16 Acre piece of paradise in Puriscal

16 Acre piece of paradise in Puriscal for sale. At less than $6/m2, this is a bargain. This beautiful Finca is located in Desamparaditos, five kilometers northwest of Santiago de Puriscal. It is approximately 16 acres in size and is located at an altitude of 2,400 feet, with a near-perfect climate. Days are rarely hotter than 85 and nights are generally between 63 and 68, and there is almost always a refreshing breeze. Humidity is only high when it rains. There are fabulous views of the central valley from Alajuela to Atenas, with the volcanos Poas and Barva in the center of the vista.

The Property

Approximately one-third of the property is a jungle, with the balance second growth in most areas. A seasonal stream runs along one property boundary. At one time, there were many teak trees which have been harvested. New growth from the roots is now 8-10 feet high if prospective buyers want to continue teak cultivation. The property would be ideal for avocado or citrus cultivation in the northeast quadrant. Preliminary subdivision plans, along with a “water letter” from the Asada, are available to interested parties. (water association) This is an absolute must for subdividing.

The Finca was established in the late 1800s as a (sugar) cane plantation, complete with its trapiche. The original Campesino house was built then, and my parents lived in it (with improvements they made) from 1978 until 1994 when they passed away. The original house no longer exists – too much water and termite damage to salvage.

During the latter part of the 1990s, the most suitable land was used for raising cattle, ending in 1990. In about 1995, a reforestation project was undertaken, paid for by a grant from the Dutch government. The plan intended to reforest with native trees. Still, due to some collusion between the plan administrators and the vivero that supplied the nursery stock, the property was planted with teak, which we found undesirable – non-native and ugly. Complaints were filed, an investigation was made, and several “officials” lost their jobs.

The trees, however, were left to grow until they were big enough to have commercial value. The teak was harvested in 2014, and saplings are coming from the original roots. The property is now pretty much the original jungle in one quadrant, with the balance being periodically thinned to eliminate undesirable vegetation. An attempt is made to conserve the beautiful views. My parents planted many fruit trees, such as mangos, guavas, ortaniques, tangerines, oranges, limes, jaboticaba, Surinam cherry, etc. There are naturally occurring fruits such as guanabana and cas.

Much effort has been spent in landscaping. There many large mature trees, such as poinciana, palms, eucalyptus, higueron, (ficus) breadfruit, castana, (breadnut) and cedar. Birds are plentiful, as are small animals – armadillos, coatimundi, squirrels, possums, and the occasional kinkajou.

The Casa

What was originally my parents’ pottery workshop is now divided into two areas: a living space of about 900 square feet, with the rest being a workshop space. When we lived there, it was my woodworking shop. It has an automatic washing machine and a dryer installed in it. There are ample lighting and electrical outlets. It retains the original construction except for the roof which was replaced in 2003.

The living area includes two small bedrooms, one bathroom, and a modern kitchen and large living area. It features an open design with high ceilings, modern fixtures, and a very comfortable veranda. The kitchen cabinets were custom made by one of the owners using local hardwoods. The floors are ceramic tile throughout. The house is fully furnished.

Ample water, reliable electricity, and WIFI internet with 50MB download speed.(upgradable) No telephone landline is currently installed, but all the provisions are there. ICE (the local electrical and communication monopoly) now has fiberoptic cable internet service out on the road, all lines are currently taken but more will be available soon. This will greatly reduce internet service costs, currently $56/month via wifi. The road is paved from Puriscal to the front gate.

The Community.

Desamparaditos is a small village population, just under 700 at the last census in 2011. It has probably increased considerably since then. There is a Catholic church, an elementary/kindergarten school, a pulperia, an excellent mini-super with attached soda, and a community center. The people are friendly and very community-oriented. Many of the infrastructure improvements have been paid for by donations from the local citizens. It’s a very nice community to live in.

Puriscal, or Santiago de Puriscal, is the capital of the canton of Puriscal. It’s now known simply as Puriscal, but the old-timers still call it Santiago. When we first visited in 1980, it was pretty much a cowtown, dirty and rundown with little going for it. It is now the economic center of the canton and is a going little city. Three banks, two gas stations, four construction supply/hardware stores, three churches, four supermarkets (one of which is a Super Pali, a Walmart subsidiary), a large bus terminal, many types of dry goods stores, and several restaurants – and lots of taxis. There is an excellent feria (farmers market) on Saturday mornings.

It is rarely necessary to make the trek to San Jose for everyday needs. The town is so advanced that you now have to pay to park on the streets at certain times!

Contact me now to view this 16 Acre piece of paradise in Puriscal for sale.