Ecuador Residency Visa: One Family’s Experience

Posted on December 4th, 2008 by Gary

We continually receive inquiries about Ecuador Residency Visas.  We share our experience as best we can, but with the continually changing landscape in this subject area, it is often hard to follow.

The following post is by Kirsten, one of the people who went on our last Intro to Ecuador Tour, and is now planning her transition to this beautiful country.   She does a great job of sharing her experience.

WARNING:  Kirsten’s experience may not be your experience, so don’t get too wrapped up in the details.  They tend to change.  But use her dialog as as a guide for the kinds of things you may need to do, or at least be aware of.

KIRSTEN WRITES–We just about have all our paper work together for our Ecuador Tourist Visa. (just need to get the Spanish translations of all the documents notarized) .  Now we just need a few more green backs! Needless to say we lost quite a bit with the crises!

So far I have gotten the following papers together for Grace (our attorney from Cuenca) and the Ecuador Embassy.  Everything you send out needs a self-addressed envelope included with postage prepaid.  If I sent something to be apostilled I also included a photo copy of our passports for identity.  Money for the state could be in a check form, while money for the embassy for the Ecuador Tourist Visa had to be in a Post Office money order.

To get finger print cards call the FBI at this number 304-625-5590 and ask for the cards to be sent to your address and then go to your local police station to get fingerprinted.  Documents for the most part are to be apostilled in the state that they were issued. For example, I had to send our marriage certificate back to Florida for the apostille.

All documents must be notarized before being apostilled. FYI an Apostile is an international recognized stamp meaning that your document is the original or legal copy. In other words it is a international recognized Notarization of a legal document.

To get a 6 month tourist visa you must apply at the Embassy. You must have a 6 month visa to apply for an Ecuador residency visa. They want $200 for a visa (each), $30 for application (each), and $40 (one time) for the letter they write (in Spanish) stating that you have enough money per month income.

So for two people it will cost a total of $500. To get the required info for a Visa 12-IX (6 months)go to www.ecuador.org and pull up the Servicios Consulares in Spanish (no english yet). (Another good website is sponsored by the national police. Click here  There is an English link)

The other costs are for Apostilles which vary from state to state($15.00 to $40.00 each), Notarization $5 to $20 each, police statements $10 to $30, translations $20 to $40 each document, and postage.  I usually registered everything.

Here is a list of all the documents for the Embassy and Attorney Grace that you need to get your Ecuador Residency Visa and Ecuador Tourist Visa:

Each document has to be notarized, then translated and notarized to state that the translation is from the original document, then apostilled.

Spanish letter stating you have enough monthly income from Embassy
Certificado de Visacion - from Embassy
Solicitud De Visa - from Embassy
Marriage Certificate
Police Criminal Record Check for each person - state police does this (local police can do it too)
 Finger Prints for each
Health letter from doctor stating you are free of AIDS & any other
Communicable Diseases for each of you - you get a blood test - needs
to be a formal letter with doc’s stamp and signature
Document showing your monthly income (or available resources)
Round trip ticket for the Embassy - send photo copy
2 passport photos for Embassy for each of you and 4 for Grace

Due to bureaucratic ineptitude it took us a long time to get everything done. For example they did not tell us we needed documents to be notarized before they could get apostilled!  FBI forget to send cards! Etc. etc., you get the drift.  In the end it has taken us about 2 and a half months to get it all done, but we are well on our way to getting our Ecuador Residency Visa.

Hope this helps. Mind you I have not sent the stuff (photo copies of everything)
to  Grace yet. Who knows what she will still need? The residency visa application process will only take place when we go to Ecuador.

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Filed under: Ecuador Laws, Ecuador Residency Visa, Ecuador Tourist Visa, Moving to Ecuador

Cotacachi Walk About

Posted on November 29th, 2008 by Gary

The day after Thanksgiving was a great day.  The weather in Cotacachi has been fantastic the last few days.  If it was like this all the time, we would be swarming with expats and tourists.  As it is, many more people are finding their way to our small town.

We just opened a new office in Cotacachi, and as a result, are seeing more action around our real estate program.  A couple of days ago, our graphic designer called me and said he heard of a hacienda that may be for sale, and would we like to look at it. 

Of course, we jumped at the chance.  For some reason, the word, “hacienda” fires my mind.  I have always loved to explore old buildings and properties that have a long history.

So we met him on Friday and began our venture.  How interesting it was when we pulled up in the yard to discover that the owner, Antonio, was a person we had met about 8 or 9 months ago. 

He is good friends with Carlos, the owner of the Hacienda from whom we purchased our land a short while back. Carlos had brought him around  to meet us on one of his visits.

As it turned out, Antonio did have about 7 1/2 acres for sale along the road. It was pretty nice land, but not of the incredible variety that we are always looking for.  But the bulk of the Cotacachi hacienda property, some 80 acres, was not for sale–unfortunately.  This was some of the most magnificent land we have seen since we have been here.

Antonio is a pretty big time farmer, and nearly all of the 80 acres are under cultivation, with tree tomatoes being the dominant crop, but also beans and corn.  He gave us a walking tour around the property.  It was obvious by the condition of the crops that Antonio knows what he is doing.   I don’t think I have seen a prettier farm. 

Some of the property was maintained organic.  He uses chicken and cuye (guina pig) fertilizer, but says he has to add some chemical phosphorus to make up for the shortage in the soil.

Antono told us that a few years ago, he was the biggest farmer of quinoa in South American, raising about 350 tons per year.  Unfortunately, his buyer in the U.S. cut his pay by about half, citing increased competition and lower prices.

He later found out that there was about a 10 times mark-up between what he was getting paid, and the price his buyer was charging their customers.  But the low price forced him out of the market.

It was a great morning, but the best part was making a new friend.  One of the joys of Ecuador, especially Cotacachi, is the friendliness of the people.  Antonio was no exception.  “This is your house,” he said as he showed us around the old hacienda. 

We went out into the garden and saw some monster cabbages.  “Do you want one?” he asked.  Of course, we couldn’t say no, and didn’t want to.   He picked the cabbage, and later that evening brought it to our house, where he joined us for a tea.

It was the end of a perfect Cotacachi day.

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Filed under: Cotacachi, Ecuador Culture, Living in Ecuador

Quito Cultural Events: In December, Quito is One Big Party

Posted on November 26th, 2008 by Linda

Each month, our Quito cultural events reporter, Liliya Bykova, compiles her list of favorite entertainments for you to enjoy.  This month, The Fiestas de Quito, with all their brilliant color, tense drama and excitement are here once again!

Opening of the Fiestas de Quito
28 November 7:30 p.m.
Plaza de San Francisco
The Fiestas de Quito officially open with a night of music, local bands, fireworks and fun. For more information, see www.quitocultura.com

Other highlights this year include:

Queen of Quito Contest
27 November 8 p.m.
Teatro Nacional Casa de la Cultura ,  6 de Diciembre y Patria
The annual contest to choose the next Queen of Quito takes place on 27th November, with hundreds of people supporting their favourite candidate, dressed in the best designer fashions from across Ecuador, accompanied by live music.

Festival del Pasacalle
3 December 7p.m.
Teatro Nacional Casa de la Cultura , 6 de Diciembre y Patria
A festival of Ecuadorian music, including the famous pasacalle but also pasillos, sanjuanitos, tonadas, bombas and albazos – every rhythm and variety under the sun. Renowned Ecuadorian musicians will perfom live.

The ‘Quito Fest’ rock festival at the Parque Itchimbía on the 1st and 2nd December.

And ‘Quiteñadas’ a special musical show on the 1st at the Teatro Nacional beginning at 6 pm.

5th December marks the fiestas’ high point.  On 6th December the fiestas end with a closing ceremony at the Plaza de Toros in northern Quito, complete with music, dramatic legends .

All programming for the fiestas can be viewed online at www.quitocultura.com
For highlighted events, go to–www.quito.com.ec

The main event starts 28th November.  The opening of The Jesús del Gran Poder Bullfighting Fair is heralded with trumpets and for nine days following, the world’s finest bulls and bullfighters and bulls confront each other in Quito’s Plaza de Toros bullring.

For more information, scheduling and prices–http://www.feriadequito.com/

Buy Bullfighting Fair tickets at:

* Taquillas de la Plaza
* Ticket Center del C.C.I.
* Condado Shopping
* C.C. Villa Cumbayá
* C.C. San Luis
* C.C. El Recreo
(If you are unfamiliar with Quito or the above locations, hop a cab and give the driver the name of the place you want to go.)

Every year following these bullfights the pros and cons of bullfighting are debated, but in the end, the bull always loses.

For an exciting and entertaining exploration of Quito’s Old Town, join

Legends of Old Quito with Liliya and Leo
cell:  08 703 8310

email: lbassist2003@yahoo.com

Source:  Official Site of Tourism for Quito–http://www.quito.com.ec/

and double click on  FIESTAS QUITO 2008

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Upside Down World in Ecuador: New Mining Law Creates Resistance

Posted on November 20th, 2008 by Gary

Yesterday, an Ecuadorian woman who is married to a U.S. citizen, and has lived in the U.S. for five years, came to Cotacachi to look at some real estate.  She is ready to return home.  We were expecting her around 11 a.m.

At 10:45 she called from Cayambe, about one hour from here.  “We are blocked in the road,” she commented.  “The indigenous are blocking the highway. I don’t know if we are going to get through or not”

I hadn’t heard of any social actions, and so kind of forgot about it.  She arrived here at 4 p.m., with just enough time to look at a few houses and return to Quito.

Today, I found out what happened.  It seems that Participatory Democracy, Ecuadorian style, was in action once again.  You see, the people of Ecuador believe in democracy.  And when they elect a president to office based on his promises, they expect him to keep his word.

President Correa campaigned on a populist platform to limit, or highly restrict mining practices in Ecuador that were damaging to the environment.  It appears he forgot about that in his proposal of a new mining law which will give much wider latitude to foreign mining interests. Well, the people who put him into office didn’t forget, and they gave a solid reminder yesterday.

Check out this news article from Upside Down World that explains what happen yesterday, and I expect will happen again with greater strength unless Correa listens to the people who elected him to office.

About 8 months ago, we interviewed Leonardo Alvear, president of the Cotacachi Asemblea, the principle body that makes participatory democracy work in the Canton of Cotacachi.  In this interview, he described how the people of Cotacachi thought they had won their fight against Ascendant Mining, the Canadian company that has been trying to mine copper in the Intag.

If you haven’t read the article that Linda wrote, I really suggest you read it, especially if you get concerned when you hear of work stoppages and strikes in Ecuador.  This article gives the best description I have seen of the process of Participatory Democracy in Ecuador, and why I am high on the people of Ecuador.

They do not roll over when special interests try to tell them how it is going to be, and they believe that their future depends upon how strongly the resist attacks on the environment from any source.

Lord knows, we could use a bit of that in the U.S. right now.

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Filed under: Cotacachi, Ecuador Culture, Ecuador News, Ecuador Politics

Quito Culture with Liliya Bykova

Posted on November 8th, 2008 by Linda

Queen of Quito To be Crowned November 27

One of the highlights of Ecuador culture occurs each year at the end of November when Quito chooses its queen.  Last year the daughter of a friend of mine was one of the candidates, so I have some insight.

After 10-15 candidates are chosen from many applicants, who must be unmarried and born in Quito, there is a reception at the end of October.

Candidates introduce themselves and sponsors make their selection.  Every girl has to have a sponsor. The mayor and his spouse make speeches, the press holds interviews, family and friends of candidates cheer, food and beverages are served.

From the day after the reception until the final selection, the life of a candidate is no picnic. They are picked up from their homes each day at 6 a.m. and the day starts, with makeup and hair, then training in how to walk on stage, dance, manners.

The girls go on tours of Quito.  They have to know the history of the city they represent, visit hospitals, orphanages, sponsor’s companies, different events and finally are delivered at home around 11 p.m. each  night.

November 27, 2008, at Teatro Nacional de la Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana, the Queen of Quito, Miss Patronata and Miss Confraternidad will be chosen. Last year tickets cost $30.

Upcoming Quito Musical and Theatrical Events

Opera La Boheme at Teatro Nacional Sucre
Ecuadorian production.
24,26,28 November, 8:30 p.m.

You can buy tickets at the teatro ticket office: Monday – Saturday from 11 a .m. – 1 p.m. and two hours before the performance.
$80 – main floor seats
$40 – balcony

As I stated before – bring 20´s, 10´s and 5´s.  Quito is a city where receiving change is not to be taken for granted!

In August we saw a Cuban production of Carmen.  Teatro Sucre was packed.  Since our seats were on the balcony, we brought binoculars and it was extremely entertaining to watch musicians, singers, spectators up close.

Free Quito Concerts

In November Quito offers a series of free Ecuador concerts at the Plaza del Teatro. The best way to enjoy the concerts at the Plaza is to sit at the Café del Teatro’s outside tables.  It is guaranteed you are not going to freeze:  the café has outside propane heaters.

Cantores del Pueblo – Noviembre 14, 7 p.m
Apparat Band - Noviembre 18, 7p.m.
Mama Vudu - Noviembre 19, 7 p.m.
Festival de Bandas Populares - Noviembre 22, 4 p.m.

The Russians Are Coming!  The Russians Are Coming!

Russians musicians invading Quito!!!

Serguei Sytchkov and Luis Alberto Llaneza
Concierto de canto con piano
Teatro Nacional Sucre
November 15, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $1 (no joke)

Galina Ryzhikova (piano)
Y la Banda Sinfonica Metropolitana
Teatro Mexico
November 20, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $1(still no joke)

And for those who like pop music–
Concert: Live Ecuador 2008
Colombian singer Juanes
and other performers from Ecuador and Mexico
Friday November 21, 4 p.m.
Stadium Olimpico Atahualpa
Tickets: 1-700-TICKET

And don’t forget:
If you want an entertaining and unforgettable tour of Old Quito, join us for
“Legends of Old Quito” with Liliya and Leo
Cel 08 703 8310
Email lbassist 2003@yahoo.com

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Filed under: About Ecuador, Ecuador Culture, Ecuador News, Ecuador Tours, Living in Ecuador, Quito, Quito walking tours

Ecuador Banks: Are They Safe?

Posted on October 28th, 2008 by Gary

We recently received the following question from a reader about Ecuador Banks:

I am wondering if you can tell me your opinion on Ecuadorian banks. I am planning to visit Ecuador, possibly Cotacachi, in the next couple of months, and in that time I would be interested in opening a bank account with one of the Ecuadorian banks. So, I would like to know what do you think:


-about Ecuadorian banks in general (any specific bank name that you would recommend)
-looking for the bank with safe deposit box services(how safe)

-what do you think about current problems with USA dollars and connection with Ecuadorian/American dollar and what would you except what will happen with Ecuadorian economy and banks if USA dollar loses more value.

My reply:

We bank with Banco Pichincha, which is a large private bank.  It is larger in terms of market share (about 33%) than the next two banks,ProduBank and Banco Del Pacifico, put together.   It is the only bank that has a branch in Cotacachi, so that makes it easy.

Pichincha also has a branch in Miami so it works well for wire transfers.  People wire money from their bank to the Miami branch, which is a domestic transfer.  The Miami branch then makes an inner bank transfer to the Quito bank, and it is then deposited in our account.  The fees are low for this type of transfer and the money is transferred quickly, usually within two days.

I have not heard anything negative so far about the safety of Ecuador banks.  Of course, the world’s banks are all connected, and who knows what will happen if the banking system melts down.

We have a  well connected friend in Guayaquil, whose nephew who head of a large U.S. bank’s South American division.  This person says that in the international banking community, Ecuador banks get very high marks, especially for liquidity.   They are considered a good credit risk.

There is some talk on the Yahoo Ecuador-expats bulletin board that there have been problems wiring money from the U.S.    This bears watching, but so far our clients have not had any problems.

You cannot open a bank account here unless you have Ecuadorian residency. Previously, we had some success in getting bank accounts for clients who purchase property even if they didn’t have their residency visa yet, due to our personal banking relationship with Pichincha. 

However, last week, we visited our friend, the bank manager in Otavalo and he told me the bank had changed the rules so no accounts without a residency permit–period.

The branch here does not have a safety deposit box system, but the larger branches in Ibarra do.  Regarding the safety of that, again, who knows what happens if there is a crash?

Regarding your last question about the impact of a fluctuating dollar, if I knew the answers to those questions, I would be a very wealthy man.  We were fortunate to get our money out of Euros about a week before the Euro started dropping.

Ecuador is on the U.S. dollar system.  In this moment, the dollar is very strong.  Ecuador gets nearly half of its foreign exchange from sale of oil, and due to falling oil prices, the country is not doing as well as before on exports.  The good thing, however, is that even if the dollar tanks again,  the world will still need oil, and Ecuador can sell that oil using whatever exchange mechanism is available.

We are seeing some food inflation here, but not a great deal except for food stuff imported from the U.S., such as supermarket products.   I feel much more confident about food here because most of the food we eat is grown within a few hundred miles of Cotacachi.

Much of it is grown locally by indigenous farmers.  Ecuador offers a wide variety of consumer goods, and they tend to follow the pricing of the world market.  I just bought a Panasonic microwave oven for a client today at a price lower than that quoted on the Panasonic website, which surprised me.

We have also purchased land and intend to create gardens to grow our own food.  We have good water, so crops can be grown year around.   To me, that feels very secure!

My general impression right now is that Ecuador banks are safer than in the U.S., because Ecuador banks do not have exposure to the mortgage debacle.  There are actually very few home mortgages in Ecuador, and they are tough to get.

Minimum rates are typically 25% down and 10 - 12% interest, for people with good credit. Most people actually own their own homes, and with very low taxes, there is no pressure on home owners!

As I mentioned earlier, the world economic system is connected, so who knows what will happen.  I didn’t hear of anyone, except perhaps Weiss’s Money and Markets, who predicted the recent increased strength in the dollar, and they only did that about two weeks before it happened.  At the same time, their gold writer was recommending gold as a strong buy. We see what’s happening with that now.

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Filed under: Ecuador Banking, Ecuador Cost of Living, Ecuador Economy, Ecuador Residency Visa

Ecuador Culture for October: Music and Magic

Posted on October 14th, 2008 by Linda

An incredibly intense schedule of cultural events is set in Ecuador during October.  Soak up the culture of Ecuador by attending one or more of these events.  Cultural suggestions come from Liliya Bykova, an expat living in Quito’s historic Old Town.   This is the first in a series of cultural reports that Liliya will provide over the coming months.

Classical Pianists Come to Ecuador

I would like to start with the concert of two famous pianists:
–Richard Clayderman, France, who has sold more than 70 million records, known for arranging and playing pieces from classical and pop music, performs accompanied by orchestra.
–Raul Di Blassio, Argentina. Performs classical and Latin American melodies.
They will be performing together in two concerts:

Quito
Place: Teatro Nacional Casa de la Cultura Quito
Date: October 21
Time: 8 p.m.

Guayaquil
Place: Centro de Convenciones, Guayaquil
Date: October 22
Time: 8 p.m.
For tickets call 1-700-TICKET, credit cards accepted.
Tickets start at $88, kind of spendy.

OK, now something more soothing, especially on the pocketbook – a free concert.
Orquestra de Instrumentos Andinos
Otavalo
Place: Municipio de Otavalo
Date: October 29
Time: 8 p.m.

Magic anyone?
School of Magic Arts present:
Espectaculo de Magia
Quito
Place: Teatro Variedades Ernesto Alban
Date: October 29, 30
Time: 8 p.m.
Tickets $8.

Credit Cards Not Accepted

You can buy tickets before performances at the ticket office at the Teatro Sucre.   Credit cards are not accepted there so make sure you have your money in $10s or $20s. When we were buying tickets for the opera with a $100 bill, the cashier didn’t have change and we had to go with him to his father’s business to break the $100!!!

Teatro Variedades Ernesto Alban (Music Hall in English) is located at the Plaza del Teatro,
Centro Historico, next to the Cafe Del Teatro (The café, by the way, was closed for 7 days recently for tax-related violations.)

Leo and I attended a concert there recently and were pleasantly surprised.  On the main floor, seating is at tables, covered with white tablecloths, and the public can order food and drink, moderately priced.  They even had shots of vodka!!!!   No, we didn’t order any; we preferred wine.

For more information look at the link below:
http://www.teatrosucre.com/calendario/calendario.php

Leo and Liliya are at your service: Old Town Quito tours.
Leo’s cell: 098634220  From the U.S. dial 011-593-9-863-4220
Liliya’s cell: 087038310  U.S. dial 011-593-8-703-8310

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Filed under: About Ecuador, Ecuador Culture, Ecuador Tours, Quito

Welcome New Readers to Pro-Ecuador.com

Posted on October 10th, 2008 by Gary

In the last two days, our website has had more than 1600 hits.  We are not sure where all of you are coming from, but we understand that Mike Adams from www.naturalnews.com referred to pro-ecuador.com in his internet seminar a couple of days ago.

Where ever you are coming from, we welcome you to the growing Pro-Ecuador family, and encourage you to sign up for our newsletter.  Linda and I have lived in Cotacachi, Ecuador for two years.

When we moved here, the idea that we would be selling real estate was the last thing on our minds.  But as we have discovered over the years, Spirit often has very different plans for us than what we can imagine.

Now, it seems as if we were sent here to help people make the move from the U.S.  In the past six months, we have assisted more than 16 families to find property here in Cotacachi.  Every day, we are receiving more and more inquiries from people who are wanting to make Ecuador their home.

Yesterday, we had four property showings!  This is the most ever in one day.  Next week, we will be opening a big, beautiful office on Bolivar street under the name of Eagle and Condor Internacional CIA. LTD.

Jorge Quilumbaqui’s condominiums, Primavera II, are moving very quickly.  Yesterday, we sold a condo to an American contractor working in Iraq, sight unseen.  Half of the 32 units have been sold.  The 4th building, not to be completed for another 9 months, already has 4 of 8 units selected!

The new adobe townhouse development, Jahuapacha, (means heaven, and you can see why) just announced in our recent newsletter is generating lots of attention.

And Marcelo’s hand made adobe houses in Colonia El Batan are a true hit, with three new houses under construction as we speak, to go along with the two already existing.

It is interesting to watch the local indigenous workers building in their ancient adobe traditions, but with modern earth quake resistant designs.

But with all that is happening, one of the things we like to do best is to stroll around and enjoy the views on the land we purchased with our new partners.  Of course, we dream of the houses we are going to build, ours and for friends.  We had a great meeting with a permaculture expert last week who raved about the potential for aquaculture.

We have great plans for our project, Santuario Tuctara.  It is the sustainable, green, alternative energy project that I have wanted to build since 1974 when I thought Nixon was going to take over the country.  I guess I was just a little early.

Exciting times in Cotacachi.

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Filed under: Condos in Ecuador, Cotacachi, Ecuador Real Estate, Living in Ecuador, Places in Ecuador

A View from the Roof: We’re Back!!!!

Posted on September 24th, 2008 by Gary

By Gary Phillips

Rain and clouds today in Cotacachi.  And the news from the U.S. is gloomy as well.  Financial chaos:  goldsoars, then it plummets, then recovers.  The stock market has more moves than a yoyo. More government bailouts.  Investors saying they are going on vacation for a few  weeks until the government sorts out what it is going to do about the mess.

And as usual, the common man is the one who suffers the most from all the financial shenanigans, while financial “experts” who are causing much of the upheaval receive more and more monetary compensation for their ineptitude.  McCain says the economy is sound.  Paulson says we’re days away from a complete economic meltdown.

Sounds insane, doesn’t it?

We have been experiencing upheavals of our own and haven’t published a newsletter at Pro-Ecuador.com for several months.  Our two partners, Martha and Jason, have both decided to move on to other priorities.  Martha will focus on her B and B and Jason will go back to his first love of promoting large agricultural projects, such as African palm oil plantations.  We wish them well.

However, the change in structure left us with more work to do than usual.  In addition, we have purchased 28 acres of land with four partners, and formed two Ecuadorian companies, Eagle and Condor International CIA.LTD., and Rio Tuctara InvestVerde S.A. Watch our newsletter for exciting information about how we are going to develop our  land.  A hint:  Green, eco, alternative.

Linda and I are not particularly computer-literate, especially regarding websites, so that has been a problem, and not much time to learn.  With all the uncertainty in the U.S., more and more people are considering moving to Ecuador.

Our real estate business is accelerating and demand for the vacation rentals we are handling is increasing.  International Living has begun promoting Cotacachi.  The IL publisher purchased one of the penthouse condos in Primavera II. We are seeing a significant up-tick in inquiries and real estate purchases.

It does appear that I finally have figured out how to get our newsletter out and new web pages posted.  In addition, we are getting some help from a long-time friend from the U.S., so you can expect to see more frequent newsletters.   We will be opening an office in Cotacachi in the near future, just around the corner from hotel El Meson de las Flores on Calle Bolivar.

If you are considering Ecuador as a possible home, or second home, it would be wise to take some action soon in order to take advantage of prices while they still remain well below most countries.

Recently, Linda and I were featured, along with other gringo’s in an Ecuador Real Estate feature in one of Ecuador’s largest circulations publications called Vistaso.  It talks about what his happening in Ecuador real estate for gringos.

Ecuador Real estate is booming

The couple in the picture on the right is Gary Swenson, who lives in Bahia with his Ecuadorian wife.  He is developing Coco Beach in Jama, north of Bahia.  Check out Gary’s website here.

Please study the information on our website, as well as others, to see what Ecuador is all about. Then when you are ready to take some action, contact us and we can help you make arrangements to find your dream home, or your hideaway in the mountains.

On another note, a few days ago Jason, our ex-partner, sent out a mailing to some people on the pro-Ecuador mailing list without our knowledge, in order to promote his new blog.  It was a spur of the moment decision.  Jason apologized to us for this indiscretion.

We want to take this opportunity to assure our readers that under no circumstance will we ever sell or give your names to others for advertising purposes.  We will never knowingly permit  others to use our list.  We apologize for any inconvenience or upset this may have caused our readers.

Some people who received Jason’s blog commented that they really enjoyed it.  We recommend that you read Jason’s blog .  Jason is married to an Ecuadorian woman, Tania, who is in law school.  They live in Santo Domingo de los Colorados, the heart of Ecuador’s agriculture region.

He is also one of the few gringos in this city of nearly half a million.  His unique insight about Ecuador and his love of its people can be a big help in your relocation efforts.

And that’s today’s View from the Roof.

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Filed under: About Ecuador, Ecuador Beaches, Ecuador Real Estate, Moving to Ecuador, Santo Domingo, View from the Roof

Quito Taxi Tips:

Posted on September 24th, 2008 by Gary

By Linda McFarlin

Quito taxis can rip you off if you don’t know the fundamentals about using them.

As we explore more and more of Quito, mostly by taxi, Gary has observed that there can be a big difference in the cost of fares between the same destinations depending on which taxi we use.  He asked a Quito cabbie about it and this was his reply:

Some taxi drivers change the rate at which their cab’s meter advances.  This is illegal, but some drivers do this and passengers may be unaware if unfamiliar with routes.

Legal taxis are all registered to an organization that assigns them a 4-digit number, which is prominently displayed on their taxis—both on the side door and in the front window.

How do you tell if you are being overcharged?  Easy.  Watch the meter as it turns. If the amount advances one cent at a time, the charge is appropriate.  If it moves ahead in two-cent increments, the meter has been tampered with in order to increase the fare.

Taxi drivers who do this are known as pirates and can be avoided by choosing cabs with numbers on the door.

Other Quito Taxi Tips

1.    When leaving the airport or an expensive hotel, simply walking down the street a bit or across the street to flag down a taxi can result in lower cab quotes.

2.    Just outside the customs exit at the Quito airport, on the right side, there is a window where you can purchase a taxi fare.  This is a better choice than just jumping in an airport taxi waiting in line because they do not have to use their meters and will often charge a high fare, especially to unsuspecting gringos.  A friend visiting us recently was charged $25 for a fare that is usually no more than $5.

3.    During the day, always ask the driver to use his meter.  He is required by law to do this.  Don’t fall for the ploy that the meter is broken.  If he refuses, you can find another cab or negotiate a fare that is acceptable.  In Quito, you can go a very long distance for $5.

4.    At night, fares increase and drivers are not required to use their meters, simply quoting an amount.  The later the hour, the higher the fare. You must negotiate. Remember to negotiate before you enter the cab, and not after you arrive at your destination.

5.    If you are taking a familiar route and already know the fare, just hand the driver the customary amount upon exiting the cab.  If you ask the fare after arriving, you will likely be quoted a higher amount.

6.    Drivers often want a higher fare for extra passengers or baggage.

7.    Tips for short, in-town distances are not expected or required.  However, if using the meter, you can round off the fare to the nearest quarter, half-dollar or dollar.

8.    Fares between Cotacachi and Quito are around $50 one way if you use a taxi from Cotacachi.  If you use a Quito taxi, it will be more in the range of $70 to $80.  If you like the driver and he gives you good service, feel free to include a tip.  Contact us if you want to have a Cotacachi taxi pick you up.

Quito taxis are a good bargain, but you have to be smart.   Gringo tourists are seen as marks, and if you allow them, they will carry you all the way to the cleaners!  We have found Quito taxiss to be generally a secure and effective way to get around this delightful city.

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