Oceanfront Condo in Ecuador: $47,500‏

Oceanfront Condo in Ecuador: $47,500
By Suzan Haskins, International Living

If you love seafood, warm ocean waters, and lazy days in the sun, you'll love Crucita, a small town that's growing in popularity with expat retirees.

In coastal Ecuador's Manabí province, Crucita is one of the best options for those who want to live in a typical beach town, yet be close to amenities like quality health care and modern shopping offered by a larger city.

Just a 30-minute drive from the major port city of Manta and 20 minutes from the provincial capital of Portoviejo, the little town of Crucita watches over a long eight-mile stretch of flat beach, bracketed on either side by tall rocky promontories. From the southernmost of these hills—closest to the town itself—paragliders launch themselves over the ocean. The thermal breezes allow them to float effortlessly to the beach below.

Crucita is the top spot in Ecuador for paragliding and hang gliding, in fact, and international competitions are held here every year. During these times and during Carnaval, just before Easter, the beaches are full of sun lovers who come to enjoy the sand, surf and warm, blue-green ocean waters.

Usually, though, Crucita is just a sleepy little beach town—a place to while away the hours at a small bar or seafood restaurant on the malecon…watching the waves with a cold cerveza and a plate of steaming seafood.

Crucita is known for its fresh ceviche and tasty encebollada—a rich stew of fish, onions and yucca that's said to be an excellent hangover cure. All this can be had for just a couple of bucks, beer included. (Perhaps it's an excellent hangover starter as well?)

The low cost of living in Crucita—and all of Ecuador, if truth be told—is one of the attractions here. Real estate prices, too, are phenomenally low—especially when you consider Crucita's proximity to two domestic airports and modern services provided in Manta and Portoviejo.

Friends of ours just moved into a new, two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo in a high-rise overlooking the beach. They're on the fourth of eight floors and from their balcony they have expansive views both north and south along the beach and the swimming pool and BBQ area below. For all this, they paid just $61,800.

I took this photo of Crucita from the paragliding launch area. The oceanfront condo our friends bought for less than $62,000 is situated to the lower left of the photo

A bit farther up the beach, an older one-bedroom apartment—also oceanfront and with a swimming pool—is selling for $47,500. Nearby, in another three-story beachfront building, the 1,670-square-foot top floor-unit—with two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a rooftop terrace—is selling for $79,000. Monthly homeowner's fees for these range from $30 - $50/month.

Our friends say there is not a lot to do in Crucita and that's exactly why they like it.

"We walk on the beach in the mornings, maybe stop for lunch or buy some fresh fish from a local fisherman for $2 a pound. In the late afternoon we sit on the balcony, cold beer in hand, and watch the sunset. Later, the sound of the waves lulls us to sleep. And the next day we get up and do it all over again…"