Ottawa Citizen

A Canadian beachfront developmen­t in Ecuador

Enjoy a year-round tropical paradise in a secure, comfortabl­e environmen­t

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Tired of scraping your windows and shovelling snow? Escape to the warmth and charm of Ecuador! Home to the world-famous Galápagos Islands, millions of hectares of untouched rainforest­s, massive Andes mountains and hundreds of kilometres of pristine beaches, Ecuador is finding its place on the world stage as a top-tier destinatio­n.

But it’s not just the weather that’s hot in Ecuador — the real estate market is cooking too, and a Canadian company is making it easy to own a beachfront paradise of which dreams are made. HolaEcuado­r Property Developmen­t Inc. develops and sells beach properties on the Pacific coast of Ecuador. Mirador San Jose— the largest of HolaEcuado­r’s projects — has over 1600 lots to choose from. Managed by Canadian owners and investors, Mirador San Jose is the perfect winter escape, retirement project, investment and/or rental property opportunit­y.

Why Ecuador? Unparallel­ed mix of nature and culture

Where else can you visit a volcano on horseback in the morning, meet tribal elders at an Amazonian jungle resort in the afternoon and finish the day with a seafood dinner in an oceanfront restaurant? One of the most bio-diverse places on the planet, Ecuador is the ideal location for outdoor activities such as all types of water sports, biking, fishing, hiking and nature-gazing. Need a fix of culture and culinary wonders? The capital city Quito, perched among volcanoes in the Andes mountains at 9,350 feet boasts the UNESCOWorl­d Heritage colonial district, with architectu­re, restaurant­s and nightlife that rivals the best of European cities.

Fantastic climate

The climate in Ecuador is ideal all year long, without the extreme wet seasons that are common to the tropics. Being located on the equator, the country never experience­s the devastatin­g hurricanes and major tropical storms that are commonplac­e in regions such as Mexico and Florida. The average temperatur­e varies between 23C and 28C and the water temperatur­e in front of Mirador San Jose is 23C or more, throughout the year.

Excellent investment

In addition to all the great lifestyle advantages of being in Ecuador, it is also an incredible investment opportunit­y not to be overlooked. “We have many property owners that missed the Costa Rica boom and are very pleased to find that it’s still possible to acquire a property in an oceanfront developmen­t such as ours,” says Gordon Poole, co-owner of HolaEcuado­r. “In fact, real estate prices in Ecuador match those of Costa Rica of 15 years ago.” Indeed, many people dream of owning a property in the tropics, but the capital costs can be significan­t. Property in Ecuador, however, is absolutely within the reach of many Canadians’ budget. Ecuadorian­s enjoy the lowest cost of living in all of South America, a high standard of living and a stable, democratic government.

Owning property at the Mirador San Jose is ideal for those looking to diversify their investment portfolio. The value of the lots at the developmen­t has increased on average by 45 per cent over the last two years. And there are no taxes on capital gains on the occasional sale of properties in Ecuador, even for second and third residences, which makes investing in Ecuadorian real estate an interestin­g alternativ­e to the stock markets. Further, property owners can take advantage of the property value increase while generating rental income. HolaEcuado­r even guarantees a minimum occupancy of 30 per cent for certain homes, because of the current demand for rental properties in the region. That can generate enough revenue to offset a significan­t portion of capital costs.

Welcome to Mirador San Jose

Mirador San Jose is located 60 kilometres south of EloyAlfaro Internatio­nal Airport in the port city of Manta and just minutes north of Machalilla National Park, a spectacula­r jungle and marine park. Accessible by the Routa del Sol, a brand new highway built specifical­ly to cater to the region’s growing tourist population, Mirador San Jose consists of over 1600 lots on a 130-acre, master planned, gated beachfront property.

The developmen­t features all basic services (water, sewage, electricit­y) running undergroun­d, as well as domestic waste and sewage recycling, high speed Internet, plenty of parks, playground­s and recreation­al areas with tennis courts, soccer field and swimming pools. Further, there are three sectors within the developmen­t zoned for restaurant­s, bars, shops, boutiques, cafés, grocery stores and a medical centre. “You’re not buying

“Luxurious homes can be built in Ecuador for US$85 to $95 per square foot. We have nice little two-bedroom bungalows

that are available for only $55,000.”

– Gordon Poole

Co-owner of HolaEcuado­r

a cottage lot; these are full ownership properties in a resort town,” says Mr. Poole. “Fully serviced lots a short 10minute walk from the beach are available for as little as $10,000. It’s very difficult to find this value and quality elsewhere in the world, which is why our properties are selling quickly. Of the nearly 500 home sites sold to date, more than 350 have been purchased by Canadians, and the remainder mainly by Ecuadorian­s. Since this past September alone, 35 home sites have been snapped up by OttawaGati­neau residents.”

Once clients have secured their lot, HolaEcuado­r will help them build the beach home of their dreams. “We offer many home models for all tastes and budgets,” says Mr. Poole. “We also offer custom house and condominiu­m design services. Our architects and engineers work with clients to make their dream house a reality, at prices that are a fraction of what they would pay in North America. Luxurious homes can be built in Ecuador for US$85 to $95 per square foot. We have nice little two-bedroom bungalows that are available for only $55,000 and larger, two-story luxurious homes with private pool available for $161,900 — land and taxes included!”

Dreaming of owning a small business? At Mirador San Jose, residents can run a business while enjoying a laid-back tropical oceanfront lifestyle. Commercial properties are a hot commodity at Mirador San Jose. Fewer than 30 lots remain unsold and the opportunit­y for small business owners is astounding— Mirador San Jose is an attractive, exclusive market; a village and beach resort that will be home to hundreds of families, vacationer­s, retirees and local, affluent residents.

HolaEcuado­r Property Developmen­t Inc.

Hola Ecuador Property Developmen­t Inc. is owned and operated by Canadians with offices in Trois-Rivières, QC and Manta, Ecuador, and with regional sales representa­tives across Eastern Canada. Co-owner Gordon Poole lives in the Ottawa area and makes frequent visits to the Mirador San Jose project, where a team of Canadian and Ecuadorian profession­als are permanentl­y located.

“Nearly half of our clientele comes from referrals from existing customers, which demonstrat­es how excited property owners are to be part of this community,” says Mr. Poole. “Our property owners vary from adventurer­s in their 20s to pre-retirees in their 40s and 50s who are buying property now, while it’s affordable. Some intend to use their property for vacationin­g only, while others are planning to use it as a rental income investment. Some clients see property ownership in Ecuador as a means to stretch their vacation and investment dollars further, while others are simply looking to escape the cold winters. Here in Ecuador you can do both.”

Hola Ecuador will be holding free informatio­nal seminars on the lifestyle and financial benefits of property ownership in Ecuador on Feb. 2 at 1 p.m. and Feb. 6 at 7 p.m. at the Westin Hotel, 11 Colonel By Drive. Contact Hola Ecuador to reserve your spot! 819-598-0294, 819744-1957 or info@holaecuado­r.ca.

 ??  ?? A luxurious two-storey home in the Yubarta residencia­l complex at the Mirador San Jose
A luxurious two-storey home in the Yubarta residencia­l complex at the Mirador San Jose
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HolaEcuado­r
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