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I think my learning Spanish, starting today will be a huge help! I found a lot of online sources to learn and with no delays I think I will at least know a little before I go there. I am serious about moving to Vil and I appreciate the advice given, about how essential it is to know a least some of the language.

retired1, I cannot express the importance of learning basic Spanish before arriving here. When you travel to Loja for items that are unavailable in Vilca you will be dealing with Lojanos who ONLY speak Spanish. This will be the same in all of the markets where you will buy.

There are people in Vilca who teach rudimentary Spanish, and the classes are $5/ea. I do know one man who will travel to Loja with an expat to help with getting documents, etc. He charges $20/day.

Yes, there are many expats in Vilca, as most come for the amazing weather.

Hi Susan, thank you for the advice and information. I actually started online to learn Spanish. Your right I need to know at least the basics just to buy food, etc. I will contact you again, when I get closer to the move. I will need to know some things: like how to find a home to rent, and also that man who travels to Loja, to interpret  important docs. I have a lot to learn, so starting right now with learning Spanish. Thank you !!

Hi,  I have chosen Loja out of my (search the world over).  I am 71 years old, living in northern CA!
I am planning to come down in a couple of months. I have friends who live on the coast but I want
to live in elevation. Please send me a personal e-mail.  Thank you  ***
                                                                   Ilene Neterer

I can't send you a personal email (question is why do that?) Have you been to Loja yet? New1

Retired1, do not dismiss Guayaquil…..we have elevations up to 30 meters above sea level around here……..

Thanks for the suggest I will look online for info on Guayaquil too

I think it a bit too large of a city for me, but thank you for suggesting it. I think Vilcabamba and surrounding areas more of what I'm looking for.

Hello Everyone!
My family and I are from the Bahamas. We are looking to move to Ecuador in February 2016. My husband, 5 children, 2 dogs and I. We are looking for and affordable comfortable life. That allows us more living and adventuring, than daily grinding. Our children are school age, although one will be heading to college in the next year.

We have considered Cuenca, but are really interested in Loja because of the vast culture and smaller population. We are looking forward to being able to immerse into the culture, the community and the lifestyle. This is something we have bee considering for well over a year now and are finally ready and overly excited about.

If there is someone in the area of Loja that could lend some information that would be so great.
1- How difficult would it be to rent  4-5 bedroom home with outdoor space in Loja?
2 - Do the schools begin early and get out at 1:00pm like other areas. My kids are homeschooled but I would love if they are able to attend the regular school and I would still enforce math and English at home.
Also, if there is someone on the ground of whom I could correspond through email that would be greatly appreciated. Many blessings and we would appreciate all the assistance we could get.

Hi, I don't live in Loja yet, but am planning to move there in November.  I have been looking online for rentals...there seems to be quite a few but "outdoor space" might be a challenge.  I have attached some links for you to check out.  Seems like Malacatos may have more to offer for a large family with animals.  I also lived in the Bahamas when I was a lot younger--living in the Bahamas is a good intro to anywhere in Latin America, I think, as we learned not to be so picky and enjoy the experience and the people. 
is one link I would recommend as well as .  Best to contact the owner directly when possible.  El espanol es muy importante!

Contact Jesse at abecuador.com with your detailed questions about Loja. He will have some answers for you.
Here is his contact info:

Jesse Beyer
jtbayer@abecuador.com
1-888-999-0948


Tell him Wayne referred you.

Hi, i live in Vilcabamba , 45 min away from Loja...lived in Cuenca for several months... Cuenca is quite cold..( i do not enjoy larger ecuadorian cities and prefer living in the nature )   .. Loja has a university, a very nice park for children in the north eastern part of the city... Has casa de cultura with theater full of mold...the culture is not obviouly and easily found, i think...? So when u find it, please let me know too... At first.. Loja felt lime a very third world town to me.. But living in the country now.. It feels better...here in Vilcabamba there are a lot of families with children..there is a community email , where u can ask for any help.. Ad costs $2...

OGA1....Did you actually mean "Has casa de cultura with theater full of mold" in your post?  Mold?

AS OGA1 suggested, getting on local community emails can help a lot. One that is particularly used a lot is info@vilcalist.net.

Vilcabamba is a great place to live because it is a very laid back community with a variety of people - retirees, entrepreneurs, New Agers and many other subgroups. While the population of expats is high, the fact that the Vilcabamba area stretches far beyond the town's limits,  it enables to feel of the community to still be Ecuadorian. However, that is not the case when it comes to the central area of town which is usually packed with expats chatting away at restaurants.

The weather and the community of Vilcabamba is wonderful and worth the look!

yes... very strong smell of mold.. Casa De Cultura, not far from Bank of Pichincha

Thank you, OGA1, for that information.  I have bad allergies to mold and will visit Loja soon.  Is there a wide-spread problem with mold there?  When were you there last?  Thanks

Regarding mold... i am able only to speak about my experiences... I rented one of the nicest houses available for rent in Vilcabamba,, from an old wealthy Ecuadorian family who were very good landlords overall... but kitchen cabinets had a terrible smell of mold... roof leaked after the rain... i am pretty sure the house had some mold, certainly in the kitchen.. i hear that adobe houses often get mold... the building of the theater is probably old... one has to be careful... i also am very allergic to mold, nearly died from it in USA..- i cannot say if it is common...i do not know.. right now we live in a modern apartment building in the center of vilabamba... definitely no mold... i too mostly enjoy life here...it is much warmer than it is in Loja... expats have created a bit of infrastructure... a number of young parents with small children.. who want holistic education.. Steiner based teaching... so in Shamabalabamba.. there is a little school that these young parents have organized...super nice property... a few families have built their little homes there - having agreed with the owner... it is a word of mouth community...my own experience looking for land has been difficult with prices asked : 150k to 200k per hectare !.. while Ecuadorian friends in Cuenca told me that Ecuadorian price per hectare is 35k...

Any kind of structure can get mold it there are leaks. I live in a remodeled adobe, and it doesn't have mold. I lived in a brick structure in Korea, and it did have old.

OGA1, I'm not certain from whom you have been getting prices, but the land that I know of is not anything near the prices you are quoting. I got my remodeled adobe on two lots for under $75,000 14 months ago.

wow! May i ask how much land came with your house?.. i have asked for one hecaterwith water: river bank of a stream... I looked with Bernie ... with Diana.. and with Justo... without naming: i finally wrote an upset note to one of them.. and said: u are showing me this land , a hectare of jungle... on a road where on ecan easily break a leg... next to a thrid world looking building.. and asking 150k... so my home will cost about 1/4 Million... are u kiddning me ? Ecuadorian freinds told me 35K is the price!  (cuenca).. Ecuador is not a luxury destination !... so i have been now promissed to see a nice piece of land with good water... for 80k... just land...
But a freind in QUito i spoke to today , who is in real estate and has lived in Quito for ?? 13 or 16 years... mentioned about proposed capital gains tax on land of 75%... so investment wise... hm... not any more... people think it may pass next year... - my Spanish is not enough to know the details.. but this is what i have been told... this is for capital gains on land.. a house - capital gains will be 10%...
I woudl love to know how u found you house at a good price that it is,
Olga

Please feel free to message me. However, I will tell you that my land is not on a stream. Of the three agents you mentioned, I did go through one of him and found him both reputable and helpful.

Shamabalabamba is an intentional community just outside of Vilcabamba. It is a "Circus Community" made up mostly of South Americans.

no it does not... it is a "word of mouth" place just outside Vilca

I just wanted to post a small clarification for people who may be interested in Vilcabamba... because i think  our partially disclosed conversation as locals here may not be clear for other people.  I have commented how i am being asked very high prices by local people... it is so in my experience IN and short distance away from Vilcabamba.. and I am looking for the BEST... and a hectare.. on the river...with a waterfall or with a spring...Susan has made a comment that she bought under 100k... location is a little further.. no stream or river... So please understand that there certainly is a variation of prices depending on the distance from he town.. I met people here who for 160k found 22 hectares of land .. probably more in the mountains.. so all depends.. but close to town.. asking prices (asking !) are very high, far higher than the rest of ecuador. A friend of mine has been looking at a hectare near Machala by the river with cacao plants for $13,000.
Those who are interested can look on Mandango Real Estate..easy it is not. But land is wonderful.

How would I go about getting a furnished 1-month rental in Vilcabamba? I am going to spend some time on the ground before the end of the year. I would appreciate any advice.
Thanks

Hi, Wayne


You could place an ad on  Vilca List <info@vilcalist.net with your requirements/cost of an apartment/ close to town (costs $2 to place an ad ) - Paypal? .. $1-$1.50 taxi ride from town ...

AirBNB ? ..

Wayne, you can also post on VilcaPeople and Vilcabamba Community on Facebook.

Ok will do. Thank you.

Ok great will do that as well.

I have found "Plant Therapy's" Insect Shield to be the best natural remedy for biting insects.  I ordered it from the internet before coming here and now intend to copy their formula because I also brought all the necessary components with me.  The only thing to get used to is that you have to use it more frequently than the chemical versions, but well worth the trade off   I am currently on the coast but plan to move to Loja in a couple of weeks.

Hi,

I just moved to outskirts of Vilcabamba ' Yamburara Alto ¡ and camionettas cost $2 now.

HelenPivoine

Helen, I think the price increase was only from Yamburara. I think they didn't change in Vilca proper. At least, I hope I'm right!

Greetings all!
I am a new member and have been following these posts. I have found it very informative. We were in Ecuador last year and will be returning for 5 weeks next March. We plan to spend most of our time in the Vilcabamba area. We are thinking of retirement possibilities there. So far from what I've learned from this site and other Vilcabamba groups is that there tends to be quite a diverse group of expats, as well as ages. I find the diversity interesting. I am hoping to improve my Spanish and experience the local Ecuadorian community. We live in a rural Midwestern community in the states and are not interested in living in a large city. I am looking forward to the information on this forum as well as to our visit in March!

Hello everyone! Just wanted to thank you all for your contributions to this conversation. I finally made it to VIlcabamba yesterday and have been meeting such great people! I have a really good feeling about your town solar and I'm planning to say for a few weeks. I'm heading to the Organic farmers market today and then I will be looking around for a home to rent for 2 weeks. Hopefully I will be able to meet some of you while I'm here. Just look for a 5 foot 10, late 30's bald headed black guy and say hi! 😀  Ok thanks again!

I own vilcabamba home. The are a lot of expats there. Residents and visitors. Put a request on Vilcalist .com. A house would probably be $350 or so.

Waynecbyrd, I wanted to let you know that it was great to meet you the other night. It looked like you had your groove on and were enjoying Vilca!

Hello,
I just found this site page while browsing the internet for info about retiring ( in 4 - 6 years ) in Ecuador.  I am especially grateful for the info and insights posted here by an man named Richard K.  ( hope I recalled his first name correctly ). He said he's been living in Loja and has received a lot of help ( due to his health problems ) from his Ecuadorian friends and neighbors.  Hearing stuff like this is so wonderful and I sure hope, Mr. K that your health has improved and that you are now faring very well there in Loja.  I think the posts of yours I read on this site were from 2013.

If I do retire to Ecuador, I'll have a social security pension of around $1300 - $1500.  Not a lot, I know....and, here's the kicker.....I plan on bringing my mentally ill ( but very gentle and manageable ) sister with me, who is now living in a group home in  California.  She has no income at all, except for her current SSI-Disability monthly income, but that won't transfer to Ecuador as my Social Security pension will. So, we would both be living off my income.

What I need to know is this.....I know that before the Ecuadorian government allows me to have retirement status there, I'll need to prove to them that I'll be receiving $800 a month in income, right?  ( or is it now $1000 or &1200? ). I've also heard that it's an extra $100 a year for any dependents.  Do you think I could claim my sister as my dependent which, of course, she will be due to the fact that I would be supporting us both?  We are both very frugal and know how to make a penny ( or should I say peso or centavo ) scream.  We would be doing all our own cooking, most of the time, and use buses or walking to get around town.
Also, do you think we could find a one if two-bedroom apt. In Loja for somewhere between $250 - $400?

Thanks ever so much to all of you helpful folks who maintain and communicate through this forum.
Of course, I would come visit Ecuador first before impulsively moving south of the border.
Thanks again!

Sincerely,
Lizzy