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Need Advice.

Sold one of the divisions of my company to an investment group. Too young to retire (mid forties). Investment landscape in U.S. does not look good. Real Estate, Stocks, CD's, all are very suspect (how low will they go?)
Wasn't smart enough to invest in oil !!!

Any seasoned investors that would recommend an investment in CR. I have been reading that real estate is a little inflated. What about tree farms? Small
companies with good potential growth? Anything else (Please don't tell me a Strip Club--Fun to visit, wouldn't want the hassle).

Visiting CR August 7-12. I am all ears. Thank you.

I believe you'd get scammed and lose your shirt unless you invest a year or two on-site before you drop a dime on any investment in CR. They think we have too much money and have polished numerous ways to separate it from us. Even gringos who are wanted or unwanted at home view other gringos as marks. Caveat emptor.

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Providing humanitarian assistance to self employed chicas, one cash grant at a time.

DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT INVEST IN CR UNTIL YOU HAVE LIVED DOWN THERE A COUPLE OF YEARS TO SEE ALL THE SCAMS. MORE SCAMS THAN ACTUAL LEGIT INVESTMENTS.
Having said that you can still capitalize on oil by buying the drillers who make bank as long as oil stays above 70 bucks.
PEs are 8-12 on these stocks so there is not much downside if the market hits the shitter. Plus they all have contract backlogs out to 2011 and earnings growing at 40-90%. My favorites are Noble NE, and RIG transocean, real no brainers if you hold for more than 6 months.
Not pumping because I own it because the float is so huge on those stocks that your money does not matter...... just trying to be kind and make sure you dont throw your money away on a scam in CR which are numerous.

I echo what has been said before, if you don't know this country inside and out, you WILL get screwed. If you're looking for something to protect your capital rather than trying to make a killing on something chancy, check out MERKX. Hard currency fund, it's a way to avoid losing because of the tanking dollar, and it's worked great for me the last few years.

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"The only normal people are those you don't know very well." Joe Ancis

find someone you can trust. an old friend or do your due diligence in findind a respectable person is CR. Old mongering fools and Gringos are about as good as an STD there. Everyone knows everything and people always feel much better if the can loose your money as well as theirs with their millions dollar stock tips. find something that would interest you first. then study it up. for example, the jatropha carcas plant that is becoming a great biofuel option. if that something that could interest you, check out http://thecostaricaseedcompany.com and also check put http://thecostaricanews.com. read up on an alternative fuel source. take a look.

I will look into it.
Thanks for your assistance.

i hear the is a need for some MPs in san jose......

JRobertj,

Initially, I came to Costa Rica to expand the business I have in the US of brokering the sale of privately owned businesses. I believed there to be a need and it was confirmed that no such service existed in Costa Rica. In the US, I have been doing this for over 25 years and have an excellent reputation for honesty and integrity. However, all that I know and all of my years of experience are worthless in Costa Rica.

If you want to make a small fortune in Costa Rica, start with a large one. The legal system and the business ethics are disfunctional. Just as the family values in Costa Rica are destructive to families, the business values are destructive to business and the governmental values are destructive to effective government. If you are a high stakes gambler with looser ethical values, you can survive, but in my opinion, only the truly unscrupulous can thrive in Costa Rica business. Everone else just scratches to survive.

If the government sees you as a gringo becoming too successful, they will become an impediment for no reason other than they can. Just ask Bill at Sportsmen's about how capricious the local government is being in granting him permission to begin renting his new rooms.

My suggestion is similar to others you have heard from concerning making an investment in Costa Rica, just don't do it. PM me if you want to talk about more specifics.

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Slut Puppy in Training

Is low self esteem a prerequisite for being a good Ho or is it a result? ;-)

So I guess the new rooms at the SL are ready but can be rented just yet? Any update on when they will be available?

Tanking dollar... how things change... change fast too.

Actually, the dollar has gained incredible strength against all the majors in the last week or so. Had someone been able to play the forex and bought dollars they would be in paradise today. And, for the hard metals and oil....TANKED!!! Personal opinion, consistently buying commodities is still a good play.

dapanz1

Whatever you do... stay with what and where you know

there are many opportunities here just as in the States but you need to be on the ball...

on the other hand ... .. .you can easily get screwed both here and in the States

many of the cliches you have heard over and over take on a much different meaning once you get older...ie. they're true

rarely will you hit the big one...be conservative....the power of compounding interest is amazing

I would consider Brazilian bonds. The real is very strong.
Consider the following article.


Brazilian Real Strengthens as Commodity Gains Boost Inflows

By Adriana Brasileiro

Aug. 21 (Bloomberg) -- Brazil's real strengthened for a third day as gains in commodities increased the value of export flows from Latin America's biggest economy and rising stocks bolstered the currency's allure to international investors.

The real rose 0.6 percent to 1.6090 per dollar at 5 p.m. New York time, from 1.6185 yesterday. The currency touched a one-week high of 1.6085. The real has advanced 10.6 percent this year, the best performance among the 16 most actively-traded currencies.

``Demand for commodities is strong and will support prices in the short to medium term,'' said Mario Cebrian, head of foreign exchange trading at Banco Standard de Investimento in Sao Paulo.

Crude oil prices rose on speculation that Russian production may be disrupted because of rising tensions with the U.S., while a weaker dollar increased the appeal of commodities as a hedging instrument. Crude oil is among Brazil's top three export products.

Brazilian stocks gained for a third day, the longest winning streak in a month, as rising commodity prices and an improved earnings outlook boosted energy and raw material producers. The Bovespa index gained 1 percent today.

Petroleo Brasileiro SA, Brazil's state-controlled oil company, climbed as oil rose. Cia. Vale do Rio Doce, the world's biggest iron ore miner, advanced for a third day as metals prices increased.

The yield on Brazil's zero-coupon bonds due in January 2010 rose 4 basis points, or 0.04 percentage point, to 14.74 percent, according to Banco Votorantim. The yield on the overnight interest futures contract for January delivery was little changed at 13.81 percent.

To contact the reporter on this story: Adriana Brasileiro in Rio de Janeiro at abrasileiro@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: August 21, 2008 17:13 EDT

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Living life on the beach in Brazil Life could be worse
Duardo