Costa Rica Power Team

As a member of the Costa Rica Power Team and a lover of all things Costa Rica I am asked, “What about the health care?” when I am gushing about the attributes of one of my favorite countries in the world!

Well, in 2001, the World Health Organization ranked the tiny Central American nation 36th of 191 countries for health system performance.  Oh, and this was above the ranking of the United States!  This ranking comes as a result of reforms in the Costa Rican system and dramatically improved primary health care.  Since the countrya abolished its military in the 1940’s it can invest in its social sector what other countries spend on weapons and military funding.

One of the most successful elements of reform was the introduction of Basic Health attention Teams (EBAIS)responsible for a community’s physical and socail needs.  The system was divided into 20 hospital providers and 90 health zones.  Each zone was further divided into 10 EBAIS.

A national health plan was approved and investments were restructured, allocating resources where they were most needed.  The autonomy of healthcare providers increased with a greater control over their finances and the power to implement organizational changes.  Incentives for achieving goals were raised because 10% of a hospital’s budget was withhel and rewarded later for good performance.

Over the past decade investments from global development finance institutions such as World Bank and Inter American Development bank has exceeded US$  1 billion.  In the past several years the Costa Rican government has contributed about US$200 million to strengthen primary health care costs.

There is continual system of improvement and modernization.  Definitely, Costa Rica could teach the US a few things about health care!

Don’t forget to check out our website www.deededparadise.com for up to date information on all things Costa Rica!

Data collected from World Health Organization

Build wealth and secure your future with a self-directed retirement plan.  The Costa Rica Power Team has teamed up with Entrust Arizona to offer self-directed retirement plans.  A self-directed IRA is a retirement account that allows you to choose where to invest your IRA money, as permitted under IRA rules.  These rules allow for real estate investments in IRA accounts.  For more than 25 years, Entrust has been showing individuals and small businesses how to achieve their retirement goals through self-directed IRAs.  Entrust is the only self-directed account plan administrator that serves customers through a nationwide network of dedicated offices.  For more information please call Timarie McClendon of Entrust at 866-459-4580.

Are you planning on buying a vacation or retirement home in Costa Rica?  Then you owe it to yourself to check out our beach front single family homes in our Costa Real master planned community.  Starting at only $285,000, our homes in Costa Real are just a short four minute walk to the beach in Playa Bejuco.   Costa Real is only 20 minutes south of the popular resort town of Jaco.

All homes in Costa Real are sold fully furnished down to the knives and forks.  What’s more they are sold “deeded, fee simple” meaning you own it just like in the United States!  Title insurance is available through Stewart Title.  The homes range in size from 1,800 to 2,000 SF.  They all have three bedrooms, three baths, garage, clay tile roofs and are loaded with amenities.

Check out the “Beach Front” section of this website for more information and call Jason LaFlesch at 602-369-4663 to begin to realize your homeownership dreams.

Soon tourists will be able to relax on one of Costa Rica’s most traditional beaches; the Playa Doña Ana, in Puntarenas, is getting a face lift. Reconstruction work and maintenance, under the surveillance of the Costa Rica Institute of Tourism (ICT), began some weeks ago.

This is one of the many projects taken on by the ICT in an effort to recondition some abandoned tourist destinations, as well as some old beach spots that used to be Costa Rican favorites. The Minister of Tourism Carlos Ricardo Benavides said that he is happy with the way things are moving. The repairs to the infrastructure of the site mean that another weekend destination has been saved, not only for foreign tourists but for Costa Rican families as well.

Puntarenas is one of the closest and most convenient beaches to travel to if coming from San Jose. Once a busy port, it has now an air of abandon but its beaches have started to undergo rigorous clean-up programs, and it is not a bit too soon that the Playas Doña Ana get a helping hand. Playa Doña Ana represents the traditional family Sunday at the beach, and its clean up will allow the tradition to carry on.

The project was put on hold for a couple of months, and it was then decided to give it the go ahead. The Consultation and Construction P&S is in charge of supervising the project, which is expected to come to an end around the end of September of this year, in time for Doña Ana to receive warrented attention during dry season and Christmas break. Over 40 million colones (about $80,000) have been invested in the project. Work has already begun on the reconditioning of the picnic areas, beach access, administrative quarters, parking areas and the exterior lightning. According to the law, special facilities will be installed as well as access ramps for use by handicapped persons.

Next will come the installation of new bathrooms and showers complete with locker rooms, BBQ areas with wooden tables for picnics, and drinking water tanks. A new sewage system is also planned. The goal of the project is to offer a destination where tourists do not have to necessarily spend the night. Indeed, camping will not be allowed so as to preserve the cleanliness and beauty of this small beach.

We look forward to seeing you at our Costa Rica Informational Presentation on Saturday, July 12 in Scottsdale, Arizona. The seminar will be held at the office of State Mortgage located at the SW corner of the Loop 101 and Via de Ventura. Registration is at 9AM and we will start promptly at 9:30AM.

At this seminar you will learn all about the beautiful country of Costa Rica as well as our Colinas de Miramar master planned community.

Please call the Costa Rica Power Team at 480-246-3699 to reserve your seat at the seminar or if you have any questions.

Did you know that the Costa Rica Power Team’s weekly radio show is now heard live in the San Francisco Bay Area? That’s right! The Real Estate Power Hour, the Number One Rated Real Estate Investment Program in Phoenix, can now be heard in the “City By The Bay”! We broadcast live from the studios of KKNT 960AM in Phoenix at 11AM PDT every Sunday. You can also catch us in Northern California at 1220 on the AM dial on station KNTS.

Listening to Jason, Bill and Tim every week is a great way to stay on top of what’s happening in Costa Rica. The Real Estate Power Hour is your show too! Call in with your questions or comments and participate in the show’s “Tell Me A Story” about Costa Rica segment and win a free dinner for two at popular restaurants.

If you’re outside of the Phoenix or San Francisco listening area you can audio stream live at www.kknt960.com on the world wide web. Just make the adjustment for your time zone.

Costa Rica was recognized as one of the world’s best vacation sites at the International Tourism Trade Fair held recently in Spain. The award was presented to Tourism Minister Carlos Benavides. Mr. Benavides noted that the award is recognition of the effort the country has made to position itself as one of the best destinations within the international tourism markets.

“We are very proud of having been recognized in this category, primarily because the selection was made by prestigious members of the international tourist industry which recognizes the quality of the Costa Rica tourist product and our commitment to continue to improve in the future”, Mr. Benavides said.

The award is based on input provided by the 180,000 readers of Travel Weekly magazine, a trade publication read by travel agents, hotel owners, tour operators, suppliers and travel industry professionals.

This year represents the first year Costa Rica was the top selection. The country received runner-up honors in 2004, 2006 and 2007.

The Costa Rica Power Team believes that this award confirms what we’ve been saying since we became involved in the country in 2005. Costa Rica has it all!

The Costa Rica Power Team is pleased to announce that we have teamed up with Entrust Financial Services to allow our Hills of Miramar buyers to purchase their custom home site using tax deferred retirement plan money. With a Self-Directed IRA administered by Entrust you have complete control over your investments even allowing for the purchase of residential real estate and land. Our Entrust representative is Kaaren Hall. She can be reached at 949-788-2970. Please give her a call to discuss all the details. Entrust’s website is www.theentrustgroup.com. “Pura Vida”