Day in the life of Ben
This is the first in a series of a day in the life of, or blog entries where we will follow a random RE/MAX We Sell Paradise employee for a full day to find out what they get up to! This will give you the insight into what it is like to help people buy and sell homes in a very unique, tropical, isolated, mysterious, and stunning location that is Southwestern Costa Rica.
We will start with Ben, who is one of the franchises (alongside Heather) and has been there since ‘Day 1’.
4:45 AM – Ben’s usual routine involves a daily morning run, usually 1 hour long but sometimes 2 hours or more. Ben starts his run before 5:00 AM when the sun is still far below the horizon and not even the Howler Monkeys are screaming – so a flashlight and a knife (or a stun gun) are his usual accessories (Ben has seen numerous Black Panthers in the local area, so a deterrent is necessary). The run will take him down to Cinco Ventanas, along the coastal highway to Ojochal, and then right through the village and back up the mountains.
6:42 AM – After the run, shower, a quick breakfast and, already, quite a few work related phone calls and messages it is time to head to the office. Ben’s sidekick Polka takes the front seat for the 10-minute drive down to the RE/MAX office on the coastal highway, just south of the entrance into the village of Ojochal.
6:55 AM – Ben arrives at the office – today there is no time for a morning coffee and catch-up with the employees; that will have to wait until later. There are three site visits and a lot of phone calls, emails and little jobs to be completed from the phone while Ben is on the go. Polka is very reluctant to be left in the office alone this early in the day, but at least she will get to play the part of a guard dog while enjoying a bowl full of food and air conditioning set at 22 degrees. Soon other employees will pop in to keep her company.
7:12 AM – After a quick cruise down the coastal highway, Ben arrives at a Uvita car wash. Because he is meeting clients today the car needs to be spotless both inside and out – and a car that clocks a dozen or two dirt road kilometers every day is rarely in a shape to be seen by clients! While the car is getting a much-needed bath and scrub, Ben heads across the street to Sibu for an essential coffee and bagel.
8:31 AM – Back to the office in a spotless car, Ben and Heather set off to meet a client – they will be inspecting and photographing his jungle property. Many local roads wind their way through thick primary forests and thus the GPS signal can be very unreliable as the thick canopy often blocks satellite signals. The little blue dot can jump all over the place leading to much confusion, as has happened today. After Ben and Heather found their way, they spent about half an hour speaking with the tenant, going over property plans, and taking pictures.
9:41 AM – Back to the office again – a quick hello to Polka and 2-2 (who can be seen peeking from inside Heather’s office), and its off to meet the next homeowner. With Heather and Magaly in tow, a quick drive down the coastal highway brings the team to their destination (of course after the mandatory ‘getting lost for 5 minutes’). A few pictures, drone shots, and a conversation with the owner seals the deal.
10:57 AM – Back to the home base, and it’s time for Heather-Santa and Ben-Santa to spread some Christmas Cheer! Plenty of presents and refreshments for everyone to enjoy and a welcome little break for Ben.
11:34 AM – Back on the road as Ben heads up the jungle covered hills behind Uvita to show a very unique property – the so-called ‘Teak House’. The potential buyers were very interested and spent over 3 hours inspecting this stunning property. The house is made entirely of teak panels which creates a very natural, open and spacious atmosphere. The view and surroundings of this house are absolutely stunning.
6:59 PM – After the prolonged Teak House showing, a quick gas station stop provided the bounty of a cold Coke and delicious Chicharrones. The snacks held Ben over as he swung by the office to pick up Polka and answer some emails. Soon after he is pulling into his driveway, long after dark, ready for a much-delayed hot meal and a moment of relaxation – though these are rare as the phone keeps beeping and beeping…
Costa Rica is attracting remote workers as well as expats who wish to continue their career in the tropics, or perhaps try their hands at a brand-new craft (as Ben did). The first step is finding the right property to act as a home base launchpad for your next mission (and you WILL choose to accept it!) Visit the RE/MAX We Sell Paradise website to view the hot properties in our local area: https://www.we-sell-paradise.com
