Here is an Ecuador beach condo surprise.

Last year in November 2007, my friend, Kjetil Haugan, sent me a note that he was building a hotel and would have his the new year celebration there.

When I saw the construction pictures… I wondered.  A lot of work seemed undone.

This was the hotel in November 2007.

and the pool at the hotel.

Yet Kjetil did have the hotel open for the 2008 New Year celebration.

When we visited in early January 2008,  the hotel looked like this.

Kjetil then told me that the hotel was also designed as the clubhouse for 60 + condos he would build on this land behind the hotel.

I knew the land..  I knew Kjetil.  I was impressed and bought the first five condos myself.  Kjetil said that he would have the first units finished by the end of the year.

True to his word, I just received this note from Kjetil:

Gary & Merri.  I hope you had a nice Christmas. We celebrated here in San Clemente and today we have a big wedding so everybody of course is very busy.

As you can see on the photo we now have 12 apartments ready..and block 4 under construction and block 5 almost ready (February).

The work on the hill is approx. 50% ready and we expect to start the construction of the first block there in late January.

The weather is very pleasant at the moment with a lot of wind and sun..not too hot..as you know the warmest time to be here is from February until March/April with little wind and more humidity so we should perhaps give a warning for people about these months….this year the weather has been very nice from mid/late May until now.  take care,  Kjetil

Ecuador beach real estate is still inexpensive but prices have been rising. Those condos began at $79,000 but prices have risen over the last year to:

Here are the new prices:

Sections 1-5        $ 89,000
Sections 6-8        $ 115,000
Sections 9-11      $ 139,000

Plus there is a club fee of $ 5,000.

As mentioned I personally purchased five units myself before the price rise and  have an apartment in the Vistazul complex so this is my front yard.

Here are the first condos which originally went on sale at $79,000.

They are 1,200 square feet, two and a half bathroom, two bedroom units, on two floors and a roof terrace.

Here is a group of our delegates inspecting the roof terrace.

Here is the sunset view from the beach in front of these units.

They are one minute’s amble to the club house restaurant, where you can dine.

The seafood comes fresh from these fishermen who leave from the beach in front of the clubhouse each day.

Kjetil Haugan, a Norwegian who moved to Ecuador after being the administrator of Atlanta’s Olympic Village, became a prominent businessman, owning the largest Spanish school in the country along with several Galapagos cruise ships.

Kjetil and his wife Jessica built Palmazul Hotel which is also the clubhouse for these condos.

The owners of the condos  enjoy Palmazul as their community center…all the hotel facilities are available to home owners.  This provides living on the beach with tennis court, pool, beach, fine dining, exercise room and all.

Here is a shot taken from one of the Vistazul condo rooftops.

Here is the site plan. There is a lot of green space…only 63 units on 12 acres.

The lowest units…those closest to the beach, are the first being built. These are blocks one-two and three.  They were originally sold for $79,000 and then due to cost increases in concrete and steel, the price rose to $89,000.

Due to the economic slowdown several of these units were turned back by their buyers and Kjetil agreed to my request that he resell them at the original $79,000.  I bought one myself. 

Plus if you become an Ecuador Living subscriber your $5,000 club membership fee is also waived.

You can get full details from Kjetil at kjetil@haugancruises.com

Until next message, good Ecuador living!

I always recommend that you look before you buy so a 5% deposit will hold a unit until our January coastal real estate tour when you can come see the units and make your final decision.

Gary

Join us at a course in Cotacachi or on Ecuador’s coast this winter.

Jan. 16-21 Ecuador Spanish Course

Jan. 22-23 Imbabura Real Estate Tour

See condos like this in Cotacachi for $46,500.

Jan. 24-27 Coastal Real Estate Tour

See Manta condos like this one. Delegates are inspecting the 1,000+ square foot patio.

The patio has this view.

Feb. 9-11 Beyond Logic-Shamanic Mingo

Feb. 13-15 International Business & Investing Made EZ

Feb. 16-17 Imbabura Real Estate Tour

March 8-9 Imbabura Real Estate Tour

March 10-15 Ecuador Export Expedition

March 16-19 Coastal Real Estate Tour

Attend any three Ecuador courses or tours in a calendar month…$1,199 for one.  $1,799 for two

Here is our Ecuador tour schedule for the balance of 2009.

Date                    Course                      Couples Fee

May 21-26  Ecuador Spanish Course         ($999)
May 27-28  Imbabura Real Estate Tour      ($749)

June 12-15  Shamanic Mingo Tour             ($999)
June 16-17  Imbabura Real Estate Tour      ($749)
June 18-21  Coastal Real Estate Tour         ($749)

July 2-7       Ecuador Import Export Expedition ($1,499)
July 8-9       Imbabura Real Estate Tour     ($749)
July 10-13   Coastal Real Estate Tour        ($749)

Sept. 17-22  Ecuador Spanish Course        ($999)
Sept. 23-24  Imbabura Real Estate Tour     ($749)
Sept. 25-28  Coastal Real Estate Tour        ($749)

Oct. 21-26   Ecuador Import Export Expedition ($1,499)

Nov. 6-8       International Investing and Business Made EZ Ecuador ($999)
Nov. 9-10     Imbabura Real Estate Tour          ($749)
Nov. 11-14   Coastal Real Estate Tour            ($749)

You should normally plan to arrive in Quito two
days before the course.  We will pick you up at the airport, help you
to your hotel in Quito and bring the group to Cotacachi by coach.

For coastal tours we travel as a group from Quito
to Manta by air, then tour the coast for two and a half days returning
to Quito on the evening of the third day.

Attend any two Ecuador courses or tours in a calendar month…$949 for one.  $1,349 for two

Attend any three Ecuador courses or tours in a calendar month…$1,199 for one.  $1,799 for two

Better still join us all year in Ecuador! See our entire schedule of 26 courses, tours, mingos and expeditions we’ll conduct in 2009.

The course fee includes meeting at Quito airport (day before the
course)…transportation (by group bus) to Cotacachi and back to Quito.
Course fee does not include air are. accommodations, food or individual transportation.