Sure thing! Here’s the revised version of the main content of the article:
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Another update already? Yup, but don’t worry, I’m done talking about my little guest house… for now :). The updates have been more frequent lately because I got behind due to our trip to Europe. So here you go! If you want to see our journey from the beginning, I’ve created a page with all the links to past posts about the house and life in Guatemala, including cost of living and travel tips. Check out my Guatemala page.
The big news is we’ve sold some plots in our 90-acre land development! Things moved quickly after our deeds were approved. We just signed contracts for the first few plots and even raised prices, so grab a bargain while you can! I had a lovely couple stay at my guest house for a week, and by the end of their visit, they loved the place so much they bought their own piece of paradise!
We need to do some work for them, like fencing the land and planting some trees, so it looks better when they return. But first, we have to burn the land again, just like last year. The grass has been growing wild, and burning it will eliminate weeds and prepare stronger soil. It’s that time of year when you see smoke clouds from ranches burning their land before the rainy season.
The rain has almost stopped after what seemed like an endless winter, and the lake is finally receding. Our deck is out of the water, but they expect another strong winter, so I hope the lake level drops a bit more before rising again.
We’ve agreed with the well drillers to start drilling in early June to provide water for our buyers. It’s pretty exciting, and it’s nice to know that part of our drilling fee will help drill free wells for people in need.
I’ve decided to build another rental unit across from my bedroom, in a detached area near the edge of the land. This room will be a bit smaller since travelers don’t need much storage. I closed the deal with the workers who built the first room, costing a little over $3,500 for labor to excavate the land, build the room with stone walls, construct the bathroom with concrete to avoid mold, and install electricity and plumbing. They will also put a flat roof that could become a terrace for hammocks and a guest dining area.
Adding construction materials, a toilet, sink, sliding French doors, closet wood, and other incidentals, I estimate the total will be about $9,000. An additional $1,000 will cover a small terrace in front of the room for guests to watch the sunset, relax, and enjoy some garden features and stairs. All in, it should be around $10,000.
Even though the room’s size was reduced by about 50 square feet, I’m staying within my $15,000 budget. However, there might be surprises, so I made it clear to the contractor that if he missed something like an electric wire inside a wall, he needs to fix it without extra costs. He acknowledged this saying, “nobody is perfect,” but he should’ve included that in his price.
The project is off to a great start. The workers dug a significant portion in just one day, predicting a tough and rocky dig that turned out easier. The cost may drop from the initially projected $450, giving me some leverage if there are delays elsewhere in the project.
The contractor optimistically said he could have the room ready in two months! However, they won’t work during Easter and I don’t want construction noise when I have guests, so it might take a bit longer. Still, it would be amazing if it’s ready by July when my brother visits for a month.
Although construction noises aren’t my favorite, I have to admit they’re working quickly. Once finished, based on my $70 per night rate, I’ll need 142 nights to break even, down from an initial 214. At a conservative 5 nights a month, I could recoup my investment in 28 months, which is a solid 40% annual return.
With some plots sold, I’m hoping the new owners will want to stay here while supervising their own home constructions.
To keep insects out, I’m sealing both rooms. Although not all parts are done yet, it’s much easier to clean and keep bug-free this way.
In animal news, there have been some changes. After a guest complained about the aggressive goose, we returned the geese to BF’s ranch. They were pretty but also quite mean.
The turkeys are trying to have babies again. After two failed attempts, fingers crossed they succeed this time.
As for the chickens, the older ones have been dispatched and frozen for future meals. The chicks have grown into adult roosters and hens, and with three roosters fighting for the hens, BF took two to his ranch. The last rooster is very loud, disturbing guests, so I might get rid of it too and keep only hens for eggs, eventually replacing them as needed.
I’d like one of the hens to brood before getting rid of the rooster but so far, none seem interested. When guests are around, I lock the rooster in a little hut to keep it from waking everyone at 2 AM.
The ducks have been good, peaceful, and productive. From one pair, we got six surviving ducklings, ate the dad, and now they’re breeding again with more eggs.
Losing the geese wasn’t all bad; they were good guards. Once, they alerted us to intruders on the property, which led us to involve the police and warn the culprits via their family about trespassing. This village is small, so word gets around quickly.
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