type of place that would attract a lot of fervent investors. But it remains under the radar in terms of property development because it's difficult to get to... The Costanera Highway is unpaved between the popular tourist destination of Quepos and the surfing village of Dominical. Here the airports are small, local affairs. The one in Palmar Sur is a one-woman show--she issues tickets, checks baggage, and answers queries, all while you sit on a wooden bench overlooking the small strip, alongside your other co-passengers…all 11 of them. No duty-free or airport food here.

Ronan McMahon

But these are exactly the kinds of conditions I look for when scouting for a good real estate opportunity.

For now, pricing here is among the lowest in Costa Rica . Just outside Ojochal for example, 1.25 acre lots are available for as little as $55,000. Construction costs are roughly $85 a square foot. So for $225,000 you can have your very own custom-built, 2,000-square-foot house on a large lot in this tranquil setting.

That really is a good-value buy considering that in Manuel Antonio, farther north, closer to Quepos (the worst sections of the Costanera Highway are south of here), a 2,200-square-foot condo averages $595,000; a 1.25 acre lot here is listed at $325,000. Comparisons with Guanacaste, the celebrity darling for Costa Rica property investors right now, are even more marked. A quarter-acre lot in a development in Tamarindo starts at $400,000 for valley and lake views.

The climate in the southern zone is tropical, with a dry season from December to April, and rainy season, typically bringing heavy downpours in mid afternoon. The temperature does not vary much and averages 79 °F year round. Elevated properties in the area normally have refreshing sea breezes. This is the perfect spot for outdoor activities, from surfing to diving, hiking to bird-watching, and whale-spotting to sport-fishing. The feeling is tropical, fresh, close to nature.

The important news for investors, though, is that road improvements on the Costanera Highway are underway and scheduled for completion in two to three years. This should cut the 90-minute trip from Quepos to Dominical to 25 minutes. Combined with plans to construct an international airport in Palmar Norte, due to begin this year and to be completed in 2010 (funds have been already allocated by the government), it all adds up to one thing:

Property prices are likely to climb.

One development along this stretch that I've been paying attention to is Hacienda Matapalo, located on the unpaved 30-mile section of the highway. It sits just 800 meters from the beach and extends almost two miles into the tropical forested mountains, exceeding an elevation of 2,000 feet above sea level. More than 125 acres of the development have been dedicated as a nature preserve for the countless indigenous species of birds, butterflies, and other wildlife of the area.

Pathfinder Tour attendees were first introduced Hacienda Matapalo during our Pathfinder Costa Rica Real Estate Tour this past November. Many of them saw the potential here and snapped up lots before that phase sold out in early December.

And now the developers of Hacienda Matapalo have just announced the release of their Polynesian Villa-Condos. Right now you can lock down a spacious (1,100-square-foot) two-bedroom condo for as little as $240,000 pre-construction, and position yourself firmly ahead of the path of progress.

According to Brian Albury, Vice President of Design at Hacienda Matapalo, “The Polynesian Village was designed in response to people who wanted a condo lifestyle, with the privacy afforded by a villa.” Because of their unique design, the Polynesian Villa-Condos will share no common walls with their neighbors and each one will feature a large (382-square-foot) private balcony with panoramic views of either the lush tropical forest or the community's private lake.

The release of these units is hot off the press but already nine of the 32 have been sold.

Contact the developer Ed Skar today to hear how you can lock down one of the remaining units and position yourself ahead of the curve.

Regards,

Ronan McMahon,
The Leading Edge