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by guest blogger Carole Connolly-Shaw Carole and Don from Atenas bought a cheap car that needed a paint job. Instead of painting it the same color, which was identical to the gardener’s car, they changed it to red. They had no idea what an adventure it would be getting the legal transfer in order until […]
by Ivo Henfling
by guest blogger Carole Connolly-Shaw Business was dead. Picturesque Capitola, a seaside village in California, my home town for twenty years, was abuzz with summer tourists. My sea foam green XJ8 Jaguar was parked outside begging to be taken for a ride along the coast. Maybe I could make Happy Hour at the Crow’s Nest. […]
by Ivo Henfling
by guest blogger TicoNuevo I told you last week that we had to move into our new home in Costa Rica even though the contractor was still working on the reconstruction job. Less than 48 hours after we moved into our new home, we were on a flight back to the States. It was a […]
by Ivo Henfling
by guest blogger TicoNuevo I’m not trying use my blog as a pulpit. So, I’ll try my best not to get too preachy here, but I’ve been meaning to say this for some time. In my last blog contribution, I mentioned my approach to interacting with our construction crew. My actions were not intended as […]
by Ivo Henfling
by guest blogger TicoNuevo With the construction contract signed between us and the contractor and House Hunters International Renovations in the rear-view mirror, it was zero hour and time to get started on the many plans and projects that we were intent would eventually yield to us our dream home. I made that 30-plus minute […]
by Ivo Henfling
by guest blogger TicoNuevo Selecting the right contractor is never an easy task, but for us it was a very simple process of selection by default. I was always dubious regarding Builder #1’s enthusiasm about getting us a re-quote despite their agreement to do so. So, I wasn’t totally surprised or overly disappointed when none […]
by Ivo Henfling
by guest blogger TicoNuevo Two things happened at about the same time. Actually, it’s more accurate to say, our escrow closing HAPPENED, but now having an acceptable contractor ready and lined up to make the known necessary repairs and home improvements required to make House #3 an acceptable residence HADN’T HAPPENED. Brooke Bishop, one of […]
by Ivo Henfling
by guest blogger TicoNuevo I got out pen and paper and made a list of repair, improvement and addition projects that, in our minds, would elevate House #3 to “dream home” status and I put my best estimate of a cost beside each item. However, I had no idea of local construction costs and had […]
by Ivo Henfling
by guest blogger FloridaTico Right after I purchased my coffee farm in 1993, I went down to set “things” up. I inherited a peon that I let stay on the job till I decided what I was going to do. He had a brother who needed a place to stay. He suggested I let […]
by Ivo Henfling
by guest blogger TicoNuevo It was on our first day of searching for a Costarican home that we found an interesting one. There were more than a few red flags waving in front of our making an offer on House #3. While the house was only five years old, it had only had full-time residents […]
by Ivo Henfling