Agreed with Quilotoa. Living in Montanita for me simply isn't an option...I'd burn out too quickly and I really can't stand living on the fringe for so long. A few days per year is enough for me.
Hi fellas, thanks for your input - I was kind of thinking that about Monanita (too fast, too surfer), but my first 1-3 months I plan to spend getting my feet wet and I thought it would be a good place to make connections (through all the travelers) and learn the language. I'll look again at Manta, + also Canoa, Puerto Lopez, & San Vicente
royslist you might want to give a look at this page if anything on there interest you let me know and I can get you a great deal... anybody for that matter interested contact me at the_johnjohn@hotmail.com http://ecuadorhomesales.com/
Punta Carnero is very nice if you like the beach... very beautiful beach with nice condos and very private but still fairly underdeveloped there no real shopping centers or entertainment. The major industry there I think is the refinery and oil pumping. Libertad which is like a miniature Guayaquil is only about 45 minutes away. It's not very popular but it has a nice mall and malecon as well as some nice restaraunts and places to shop. Also I would like to mention Playas is beginning construction of a big mall about 2 km from my house close to the center of the city, right by the beach. They are also building lot's of new Condos/Houses and hotels... they are going to improve the "malecon" and make it longer. Playas is gonna be something major in 2-3 years. Women love it here for some reason, probably the climate and you have many of these rich housewives living here now. My Wifey has a Beauty Salon and her business is booming because of all the housewives wanting to fix themselves up all the time. It would be a good idea to buy property here while it's still reasonably cheap.
Emelectric... You have property in Playas. I just want to know when you are in the USA, who stays in Ecuador taking care of that property? My problem is that if I were to buy a property in Playas, I would have nobody to take care of that property! That would be a problem in Ecuador to leave property unattended for so many months! That is my dilemma! That is the reason that is holding me back from purchasing a little piece of paradise in Playas! What do you think? What do you suggest? Let me know. Later.
siempreazul is trying to break into your crib. don't trust him. he's gonna have sex parties there while your gone.
LOL that's effed up man don't be breaking into my crib dude !! If you do, just take the TV but don't touch my weed stash lol... ok but really I have a guard house in the back and I will have a family stay there not just one dude. Also we have steel doors sealing/blocking up most entrances and it's plenty secure it would be tough to break in... Right now there is a family We've know for years living there. I have to pay $250 a month though which my Mom pays and she is always traveling back and forth, but that is kind of a problem. I believe the norm is to have collective payments for security guards so it's not so costly. Usually the people on a block will all chip in to pay for a security guard to guard a whole block. Just have in mind security when making/purchasing a pad dont have too many entrances and protect them with welded steel.
Emelectric..... I have heard that leaving a family member in a house and paying them to stay to live for free in the house you paid for is in Ecuador the norm! Thanks for sharing that information with me but under those circumstances, I will not purchase property in Ecuador. I only travel once or maybe twice a year to Ecuador and for me to have that thought that I will have people living in my house paying them to "take care of the house that I purchased", I do not think so! Instead, I will just play the tourist role in Ecuador. Go to different places and if I have to stay somewhere, I would go to a hotel. That is what I have been doing for some time. As for the properties in Ecuador, they appear to be economic and beautiful. Later.
I haven't been there since I was a kid, late 70's... I have family there... The closer to Guayaquil the better as far as commerce, shopping, real estate etc,... Ironically, the currency in Ecuador is the U.S. dollar... that's right, the "U.S. FEDERAL RESERVE" issued debt currency... Something to keep in mind if you're trying to avoid the NDAA... If Ron Paul wins the GOP nomination and becomes President, he'll repeal it immediately... So life in Ecuador will be even better if that happens...