Sustainable Living in Costa Rica

January 13, 2011 5:22 pm Published by admin

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There are new second home real estate developments all over Costa Rica that talk about health, wellness, sustainability, eco-friendly.  Costa Rica has been a center for of second home real estate focused on an outdoor lifestyle for over a decade.  In the past number of years, E360 has been approached by many to complete resort research, market analysis, financial modeling, marketing strategies and overall thoughts on opportunities in the region.  From our experience in reviewing Costa Rican market trends, this concept is continually at the core of many Costa Rican and other international property visions.

Recently, we were approached by a new development that has a similar vision, but is executing it in a very exciting way. The Rincon is a vibrant, sustainable, international community. It is one of the few developments that is practicing – and living – their vision.  The website states that their community ‘supports human flour­ishing through a focus on wellness, personal and social development, and connections with nature and the arts.’

The Rincon property is a 146 hectare/360 acre pristine mountain ranch located 45 minutes from the Liberia International Airport in Guana­caste. The Rincon property is composed of gently sloping fields, val­leys, and beautifully forested areas with creeks and springs. Several spectacular viewpoints have 360 degree views that include the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Rincon de la Vieja volcano to the east.

In our experience with global real estate management, we rarely see second home real estate projects with such clear objectives. The goal of the masterplan is to develop a sequence of patterns that will sustain life and health in the natural and built environments, thus helping to shape a living community.  The master plan is centered around a Market Center, the active social heart of the community and the place where residents meet, interact, dine, and do business. Twelve surrounding neighborhoods contain the settlement’s 675 living units, organized in clusters which offer varying degrees of social connectivity and seclusion. The plan is flexible, allowing for generative, sustainable growth as the community expands, and leaves 85% of the site for green space and restored ecology.