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What Exists Today


Marenal's infrastructure is operational and verifiable. This is not a vision of what might be built someday. This is what exists on the ground right now.

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BUILT INFRASTRUCTURE

 

Our first residence, built in 2002 and expanded in 2022, serves as our manager's home. Our second residence, built in 2023, is Franz's home, where he now lives year-round. Our Farmers' cottage, in existence since before the land purchase, has recently been renovated and is ready for visitors. We also built a 3-bedroom house with a large garage on one of the 7 available Lots. It is ready for sale to a Founding Partner who is ready to move to Marenal now.  

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The Community Social Center, with an outdoor kitchen and meeting area, a pool with a translucent roof, an exercise and yoga terrace, a treatment room, and a manager/therapist residence, shall be completed in the second half of 2026.

Our deep well, with a capacity of up to 100 homes, supplies water to all lots and is treated without chemicals.

Each Phase I lot has water and electricity, connected and ready for construction. Fiber optic internet is installed and operational throughout Phase I.

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The working farm produces tilapia in managed ponds, raises chickens and sheep, and cultivates fruits and vegetables year-round. The main road and agricultural roads are graded and covered with lastre, a stone-based permeable surface that handles highland terrain effectively. Two security gates control property access.

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LOCATION
 

Marenal sits on 55 acres in the Lake Arenal highlands, with beautiful views of Lake Arenal, the Arenal and Tenorio volcanoes, and the highlands on the south side of the Lake. The property is accessible via Highway 143.

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Nuevo Arenal is 5 minutes away and offers banking, groceries, fuel, schools, restaurants, medical services, and a vibrant expat community. Liberia's airport can be reached in 1.5 hours, and some beaches are just 2 hours away.

UTILITIES
 

  • Water: Deep well operational, capacity for 100 homes, chemical-free treatment, connected to each Phase I lot

  • Internet: Fiber optic installed and operational in Phase I

  • Power: Connected to Costa Rica's electrical grid. Can be connected to batteries for extra protection.

  • Waste: Septic systems required per lot; property management can coordinate contractors

  • Roads: All agricultural easement roads are graded and covered with lastre, maintained by property management

TEAM
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  • Franz Xaver Meier: Founder, 87, lives on-site full-time, oversees all operations.
     

  • Ariana Ugalde: Manages GLP S.A., the property management company for Marenal. She has been with Fanz in that
    capacity for more than 15 years. She handles administration and vendor coordination.
     

  • Marlon Muñoz: Operations Manager, native of Tronadora on Lake Arenal. He oversees grounds, livestock, and coordinates construction.
     

  • Manuel Talavera: Construction Manager, owner of Constructora y Remodelaciones Talavera Orozco S.A., our in-house construction company, available for all Marenal projects.
     

  • Kenneth Artavia Mora: Architect (CFIA A-37226), Costa Rican licensed architect with sustainable design expertise, native of the Arenal region.
     

  • Diane Greenleaf: Administrator, handles Partner and administrative support.

OUR OFF-SITE SUPPORT
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  • Legal: Mural Legal - Gonzalo and Sharon Murillo Álvarez, Abogados y Notarios
     

  • Accounting: Despacho Gómez y Asociados, Giovanni Gómez
     

  • Insurance: INS - Dianey Murillo Gutierrez
     

  • Banking: Banco Nacional de Costa Rica, Sucursal Nuevo Arenal
     

  • Investments: Banco Nacional de Valores, San Jose

Phase One Availability

Phase One consists of 11 total lots.
3 lots are currently occupied.
8 lots remain available for founding partners.

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Each lot varies in size, but all have generous building pads suitable for substantial homes. All founding partners have equal standing in the Marenal Partner Association regardless of lot size.
 

Lot selection: The first Founding Partner to sign a preliminary Purchase Agreement and make the $10,000 reservation deposit receives first choice of the 8 available lots. The second partner receives the first choice of the remaining 6 lots, and so forth.
 

A detailed lot map is available during property visits.

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The Founding Partner Opportunity

BUILDING YOUR OWN COMMUNITY
 

The founding partners are not joining someone else's established community. They are building their own. This distinction determines who has authority, who makes decisions, and who shapes what Marenal becomes.

THE MARENAL PARTNER ASSOCIATION (MPA)

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The Marenal Partner Association is registered as a limited liability company (SRL) under Costa Rican law. When 11 shares are distributed, it will be activated and managed as a Sociocracy. This is not a homeowners' association with a Board of Directors and majority voting. This is a member-owned company controlled by quota holders and managed through sociocratic consent-based governance.
 

Current structure:
 

  • 3 existing quotas: Franz, his son and daughter, and Ariana (property manager)

  • 8 founding partner quotas: 1 per founding partner

  • 11 total quotas = 11 owners of MPA

WHAT THE MPA CONTROLS

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The MPA operates through consent-based decision-making informed by the recommendations of its member partners. No change moves forward as long as a partner has a principled objection that cannot be resolved. This protects minority positions and ensures thoughtful decisions.

The MPA  General Council and its sub circles make all governance decisions at Marenal with the assistance of GLP S.A. our property manager. GLP is owned by Franz and managed by Ariana, who is also a quota holder. This relationship protects the interests of all partners, because both parties have common security and development interests including:
 

  • Property and road maintenance

  • Security and gate management

  • Utility and infrastructure development

  • Pool and social center operations

  • Farm operations and agricultural land use

  • Budgeting and monthly fees

  • New lot development timing

  • Community property development

  • Commercial property use and disposition 

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY​

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4.6 hectares of highway-frontage

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When all 11 lots in Phase One and 11 properties in Phase Two have been sold, MFGK, the owner of the commercial property, shall transfer title to MPA, as per the agreement between the parties. but in no event before January of 2027. Until the transfer is completed, MFGK shall be responsible for all taxes and maintenance expenses. After the transfer, the MPA will assume ownership of the commercial property and the associated expenses.
All member partners holding a quota in the Marenal Partner Association will then be 1/32 owners of these valuable properties. 
 

Important: The commercial property transfer is contingent on reaching a total of 22 lot sales. If MFGK does not reach 22 lots sold, the properties will remain with Franz and his heirs until this number of sales are reached.
 

What Partners Receive
 

  • Governance authority: 1 quota in the MPA, gives you a voice and consent power over all decisions

  • First choice of lots: Early commitment provides the widest selection of Phase 1 lots and Phase 2 lots, when released

  • Commercial property stake: When the MPA owns the commercial property, you're a part owner of this asset.

  • Direct access to Franz: Interact with Franz at any time during the pioneering phase

  • Founder status: You set the tone and create the precedents for what Marenal becomes

Pioneer Reality

After you built your home and are ready to move to your new living quarters, you will probably have only a few immediate neighbors. By that time, our community social center will be finished and will become a great point of contact. As a co-housing community, we own our homes independently and share community assets jointly.
 

You are pioneering a development that will eventually include 32 partners. Being among the first, means you are experiencing both advantages and challenges. It will be an exciting and satisfying time!

SUPPORT AVAILABLE​

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All our on-site and off-site team members are here to make life at Marenal easier. For example, having our own construction company on-site will make home building easier, faster and most likely more economical. It is also safer since we know all workers, and it eliminates the challenge of finding reliable contractors approved by MPA.
 

Our required minimum investment entitles you to apply for Costarican residency, a valuable benefit we recommend to all partners. Our Off-Site legal and tax team members are qualified professionals ready to assist you.
 

By having our own property management we reduce the number of outside personnel, which would have to be vetted to ensure our security and safety. MPA and GLP will both benefit from the association by providing connections not always available to newcomers. Ariana Ugalde and her team will gladly assist you with the many big and small things that may come unexpectedly your way.

WHO THIS IS FOR​

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Marenal is for people who want to decide for themselves how to live. If you value individual autonomy, voluntary cooperation, and freedom to make your own choices without imposed authority, this is built for you.

WHO THIS IS NOT FOR​

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Marenal is not for people who believe government can solve problems. If you expect external authorities to manage disputes or provide services, you will not align with our philosophical foundations. This is also not for someone who wants turnkey convenience. If you need everything finished without contributing yourself, we may not be the right fit for you.

Pricing & Timeline

We have elected to price our lots equally at $175,000, although many properties might commend a higher price, to give our future partners the opportunity to obtain investor residency, regardless of age.  

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PHASE ONE PRICING
 

$175,000 less the early bird discount of $25,000 for Phase One Founding Partners, or $150,000​​

PAYMENT STRUCTURE​

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  • Escrow deposit: $10,000 - Starts 30-day due diligence period during which both parties can withdraw and earnest money deposit will be refunded.
     

  • PSA signing: $65,000 - plus the $10,000 of the escrow deposit 
     

  • Balance: $75,000 - Due before title transfer and closing
     

  • Total: $150,000 - Title transfer after January 1, 2027

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Key Terms:
 

  • Right to build: From PSA signing, you can begin construction planning and permitting. No need to wait for the title transfer.
     

  • Monthly maintenance: $100 per month, beginning the month after signing of the agreement. It covers road maintenance, security, common areas, and property management. May be adjusted by MPA after its formation, based on actual costs.
     

  • Title transfer: January 2027, or when final payment is received. 

NEXT STEPS

All prospective partners must visit the property virtually or personally before receiving our Compatibility

Assessment. If a prospective partner considers becoming a member-partner and has returned the Compatibility Assessment to us, and Franz or the Marenal Partner Association when established, has agreed to accept the prospective partner, then both parties shall enter into a Preliminary Purchase Agreement, valid for a 30 day Due Diligence period. 

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Or contact us directly: hello@marenal.com

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