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Renting Out Your Vacation Home at Sierpe del Pacifico -
Dear friend of SDP - Ever since our first client showing in May of 2009 I've been fielding questions from prospective buyers about the viability of SDP residents renting out their homes to vacationers visiting the Sierpe area. My answers were always optimistic, but weren't definite. I knew that there was a growing trend in the U.S. of people making their second homes available for vacation rental through internet sites like VRBO or HomeAway, and that rental demand was generally very strong for homes that were well appointed and well marketed. Still, this sort of vacation home rental market had yet to be tested in Sierpe and I could not give an answer beyond "yes, you can rent it out, and yes, I expect there to be a strong market." In late 2009 a friend of mine started offering up for rental his 2 bedroom, 2 bath home near the mouth of the Sierpe River for between $800 and $1600 a week depending on the time of year. Just like the owners' cabin at Sierpe del Pacifico, this house was only accessible by boat, relied upon solar panels for electricity, and was geared towards adventurous travelers desiring privacy, natural beauty, and easy access to the adventure activities of the Osa Peninsula. He started receiving inquiries immediately and within a month had already received two weeks worth of bookings. After having a year to refine his rental approach and take out multiple online listings he now estimates that he could rent his home out for 50% of the busy season (December - April) and 30% of the slow season (May - November) should he like. This adds up to a nearly 40% potential occupancy rate throughout the course of the year, yet still allows the owners to be choosy when reserving dates to enjoy their vacation home themselves.
In May of this year I put a single rental listing up on VRBO.com for the owners' cabin on SDP lot #8. Since the listing went live, I've averaged 2 to 3 rental inquiries a week and have booked 5 full weeks of rentals through the end of the year. I estimate that I could have easily booked another 5-10 weeks of rentals since May had I not reserved the majority of desirable dates for client showings and SDP lot owners' personal use. It is my full belief that SDP residents who spend the time and money necessary to actively and effectively market their home for vacation rentals on several internet sites can easily expect to book their home from between 25%-50% of the year...perhaps even more. The income generated from this amount of rentals would easily offset the costs of advertising the rental, operating the rental, HOA dues, property taxes, other home maintenance expenses, and in most cases could create a positive cash flow.
In addition to questions about the strength of the vacation rental market at SDP, I am commonly asked about the coordination of rental services for absentee owners. It is the full intention of Sierpe del Pacifico management to coordinate the full package of necessary services (home cleaning, client transport, and client communication) to absentee SDP owners for a nominal fee. Furthermore, we will also book rentals for you through our website and other marketing efforts at no cost to you beyond a commission on the final rental fee. Additionally, there are some other tourism companies in Sierpe that are offering similar services to people in the Sierpe area wishing to rent out their vacation home.
Overall, we are very pleased with what we perceive to be a very strong vacation rental market for homes at Sierpe del Pacifico and are happy to give our residents and future buyers one more reason to feel good about investing at SDP!  |
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SDP Owners' Cabin Currently Under Construction:
In late August of this year SDP builder Marc Leroux and his team of workers began construction of the Sierpe del Pacifico Owners' Lodge. Once completed this building will be a fine example of Sierpe del Pacifico living at it's best. The views here of the Sierpe River, mountains, and surrounding rain forest are unparalleled, and the 1750 square feet of well appointed living space ensures that comfort in the jungle is at it's maximum. The two bedrooms and two baths will comfortably sleep two couples or a family of four, however with the addition of pull out couches in the living area the lodge will be able to accommodate even larger groups. The owners' lodge will be the long term permanent vacation residence of SDP founder Fred Scheer, however every SDP buyer will receive between one and three weeks use per year of the owners' lodge for a period of five years upon the signing of a purchase contract for any Sierpe del Pacifico lot. This incentive is meant to reward SDP buyers with the ability to immediately start enjoying their investment at Sierpe del Pacifico. For more information on Sierpe del Pacifico lot pricing and the owners' lodge rights of use promotion please contact me directly by email at cfscheer@gmail.com or by phone (715) 699-2715.
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Cassidy's Best Value Lot, Lot #15A:
What lot 15A lacks in buildable footprint size it without a doubt makes up for in character and creative potential. Comfortably located between the calle publica and wetland preserve, this home site consists of two circular knolls greatly elevated from the surrounding terrain. One of the favorites of Sierpe del Pacifico builder Marc Leroux, this home site will appeal to someone desiring the opportunity to build an artisanal fort with small homey structures on each one of the knolls. Connecting the structures would be a small suspension bridge or elevated walkway....at least that's what Marc is hoping to do with it! The views here are quite nice as they are elevated to eye level of the wetland preserve canopy. Dominating the view are 3 large mature palms, which in addition to providing a pleasant aesthetic, could easily supply coconut milk for all the pina coladas that you could possibly drink.
Listing price Lot #15A: $47,500
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