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Would be happy to hook up with you in Cuenca, Jerry, but we’ll be in the States during all of August visiting family.

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Close, Suzan, but no cigar. The email is maribel@ecuadorablehomes.com. Maribel is a personal friend who I highly recommend.

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I’ve never done it, but try 011 593 09 and then the number.

[EI EXPERT – EDD STATON]

Gordon, this link should answer all your visa questions: http://www.gringopost.com/#!visa-faq/cev8

[EI EXPERT – EDD STATON]

In Quito and Cuenca you should be fine. On the coast go with bottled water.

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Sorry you didn’t enjoy Cuenca, John. Several thousand expats, including me, disagree with your assessment. A brand new law in Ecuador requires all taxis to be metered and print receipts, so price gouging should be a thing of the past.

[EI EXPERT – EDD STATON]

Melanie, just eat at San Sebas Cafe, Roux, California Kitchen, or Fabiano’s. Someone at your hotel can direct you. You’re sure to meet local expats there.

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Dale, after raining at least once a day for weeks the weather has been beautiful lately. We’re supposed to have a dry and rainy season but in four years here I haven’t found a discernible pattern in Cuenca. It’s best to always carry an umbrella “just in case.”

[EI EXPERT – EDD STATON]

Quick heads up, Mike, to help you in Cuenca. The most desirable neighborhoods for expats are Ordonez Lasso, Primero de Mayo, Puertas del Sol, and Remigio Tamariz. My own area, Paucarbamba, is also terrific but there’s little available housing here (although several buildings are under construction if your time frame allows completion).

[EI EXPERT – EDD STATON]

There’s no question that our buses emit diesel fumes and it’s momentarily bothersome if you’re right there when they pass, but smog? I wouldn’t go that far. Numerous routes have recently been eliminated from El Centro, and completion of a light rail line currently under construction will be a huge improvement.

We’re at 8400 feet, so I never recommend Cuenca to people with respiratory issues. New arrivals sometimes have headaches or a little shortness of breath initially, but most report no symptoms from the altitude.

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Mike, some people enjoy group tours and others like doing things on their own. Which describes you? The package you’re considering looks quite comprehensive. You can save some money by paying a real estate person and a bilingual facilitator “by the hour” to show you exactly what you are interested in seeing, then be off on your own the rest of the time chatting with expats you meet.

[EI EXPERT – EDD STATON]

In Cuenca, yes, it’s really raining every day. Not all day, mind you, but the weather pattern here has been stuck for weeks with mostly cloudy skies and rainfall sometimes four times a day. The temps are consistently moderate, but you can never be certain regarding precipitation, so we always take umbrellas just in case.

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Most expats choose condos over houses. Since most of them are newer construction the building standards are generally more reliable. For older homes new wiring and plumbing are often required.

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I have a notion that if you presented an offer on a property accompanied by a list of deficiencies that required correction the seller would look at you like you had a third eye. The concept of maintaining a property like you are used to in North America hasn’t caught on here, so renovations and repairs after purchase are expected.

[EI EXPERT – EDD STATON]

It’s from the date your residency visa is approved.

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