Alegria Village Lot 30
Information Package
Updated November 22, 2023
Thank you for contacting us – this provides more information about the lot I have for sale in Alegria Village, located near Orotina/San Mateo, Costa Rica, just an hour in either direction between the San Jose International Airport and the beach areas of Jaco.
Please also take a look at:
- Our November 2023 Partnership Models for Stewarding Land in Community webinar – including great information about practical considerations for forming partnership to co-own land anywhere in the world
- The announcement and revision of the community’s Design Guidelines which detail home building requirements based on best practices in regenerative living and design
- Information about the home building Design Process
- Information about active Home Builders
The website home page gives an overview of my opportunity, Alegria Village in general, and more about living and working in Costa Rica.
After reviewing these materials, please contact us for a personal consultation, and/or to participate in an Alegria Village community webinar (to sign up, please visit alegriavillage.com). Or best yet, when you are in Costa Rica, please let us know and we will arrange a tour of the community to include a showing of my lot.
Alegria Village is a special place, so it’s most important to have synergy among lot buyers, creating community together. Your lot purchase is more than an economic investment – it’s about creating a shared future among neighbors based on common values.
Background
As a small investor in the Alegria Village development, it’s been rewarding for me to see the transformation of this former cattle ranch into a thriving permaculture community.
I’ve known Alegria co-founders Stephen Brooks and his father Norman for many years and seen their success – creating permaculture courses, the original La Ecovilla subdivision and now Alegria Village. I met Stephen through music festival production – I came down to help in the early years of the Envision Festival he co-created. I can only say great things about them and these projects.
Having investing in the development, I had intended to build a house there for myself or with partners, but then came upon the opportunity to buy 16 acres of redwoods in Sonoma County, California, north of San Francisco. Regrettably, I can’t build in both places, which is why I’m offering Lot 30 for sale.
Today this development and its infrastructure are mostly complete. People are building and moving into their new homes. Residents are a diverse group, arriving from 37 countries with shared values and interests in regenerative living. It is an ideal place for families with children, safe and secure with an entrance gate, parks and play areas.
Opportunity
Located near the top of the development, Lot 30 has great views and at 3101 square meters (.77 acres), it can accommodate the maximum (over 9600 square feet) building footprint allowed.
Development
I will need to submit building plans by April, 2024. I can do that but would prefer not to constrain a new buyer with my ideas. If the lot is not sold, I will need to design a minimum size cabina for rental, while continuing to list the property for sale to buyers to create additional building plans.
Therefore, time is of the essence to find that ideal buyer – a transfer of ownership resets the timeline for submitting plans to 20 months after that resale. It is better for us all for a sale to happen right away!
Please review the Design Guidelines, which are excellent and set high standards for regenerative building, information about the building process and a sample of the work of architects and builders active at Alegria Village.
From the guidelines:
The philosophy for creating a home in Alegría Village is to minimize the impact of building on the surrounding landscape. Emphasis is placed on the quality of the site work, architectural design, construction materials, and landscaping of the individual homesites. To support this belief these Design Guidelines have been created to help owners, builders and architects achieve the best possible home for themselves as well as for the land and surrounding community. Several key principles that are incorporated into the following guidelines are to:
- Create continuity of design and quality within the community
- Preserve the natural beauty of the existing landscape
- Define appropriate architectural styles
- Use appropriate landscaping and plant types
- Blend with the surrounding landscape through appropriate material uses and color palette
- Educate owners of green building programs related to architectural and site design
Since this is one of the larger lots in the development, you can build a substantial house, or a few small houses for rental or guests. You can create whatever meets your needs – art studios, small cabinas, swimming pools or creative structures. Guest houses can generate rental income to cover costs, subsidize your use or even generate income. The property may gain in value as lots in the community are built out.
Co-Ownership and Lot Title
Lot 30 is ideal for co-owners and partners. When I bought it, I wanted a flexible ownership structure, protected by US (California) laws in addition to Costa Rica’s. This structure is optional, depending on individual buyer situations.
One of the many community advantages is that as a recently completed development, Alegria Village lots have clear, fresh titles – which mitigates risks which can be a problem elsewhere in the country. There’s a Costa Rican national registry for land titles, and the Alegria legal team made sure these were all in order when they established the subdivision.
Henry Lang’s law firm advised Alegria during development; I used them for my lot purchase as well. They speak fluent English and do a great job. Their website has additional information:
https://www.langcr.com/real_estate.html
I set up a Costa Rican “SRL” corporation, a simple corporate structure which limits owner liability.
https://www.langcr.com/differences_between.html
This Costa Rica SRL owns the lot title. Then, because I wanted to make it easy to bring in US-based partners (friends and others) to develop and later manage building projects, I formed a California LLC corporation to own the Costa Rican SRL.
I can very simply transfer LLC shares to a new buyer who may need only to update corporate information in California and Costa Rica, and the transfer is complete.
Some buyers, particularly Costa Rica citizens or permanent residents, could simply choose to hold title to the lot as individuals. That can be the cheapest option in Costa Rica but on the other hand brings additional reporting requirements for US residents.
I’ve thought this through for myself but I’m not an attorney, tax or immigration expert. You are encouraged to consult your own tax and legal advisors to review the best ownership structure for you.
Legal, Finance and Administration
Another advantage with my lot is that I’ve gone already set up a team – Henry Lang for Costa Rican legal matters, plus a local accountant and administrative person who have been great for handling things – we have legal and tax compliance pretty much down to a system. Of course, you completely free to choose your own assistants.
And after purchase, I will be glad to continue sharing with you whatever I may have learned from 20 years investing in Costa Rica. As a finance and management professional and consultant. I work with many businesses, nonprofits, partnerships and startups on organizing accounting, finance and strategies.
HOA fees for my lot are now about $416 a month (payable quarterly), plus municipal taxes ($736 annually). Depending on your legal structure, US and Costa Rica corporate filing fees, tax returns and legal bills can be extra. These amounts will vary, and could increase based on tax assessments, HOA budgets and the value of completed building projects.
Costa Rican banks may finance homes for the country’s citizens or permanent residents, and title insurance is available. Many Alegria neighbors paid cash, or bought in with friends or family groups, sometimes refinancing property owned elsewhere to raise funds.
One of the founders has a fund which may loan up to 50% of lot purchase and building values on reasonable terms – I can connect you with him for more information.
Community
Neighbor demographics
Lot owners have arrived from many countries including the US, Canada, European and South American countries, as well as Costa Rican natives. Some will be permanent residents working independently or online, while others will divide their time between Alegria and elsewhere.
Both international and intergenerational, the community includes families with children, some attending the local Casa Sula school. Common interests include permaculture and resilient design, and a desire for a more natural lifestyle including healthy food and water.
HOA and Governance
Residents of Alegria Village pay dues to a Home Owners’ Association which in turn oversees a professional management company (NEI) responsible for repairs, maintenance, security, etc. Infrastructure includes roads, fiber optic internet and a spring-fed community water system. Amenities include a community garden (with weekly vegetable deliveries), gathering space, playgrounds, sacred/meditation spaces, a swimming pool and yoga shala. There is a mobile phone app that helps residents find community information and allow visitor entry through the development’s security gates.
The HOA held its third annual meeting in February 2023. There is an elected board, a Design Review Committee and other formal and informal circles focused on topics such as regeneration, building, governance, rentals, economy, etc. Residents communicate through regular in-person and online meetings and chats.
While still in a formative stage, neighbors are actively sharing information and resources for creating both physical buildings and community agreements using best practices of regenerative and resilient design.
Costa Rica
Information about the country, regions and tourist attractions is readily available online, so I won’t try to duplicate that here. I listed a few of my favorite places at alegriavillageresales.com
Visiting the country has been easy for me as a US citizen, no visa required. I was never personally interested in longer term, temporary or permanent residency. However, by investing $150,000 in real estate (for example, by buying my lot!) you may also qualify for residency.
Bonus Tips
While I’m motivated to sell the lot – right now! – it’s also important that the buyer is a good match for the community, and vice versa. An amazing life is possible in Costa Rica. Specifically, Alegria Village owners can live comfortably and creatively with neighbors who collaborate and are creating a special place.
For co-owners considering my lot, there’s an established body of knowledge about establishing partnerships and clear agreements, for home or business. I recommend Diana Leafe Christian’s book, “Creating a Life Together”. It is available through the Foundation for Intentional Community, a longstanding resource for people seeking ways to live harmoniously together:
https://www.ic.org/community-bookstore/product/creating-a-life-together/
Further, Alegria founder Stephen Brooks offers a Permaculture Design Certification course through Ecoversity:
Permaculture is an emergent path forward…
From green jobs to community leaders and homesteaders – the time is now to learn the practical skills required for us humans to stay here on planet earth. The first steps are equipping yourself with knowledge, growing your community of like-minded individuals, and obtaining mentorship from those that have walked the path before.
Imagine a life where…
- You’re completely lit up by your desire to be in service to creating a healthier planet, and you know exactly how you’re going to contribute.
- Your dreams of making the world a better place now have a plan of action behind them.
- You feel confident and secure in your skills and knowledge, and you happily share what you know with those who are ready to listen.
- You feel activated to go out into your community and involve people in your big vision.
- You never worry about having access to clean & healthy food and water, because you’ve set up self-sufficient systems to have an endless supply.
- You’re surrounded by a community of people who share the same purpose and vision, and you’ve never felt more supported than you do now.
Next Steps:
I’m in marketing push to sell my lot, and open to offers. I’m passionate about helping people to generally organize and make great decisions for success. There are a few ways for us to move forward:
Connect and Consult
You can email me (andy2004@fusso.com) directly or using the contact form to set a good time to connect one to one using Zoom, WhatsApp or even the telephone.
Zoom Webinar
Using the “Visit” menu link you’ll find at alegriavillage.com, you can connect with sales agent Jai Murphy who holds regular general Zoom sessions for prospective lot buyers. Alternatively, for immediate gratification, you can view this recording of a recent webinar here.
Arranging a Visit
If you’re in Costa Rica or planning a trip there, we can arrange a showing of my lot and/or a tour of Alegria Village – on a group tour, or please let us know in advance when you’d like to meet for a personal showing.
I hope this information is interesting and would like to sell my lot to you! Thanks very much for your interest…
Andy Fusso
+1 415.203.3407