Over the past few months, it has been my great pleasure to become acquainted with Charles Boyd, founder of The Costa Rica Team. Within the last year, Charles has been busy about setting up the US headquarters of The Costa Rica Team here in Sarasota, Florida.
Purchasing Property Overseas?
Well let’s face it. The idea of owning property outside the borders of the United States has some appeal. For the last few years, this idea has become more and more interesting to me. Obviously, there is the economic instability that we’ve all experienced. But beyond that, political concerns here — including the steady erosion of our personal freedoms — are becoming more and more serious.
At the risk of sounding alarmist, the Atlas Shrugged concept has moved from the realm of “interesting metaphor” to “might be worth planning.”
But of course, there may be no other reason to consider owning an investment somewhere else other than just the idea of having a piece of tropical paradise to get away to.
And for all of the above, Costa Rica seems like a fantastic possibility.
Enter Charles Boyd
A “chance” meeting a few months ago turned into a growing friendship with Charles Boyd. He’s definitely an interesting character, and has lived in Costa Rica for more than 10 of the last 15 years. While down there, he began working with folks from the US and Canada (he’s a US citizen) and helping them learn the “lay of the land” (so to speak) in Costa Rica.
Over time — after developing a residential project of his own — Charles came to work with a gentleman by the name of Ed Mercer. Ed is a colorful figure, a speaker, author, humanitarian and multi-billionaire who has spent lots of time sharing the stage with the likes of Bob Proctor, Mark Victor Hansen, Zig Ziglar and others. Ed and his wife began construction on what has become the largest residential development in Costa Rica over 20 years ago.
Since Costa Rica is known as an unspoiled paradise, with lots of protected primary forest, it might seem a bit backward for an environmentalist like Ed Mercer to get into the residential property development business. But it makes complete sense. As an astute business person, he spotted the opportunity early, and took the lead in developing land sales in an environmentally friendly way. This set the bar really high for other developers and anticipated the demand that is now present in the U.S. and Canadian markets: “green” development.
And Ed’s efforts have not gone unnoticed. In June, 2008, he was inducted into the Environmental Hall of Fame.
Delivering Value
Having spent a significant amount of time with Charles over the past few months, I can see why he and Ed Mercer are a good fit. Charles is passionate about his own humanitarian projects with the youth of Costa Rica. And Ed is enjoying staying down in Costa Rica more and more. Since Charles maintains a home in Costa Rica and one here in Sarasota, Florida, he’s a natural fit for helping unite North American investors, retirees (and soon-to-be-retirees), and would-be globetrotters with the opportunity to own a piece of paradise in Costa Rica.
For now, the headquarters of the Costa Rica Team is buzzing with activity as they handle the inquiries that are coming in from all across North America. But in the very near future, a seminar series will begin in cities across the US and Canada. Watch the group’s Rescue My Future website for details, including a confirmed event taking place in just a couple of weeks in Tampa, Florida.