Questions About Moving to Ecuador: Can I Buy a Little Piece of Land and Build a House?

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We received this letter from a Canadian woman. The idea of moving to Ecuador sounds great for many people. Lots of people are inquiring about buying some land in the country and building a little house. But there are somethings that potential Ecuadorian residents need to understand. Read Linda's response below.

Hello,

I am now a single mother. My kids are 3,4,8. I am planning on moving to Ecuador from Canada this summer. My children will be 4,5,9. I want to move into a rural area and be able to have a property to grow my own vegetables, and keep a pony etc. at the same time, it has to be close to a school. I cannot afford a luxury house. Can you recommend an area?

Elizabeth

Hi Elizabeth,

Canada to Ecuador. That will be quite a change! A number of Canadians come to Cotacachi to either live or vacation. We found a rent house for a Canadian couple from Calgary who spent 6 mos here last winter and now are back for another 6 months. They don't speak Spanish at all but somehow are managing to make lots of new friends and are having a wonderful time.

If you are single, (or a couple, for that matter) there are a few precautions I would like to get out of the way right up front. Ecuador is not Canada. Certain protections are needed no matter where in the world you live. And in this part of the world and in this particular culture, a single mother living alone with her children out in the country would need to have someone she could look to for help and information.

The unspoken rule here, as in other Latin American countries we have lived in, is that if you leave something unprotected, it is fair game. So people here have gates, walls around their property, dogs, and/or guardians. You can hire a guard, have an electronic alarm system or have a guardian or caretaker live with you or live near others whom you trust. This seems to work quite well.

What doesn't work is for a gringo to move here, buy lots of tempting appliances and furniture, and then leave the house unguarded. That's why many choose gated communities. So consider these things when choosing a property in addition to the requirements you have for the physical land, like water, trees, etc.

Now let's get to the good stuff!

Ecuador is great! In Cotacachi where we live, you can grow just about anything, except tropicals, which are brought from the coast or jungle---bananas, exotic fruit, nuts. So you can have a wonderful garden here! Ecuador is a small country so nothing is very far away and arrives nice and fresh.

In this area, there are many options, including just renting until you feel comfortable and can take your time looking around to find the perfect land. However, that would require some advance notice since furnished apartments or houses are few here. Let us know when you are coming and we may be able to help you find something.

We know of some land near town within walking distance and near a gated community of other gringos that might be ideal for you. You can build your own house and have a pony.

There are not many real estate agents in Ecuador and licensing is not required. People often sell only by word of mouth or put small signs in their windows or write Se Vende (for sale) on their walls. It would be best to have an agent or someone representing your interests. We can do that for you by acting as your buyer's agent to find property, negotiate a fair price and handle the contracts and paperwork.

My recommendation would be to do lots of research about Ecuador. Read all you can. Read our website and others, check the Ecuador news, (we have news on our site running constantly) decide on the areas you want to visit and when you find that perfect area, then look for land.

Unless you already speak Spanish and have a good working knowledge of the culture, you will probably find it is not that easy. Hopefully, we will be able to help make your move to Ecuador easier.

Love,
Linda