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The Truth About Living in Ecuador
In Ecuador, you can have it all�but it doesn�t come without sacrifice. 
80-year-old Patrick Robinson lives in Ecuador's lush, green Vilcabamba, also known as the Valley of Longevity
International Living is sometimes accused of painting too rosy a picture�leaving off the scuffmarks and omitting the blemishes. If you�ve been here in Quito the past few days, you surely would not agree with that.
For one thing, a light mist has enveloped the city. It keeps the hillsides green and the flowers blooming.
But while it hasn�t been a bright sunshine-y day, we�ve been inside all day and paying rapt attention to today�s speakers at the International Living Live and Invest in Ecuador Conference.
They�re telling it like it is. No holds barred. The whole enchilada and then some�
To say it�s been eye-opening is an understatement. I live in Ecuador and have been doing so on-and-off for the last 10 years. But even I learned so mucho mas from the speakers at this event about Ecuador that I didn�t know before. (As local attorney Santiago Andrade commented, �Wow�this conference is covering everything about my country��)
This is one of the most hospitable countries on the planet where, we learned, everyone from the president on down is welcoming expat retirees and families with open arms. But there are some surprises under the welcome mat�
The final panel discussion was particularly telling, with the audience throwing random questions at the panel. The challenges to living in Ecuador, the up-and-coming destinations no one talks about, safety issues, importation rules, and more.
(In another session, we even learned about an Andean plant that�s both a natural �little blue pill� for men and also works to reduce hot flashes! I won�t reveal how many in the audience later approached me with pen and paper and asked for more information about that one. Welcome to Ecuador where anything is possible!)
You can learn what we�ve learned. By the way�should you want to listen in to any and all of the presentations, introductions, or panel discussions from this conference, you can. See here for more information.
How Patrick Found the Perfect Society in Ecuador�
But first�I want to tell you about one of the most inspiring speakers on the roster today�
Patrick Robinson has a Burl Ives countenance, down to the deep, smoky voice.
Living in Hawaii (the most expensive and overtaxed state in the union, he says) he made a snapshot list of what the perfect society might look like: Plenty of water, good weather, mostly agrarian, enough exports to support the population, but not dependent on those exports, a stable non-dictatorial political environment, and sweet-natured people that were welcoming of foreign immigrants.
The more research he did the more convinced he became that this place was Ecuador. One place in particular jumped out at him. But still, he wasn�t sure he should go off on this adventure. After all, he was more than 80 years old.
�Did you ever wonder why people are so afraid of change?� he asked. He weighed the risks versus the rewards, the challenges against the benefits� At his age, could he do this? Uproot and start fresh?
He struggled with the idea, he admits, but he knew he had to make a change. Hawaii was just too expensive�and Patrick plans to live for many, many more years.
After a gentle push from a young friend, he found himself in Ecuador�s lush, green Vilcabamba, also known as the Valley of Longevity.
�And I knew I had arrived at home,� he said.
Today, Patrick Robinson is living happily in Vilcabamba where he writes about the secrets to healthy, happy living. From his office window he enjoys a bucolic view of sleek stallions grazing an emerald-green pasture, a quintessential babbling brook and wildflower-strewn mountains in the background.
�The rewards far outweighed any possible risks,� said Patrick. If he can do it at 80+, so can you�
Buying Property in Ecuador
Some of the presentations over the last three days have been about real estate. And nope, no one is trying to sell anything. Local experts (attorneys, real estate analysts and more) have explained how to go about properly and safely buying property in Ecuador. (By the way, real estate prices in Ecuador are the lowest in the world� that�s according to a 2011 study by global real estate giant Coldwell Banker.)
International Living Editor Lee Harrison profiled his favorite places in Ecuador (Cuenca and Vilcabamba, in case you�re wondering), where living is carefree and costs are low. He shared some extraordinary property picks, too�places where you can buy a three-bedroom home for just $79,000. Or a pretty three-bedroom home on an acre of land�with a pool�for just $99,000. His favorite? Five acres right on the river, loaded with fruit trees: just $60,000. You can easily build a home in Ecuador for $30 to $50 per square foot.
If beach living is more your style, you�re in luck. Amy Pinoargote shared details of a 2,000-square-foot, four-bedroom beach house north of Salinas�with a pool�for just $107,000! She also offered an in-depth tutorial on renting in Ecuador. How to find them, how to determine the amenities included, and she explained what renters typically pay for and what they don�t (utilities, homeowners fees, etc.).
Step-by-step, she and others explained your obligations, responsibilities, carrying costs, fiscal benefits, and more�as either a purchased or renter of real estate in Ecuador. Thinking of buying a property you can rent when you�re not there? We learned all the pros, cons, and details of that, too.
Word to the wise: Do not buy or rent in Ecuador without these tips and strategies.
Here�s just a sample of real estate analyst Margaret Summerfield�s �must-do� checklist for buying property in Ecuador (or anywhere else in the world, for that matter):
If you do nothing else, get the right attorney working on your behalf. Margaret explained how to choose one, the four traits they absolutely must have�and where to find one that meets all these criteria. (Local attorney Roberto Moreno made three presentations over the last three days�you must hear what he has to say about residency issues, buying real estate, doing business, banking in Ecuador, and more�)
What you don�t know about title insurance can come back to bite you. What issues are not covered by title insurance? Margaret outlined six exclusions�knowing what these are can save you from a world of hurt.
There are three issues that absolutely must be addressed in your sales contract. And five steps that must not be neglected during your title search.
Did you know that the number of legal permits required for real estate projects in practically every country has recently increased? What are the five permits, approvals and processes you must verify? Margaret covered it all� She explained how to perform your own due diligence on any real estate agent or developer you meet, how to ensure you won�t get the shaft from your neighbors, how to protect your escrow money, and more.
Beach Homes in Ecuador
Global real estate investor Ronan McMahon was on hand, too.
What 100-mile stretch of coast offers potentially huge investment opportunities? Ronan shared the inside line�and explained how to follow the path of progress to buy undervalued beach homes, invest in properties that will return a nice rental income, and where to find large parcels of beachfront for $1,000/acre.
What locale is Ecuador�s up-and-coming beach destination where the government is investing $60 million and plans to shine a big spotlight?
Those in the audience today learned all this and more�
As you can see, there�s far too much information being shared here at the conference for me to include here. (After all, there are 35 separate presentations here�it�s hard to keep up.)
If you�ve an interest in Ecuador (or as emcee Dan Prescher says, you just want to be able to cross it off your list with impunity) you need access to the information being shared over these three jam-packed days in Ecuador.
So you couldn�t be here? That doesn�t mean you have to be left out.
There�s a way for you to quickly get up to speed with every one of the solutions, secrets, good-value ideas, money-making techniques, wealth-protection details, retirement recommendations, real estate advice and contacts, and everything else our attendees are gathering here live at the International Living Live and Invest in Ecuador Seminar�
Learn What We�ve Learned This Week
You can have every bit of the important information being shared here at this seminar and for a fraction of what the folks spent to be here in person with us in Ecuador�
You can have all the most important information and benefits from this event�
All of the things we�re learning here�the best path to legal residency in Ecuador and even how to quickly and easily get an Ecuadorian passport if you so desire�how to drastically cut your expenses while improving your lifestyle�where to find the best doctors and hospitals, the lowest-priced private health insurance�how to qualify for the public health system, where for just $50/month on average, all your medical needs are covered�prescriptions, doctor�s visits, hospitalization, you name it; even optical and dental!
This conference really is a lifeline for anyone who is concerned about stretching their retirement dollars or living far better on a reduced income.
And if you need to earn an income when you move to Ecuador, you�ll be happy to know that was covered, too.
Winton Churchill is the creator of a system that guides you to creating an income-earning online consultancy�using the career experience you already possess. Today he shared all the details of how to do exactly that. (By the way, Winton guarantees results.)
Want to learn more? Here�s how you can:
We�re putting together a complete package of nearly everything that�s happening at this event. We�re making audio recordings of all 35 of the presentations.
We�re also making copies of the seminar workbook, PowerPoint and visual presentations. And you get the complete dossier we give to each attendee when they showed up here in Quito for the International Living Live and Invest in Ecuador Seminar.
We call it our Fast Track Ecuador Package. And we guarantee it will show you how to fast track your plans of moving to�or investing in� our #1 retirement destination�Ecuador.
The full price to attend this sold-out exclusive event was $1,095�but you can secure yourself a copy of the Fast Track Ecuador Package for only $199�a mere fraction of what attendees paid to join us here in Quito.
To sweeten the deal, we�re throwing in a $100 voucher toward the next Live and Invest in Ecuador Seminar. Use it to attend next year�s live program (or any future event or seminar you may be interested in).
But, this is a limited-time offer only.
Once the Fast Track Ecuador Package is available for download and the initial orders have been placed, we�ll increase the price to $349.
The discounted price includes:
Audio recordings of all our Ecuador experts� presentations
Copies of the seminar workbook and PowerPoint presentations
Plus a special bonus report, titled: Modern, Affordable Ecuador: Six Destinations Worth a Look (This report is only available to conference attendees and to you�when you order the Fast Track Ecuador Package.) We created this report specifically to deliver actionable information and real examples about life in Ecuador and the best destinations for expats to consider.
And a $100 voucher toward any of our future conferences anywhere, any time. There is no expiration date on this voucher!
Reserve your copy today by completing our secure online form and save $150 on the Fast Track Ecuador Package.
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