A Special Ecuador Deal for Two Readers | Pathfinder International

Friday, December 18, 2009

Dear Reader,

Ecuador’s Vilcabamba sits at a perfect 5,000-foot altitude near the equator enjoying balmy days and cool nights all year. There’s no need for heat or air conditioning. Nature has set the temperature on perfect. The air is crystal-clear, the water pure, the food organic, and the lifestyle laid-back and healthy. No wonder a higher percentage of the population here live to see 100 than anywhere else on earth.

Vilcabamba is well known to backpackers, who stop here on their way to Peru following the Inca Trail. It’s also home to a small, bohemian mix of pioneers who first settled here in the 1960s. Scientists come here from all over the world to study why residents live so long. 1,080 per 100,000 Vilcabambans reach 100. Only 3 per 100,000 reaches that figure in the US.

This small village has colonial charm, a beautiful square, quaint restaurants, spectacular views and an incredibly low cost of living. This is a place where community and family still come first.

Historically expats bought resale homes in the village or surrounds of Vilcabamba. Real estate property shoppers found two problems that kept cropping up. One was the limited inventory…you could only see one or two houses in your price range at any given time. The other problem was that if you didn’t want to live in Vilcabamba full time, you’d have to hire a caretaker to look after and maintain your property when you were away…someone to remove a fallen tree, or pay your electric bill and taxes. There were no communities that offered modern conveniences.

Now this has changed. You have a new option. An option that allows you to enjoy one of the most naturally beautiful valleys in the world without sacrificing first-world comforts.

That option is Hacienda San Joaquín.

Hacienda san Joaquín is just over three miles outside Vilcabamba village on the banks of the Vilcabamba River. Andean peaks surround Hacienda San Joaquín on three sides, stretching to the horizon. On the fourth side is the refreshing Vilcabamba River, tumbling its way from the cloud forest in Podocarpus National Park to the Pacific Ocean.

The hacienda starts where a small village road ends. There’s no through traffic. Home sites make up half of the 663 acres. The remainder is riding trails, and hiking paths, in some of the most dramatic mountains, canyons, and valleys you’ll ever see.

We first told International Living readers about this project more than three years ago. We had the inside track. Friend and Roving Editor Lee Harrison made his home just down the lane from Hacienda San Joaquín, and watched the project from its inception.

He reported back to us the attention that onsite partner Joe Simonetta paid to every last detail. We knew that Joe and partner Carl Westcott would deliver. They have. Today, Hacienda San Joaquín has arrived.

The River Park, and the Equestrian and Hiking Center are complete and set to open early in the New Year. Here, there are two large stables, a horse grooming area, and an Organic Ranch Store and Outdoor Café. The views of the Andes are spectacular. Residents with horses will be welcome to board them at home or at the hacienda’s stables.

You’re not gambling on the infrastructure: it’s already in place, from asphalt roads and water to electricity and internet. More than 25 homes have been built or are under construction, and there are 22 residents living here.

$60 per square foot buys you high-end construction. That means a 2250 square foot house like this one (above) will only set you back $135,000 in construction costs.

The Hacienda’s Sunrise Hotel is nearing completion. Residents will be able to stay here while their homes are under construction.

A Health Spa is next on the schedule. You get the idea: the health and wellness theme runs throughout from project inception to the type of amenities delivered.

Joe and Carl have just released 2 lots. Priced at $40,000 and $43,000, both lots are 1/3 of an acre. Joe and Carl planned to build spec homes on these lots but with so many residents building already they no longer feel they need to build spec homes. As I said earlier, $135,000 will build a high-spec 2250 square foot home. Turnkey professional legal, design and construction support is available. You won’t be figuring this out on your own…unless of course you want to.

When you spend time at your new home here you will find your dollars go a long way. Retirees can live comfortably here on $700 per month. Think about it: you can live (all in) in this paradise for about the same as some people spend on their country club dues back home. But, residents here find they live happier, healthier and fuller lives.

Joe is standing by to answer any questions you have about these lots.

Don’t get me wrong. You can easily find a cheaper home and community in Ecuador. At Hacienda San Joaquín however you are buying quality. You’ll pay a bit more but the premium is worth every penny. The hacienda is the only property of its kind in Ecuador. Contact Joe today. I expect these 2 lots will be snapped up quickly.

Ronan McMahon