House Hunting in … Ecuador

I served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Susudel. I visited this house many times and knew the family that lived there. I've spent many days daydreaming about retiring to this amazing house, but unfortunately the timing and price are not right for me. I'll be envious of whoever eventually purchases this. The town of Susudel is wonderful, peaceful, and isolated; the people warm and welcoming. Even as a gringo (you'll hear that a lot), I felt a part of the community and never threatened in any way. I still maintain many close friends from my time there. There are weekly community events in Susudel. Once a year, pilgrims will walk through the grounds on their way to El Cisne to the South. There is a weekly market in the nearby larger town of Ona. The view is amazing, the climate is ideal: warm days and cool foggy (but not cold) nights, with relatively little rainfall. This is similar to the ideal climate of nearby Vilcabamba, known for the longevity of its residents. It is important to remember that this is a rural town in Ecuador and is not except from many of the challenges (crime, persistent inequality, lack of infrastructure, youth unemployment) that are present throughout the region.

Been there...beautiful, affordable and luxurious climate. Accept you are in a developing country, long mass transits, land holding in the hands of 9 families and country whose debt obligations are primarily Chinese owned. Roads close, cartels operate and there is resource development friction between indigenous peoples all of which contributes to instability and tension undercurrents. SO you get the dynamics... Ecuador is nice. Spend 6 mos. in-country traveling around living there; first.

I look forward to an article featuring homes in the 80k range. My bags are packed, I’m just waiting for the perfect property...

You have got to be kidding!

It is nice to see a property that is not in the multi-million dollar range. It is disappointing to often see ridiculously expensive foreigner housing in low income countries.

Finally, a nice looking place at less than 2 or 3 million dollars.

Lately, several articles were published in this Section on house hunting in Central American countries. But not a word there on political and financial instability, nor the danger of property confiscation or nationalization of the hated Yanquis.

Nice place and a great climate there, though nights can get cold. Unless you have a large amount of money, mostly impractical. Ecuador, as the article points out is in an active earthquake and volcano zone. Coupled with political unrest, a bad move unless you can walk away from your investment.