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"The central idea for us was to create a neighborhood around us. A neighborhood we want to live in. We'll be residents of Nicaragua and build a neighborhood around us. This is for active retired people who don't want to just live in a condo, who want a chance and the room to pursue their particular interest, whatever it is."
--Chris, co-founder of Las Quintas
"It's interesting. It's interesting because it's different. That's Number One. When you're different, you're opening new doors. You're not repeating what everyone else is doing."
--Raul Calvet of Calvet & Associates,Nicaragua's top developer consultant
Learn More
About Las Quintas
Description and Update
From the Founder
Lot Map & Financing
Location & Aerial Tour
About Leon
About Nicaragua
About Serenity
Come... relax...ride on horseback across the landscape...
savor the mountain and ocean views
ride the surf,
marvel at the sunset at oceanside
and enjoy a top restaurant or take in a movie at nightfall
Las Quintas offers the perfect combination of privacy, peace, beauty, tranquility, adventure...and convenience.
Spanning more than 170 acres,
it combines serene panoramic views with
close proximity to beaches and the entertaining nightlife of a vibrant city:
The country's second largest city is less than a half-hour away.
Two of its most developed beaches, two estuaries and a major natural reserve are just 10 minutes away.
All for under $75,000 a lot...Actually more than a lot. More like a parcel...or estate.
Our "lots" will run to as large as five acres.
Many visit housing developments where houses are so tight to eachother you basically live with your neighbors with no space for a nice tropical garden. You need to leave your home and resort to the community's public park instead. Would you rather be in a place where the houses are built to fit well into the natural surroundings instead with plenty of open space to roam?
Project Description & Update
The Las Quintas project in Leon
is a rural residential lot development
located on 170 acres of land on the highway to Poneloya.
Canadian investors purchased the property in April 2008 to create a neighbourhood of 18 small farms
on two hills overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the beach community of Las Penitas.
The use of the lots will be limited to residential, tourism and agricultural purposes.
Each lot will have access to road, electricity and potable water.
Lot buyers will be invited to form a neighbourhood association to work with Las Quintas on an ongoing basis to ensure the effective management of road, electricity, water, garbage and recycling systems and to enhance the natural environment through tree planting and trail development.
Land ownership and development approvals:
The fee-simple title for the property is expected to soon receive First American Title Insurance.
The cartography defining the borders of the property and the privately owned road access to the Carretera de Leon
is registered with the federal government agency INETER.
Las Quintas is now in the process of applying for a water use permit to drill a new well and build a distribution system for potable water.
Las Quintas is also applying for development approval for the sub-division from the national environmental authority MARENA. These approvals are anticipated to be in place in early 2009.
The people we think will want to live in the neighbourhood:
The target market for the project is primarily Canadians, Europeans and Americans who want to retire to Nicaragua and live in a place where the natural environment offers panoramic views, a beautiful natural setting, privacy, quiet and an opportunity for agricultural activities
such as gardening, fruit trees and horseback riding.
The lots range in size from one to five acres and are well suited for commercial activities in agriculture,
such as market gardens, and cultural tourism activities, such as guest houses, language schools and art studios.
The other positive aspect of the project is that it is located 4 kilometres from the beach and tourist services in Las Penitas,
and 15 kilometres from the colonial city of Leon. The developers are also actively seeking Nicas who may wish to live in the neighbourhood to strengthen the cultural connection of the project to the community.
Property description:
The property has four distinct geographic areas.
Finca Eleana:
The lower portion, including approximately 60 acres, has been a farm with fields
and corrals for as long as people in the area can remember and is known locally as “finca deliciosa”.
The developers will keep this portion of the property as their “finca Eleana”
and are now in the process of planting fruit orchards, building horse corrals and installing a water irrigation system from the existing well.
Areas that are not suitable for cultivation will be reforested with fast growing Ning mixed with trees that thrive on the property naturally such as Wanacaste, Eucalyptus, Almendro Macho and Cedro Macho. They also plan to build a home and live in the neighbourhood.
Consistent with the objectives of the project, the commercial activities on Finca Eleana
will be market gardens and fruit production, horse riding for tourists, as well as a guest house and artist retreat.
The Lots:
The first set of 12 lots will be developed on a hill with a summit of 155’ overlooking the ocean and Las Penitas.
The project area includes about 45 acres. All of the lots have ocean views and some on the eastern border also have excellent views of the mountains and volcanoes. Each lot has a least one excellent house site.
Some lots also include hillside land with excellent potential for tree planting and terraced gardens.
These lots will be available in 2009.
The Valley:
There is a small 20 acre valley between the two lot developments
that has also been heavily degraded by cattle grazing, but which has good agricultural potential as a small producing finca.
Covenants:
In order to preserve the residential and rural quality of the neighbourhood,
and to protect the enjoyment of all lot owners, the following limitations will be written into the title of the lots.
By putting these limitations into the title itself, we can ensure that they remain binding if the lots are transferred or sold to another owner.
Lots may not be sub-divided. Property use is limited to residential, agriculture and tourism.
No more than one large livestock animal (cows and pigs) per acre or two small livestock animals (goats, sheep) per acre are permitted on each lot. Perimeter fences cannot be higher that 2 metres.
Road:
The main road to the development is a two-kilometre long, 5 metre wide, gravel road.
The existing right of way is 8 metres from the Carretera de Leon to the entrance of the development. The right of way will be broadened to 15 metres through the neighbourhood to allow space to plant trees to provide shade on the road.
The road follows the path of an old farm road that has existed on the property for many years.
Electricity:
A two-kilometre two 1/0ASCR wire mono-phase 7.6/13.2 KV transmission line
will connect the development to the Union Fenosa transmission line on the Carretera de Ponaloya.
The concrete posts can be adapted to add a third wire if three-phase power is required for a larger energy consumer in the neighbourhood.
Lot buyers have the option to connect to the line and become a customer of Union Fenosa, or remain off grid and develop their own electricity generation. Depending on the energy consumption of individual lot buyers, a solar/wind system may be preferred.
Potable Water:
Las Quintas will drill a new well to access clean drinking water that will be distributed
to the neighbourhood through a pipeline that follows the road.
Las Quintas will operate the water system as a mini-utlity to recover the cost of electricity used by the pump and maintenance.
Water use will be metered and the system will have capacity to provide water for about 30 homes.
Lot buyers have the option to connect to the water system and pay a quarterly fee based on water use, or develop their own well.
Sewage: Each lot buyer will be responsible for developing septic systems in accordance with nation standards to deal with black-water wastes.
The soil is well suite to septic drainage.
Garbage: A garbage and recycling station will be located near the entrance of the development.
Lot buyers are responsible for bringing their garbage to the station, and will be encouraged to separate their garbage to facilitate better waste management. The station will be managed by Las Quintas. It will have an enclosed incinerator for burnable wastes, a recycling area for plastic, metal and glass, and a composting area for organic material. Wastes that cannot be burnt, recycled or composted will be moved to a municipal land-fill site for disposal.
Neighbourhood Association:
Every lot buyer will be invited to join the neighbourhood association.
The primary interest of the association will be to work with Las Quintas to ensure the quality and effectiveness of road, electricity, water and garbage systems. Beyond this, there is an opportunity for the association to plan projects of benefit to the neighbourhood such as tree planting, trail development and shared activities. The association may also be used as a way to interact with the local community through sponsorships and projects that support the environment, education, health, recreation, safety and other vital aspects of community life.
Future Development:
The Poneloya and Las Penitas area will undergo significant tourism development over the next decade. In anticipation of tourism and land development, many cattle ranches in the area are now for sale. The Las Quintas project may expand to include neighbouring ranches in the future as long as the vision of a rural neighbourhood can be sustained and lot buyers can be offered the same high level of ownership security and services available in the current project.
Chris, co-founder of Las Quintas
The central idea for us was to create a neighborhood around us. A neighborhood we want to live in. We're going to be residents of Nicaragua and live in this leighborhood and build a neighborhood around us. It is for active retired people who dont want to just live in a condo, they want a chance to have room to pursue their particular interest whatever it is.
I think I can describe our customer: The customer is... me or people like me. I'm retired. I'm not old -- I'm 55. There are many people in my boomer generation who choose to let go of their careers because the kids are up and gone and they want to do something different while they're still young enough to be active. We're active people. People who will enjoy the many recreational activities nearby will give. People with hobbies.
Many of these people would love to live in Central America, but they're scared. Or they'd love to live in Mexico, but the prices scare them off. So what we are going to try to offer these people is this: if you like it here and can see your activity here, we'll take care of everything else. That means we guarantee that we'll make the sales process go smoothly, you're not going have to chase after paperwork. It's absolutely guanrateed title. It'll be First American Title-insured. So we're going to try to take the worry out.
We've taken on no debt. This project is being done without financing.
In terms of site development, it will be land clearing till next April, then tree and crop planting.
We're also going to build horse corals and a training circle.
On the upper part of the farm, we'll have the subdivisions and have the property re-surveyed and titled.
Then we'll tidy up the properties, put physical markers on the lots and extend road access.
The lots will be priced to move.
Clients will have the option of bringing power from the highway and develop local distribution, or getting the lots as "off grid" living.
In terms of water, wells can be drilled to develop a local distribution utility, or owners could be left to make their own choices.
The development will rely on its own capital and lot sales for infrastructure investment,
without resort to borrowing. Again, the development will be 100% debt-free.
We believe the most important part of our business plan is a statement of shared values.
Here is ours.
In all our business dealings the following values will guide our decisions:
• Protecting the natural environment.
• Humane treatment of animals.
• Self-sufficiency.
• Preserving and strengthening the culture of the people of Nicaragua.
• Fairness, respect and honesty in all relationships with employees, customers, service providers and other people who are affected by our activities.
• Respect and adherence to government laws and regulations.
Las Quintas is a proud sponsor of the Leon Cardinals baseball team.
preliminary lot map
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Full details on lots and pricing
Coming soon
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León, the second largest city and the cultural center of Nicaragua, is only 19 km from the beaches of Penitas and Poneloya.
León is the home of the National University of Nicaragua, with a medical school, a school of veterinary medicine, and a law school.
It has the largest cathedral in Central America, and the Catedral Basilica de Sutiava is the oldest church in Nicaragua.
There are also more than 40 other churches representing most major denominations.
The city has four fine museums and art galleries, as well as excellent hotels and restaurants.
Managua, the capital of Nicaragua, is a short 89 km from León via an excellent new highway.
Managua's international airport has just been remodeled and enlarged and is only 1½ hours from León.
Managua is a clean, modern city and has all one would expect from a nation's capital, not to mention casinos.
León has plenty of super markets, drugsstores, gas stations, a movie theater,
banks, ATM’s, transportation,
buses to Poneloya Beach every 45 minutes, hotels, bar and restaurants, discos,
one of the best and biggest hospitals in the country, and several medical centers
in different sectors of the city, taxi drivers, rental cars, internet cafes, universities, schools
and more...
The New Nicaragua offers many opportunities to live your dreams,
embark on your own adventures and create an intimate, peaceful and affordable sanctuary of your own.
It is one of the safest countries in Central America and, indeed, safer than the United States, according to at least one prominent global ranking.
It is emerging as Central America's best real estate value and its most attractive property investment destination
as Panama and Costa Rica become the "Florida" and "California" of Central American real estate,
both withdraw tax benefits and become more expensive and more restrictive on visa and residence policy.
Nicaragua provides an immense variety of attractive lifestyle options and extraordinary property values;
enjoys the most beautiful, virgin and diversified landscapes in Latin America;
provides some of the region's most generous tax incentives and offers its easiest visa and residency requirements.
It boasts a variety of alternative energy options (including solar, wind, and geothermal)
in an era of high and rising oil prices and offers an excellent mix of Old-World charm (architecture, culture and old-fashioned good manners)
and First-World comforts (good highways between major cities, widely available high-speed Internet, Internet-ready cell phones,
and U.S.-style malls). Its main international airport is sleek and relatively uncongested,
with regular flights to Europe and short direct flights to the U.S.
Passage from check-in to gate is typically stress-free,
with flights typically on time (it's more like a bus or train station in terms of its predictability and simplicity).
About Serenity
Serenity is a international real estate firm unlike any other,
incorporated as Serenidad Bienes Raices, S.A. in Nicaragua and as Serenity Partners, Inc. in the U.S. (Deleware).
We are a full-service agency, extending well beyond conventional real estate services.
We offer title research, architect referrals, construction and renovation project monitoring,
real estate tours, development consulting, marketing, assistance with getting First American Title Insurance,
government permits and other paperwork and tax benefits.
Our overriding aim is to reduce the hassle of purchasing, relocating to, investing in and developing new locales abroad.
We believe Nicaragua provides enormous investment potential (see our Investment Briefing). That's why we're here, and why you should be too.
We're an international firm: Our representatives are American, Nicaraguan and European. We speak English, Español, Deutsch, Français, Italiano and Romaneste.
