At the top of the hill are panoramic views.
Cuenca, Ecuador has expanded as far north and south as you can see, stopped only by the Cajas National Reserve on one end and more mountains on the other. Red tile roofs and reddish bricks look like a bloody battlefield but there are no wars here.
Andres, our guide, gives a history lesson.
” There are about half a million people in Cuenca. The major industries are tourism, building construction and fabrication, and selling homes.”
You can see a few landmarks from this observation point, if you know them. You can see the twin blue striped domes of the New Church in Parque Calderone. You can see the soccer stadium and the goldish planet shaped planatarium that locates Gringoland.
” Ecuadorians are a clean people. We are taught to pick things up and be polite.” Andres says.
The funniest thing is when I tell him I am from New Mexico. His ears perk up.
” What city? ”
” Albuquerque. ”
He smiles and says ” Breaking Bad. ” We both laugh.
” The best thing, ” he advises, ” is to buy land. ” You buy the land for ten thousand, build a house, sell the house”
There are plenty of Ex-Pats into real estate in Ecuador, buying up farms in the Andes, old homes in Cuenca, beach bungalows in Salinas.
Riding real estate waves is a popular financial sport for people who have money but want more, and making money without working sparkles like your girl’s best diamond ring.
All these places with good real estate deals that market to foreigners had even better deals before they were discovered.
In Ecuador, as elsewhere, it is best to hire a lawyer to represent you because ownership of properties is convoluted and price is always negotiable.
Riding real estate waves is not always without wipe outs.
5 Comments
alan
on December 8, 2015 at 4:53 pm
So what would it cost to buy a little condo or house down there? Or if you wanted to rent…what would it cost for a nice apartment or house? Anymore tear gas protests lately?
renting is the best bet till you find your right situation. You can rent a two bedroom two bath american style furnished apartment by the river for $500.00 a month. another thing to consider is that ecuador pays a good interest rate on savings – 6-7% or sopmewheres there. you could pay for your place if the interest you get on savings if you trusted the banking system hahaha. best advice is study, do your homework, rent a place. i got this studio for a month on flipkey for six hundred and fifty near the Historical District. i am sure you can find better situations. Greingo tree is a website for ex pats and cuencahighlife is also good.
Cuenca #3, Funny about “breaking bad.” Leigh says they were obsessed with the show in the Jersey channel islands and the U.K. as well. When they found out she lived in Albuquerque and “Roswell, N. Mexico, Home of THE UFO incident, she scored a home run. Cuenca is on our list. I did not realize that a 1/2 million people lived there though.
So what would it cost to buy a little condo or house down there? Or if you wanted to rent…what would it cost for a nice apartment or house? Anymore tear gas protests lately?
renting is the best bet till you find your right situation. You can rent a two bedroom two bath american style furnished apartment by the river for $500.00 a month. another thing to consider is that ecuador pays a good interest rate on savings – 6-7% or sopmewheres there. you could pay for your place if the interest you get on savings if you trusted the banking system hahaha. best advice is study, do your homework, rent a place. i got this studio for a month on flipkey for six hundred and fifty near the Historical District. i am sure you can find better situations. Greingo tree is a website for ex pats and cuencahighlife is also good.
Cuenca #3, Funny about “breaking bad.” Leigh says they were obsessed with the show in the Jersey channel islands and the U.K. as well. When they found out she lived in Albuquerque and “Roswell, N. Mexico, Home of THE UFO incident, she scored a home run. Cuenca is on our list. I did not realize that a 1/2 million people lived there though.
well, i guess we have to be from somewhere.
The sculpture of the dragon reminds me of our visit to the City Museum in St. Louis.