PROPERTYSHELF - Key Persons
Elisabeth's biography reads like a combination of several people: Adventurer, world traveler, Wild West aficionado, wind surfer, mountain biker, state-certified cabinet maker and kitchen designer, construction supervisor, cattle stock farmer, bistro owner, property manager, and proud Mom of two adult children. She was born in the province of Bavaria in Germany where she longed to have horses, dogs, and farm animals. In 1991, she booked a three-week windsurfing trip to Costa Rica, but spent most of her vacation riding horses and falling in love with the Lake Arenal area. She says she finally found her, "nature-farm-cowboy-animals-horse paradise," and moved here fulltime in 1992. Elisabeth's first real estate transaction was in 1994 when she helped friends to buy a farm in the area, building their dream home with pool, and managing their estate with numerous farm animals for several years. In the early 2000s she owned a Bistro Style restaurant for a couple of years and then joined Rico Realty in 2006 where she is the glue that keeps the operation humming. She is also the treasurer of the San Luis Water Department and volunteers her time to the local animal welfare. Her interests include nature studies, her horses, dogs and cats, as well as artisan bread baking, architecture and home construction, interior design, books, arts, and alternative healing and nutrition. She is fluent in Spanish, English, and German.
Rene Aoki have been fulltime residents of the Lake Arenal area since 1994. Previously, they lived in Alaska for over 22 years. While visiting Costa Rica on a sun break, they decided to buy property and make the move to this lush paradise. With Jim's extensive experience in Alaska as owner of his own construction company and Rene's background in accounting and credit management, they decided to start the first real estate company in the area. Thus, Rico Realty was born in 1995. (Back then, if you wanted to buy real estate, you had to knock on a farmer's door, or learn through the grapevine of someone who wanted to sell.)
Jim and Rene manage the Lake Arenal office. The office is near Tilarán. They both speak Spanish - Rene is especially fluent in Español. Jim is fluent in windsurfing and fishing. She enjoys yoga, cooking, and playing with their 5 dogs. Jim also bakes remarkable sour dough bread and waffles from his 200-year old Alaskan sour-dough starter.