The New "Land of Opportunity"
By Brent Carlson
By Brent Carlson
The
moment I arrived in Ecuador I knew my decision to abandon my old life
in the U.S. was the right one. With the shrinking economy and very
little chance of scratching out a living in the home building business,
it was time for change.
But Ecuador gave me more than I ever could have imagined. Within months, I had met my soul mate.
Elsa
was my perfect match. After one year together we were engaged, and
soon after we got married. We both love the beach and after some
exploring and talking with locals we found an area between Bahia and
Canoa. It's home to some of the most beautiful stretches of coastline
I've ever seen.
For
years I'd been looking for some affordable ocean front where I could
build my dream home. I searched and searched, but I could never find
anything within budget. I thought it was too late, and that the dream
would never happen.
That was before I came to Ecuador.
Elsa
and I bought our first piece of property in 2009, right next to the
ocean. The tract of land we bought was more than enough to build two
homes on—one for us and one to sell—and it came in at $80,000.
As it turned out, that was the start.
Since
then, I've been building condominiums all along the coast. Right now,
we're on project number three. We never thought we would end up in the
condominium construction business but sometimes, you just fall into a
niche and you go with it.
My
wife Elsa, who spent her whole life in Quito and always wanted to live
by the beach, is the real driving force behind our business. She has
the ambition and skills to make it all come together.
This
country just has so much going for it. One is the wonderful weather,
particularly on the coast. It has real seasons but summer doesn't get
too hot, and it comes minus the humidity you find in other countries
around the region. But although the weather changes from season to
season, it never gets the kind of cold seen in North America.
Then there's the low cost of living, the friendly locals, the great food...and getting permanent residency is straight forward.
Ecuador is the new "Land of Opportunity," and it seems like life just gets better by the day.
But
it's not like this lifestyle is only for a select few. Everyone is
welcome here. I would encourage you to come for a visit. Discover for
yourself just how beautiful it is here 60 miles south of the equator
where the living is good even on a budget.
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