The Ecuador Insider

This week on the Ecuador Insider’s Newsletter I’ll interview an experienced expat who moved to Ecuador and built his own house…

Sign up below to be sure you get this email when released this Sunday (you can unsubscribe at any time)

First Name
* Email
	* = Required Field

Good question. One way available to some is have it delivered to a friend, then have that friend DHL it to your Ecuador address.

If that’s not possible, you could go to one of the many small freight forwarding and customs agent offices surrounding the airport in Quito, or to a lesser extent in Cuenca.

There, they give you the address of their PO Box in Miami (most of these agencies have one) … then you will proceed to get your mail delivered there and once in their PO Box in Miami it will be automatically forwarded to their offices in Ecuador. With the PO Box, they provide you email subscription with the PDF attachment. They also provide you a facility in Ecudor to open the images of the PDF into image format by converting them into JPG. Here by attached with a detail guide of 3rd party collaboration for converting and understanding how do you convert a pdf to a jpg.

The cost usually varies depending on the size and weight of the package…To give you an idea, I recently paid around $60 to receive a cell phone this way…

If you liked this, you’d love my weekly newsletter on everything Ecuador…sign up now below (you can unsubscribe at any time)

First Name
* Email
	* = Required Field

Ecuador is blessed with an all in all low humidity atmosphere…but there are a few spots to avoid if you hate humidity!

The most humid places I have been in Ecuador are Portoviejo (near Manta) and the city of Machala in the south near Peru. You can cut the humidity with a knife there…

To a slightly lesser extent, Guayaquil is humid. Also, any place in the eastern third (Amazon region) of the country is best avoided for living purposes if humidity is not your thing.

Thankfully, almost the entire coast of Ecuador is blessed by constant trade winds and very mild (almost cool at night) temperatures.

The Andes region is dry and comfortable, but it does have its peaks and valleys.

If you liked this, you’d love my weekly Ecuador Insider Newsletter…Sign up below now… (you can unsubscribe at any time)

First Name
* Email
	* = Required Field

I cringe when people tell me they have “X” thousands stashed away making 1% or 2% interest. In today’s environment, with the dollar depreciating like a used car, you’ve got to be a little more aggressive with at least part of your portfolio. For example, in 2008 I went to Thailand where the dollar was trading for 34 baht, now it’s worth 29-30, a 12% drop. I also passed by Colombia in 2008, where the dollar was trading for 2400 pesos, now it exchanges for 1868, a 22% drop in purchasing power in just 2 years!

Now, Ecuador can offer that higher risk, higher return payout you’re looking for. But there are a lot more ways to make money investing in Ecuador property than just the standard buy-resell! Today we’ll cover one I’ve done well with.

Money is cheap in the US. Even today, you still can get loaned money very cheaply compared to many other countries. A few years ago, it was a joke, that didn’t hold up.

In Ecuador, your cash is worth a lot more. Only very recently has mortgage rates started to drop, but the restrictions are still very tight (out of reach for most) and it’s common to see 12 year mortgages in the 8-12% annual interest range.

This environment creates a great opportunity when selling property in Ecuador to make money offering direct financing to your buyer. Of course, you have to collect a hefty down payment, get the house as collateral and arrange the contracts and everything through a good lawyer you trust. A good lawyer will supply you with “how to” documents and provide legal advice.

And it is a riskier play than just selling your house(s) outright, but hey, its a way to make money investing in Ecuador I feel few foreigners take advantage of. And that’s what this newsletter’s about…investing opportunities in Ecuador.

How much can you make off interest from your buyer? …

Sorry to read the rest of this article you needed to be on my weekly Insider’s Newsletter, don’t miss more like this by signing up now below! (you can unsubscribe at any time)

First Name
* Email
	* = Required Field

Its official, Ecuador is senior-friendly, but it sure helps to know where and how to find the discounts.

The savings start for those that know, before they even go… on flights from the US to Ecuador.

Many airlines offer senior discounts, which you can access buying online or calling the airline directly. Sites like Expedia offer a quick 10-25% discount. Going direct to the airlines sometimes can yield you more…a few of the airlines that fly from the States to Ecuador are Delta, American, Aerogal and Avianca.

Once in Ecuador, most of the discounts for seniors apply to those who are already residents with their permanent resident card. For instance, for Ecuador residents 65+, flights within Ecuador with the local carriers are 50% off.

Both city buses and inter-city buses offer senior discounts (usually half price the normal fare, don’t have to be a resident).

Movie Theaters are available at a big discount. Many hotels in Ecuador also offer senior discounts if you ask for them.

You can even enter national parks for under half price and get deep discounts on a trip to the Galapagos.

In the cities; public pools, tennis courts and other sporting facilities also tend to have senior discounts.

Even the government lets seniors skip lines in several public offices and gives tax breaks, like returns of the VAT tax. You will need to register with the local tax authority (the SRI) and present your official invoices (facturas), to receive a refund of what you have paid in VAT deposited back in your bank account.

One key Spanish phrase to know is… “Hay descuentos para mayores?” (Are there senior discounts?)…

This was an example of one of my weekly Ecuador Insider’s Newsletters, if interested in signing up please do so below…(you can unsubscribe at any time)…

First Name
* Email
	* = Required Field