Before investing in a home in the Villas de Playa Tortuga, Puerto Armuelles beach development, there are some people you need to talk to and some questions you need to ask.

1. Talk to the Gringo lady who lives in Puerto Armuelles. She put down a deposit on a lot. When Playa Tortuga decided to develop elsewhere, they refused to return her deposit.

2. Talk to the local fisherman. Playa Tortuga has tried to deny their traditional access to the sea. This is an ongoing dispute.

3. Talk to the Gringo neighbor whose house construction has been unsuccessfully opposed by Playa Tortuga.

4. Talk to the farmer across the river who watched Playa Tortuga remove gravel from the river without a permit  for use on the roads.

5. Talk to the contractor Playa Tortuga refused to pay because he had "worked for the enemy."

6. Talk to the Gringo surfer who walked up from the beach to introduce himself and was greeted by the owner running towards him with a gun screaming "Get off my land!"

7. Talk to all the present residents off the development. Ask them how they felt about a construction schedule that took 3 times as long as it should have. Ask them how many promises we not kept and how many emails went unanswered.

8.Talk to the construction workers. Ask them about the support columns that cracked during a minor earthquake. Ask them why there was virtually no damage in the area other than the Playa Tortuga homes.

9. Talk to the owners of Playa Tortuga development face to face. Ask yourself if you believe people who tell you how honest they are, but find themselves surrounded by enemies.

Before you decide to purchase a home in Playa Tortuga, you really need to find out what you are buying into. It's called due diligence.