Young Possible Expat -- Any Info Greatly Appreciated!!

karliealexisolson wrote:

Vilcabamba...this house is perfect and I'm nervous to let it slip through our hands. It's in our price range and absolutely beautiful, which I imagine we would not have too much trouble renting out or even reselling if it came to that. I am a jump-in-with-both-feet type of woman...

I am eager to soak up any information that you find may be useful to my boyfriend and I!...Anything you feel like sharing, I will receive with open ears and true consideration. No need to sugar coat.

Welcome to Expat.com Ecuador, Karlie.

As an "explorer (with) itchy feet," per your profile, you'd really be tempting the fates in this scenario as a first-time -- and absentee -- landlord in a country you have yet to visit and where you'd be less than language-fluent.

Explore the world, yes!  But keep in mind that even doing property management locally while living in Garberville, CA, could be a challenge.  Trying to do it through a local Ecuadorian manager while you and your boyfriend are off in Timbuktu could be a nightmare.

As a property owner here and formerly a landlord in the U.S., I could give you 25 scenarios that could make your life miserable.  Here are just three:

1. Your tenant leaves and your manager loses interest in re-tenanting.  That's no income for you unless you schedule an urgent trip back to Ecuador to find replacement tenants and replace the manager.  Court action against the manager for breaking his agreement?  Forget it!  And what if the new tenants don't 'pan out' after you've left Ecuador for Alexandria, Egypt!

2. The roof leaks, and you're told it will cost thousands to fix water damage and re-place the roof.  Your manager tells you to wire said thousands ASAP.  The tenants are upset, living in a hotel temporarily and demanding action.

3. The manager finds that repairs and re-tenanting your house are not his thing.  He ignores the house.  Word gets around.  Someone with a piece of heavy equipment breaks in.  Now, though you don't yet know it, you have squatters.  You and your boyfriend are in Vientiane, Laos.

"I imagine we'd have no trouble re-selling":  Actually, I wouldn't count on that, especially if you're out of the country.

The #1 rule for newly-arriving Expats here is this:

Don't buy property until you have spent at least one year in your target area.  This could take multiple trips.

The smart thing is the old trite advice:  visit first and see how Ecuador agrees with you.  One thing you can never say:  that you weren't told.

cccmedia in Quito

karliealexisolson wrote:

Would we be able to meet and befriend locals, or local expats even, easily?...

From what I've read, the people of Ecuador are very kind and welcoming as long as you respect their culture....

I was also curious about the abundance of job opportunities that we would find....

I would gladly receive info on the logistics of moving there as well....

No need to sugar coat I would just appreciate genuine answers as long as they come from a supportive place.

1. Meeting and befriending locals:  Yes!  With your positive attitude, I don't doubt y'all could make friends in practically any locale worldwide.  Many of the Expats in Vilcabamba are younger than the average EC Expat nationally, so I predict you could make friends in your age group or slightly older.

2. Ecuadorians being "welcoming":  Absolutely they are, unless -- as you said -- someone is disrespectful and obnoxious.   Or if existing local jobs are threatened, meaning they could be taken from Ecuadorians by foreigners.  In the current economy, local jobs are closely protected.

3. "Abundance of job opportunities":  Your attitude and your youth are major pluses.  But keep in mind that the government's policy is that businesses give first crack to Ecuadorians over foreign (such as U.S.) nationals when there are locals qualified for a position.  The fact that Vilcabamba has a relatively high percentage of Gringos could be a plus, if you can maneuver a position or opportunity serving the Expat community.

4. Logistics of moving.  You get a 90-day tourist stamp upon entering Ecuador as U.S. citizens.  This can be extended an additional 180 days while in country with an extension visa.  That's almost nine months total.  More details are available at the ministry or Cancillería's English-language website:
  cancilleria.gob.ec/visas-inmigrante/?lang=en

As mentioned, this website is supposed to be in English, but if I told you that English was available there 100 percent of the time, I'd be a mentiroso.

For Expats who do not qualify as pensioners (minimum $900 per couple per month U.S. Social Security income, for instance) or as investors ($25,000 in property or bank CD), a professional-class visa is possible, but at age 18 you apparently would not meet the qualification of having graduated from an approved university. 

Normally, to obtain a work-visa below what the Cancillería considers "professional" status, you must attach to the visa-application a work offer.  This offer is in the form of an official contract from an employer in Ecuador that must pass muster with the ministry.

What other information can we provide?

cccmedia in Quito

My recommendation is to travel Ecuador, see what you could do in various towns for income, and start your own thing. Being an employee in Ecuador is rarely the way to go unless you land some sweet international consulting gig.

Keep in mind that 99% of the time the deals you see on real estate on the Internet are not deals at all. In my opinion, taking your time to become trusted friends with a few locals and asking for their help buying a property will save you on making some pretty terrible mistakes or overpaying by thousands.

Renting a furnished house out to other expats or to local companies can work out ok. I have a house on the north coast rented out to a company that is installing public water in the town, and for me, it's worked out well. They pay their rent and they even do their own maintenance and repairs when needed. Maybe I just got lucky, or perhaps the Ecuadorian rental market isn't as bad as others suggest.