There is a place on the central Pacific coast that is just minutes from world class beaches that many expats and Costa Ricans alike love to call home.  The name of the place is Villas Xihu, (pronounced Zee-Hoo) a unique upscale community in the seaside fishing town of Esterillos Oeste, just a fifteen minute drive South of Jaco.  Villas Xihu is unique in that in spite of the bad economy and lower real estate prices, people are still buying and building in this lovely area of tropical beauty and great beaches.  The reasons are many, but the main reason is simple, the community itself.  There are a growing number of people who appreciate living in a place where neighbors are friendly, know each other’s names, and generally look after one another, gringos and Ticos alike.  Another part of the charm is the quality of the many fine homes located in the neighborhood, many with pools and beautiful tropical gardens on ample lots.  There are also different homes to suit almost any budget, some starting as low as $159k  (recently sold), all the way to several homes over $500k with lots starting as low as the mid 20′s, most lots valued at about $60 per m2, or about $60k for 1000m2 (about a quarter acre).  Some lots have small ocean views, most are just cool and jungly, some with streams, some with mountain views, some are just nice open building lots. Some properties are even large enough for horses.  There is a nice mix of options to suit any taste.

Currently in Villas Xihu there are some great opportunities to own homes that would have sold for twice the price a few years back, and every so often a real “fire sale” deal comes along.  No matter what the price point, there is real value in Xihu properties, especially with the high quality of the homes.  There have been many recent new home starts, and people always seem to be making one improvement or another on their existing homes, whether it be a rancho or adding a pool.  As many developments seem to be stagnating and some have completely stopped construction, Villas Xihu continues to attract a growing number of buyers.  Most have been drawn to the fact that these homes and lots are owned with fee simple title, not a condo or coop.  Also, there are good services like municipal water, cable TV, high speed internet, phone lines, etc.

Xihu is a place people always love to come back to and call home, a place where it is common to see toucans and macaws, as well as monkeys playing in the trees in your backyard.

Another great aspect of the Villas Xihu community is the convenience.  The community is tucked back off the Costanera (coastal highway) in Esterillos, a short drive South of Jaco, a bustling beach town with plenty of restaurants and nightlife, and large American style grocery stores, banks, etc.  Villas Xihu is central to two of Costa Rica’s best sport fishing marinas, Quepos, and Los Suenos, and there are options to go fishing locally on a panga boat and catch Red Snapper, and Roosterfish among others.  There is also plenty of fishing right off the beach, in the river mouths, estuaries, and off the rocks, all just five minutes from home.  Surfers love it here too with more and more active surfing families coming to enjoy the best kept surfing secret, the miles of empty beach break that ranges from long peeling river mouth breaks to hollow dumping barrels in Bejuco and Centro.  Esterillos Oeste has some great long boarding waves, sometimes breaking for hundreds of meters under the right conditions of swell angle and size.  If the surf gets to big, it is only an hour to some killer sheltered point breaks like Corralillo or the long river mouth break at Barranca.  It is also just an hour and a half drive to Dominical now that the new road is completed to the South, making it a viable day trip.

Villas Xihu is walking distance to Esterillos Oeste Beach, where you will find the school, soccer field, churches, several restaurants, surf shops, supermarket, butcher shop, and several beach bars, some with dancing and karaoke on weekends.

Anyone looking for a great place to live on the central pacific coast at a great price needs to check this place out.

For more info on the Villas Xihu community and other properties in the area, contact Erik Engstrom using the form below, call: 8 899-3652 or  View Real Estate Listings on the Sun Belt Properties, CR website.

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This elegant villa is a one owner home with a pool in one of the nicest communities on the coast.
So convenient, so close to all the area beaches, and so peaceful, private and tranquil, this is a true tropical garden oasis. This gracious home affords plenty of room for family and friends to relax and spread out from the roof deck to the poolside hammocks, or relax in the ample open layout interior and open up the windows and double sliding doors to bring the indoors and outdoor living spaces together. This home has 4/5 bedrooms and would make a great Bed and Breakfast or vacation rental. It is a great location to enjoy all the best of the central pacific coast as this development is right off the costanera.
The 332m2 home is fully fenced and gated and has the amenities you would expect, such as a/c and ceiling fans throughout, ceramic throughout, custom woodwork, three custom baths with bathtubs, cable TV, high speed internet, as well as phone line, 2 indoor garages plus enclosed outdoor parking area for four or more cars.

Buy this home direct from the owner and save. Just $375,000 for one of the nicest homes in the area, real quality, real value. Title is clear, fee simple, not a condominium. Buy and enjoy your dream home in paradise, it is that easy.
Go to the full details HERE.

Click below to start the photo slideshow.

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Author: Gabe

It is a common misconception that coconut oil is bad for you. People all over the world are experiencing the healthy benefits of using coconut oil. It is actually one of the healthiest oils you can consume. Here are the top seven reasons why you should use coconut oil as an alternative to other common cooking oils.

1. Coconut oil doesn’t turn to fat in your body.

Unlike many other common oils, like soy (vegetable) and corn, coconut oil won’t make you fat. Coconut oil contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), which are an easy fuel for the body to burn, without turning to fat. Most other cooking oils and fats contain long-chain triglycerides (LCT). LCT’s are usually stored as fat. Since coconut oil is a MCT, it is more easily absorbed and converted to energy quicker.

People in the tropics have relied on coconuts as a traditional staple in their diet for centuries. They consume large amounts of coconut oil every day. Instead of getting fatter, it helps them stay healthy, lean and trim. When they switch from coconut oil to our modern oils, they develop obesity and the health problems that our modern society faces.

Some other people who have known this truth for a long time are people who are in the animal feed business. When livestock are fed vegetable oils, they put on weight and produce more fatty meat. When they are fed coconut oil, they become very lean.

2. Coconut oil increases your metabolism.

Not only does coconut oil convert to energy quicker in your body, it increases your metabolism, which promotes weight loss. Because it boosts your metabolism, it helps your body burn fat more effectively.

Coconut oil may triple your calorie burn. Since coconut oil is a MCT, it is converted to energy so quickly that it creates a lot of heat. In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, MCT’s burn three times more calories for six hours after a meal than LCT’s.

The February 15, 2005 issue of Woman’s World magazine stated that coconut oil is the “underground high-metabolism secret.”

This is great news for people who have thyroid problems, since coconut oil improves sluggish thyroids by stimulating the production of extra thyroid hormones. Most other common oils, like vegetable (soy) and corn have been shown to inhibit thyroid function.

3. Coconut oil has omega 3 fatty acids.

Most cooking oils contain omega 6 fatty acids, something we get way too much of in the United States. Our omega 6 to omega 3 ratio should be 1:1 but it is more like 50:1. We need to drastically cut back our omega 6 oils and consume much more omega 3 oils to be healthy. And coconut oil is filled with these healthy omega 3 fatty acids.

4. Coconut oil gives you energy.

Because of the healthy omega 3 fatty acids and the fact that it increases the metabolism, most people that switch to coconut oil feel a burst of added energy in their daily life.

This is because coconut oil is nature’s richest source of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT’s), which increase metabolic rates and lead to weight loss. MCT’s promote thermogenesis, which increases the body’s metabolism, producing energy.

This is because coconut oil is nature’s richest source of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT’s), which increase metabolic rates and lead to weight loss. MCT’s promote thermogenesis, which increases the body’s metabolism, producing energy. Many people with chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia have found that adding coconut and coconut oil to their diet was helpful to them.

5. One of the best things you can use on your skin and hair is coconut oil.

Coconut oil one of the best things you can apply directly on your skin and hair. It gives temporary relief to skin problems like rashes. It aids in healing and restoring skin to a younger appearance. It has also been known to help with people who suffer from yeast infections in the skin, as well as many other skin problems.

Not only does is soften and smooth your skin, coconut oil has antioxidant properties that protect the skin from free radical damage. Coconut oil makes excellent massage oil too.

6. Coconut oil has healthy benefits that most other oils do not.

Evidence is mounting that coconut oil has anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-viral effects when both consumed and used topically on the skin.

Most oils oxidize and turn rancid very quickly causing free radical damage in our bodies. Coconut oil is not easily oxidized and does not cause harmful free radical damage like polyunsaturated vegetable oils. Free radical damage is thought to be responsible for many ailments in our body from arthritis to increased susceptibility to cancers.

Coconut oil also helps our bodies absorb other nutrients more effectively, such as Vitamin E.

7. Coconut oil is one of the best oils you can use for cooking.

It has a higher smoke point than olive oil, which means it can take higher temperatures better. There are several healthy omega 3 oils we can choose to consume, such as flax and olive oil, but they don’t do well under the high heat we use for cooking. Coconut oil can be used in higher cooking temperatures.

It is harder for coconut oil to go rancid, unlike other cooking oils, which are usually rancid long before you even bring them home. Rancid oils cause free radical damage in the body, which is a leading cause of cancer. Coconut oil is stable for over a year at room temperature.

Because of the misinformation we have been given for years, we have lost out on the healthy benefits that coconut oil has given the people of the tropics for centuries. But now it has been rediscovered! Coconut oil is so effective, it won’t be long before we see coconut oil supplements promoted, but you can get the jump on the popular crowd and start consuming and cooking with coconut oil today!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/nutrition-articles/some-reasons-you-should-be-using-coconut-oil-1255146.html

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