Well, firstly, welcome to 2012! We sure are living in interesting times!

Please be aware that if you are a recent addition to the VREC mailing list, all our previous updates over the years can be read at our WordPress blog site here. Sign up to follow VREC on Twitter to get all the property updates and other information as they go live to our website.

What with financial meltdown threatening the world again – (but still record Goldman Sachs salaries!), Mayan end-time or transition prophecies, climate change, the insanity of the US Presidential clown-show (with the honourable exception of Sr. Ron Paul), and ever-increasing governmental attempts at control and subjugation (internet freedom, Julian Assange and the Occupy Protests) – it is shaping up to be a benchmark ‘litmus-test’ type year for the powers of the many versus the few.

I have been watching all this madness from the sanctuary of my mountain-top here in Vilcabamba, and in between attending to various real-estate business duties and building a guest-house, have finished writing Roppongi, my first novel (set primarily in Japan)! I am headed to Tokyo shortly for the book launch party, and for any of you who are interested, the novel has just become available on Amazon in both Paperback and Kindle formats. By the way, if you live in the USA, Canada, Australia, or the UK, you have until January 31^st to register to win one of 5 competition copies (go to the Roppongi homepage and click on the Goodreads competition link at bottom right).

Apart from sneaking in some shameless self-promotion of my novel, I am telling you this to illustrate a point. It was not until I came to Vilcabamba, that I ever believed I might finally actually finish this novel (which I wrote the first 50,000 words of way back in 1999!). It eventually became a 134,000 word novel! Since leaving the rat-race, I have had time to reflect on just how crazy “modern” life gets, and how, inevitably, it seems to drag us away from our true passions and interests. It is amazing how the longer I am OUT of the rat-race, the clearer its shortcomings appear to me. For those folks forever trapped in it, I’m guessing it must be something to do with not being able to see the forest for the trees. Many people are – whether knowingly or not – trapped in that construct, and just cannot see a way out of it. Most of them are not even really looking – after all, it is all they’ve ever known! How would they know there are many other types of “reality?” – all as or more valid than the one they inhabit. Someone has to show them, before they’ll believe it. But as Morpheus said to Neo in “The Matrix” – “I can only show you the door – you have to walk through it.”

To summarise, the fact is that time and personal energy are finite quantities, and the complexity and stress associated with “modern” living finds a multitude of ways to drag our attention to matters that are banal, frustrating, depressing, energy-sapping, and ultimately unrewarding to our fulfilment as human beings. But here’s the kicker – you cannot survive in the modern fast-paced societal infrastructure if you don’t constantly attend to those things. So, what to do?

As you might expect, the answer is simple, but despite years of travelling, it still took me some time to realise it (and even longer to action it). Recognise the current pattern you live in for what it is – a choice. Then, choose to change the pattern. The grass might well be greener on the other side of the fence – why not check it out? Change your environment. Change your life. Quite simply, things DO NOT have to be “the way they’ve always been.” And if you are NOT happy with the way your life is currently panning out (and what you may see coming on the horizon) then the definition of insanity is … “to continue doing the same thing and expect a different result.”

As a result of ACTIONING my own realisations, I am now OUT of the rat-race, living on a beautiful mountain far from the madding crowd, have a successful ethical real-estate business helping others, have finished the novel I wanted to write for so long, and am heading to Tokyo for a book launch party. Works for me! Here’s a quote from the fabulous Lily Tomlin: “The problem with the rat-race, is that even if you win, you’re still a rat.” And here’s one of my favourite comedian truth-tellers, Bill Hicks, telling it like it is, the way that only he could: Life is Just a Ride. Watch it (maybe twice!). There is a profound amount of beautiful truth in this video excerpt.

Above all, DO NOT expect that your decision to shake things up and make positive changes will be well-received by friends, family and colleagues. More than 90% of the time it will not be. Why is that? Shouldn’t these people be the very ones who are supporting you in whatever you feel is necessary to make your life better? The answer to that is “yes, they should be.” But they won’t. Why not? Well, it is because your taking action very likely throws the spotlight back on their situation in an unflattering way. Your taking action challenges their concept of reality. Your taking action directly questions the validity of many of the things they take for granted and believe in. And if you no longer believe in those things, then that obviously threatens their comfortable perception of “reality.” At that point, conflict of some sort is almost inevitable. These people’s reactions are better understood if you know they are coming from a place of fear. Whether they will admit it or not, they are scared that by actioning your plan, you ARE going to get something better than you’ve got (and they’ve got!). And that result will show all their objections to have been demonstrably absurd, limiting, and FALSE. Even worse, it will then put pressure on THEM to change THEIR situation, which I can assure you they will be very uncomfortable even thinking about, let alone doing. So guess what – it’s YOUR fault – and they will take it out on YOU! In short, they are not going to appreciate having their world turned upside-down by YOUR “crazy ideas.” So don’t expect anything less than negativity, hostility, and flat-out conflict from your nearest and dearest! So, with that cheery thought in mind, at least you won’t be disappointed when the hostility arrives. Perhaps you’ll even be able to manage a wry smile!

I have spoken to literally hundreds of clients here in Vilcabamba who have had this almost uniformly negative experience with family or friends. They have often been hurt, and are continuing to hurt as a result of the attitudes of their nearest and dearest. What a shame that is! My answer to these clients is simply this: “You cannot save the world.” Then I go on to explain their family and friends cannot see things in a different way, until they somehow become ready to see things another way. Who knows what will provide that catalyst? But attempting to force different views upon such people before their perception has opened sufficiently to allow them to at least rationally consider these new views, will have the same effect as banging your head against a brick wall. Useless, and painful (unless you’re a masochist in which case you may enjoy it!). YOU have to have the courage of your own convictions, and do what you believe to be in your best interest. In the famous words of the Nike marketeers “Just Do It.” In time, your friends, family and others may come around – or they may not. At the end of the day, it really doesn’t matter. Unless it matters to you. People must ask themselves, am I living my life, or someone else’s? I believe that if you’re not living your own life and following your own path, you are not yet “free.” And if you are not free, then quite simply, it is unlikely you will ever be truly happy and fulfilled.

And in case you’re thinking “I’ve left it too late” or “I’m too old and settled now” or something similar, then read the amazing story of another person who exemplifies the making of that choice to “change the pattern” – my friend Patrick Robinson, who moved here to Vilcabamba at the age of eighty! His very interesting website is here, and he has just written a beautifully timely eBook called An Operations Manual For Humankind (The Complete Compendium Of Natural Health). It is available here for only $4.99. I have ridden with Patrick on bumpy exhausting 18 hour round trips to Peru to get necessary things done, and am forever in awe of the fact that he was doing that sort of “change” thing at the age of eighty (as someone half his age at the time, it certainly kept me from voicing any complaints I might have had!). It is now nearly four years later, and Patrick is still very happily ensconced in the Vilcabamba lifestyle. I heartily recommend you visit his website, take advantage of his words of wisdom, and buy his eBook.

Each week that goes by, more interesting people who have recognised this truth, keep turning up in Vilcabamba. They might have come just to check the place out, or to stay. What’s the worst thing that can happen to them? They can turn around and go back home, I guess! But regardless, it is a decision they have taken to at least personally inform themselves of the possibilities that exist OUTSIDE their current borders (both mental and geographic). Stepping into a new paradigm of lifestyle and culture is not easy – but nor should it be. We are creatures of habit, after all; comfortable in our routines, wary of the unknown, and almost genetically risk-averse. But history has always shown it is those who are prepared to take the risks, who reap the greatest rewards. Here is a Mark Twain quote which is probably my personal favourite:

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”

As an enthusiastic lifelong traveller, I haven’t yet found a quote that says it better. And in a world where both religion as well as politics seem intent on dividing and conquering humanity by making us fear that which is “other” – things, people and cultures which are different … I think that quote is a very timely and truthful reminder from one of my favourite writers … of what is really at stake if as human-beings, we choose to emphasise our differences rather than our commonalities.

Anyway, enough philosophising by me for one email I think. I hope you enjoyed it. The points I am tabling in this update are:

1. 1.   Malacatos on the Move!
2. 2.   Marco Munoz also on the Move! – He has a new office in Loja.
3. 3.   VREC Properties receives its 2012 Real-Estate License.
4. 4.   Beware Unlicensed Real-Estate Operators Accepting Payment Online for “Sight Unseen” Real Estate Deals.
5. 5.   Rental Update in Vilcabamba.
6. 6.   Catamayo (Loja) Airport Closure Update.
7. 7.   Some more Ecuador Good News – Ecuador Comes in at Number One (Again) for 2012 Retirement Destination.
8. 8.   VREC Property Codes – Explained.
9. 9.   Featured Properties.1.

   Malacatos on the Move!

It looks like our prediction of about a year ago is finally coming to pass. People have recognised there are significant property opportunities in the valley adjacent to Vilcabamba, and accordingly, we have been receiving requests from Vendors in Malacatos, to list a variety of properties. As I have said before, we have a stringent due diligence process (see the list on our ‘Properties’ webpage about why VREC DOES NOT list about 70% of the properties which we are asked to). We are currently processing about 25 properties, of which I would guess we will list about 8 or thereabouts. So, keep your eye on Malacatos – there will be some interesting properties coming online. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter if you want to be notified the moment a new property goes live on our website.

2.   Marco Munoz also on the Move! – He has a new office in Loja.

Our lawyer, friend and business partner Marco has moved his Loja office to modern new premises closer to the central plaza in Loja. The nearest corner is Eguiguren and Bolivar (the corner of the Porta/Claro main office), and he is situated on the 1^st floor of the “Edificio Ruby” (Ruby Building) – the entrance of which is on Eguiguren just about 10 metres from the corner, opposite the “Fogon Grill” restaurant. The mailing address is: Muñoz y Muñoz Abogados, Edificio Ruby (Oficina 106), 1417 Jose Antonio Eguiguren, entre Bolivar y Sucre, Loja, Ecuador. I should add that Marco’s Vilcabamba office hours remain unchanged – he is in Vilca on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 until 2 for consultations. His phone number is +593 9 410 9634 and you can email him at: estudiojuridicomunoz@gmail.com.

3.   VREC Properties receives its 2012 Real-Estate License

VREC has just received its most recent yearly real-estate license, and those scans will shortly be on our website. To see the latest VREC licenses/credentials, click on the “Show Me Your License” link on Point 3 of the 8 points listed on our Homepage. As far as I am aware, we are still the only licensed real-estate office in the entire region. Despite that fact, and as I said in a previous update, unlicensed realtors are breeding like flies, and we advise extreme caution in dealing with them. There have been numerous sob-stories from people who then have no recourse. Follow the 8 steps on our homepage and make your assessment accordingly.

4.   Beware Unlicensed Real-Estate Operators Accepting Payment Online for “Sight Unseen” Real Estate Deals

I have heard recently a number of stories of unlicensed real-estate “operators” attempting to persuade people to buy properties sight unseen, and even promoting such “opportunities” with online payment systems and the like. Other “operators” down here will often tell you that they are licensed. If they do, simply ask them to send you a scan of their license certificate or license-card with their name on it. If they can’t do that, then chances are they are lying to you, no? If you want to know what these documents look like, click on the “Show Me Your License” link on Point 3 of the 8 points listed on our Homepage. As far as I am aware NOT ONE of the other “operators” in the Vilcabamba region has any credentials displayed on their website (and displaying credentials is a big deal down here, believe me!). Now, back to the “sight-unseen” payment option! I mean really, given the degree of due diligence we recommend on our Homepage), it does not require a genius to deduce my take on this. STEER CLEAR! In the event you are tempted to buy something sight-unseen and send money for it, just have a cold shower or a roll in the snow, then ask yourself, “If I want this land so badly, is it not worth a week of my time and a couple of thousand dollars to make sure?” Even if you come here, and decide not to buy, at least you’ve finally seen Vilcabamba, met some people, ridden some horses, had a few massages, and are only down a couple of thousand dollars instead of potentially being down much more. And don’t fall for the “they’re going fast – you’ll miss out” line. It’s just not worth it. There is no substitute for boots on the ground, meeting the people you’re going to deal with in person, checking their References (see VREC’s ‘References’ page on the website – 3 years of history, and now going into our fourth), and simply following the 8 points on our Homepage – I simply cannot overstate the importance of newcomers following that advice.

5.   Rental Update in Vilcabamba

Regarding the rental situation in Vilcabamba, I am sorry to say it is still a supply and demand problem. Too much demand, and not enough supply. Likewise, people are looking further afield – in Malacatos for example. VREC’s administrator Paola Ojeda is focused on helping clients with any available rentals which are not listed on the “VREC Rentals” webpage, so pop in and have a chat. Increasingly VREC itself is having less to do with rental-properties unless we are also managing those properties. Managing properties ourselves is the only way we can be sure tenants we place receive the level of service they deserve. Accordingly, it is often simply too problematic and time-consuming for us to become the “meat in the sandwich” between lessees and lessors here, especially when things go wrong, and the lessor does not take swift action to fix those things. So, check our ‘VREC Rentals’ page from time to time – good rentals do become available – but the best thing is to scout around once you are here, check in with Paola at the VREC office, and be persistent. Something usually materialises, although you will have to exercise patience. A Zen-like demeanour goes a long way here in Vilcabamba!

6.   Catamayo (Loja) Airport Closure Update

I am becoming more and more convinced that getting good information on this matter is similar to scientists’ efforts to locate the Higgs Boson particle. Nevertheless, and further to our long-running series of updates on this typically Ecuadorian state of affairs, the latest news has it that Catamayo Airport (which services Loja) will be open until around June 2012. No doubt, prior to that, we will have some more updates for you.

7.   Some more Ecuador Good News

Ecuador comes in at Number One Internationally (International Living) as a Retirement Destination. See this article for more information: http://www.nuwireinvestor.com/articles/best-value-in-international-real-estate-58590.aspx
Ecuador passes Funding Benchmark to leave Yasuni’s Oil Resources in the Ground. See this article for more information:
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2011/12/30-5

8.   VREC Property Codes – Explained

VREC covers an area we call “The Five Valleys.” Vilcabamba itself, Malacatos and San Pedro to the north, and Quinara and Yangana to the south. The first letter of each VREC property code represents the valley. The second letter represents the TYPE of property it is. So a casa (house) in Vilcabamba would be coded as “VC” followed by a number. A hotel or hostel in Malacatos would be coded as “MH” followed by a number, etc. Platinum Properties are “PP” properties, and are listed as Platinum because they are extraordinary in one way or another. The only exceptions to this style of coding might be if we feature properties in estates or developments such as Hacienda San Joaquin, which have their own reference codes – so to save confusion we may choose to just reference it with the Hacienda San Joaquin reference code. See our “Properties” webpage and click on “Property Lingo” to learn all this information and some Spanish terminology to boot! When you email us to enquire about a property please make sure you quote the code.

 9.   Featured Properties

Properties which I wish to make special mention of this time around are as follows:

VQ014 – $80,000 – we have received an instruction from the owners to accept a reasonable price for this property, and therefore the stated price is now negotiable.

VC014 – This double-storey American-engineered and built home (2 beds/2baths/huge entertaining areas) sits on an elevated half an acre with fabulous views to Vilca and Mandango – Its asking price is now $170,000 (down from $180,000).

VQ022 – I am simply amazed nobody has bought this incredible property yet. 2 acres of mature gardens and fruit trees, a charming little cottage, walking distance to Vilca? Abuts a winter creek? A bamboo forest? An extra building area on the top section for a main or guest-house? Two separate access roads for top and bottom? At $85,000 it is a steal. The owners have let us know they will consider reasonable offers.

PP017 – $395,000 negotiable – this is such an incredible property, you just have to go to the website and look at the photos and description.

MT009 – $265,000 negotiable – 6 hectares of eminently useable land between Vilca and Malacatos – suit planned/gated/sustainable community.

PP013 – “Where Eagles Dare” – on our Platinum Properties section – best views of Vilca possible – Lots 1 & 3 have now sold – we are expecting the rest of this amazing property to start moving swiftly.

PP007 – on our Platinum Properties section – another ethical development which is moving along very nicely. Some great people in there now, and a number of new homes already completed.

PP014 – 45 hectares of pristine wilderness abutting the Podocarpus National Park – complete with streams and waterfalls? Sound like you?

PP015 – 1.4 acres with a main house, three rental cabins and a bunkhouse – a short walk from Vilca.

PP016 – An 80 hectare mountain retreat with Cabin and outbuilding again abutting the Podocarpus – abundant water and hikes etc.

Q2 in Hacienda San Joaquin (not yet on VREC’s website) – see it here. Originally listed at about $225K, the owners are now looking for offers in the region of $185,000. Available EXCLUSIVELY through VREC Properties. Hacienda San Joaquin living at a reasonable price.

That is all for this update. VREC wishes all subscribers a happy and healthy 2012. May you follow your dreams, and be rewarded.

Best wishes,

Nick Vasey
www.vrec.org

This is a short sharp announcement to make everyone aware of one thing – the Ecuadorian Government has (almost overnight) implemented a tax increase from 2% to 5% (that’s a 250% increase!) on the exit tax (salida de divisas) on funds leaving Ecuador for a foreign bank account.

Yes folks, you read that right.

The 2% government tax on sending money from an Ecuadorian bank account overseas has just become 5%

Some background:

When introduced, this tax was originally half a percent, then doubled to 1%, then doubled to 2% (earlier this year), and has now increased by two and a half times (250%) to 5%. So the tax is now ten times what it originally was. I am not going to bore you with my opinion of these primitive and debilitating types of capital controls – suffice to say they stifle investment into the country and generally make ex-pats nervous about what else the government might have up its sleeve. But there it is. If you want to send money OUT of Ecuador to any foreign bank account, you will lose 5%.

Ramifications:

• This obviously applies to VREC’s company bank account – SO – it means that there is an implication for both buyers and sellers (only some of which I will cover in this email). The immediate effect is that sellers of land here will price this in to their property’s ‘acceptance price’ – that is to say a property which would have settled at $100,000 yesterday, will settle at $105,000 today.
• It has already affected the prices of imported goods here, which have already gone up by an additional 3% (because buyers paying overseas parties for these goods are now having to absorb the impact of this tax increase – and are in turn passing it on to their customers).
• The other obvious ramification is that you should only really transfer to Ecuador the amount of money you know you are definitely going to spend ‘in country’ (unless of course you don’t care about losing the 5% when you decide to send it out of Ecuador).
• When this tax was 1%, and even 2%, most of our clients more or less thought – ‘It’s not that big a deal … price of doing business in Ecuador’. But at 5%, it has suddenly become a very big deal, and one we have to inform everyone of, as well as work with each deal individually to try to ensure the best result for all parties.

Solutions:

VREC will assess each deal on a case by case basis – and work with the transactional parties to ensure the best result possible. These results may take a little longer than a settlement would have done previously. This is why we are giving everyone a heads-up now. It is in everyone’s interests to be not only aware of this tax, but aware of the need to plan ahead such that any unnecessary impact is minimised.

Conclusion:

I will not be entering into any further dialogue on this matter. I will only be addressing each and every transaction as it transpires.

If you know of anyone else this may affect, please forward them this email, and/or get them to sign up for our newsletters (via our homepage, or simply by emailing me and asking).

Best wishes to all,

Nick Vasey
Founder – Vilcabamba Real Estate Company: (VREC) Properties

A New Property Must “Earn” its VREC Listing: What many clients (buyers and sellers) do not realise, is that VREC rejects approximately 70% of the properties which are presented at our office. We have several policies in place to protect both the expectations of and the end-results for our buyers.

Due Diligence: The first is that we conduct a preliminary due diligence investigation on the property. If it cannot satisfy our criteria (both in terms of documentation and including a physical visit to check the property in person), we simply do not list it until it can satisfy those criteria.

List Price: Not many people realise we will not list a property at anything OVER 15% above what WE actually think the property could sell for on its best day. This policy has lost us some deals, but we would prefer to “keep our website real” than just list any old property at whatever “dreamland” price the Vendor wants us to list it at.

Other “Operators”: The unlicensed property “operators” in Vilcabamba (everyone except VREC Properties), will typically list any property at any price. Sometimes they do not even list the asking price for a property (instead merely quoting a price range). Needless to say, as soon as someone expresses interest in that property – it will be priced at the top of that price range!

The Bottom Line: Only use a licensed real-estate company, or you are likely to have at best a questionable experience, and at worst a catastrophic one. Check References – if you can’t find anyone with nice things to say about the person or company you’re dealing with, then why would you deal with them?

Factors VREC Considers Prior to Listing a Property

1. Vendor wants an unrealistic price for their property.
2. Vendor cannot supply requested documentation for the property.
3. Vendor is not absolutely transparent with all requested paperwork – appears to be hiding something.
4. Property is unlikely to be of interest to our primary demographic (for whatever reason).
5. Property is situated badly (for whatever reason – security, access, problem neighbours, etc).
6. Property is unable (or unlikely to be able) to access services (water, electricity, etc).
7. Property is too small to get permissions for ownership or building etc.
8. Property is “rights and actions” only – cannot be used for residency purposes.
9. Property is unlikely to be able to be built on easily (mountainside etc).
10. Property has problems with subsidence due to water or other reasons.
11. Property has problems with rivers or creeks (flooding potential).
12. Property too close to a major road – cannot build sufficiently far from the road for comfort.
13. Property is near high voltage power lines.
14. Property’s ability to receive internet.
15. Property’s connectivity for cellphones.

The above 15 points are by no means an exhaustive list of the factors which play into what a property may be worth – we have listed these points as an example such that our clients can understand how difficult it can be to source high-quality properties and list them at a reasonable price.

Well, firstly I guess I should apologise for the period of time that has passed since our last update.

Generally we get these updates out about once every 6 – 8 weeks.

However, what with the chaos accelerating (on multiple fronts) in the developed world, and with more and more people in developed countries apparently waking up to the scale on which they have been lied to by their “elected” representatives, we have seen a marked increase in the number of people seeking sanctuary in the Vilcabamba region during the northern hemisphere “vacation months” (June, July and August).

As a result, we have been very very busy, and for those of you who check our website regularly, you will have seen some big changes in property availability, and there are even more changes to come.

Consequently, finding time to get these updates out to you has been challenging, to say the least.

The many visitors we have dealt with over the last few months are probably looking for similar things that you might be: safety, simplicity, natural living, community, a comfortable standard of living, and freedom from ever-increasing government tyranny.

For those of you who don’t know what I’m talking about (and that would perhaps only be the small minority who are not currently residing in the USA or a European country), I am going to include a few links under Section7 “World Events” … which you can browse through in your own time. I will also shortly put them on our “Useful Links” webpage.

So today’s email is comprehensive, and will cover the following sections.

1. 1.   Boom in Unlicensed “Realtors” in Vilcabamba … Caveat Emptor!
2. 2.   Property Developments in Vilcabamba – a VREC perspective
3. 3.   Changes in Ecuadorian Residency Visa – Applications and Process
4. 4.   Shipping Information – Personal Effects etc
5. 5.   Catamayo (Loja) Airport Closure Update
6. 6.   VREC Properties of Interest
7. 7.   World Events – Times of Turbulence – Getting Good Information
8. 8.   The Vilcabamba Real Estate Company … moving forward

1 – BOOM IN UNLICENSED REALTORS IN VILCABAMBA … CAVEAT EMPTOR!

As many of you know, the Vilcabamba Real Estate Company (VREC Properties), was formed almost three years ago. It was founded on, and still operates on an unshakeable platform of ethics, professionalism, fee-transparency and integrity: a quick glance at our regularly updated REFERENCES webpage is all that is needed to ascertain this. We are a stable company: the three founding partners of VREC are still the same (myself, Santiago Rodriguez, and our fabulous in-house lawyer, Marco Munoz).

Many of the other “operators” who have come and gone and otherwise mutated into other versions of themselves during that three year period have fumbled and fought with each other, as they have tried in vain to match the standards VREC has set and continues to uphold in this valley.

It is actually difficult to describe to people coming here (with Western sensibilities, and used to Western standards of consumer protection), just how corrupted and “Wild West” the Vilcabamba real-estate industry was when VREC began operating.

Well, I am sad to say, it is now WORSE than it was before.

To my knowledge, at latest count, there are now no less than SIX unlicensed “operators” who have hung out their “shingle,” and are waiting eagerly to relieve the unwary, naive and just plain trusting Vilca-visitors of their hard-earned cash. I have written an awful lot about the ways in which they go about this  (on our website and in previous posts and archives … please check our previous newsletters here), and I am not going to go into it all again in this newsletter.

I call the vast majority of these people “shamateurs,” and Santiago, Marco and I watch in amazement at the means they employ to try to win “business.” I won’t go into some of those tactics here either, but suffice to say they are at the opposite end of the spectrum to the principles upon which we operate. I believe one or more of their websites doesn’t even quote actual prices for the properties they ”advertise.” Instead they bracket their properties in “price ranges” and of course if anyone expresses interest, the property in question is bound to suddenly be at the higher end of that “range.” Surely it is not too difficult to see through tactics such as these?

There is seemingly no limit to the creativity these folks can come up with, but the bottom line (which for some reason they seem unable to grasp), is that you cannot be in this business for the long term in a small village like Vilcabamba, without building and maintaining an impeccable reputation.

That was VREC’s stated goal at the outset (see our Mission Statement below) … and that is what has happened over the last three years (again, please refer to our REFERENCES webpage for many client testimonials). There simply are no short-cuts that work for any length of time … one must be prepared to just do the hard work which is necessary to win your clients’ trust and confidence.

However, it has transpired that most of the Shamateurs are not interested in doing the hard yards and building a long term portfolio of happy clients. There is apparently more than enough money to be made by preying on the few suckers a year, who wander into this valley with their Western blinkers firmly on. After which, the shark in question will again sink out of sight, and the “sucker” will have no redress, and will often be in a whole lot of difficulty with respect to whatever it is they have supposedly purchased.

I will now tell you something straight out. I no longer have any pity for the people who get conned here. I used to, but not anymore. For legal reasons, I cannot make emails like this, or our website’s homepage any clearer or more explicit than they already are regarding the potential pitfalls of buying real estate here. So if someone comes to Vilcabamba, and does not either seek (or heed) our advice, then they deserve whatever befalls them.

This opinion is not meant to scare visitors … it is meant to warn them of the playing field they are entering … be advised it is a playing field with very different rules than they are probably used to. When it comes to finding a competent realtor in Vilcabamba, always follow the 8 points on our homepage, and then see how you feel about the answers you get. If you have any queries on any matter, we at VREC will always be happy to help.

2 – PROPERTY DEVELOPMENTS IN VILCABAMBA

This is something I have been meaning to cover for some time. I am going to be brief on this subject, but very clear. We have had numerous people come crying to our office about the difficulties they have got into when buying into various “property developments” of dubious quality. To be clear, VREC only represents three property developments at the current time. The reason for this is that many others simply do not meet the criteria we would require in order to feel comfortable promoting them to our clients. The three property developments we represent are:

1. EcoVenus (a very intimate and low-key community, where I live). I believe Lots 9 and 6 are especially good value at the moment … maybe one of you readers will soon become my neighbour?).
2. Hacienda San Joaquin … a high-end high-quality American-style gated community … check Lot 7 and VT031 in the “Properties of Interest” section below.
3. PP007  … a 35 hectare development run by a very knowledgable, professional and ethical long-term American Vilcabamba resident (info is available via the “Platinum Properties” tab on the “Properties” section of our website).

Typical reasons for VREC refusing to represent a property development would include some or perhaps all of the following points:

• Overpricing
• Insufficient infrastructure to justify the pricing
• Access issues
• Safety issues
• Services (water and power) issues

The bottom line is that if you are considering buying into any sort of development or community, you need to find the people who have already bought before you (if they exist), and seek out their opinions about the experience they have had … BEFORE you buy something. Not rocket science really, but you would be surprised how few people take this simple step before plunging their hard-earned $ into a transaction based solely on the promises and flowery language of the Vendor.

It is however a step that can potentially save you a lot of unnecessary time, money, and pain. If, once you are in Vilcabamba, you need an updated opinion about property developments in the region, please visit our office or phone me to arrange an appointment.

3 – CHANGES TO THE VISA PROCESSES FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCY.

This is a subject I am not going to cover in detail, as it is a legal area, which is currently undergoing rapid and considerable change. I do not have time personally, to keep pace with it, so I would strongly recommend ALL people who need information in this area contact Marco Munoz on estudiojuridicomunoz@gmail.com with any queries you may have. Be patient with response times, as Marco is one of the busiest people in the valley. You may need to send him a reminder, or perhaps even phone him if you need some information quickly (+593 9 410 9634). Marco speaks English, Spanish, and a little French. Needless to say, we would strongly recommend using him for any and all of your legal needs here in Vilcabamba … there is a reason he has been our in-house lawyer for three years now (and has many clients who now consider him a close friend).

4 – SHIPPING INFORMATION – PERSONAL EFFECTS, SHIPPING CONTAINERS ETC

The shipping of personal and/or commercial effects to Ecuador is yet another area which can be a minefield if you do not get good advice, and even more importantly use good people to facilitate the process. For all such matters, please contact Sandra Baquero (sandy.baquero@gmail.com) for more information.

5 – CATAMAYO (LOJA) AIRPORT CLOSURE UPDATE

The latest information we have is that this airport (which services Loja) will be closing in November this year. Works are scheduled to take 12 months (which here, probably means 18 months). They are saying they expect the airport will however be able to take planes again (during the works period) by June 2012. We would guess this will not happen until at least the end of September however. So anyone arriving here around November or afterwards, please note you will need to fly from your city of entry (Guayaquil or Quito) to Cuenca, and then take a bus, shuttle bus, or private taxi directly to Vilcabamba (about 4 hours driving). We will update you as and when more information comes to light.

6 – PROPERTIES OF INTEREST

1. HSJ Lot 7 – A Hacienda San Joaquin Property – $279K: This is a beautiful, new, and spacious two-story, 3,772 square foot traditional home (includes porch, balcony and carport) on 0.3 acres (1,234 square meters). A rich stone retaining wall encircles the home on both sides and back forming a half-circle. There is an additional stone wall and planters in the front of the house. The home features three large bedrooms and three baths, oversized kitchen with eat-in counter, large pantry and laundry room, striking two-story great room, billiard room (can be family room), carport and adjoining large storage/work room on the first floor. On the second floor there are two bedrooms, two baths, and a very large study. One of the bedrooms is the exposed-beam-ceiling master suite which includes a walk-in closet and spacious bathroom with tub, bidet, water closet, double sink, and large double shower (see photos). The large study adjoins the master suite. A balcony with spectacular views of the Andes Mountains is accessible from the study. All of the floors upstairs except the bathrooms are hardwood as is the first-floor billiard room. Other floors are rich, traditional, and complementary ceramics. Countertops are granite in the kitchens and bathrooms. All windows and doors are solid wood and custom made. Many of the ceilings are rich exposed beams. Barrel tiles complete the roof structure. Beautiful, new, custom-made and designed traditional Shaker-style furniture comes with this home: dining room set, living room sofa, two chairs and coffee table, king size bed, two bed tables, a dresser with mirror and a large desk for the study.

1. VT029 – A beautifully tucked away 3,000m2 – Only $44,000. A tranquil piece of land which has a spectacular aspect over Vilcabamba with magnificent Mandango sunsets nightly. A modern driveway access was recently constructed for this property. The property is close to Vilcabamba centre in the blue-chip San Jose area, and would suit people interested in the combination of proximity to the centre whilst also having seclusion, privacy, and the ability to grow a multitude of different foods or have extensive gardens. There are not many pieces like this left with this proximity to Vilca centre.

1. PP007 – Varied Lot Prices – This property has approximately 22 lots, of which 7 are currently sold. Along with PP013 (below) this property represents the best dollar for dollar value of ANY land in the Vilcabamba valley.

1. PP013 – Varied Lot Prices – This property has the best views available in the Vilcabamba valley (hence the name “Where Eagles Dare”). Along with those incomparable views come the best value for money pricing available in the Vilcabamba valley. Get in quick and get yourself an additional 15% discount!

1. SC002 – $45,000 – A two-storey double-adobe-brick home – turnkey and ready to go – on about 1000m2 – with gardens and a winter creek – only 4kms from Vilca’s main square – only $45,000! Say no more.

1. VQ027 – $55,000 – A small house in need of renovation, on 2,200m2 … only a short distance to Vilca central.

1. VQ014 – Reduced to $80,000 – A one hectare riverside property with house, only 11kms from Vilca centre. Mature fruit trees of all descriptions, coffee, bananas etc. Perfect for a downshifting couple interested in sustainability.

1. VT031 – Hacienda San Joaquin – $180,000 – A stunning “absolute riverfront” 1 hectare piece of land within the Hacienda San Joaquin gated community.VC014 – Two-storey, American-engineered house on 2,000m2 – close to town – stunning Mandango views and entertaining areas. $180,000

1. MT008 – Approx 190 hectares – $90,000. This is quite simply a LOT of land and a LOT of natural water, for very little money. It will suit a survivalist type/s who is willing to do the hard yards in terms of getting building materials in there (probably via burro), and then has no problem going in and out on horseback or similar. With a bit of time and effort, it may be possible to make the access trail passable for a motorbike. As visiting this property takes up the best part of a day, there is a $30 fee to visit it (not including taxi costs). Serious Davy-Crockett-types only need apply.

7 – WORLD EVENTS

Given the level of sophistication, spin, and corporate media ownership monopolies which exist today, something which has never been more important is the ability for the public to get good information … to find out what is REALLY going on. To anyone with the remotest ability to assess and analyse data, it is blindingly obvious that mainstream television and cable should now be the LAST place you would want to go to get any credible information. These sources comprise less than 0.1% of available news, and the information they supply is almost certainly either incorrect, twisted, or otherwise compromised to suit someone else’s agenda.

Put simply these sources have long since ceased to be objective. They are hopelessly compromised in a multitude of different ways, and only exist to serve the interests of their corporate paymasters. Fortunately, these days we have the internet. Don’t get me wrong … the internet as a news source is so vast, it presents an entirely different set of challenges in order for you to draw out the real picture. But if you are persistent and methodical, you will find it easier and easier to “join the dots” from a variety of different websites, such that what is really going on becomes more and more clear.

The two primary catastrophes facing our world today (and it doesn’t matter which one happens first … the results will be the same) … are the European Debt Crisis and the American Debt Crisis. The Ponzi scheme of fiat currency is unravelling at breathtaking speed, right before our eyes. The creating of “money” via issuing debt (which is the principle at the core of fiat currency issued by Central Banks), is coming to a grinding halt. Whereas the 2008 crisis passed bad debt held by corrupt banking interests onto the taxpayer, the problem now is Sovereign Debt (debt owned by governments of countries). This debt is not going away, is essentially unpayable (based on current GDPs and economic situations), and cannot be passed on to anyone else!

The Golden Goose is about to be cooked, as many years of profligate spending and unsustainable financial arrangements come crashing down. At this moment, it looks like the first to go will be Europe. The EC is in complete disarray (politically and financially), and it would already have fallen over except for the most desperate scrambling by central bankers and key political figures. The main point to note here though, is that all of their efforts can only ever push the eventual default a little further away … because all they are doing is re-structuring repayment options, issuing more debt, and hoping that things improve quickly enough, for countries to start paying it back. And whichever way you look at it, even the most rosy-faced optimist would have to say that looks like an impossible dream.

So it is simply a matter of when rather than if … these systems implode. There was an amazing and fantastic interview on the BBC the other day where a financial trader gave the BBC much more than they bargained for when asked for his opinion of the current crisis. This guy has become infamous overnight, yet all he did was tell the unadorned truth from the hard-edged perspective of a trader. Jaws dropped around the world, but all he essentially did was say what many have known for so long … The Emperor Has No Clothes! It was incredible to watch something so unedited go out on a live BBC News feed (I am sure heads will roll for letting that interview escape unedited!). Do yourself a favour and watch it here.

Below are a bunch of websites you can visit to get an updated picture of how things are looking in the “developed” western industrialised nations (particularly the USA). These should lead you to all the non-mainstream news you can handle. Assess the information with an ever-critical eye (and join dots from multiple sources), but I will be surprised if anyone does not feel they have a better (if much more disquieting) handle on things than they did before reviewing these items.

Additionally, just so it’s not all doom and gloom, three comedians who are fantastic for casting a critical eye over all things government are: George Carlin, Bill Maher, and one of my all-time favourites, the late Bill Hicks. The way they skewer the official line on many things about our modern way of life is just a delight to behold! 

http://www.bigbrotherwatch.org.uk/: a great website for understanding the threats to our civil liberties posed by governments bent on controlling and monitoring their citizenry by all means possible. Two great novels to read on this subject are “The Traveller” trilogy by John XII Hawks, and “The Dying Light” by Henry Porter.

http://www.surveillanceinthehomeland.org/: a sobering look at all that which has been forfeited over the last ten years by citizens who allowed the government to foist the never-ending “war on terror” on them, in response to 9-11. Be very sure that governments who get more and more control, under whatever pretext, rarely give it up willingly.

http://www.wearechange.org/: the progressive activists who shine lights in all the areas governments do not want them shone. At the moment, they are doing a great job promoting and covering the “occupy Wall St” initiative … an exercise in civil rights violations and police brutality which (unsurprisingly) is being comprehensively ignored by the mainstream media.

http://www.hermes-press.com/police_state.htm: lists all the pre-requisites for a Police State being in operation. Needless to say, the USA has already long since met and passed these criteria. When you get arrested for dancing at the Jefferson monument, and women are maced and carted away for peacefully demonstrating against the Wall St criminals, and citizens are routinely arrested and brutalised for filming police officers breaking the law, it’s sort of time to realise some fundamental truths about just how far the USA has moved from being “the land of the free.” I’ve always thought it’s funny that the powers that be will say, “if you’ve got nothing to hide, you’ve got nothing to fear” UNTIL the cameras are turned back on them and their enforcement thugs breaking all the laws that are supposed to be in place to protect the citizenry.

https://occupywallst.org/: as per the above … now nearing the end of the second week of sit-ins and peaceful protesting at the epicentre of criminal corporate malfeasance, Wall St. This demonstration has been comprehensively ignored by the mainstream media, for obvious reasons … their paymasters are part of the criminal elite, and do not want to give any oxygen to the protests, in the hope that a combination of police brutality and mass arrests (for what exactly?) will soon make the protest fizzle out. Fortunately outlets such as RT, and DemocracyNow have ensured this demonstration has received wide coverage, and thanks to the incredible reach of social media, it continues to grow in size and momentum.

http://www.zerohedge.com/: an excellent website for lifting the veil on the multitude of lies which are spun by governments, large corporate and central banks, in the context of how this all falls out in the financial arena. Read it and weep, but at least you’ll be better prepared than most for what’s coming down the pipe.

www.democracynow.org/: an organisation keen to reclaim REAL democracy, rather than the sick farce which currently passes for it (so far as the sheeple are concerned anyway).

www.sovereignman.com: one of my favourite wesbites, its founder “Simon Black” explains the concept of true sovereignty as it applies to individuals, and explains that most people do not even realise how dependent they are on systems they have absolutely no say in or control over. He covers areas like relocating to other countries, asset protection, offshore banking and more. Well worth subscribing to … try it, you might like it!

www.naturalnews.com: as ever, my good friend Mike Adams continues to do good work exposing all manner of government malfeasance … primarily in the arena of food and nutrition … Natural News is a truly extraordinary resource … check it out.

www.infowars.com: most people know about Alex Jones and Infowars. Listening to this guy’s rants is sometimes too full on for my tastes, but reading through a lot of the material is both interesting and educational.

www.newparadigmdigest.com: my good friend Jeff Hutner’s website leaves the negative behind, and explores paradigm-shifting ideas in the positive … looking towards a world that may one day exist when we’ve hopefully left this version in our dust.

8 – THE VILCABAMBA REAL ESTATE COMPANY – MOVING FORWARD

As I write this, we at VREC are optimistic about what an intelligent, focused and energetic community can achieve here in Vilcabamba. The vast majority of folks coming here are switched on to the problems of the world, and are keen not to re-create them here. I am currently sitting on my patio, surrounded by our many animals, and watching hummingbirds, butterflies, and other assorted birdlife flitting about and landing on our feeders and trees. We are truly living in a paradise here, and when I try to imagine going back to “first-world” (hah!) suburban or city living, I truly shudder … it seems almost impossible to imagine! For those of you who have not yet seen this article I wrote a while back for Retire Worldwide, please take the time to have a look at it here: it captures the essence of what living in Vilcabamba is all about for most people who come here.

Thanks for your time, and I hope you enjoyed this update. Feel free to contact me with any queries, feedback, or commentary.

Best wishes,

Nick Vasey
Founder – Vilcabamba Real Estate Company: (VREC) Properties

www.vrec.org

Hello everybody

Well, Vilcabamba has finally emerged from rainy season a couple of weeks ago! These verdant valleys have to be seen to be believed at the moment. Some bamboo I transplanted grew about six feet in two months! Significant rain, coupled with extended sunny periods means the plants just go nuts here!

Vilcabamba is right now in the middle of the second Raw Food World Conference and there is a real buzz around the central square and at the Madre Tierra Hotel, where many of the events are taking place. This event is a perfect example of the increasing number of people coming to Vilcabamba to find out how they can live more simply, more healthily, and closer to nature than they probably ever have done before.

I should also point out that despite the recent influx of new rental properties coming onto the market, they have all been snapped up (as can be seen by our “VREC Rentals” webpage). This demand for rentals here is only growing apace, and the pipeline of folks we have lined up over the next few months who are coming down for property tours and just to hang out for a while here to see how they like it, would indicate the rental shortage will not be easing anytime soon. I am currently working hard to get some other property owners and developers to put new rental accommodation onto the market. I will be Tweeting and updating the website as and when rental properties become available.

I have listed properties below which I think are particularly worthy of your attention.

1. VQ028 – $110K – Please note this property is only available until the end of THIS MONTH. The rapidly depreciating US dollar means the owner has imposed the final day of this month as the cut-off for closing a deal on this property. If you are interested in this property, let me know asap!
2. PP007 – Varied Lot Prices – This property has approximately 22 lots, of which 7 are currently sold. Along with PP013 (below) this property represents the best dollar for dollar value of ANY land in the Vilcabamba valley.
3. PP013 – Varied Lot Prices – This property has the best views available in the Vilcabamba valley (hence the name “Where Eagles Dare”). Along with those incomparable views come the best value for money pricing available in the Vilcabamba valley. Get in quick and get yourself an additional 15% discount!
4. VT030 – $54,900 – This property has sweeping views of the Vilcabamba valley and of Mandango. It is a hectare (2.47 acres), and comes with a winter creek, and two perfect building pads. Additionally this property can be terraced and would be ideal for a gravity-fed permaculture project. Again, the price is pretty special for a hectare this close to Vilca centre.
5. PP010 – $250,000 – This property is 1.2 ha (3 acres) of perfectly sculpted grounds complete with a spring, a pond, a 4 bed 4 bath main house and a 2 bed guest or caretaker house. This is very competitively priced … in short, you could not currently buy and build this property to its current level, for this asking price.
6. PP012 – $295,000 – The landmark property of our (recently deceased) friend Capt’n Erle is still looking for a buyer! I will only say that this property is truly incredible, right next to the Podocarpus National Park main entry, and is turn-key and ready to go.
7. SC002 – $45,000 – A two-storey double-adobe-brick home – turnkey and ready to go – on about 1000m2 – with gardens and a winter creek – only 4kms from Vilca’s main square – only $45,000! Say no more.
8. VQ026 – $65,000 – A very charming house on 1,700m2 – turnkey and ready to go.
9. VQ027 – $55,000 – A small house in need of renovation, on 2,200m2 … only a short distance to Vilca central.
10. VQ014 – Reduced to $80,000 – A one hectare riverside property with house, only 11kms from Vilca centre. Mature fruit trees of all descriptions, coffee, bananas etc. Perfect for a downshifting couple interested in sustainability.
11. Lot 7 – Hacienda San Joaquin – $299,000 – A beautiful, brand-new and spacious two-storey, 3,772 square foot traditional home (includes porch, balcony and carport) on 0.3 acres (1,234 square meters).
12. VT031 – Hacienda San Joaquin – $180,000 – A stunning “absolute riverfront” 1 hectare piece of land within the Hacienda San Joaquin gated community.

Please visit our website to view any of the above properties (as well as all our other listings) in more detail.

In other news, I thought I would share with you a little “behind the scenes” stuff, which I usually don’t go into. Over the last month, VREC had about 25 applications by folks wanting to list their property with us. To give you an idea of the due-diligence process we go through BEFORE we even list a property, to date we have only accepted 3 of those properties for official listing and representation. The reason/s for not listing the majority of those properties could be:

1. Not suitable for or saleable to our primary client demographic.
2. The owner wants far too much money for the property (and we won’t list it at much over what we think it would sell for on its best day). This practice helps keep our website “proportional” and also gives our clients confidence that the property they may be interested in, is not wildly over-priced.
3. No access, or unacceptable/unreliable access.
4. Flooding issues.
5. Subsidence issues.
6. Property-Developer operates to standards which are unacceptable to VREC.
7. Access to services (power and water) is unavailable, difficult or unlikely in the near future.

Please be aware these are just seven examples of many reasons VREC may choose not to list a property. And unfortunately, we have lost deals due to the fact we wouldn’t list some properties. But the point is that we would rather incur those short-term “losses” in order to ensure as best we can that our clients are going to be happy with any property they buy from us. It is for this reason we go to so much effort to screen bad or inappropriate properties out of our listings. Our three years of testimonials from happy clients (check “References” on our website) is a testament to the long-term wisdom of this approach.

Needless to say, the same standards do not apply with the unlicensed “operators” around here, who will typically list anything at any price, just to try get a deal. So the moral I guess, is the same as ever down here in Ecuador. Deal with a licensed operator. It is very much a buyer-beware scenario if you don’t. Follow the 8 steps on our homepage to gauge your confidence in dealing with anyone purporting to be in real-estate, as most of these folks are simply opportunistic and inexperienced middle-persons looking to make a quick buck out of you.

Anyway, that’s about it for now. Don’t forget to follow VREC on Twitter, if you want the most timely updates as and when changes are made to our website.

Best wishes to all,

Nick Vasey
Founder – Vilcabamba Real Estate Company: (VREC) Properties

www.vrec.org

First of all, let us spare a thought for and send our heartfelt condolences to the people of Japan, who are undergoing one of the most awful series of disasters in recent memory. Having lived in Japan for a couple of years, I still have many friends living and working there, and I wish them and the Japanese people the very best at this incredibly trying time.

This email update will cover VREC’s new property listings, as well as currently listed properties which we believe provide exceptional value for money right now. Additionally I have included an update on the rental scenario in Vilcabamba at the moment for those who may be interested. Also please do not forget about Twitter! VREC Properties is on Twitter: @vrecproperties … Our Twitter subscribers have already been updated about these properties the moment the listings went live on our website.

VREC New Property Listings – Please check on the www.vrec.org website for all listings (except for the first one which has external links provided).

1.    Lot 9 – Approx 7,500m2 in the EcoVenus Development – $63,500. Now with areas freshly cleared for building pads, this lot is by far the largest lot in the EcoVenus development, and is very much “king of the hill.”. If you are interested in the best possible views and living sustainably inside an intimate community with proactive intelligent folks focused on making EcoVenus be all it can be, then email me and let me know when you’d like to visit! Incidentally, the buyer of this piece will become my immediate neighbor, so whoever you are, I look forward to meeting you soon!

2.    QT004 – 7 hectares – $130,000 – Simply one of our favourite properties, this land is in the nearby valley of Quinara and is utterly unique. Approx 2 hectares of flat irrigated land with a mature plantation currently producing Bananas, Mangoes, Avocadoes, Lemons, Sweet Lemons, Chirimoya, Guava, Oranges, Guayaba, Limes, Yuca Potato, Sugar Cane, Papaya, Mandarins, Tunas (Cactus-fruit), and probably more of which we’re unaware! All this backs onto your own private mountain and hidden valley complete with a 15 metre waterfall known as the Baño del Incas! (Bathroom of the Incas). This property lends itself to a multitude of purposes, depending on the objectives of the new owner.
* – Existing plantation of more than 15 types of fruit trees
* – Historical tourist significance – “Ruinas de Quinara”
* – Amazing rock formations, caves, pillars, Inca trail etc
* – Stunning little “grotto” waterfall of approx 15 metres

3.    MT007 – 3.5 hectares – $150,000 – Situated about one kilometre from the Landangui intersection on the way to Loja, this property is 3.5 hectares of mostly useable land. With ample water via the canal which services it, this would suit anyone with an agricultural bent, but would also be suitable for a home, gardens, orchards, and animals (horses etc).

4.    VQ029 – One Hectare of Flat Riverfront Property with House and Well – $199,000 – Comprising a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom (one in-house, one out) home on approximately a hectare of riverfront grounds, this property is a rarity for its size, beauty, usability (all flat), and proximity to Vilcabamba. Close to the junction where the Uchima and the Chamba rivers come together to form the Vilcabamba river, this property is bordered on two sides by riverfront, one side by a canal and road access for the other. The property has a limitless well, which has just had a brand new pump installed. It also has a large lockable store-room facility/garage, as well as another room adjoining that which could be a studio, office or third bedroom if desired. There is of course ample room to develop agriculture, gardens or other structures if desired. Make no mistake, this property is special, and will suit someone who wants a turn-key solution for water security, with plenty of potential upside for other sustainability projects.

5.    MQ007 – 1 acre with House, Swimming Pool, Gardens etc – $110,000 – A 3 bedroom 2 bathroom home complete with swimming pool, outdoor entertaining areas, basketball court, canal, and local services. The place has fallen into some disrepair, and essentially requires a loving hand. With plenty of additional space for gardens, additional structures etc, at this price, this property brims with potential for someone with an eye for value.

6.    VC013 – Building (Home and Commercial space) in Central Vilca on 210m2 – $80,000 – Spread over 3 levels and incorporating 2 houses this is an interesting centrally located property in the Vilca township. The ground floor consists of commercially rentable space, a storeroom, and a bathroom facility with shower. The 1^st floor has 2 bedrooms, a big kitchen, a bathroom and a living room. The top floor has a terrace, one bedroom and another bathroom. There is also an additional casa-rustica behind the main house on the ground floor, which consists of 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom a terrace and two other rooms.

VREC Properties Representing Exceptional Value

1.    VQ014 – House on Riverfront Land – 1 hectare – $80,000 – This is another remarkably-situated piece of land for its size and price. At one hectare and all of it flat with river frontage, this property lends itself to expansion, and has a functional one and a half bedroom house which once services are reconnected is ready to move into. This piece would be IDEAL for someone who wants to move into their new secluded and pristine hobby-farm with all the hard work already done! The mature plantation includes 5 types of bananas, oranges (both sweet and sour), sweet lemons, lemons, papaya, cacao, coffee, avocadoes, mangoes, guava, and passion-fruit! Smoothies anyone?! Another prime piece of Vilcabamba real-estate at a realistic asking price.

2.    VQ028 – House and Gardens close to Vilca on 900m2 – $110,000 – This property must be sold by the end of May this year, or the owner will permanently withdraw it from the market. So if you are interested, be quick is all I can say! Quite simply this is one of the prettiest, most well equipped and tranquil abodes in the valley. As you will see, the pictures are beautiful, but they still do not do justice to this most tranquil of sanctuaries. Far enough out of town to be secluded, but still close enough to easily walk into the centre in 15 minutes, this has the best of all worlds. Comprising 2 bedrooms and a bathroom, and many outdoor entertaining areas, this home has the capacity to comfortably sleep 9 people should it need to. It would ideally suit a young couple or family who wish to move into a turn-key property in Vilcabamba. Everything is included in the sale-price … furniture, appliances, everything … except the owner’s most personal effects. Move in, and start living the Vilca life!

3. PP010 – House & Guest-house on 1.2 hectares of immaculately kept grounds, complete with freshly stocked tilapia pond, spring, and organic vegetable gardens and orchards. – $250,000. Please click on our “Platinum Properties” section of the “Properties” page to view all aspects and many photos of this extraordinary property.

VREC Rentals Update

As you will see by checking our VREC Rentals page, the rental-market in Vilcabamba has tightened up significantly once again. On a positive note, we are currently evaluating some new properties and hope to be able to bring at least three exciting new rental premises to you shortly. Should you or someone you know wish us to rent and/or manage their Vilcabamba property, please email me and let me know.

That’s all for this email. Myself and everyone here at the Vilcabamba Real Estate Company wish you all health, wealth and happiness for 2011! If you are planning a visit to come see us in Vilcabamba, send me an email and let me know!

Bye for now,

Nick Vasey
Founder – Vilcabamba Real Estate Company: (VREC) Properties

www.vrec.org

Well, this year is fairly flying by already, and while we lacked for rain somewhat during last year’s rainy season, this year has more than made up for it! Over the last weeks we’ve had solid downpours during the afternoons and through the night, and with the sun of the day, you can almost HEAR and certainly SMELL the plant life rejoicing around you! Things grow QUICKLY during this sort of weather here and it is GREAT to watch! Anyway … onwards.

In this issue we are going to cover:

1.    Potential Scam Website … www.ieeni.org … seemingly trading off the Vilcabamba name and heritage. If anyone out there has any stories or evidence which either support or reject the information below, we would like to hear from you. If it’s a scam (as it appears to be), it damages the reputation of Vilcabamba and the record needs to be set straight.

2.    VREC Real Estate License Update … our real estate license has been re-issued for 2011. As per the official LaHora newspaper announcement (see link on our homepage), VREC Properties continues to be the only licensed realtor in the Vilcabamba region.

3.    New VREC Sales Listings … two new property listings … see below.

4.    VREC Rentals Update: No new rentals other than those currently featured on our “VREC Rentals” webpage.

5.    Reminder about the “VREC Friends” and “VREC Panel” webpages. Please visit these VREC webpages and discover the treasure trove of useful information, people and companies they contain (more information below). These are regularly updated, and will be updated again at the end of February with new content.

6.    Twitter! VREC Properties is on Twitter: @vrecproperties … be updated via Twitter the moment property listings go live.

Potential Scam Website … approach with caution.

First order of business is to alert readers to what seems to be a scam website called IEENI.org, which is apparently leveraging off the Vilcabamba reputation and story, to the detriment of folks who, on the strength of that story, decide to invest. The main player in this story appears to be a chap by the name of Michael Solomon, A long-time resident of Vilca recently brought our attention to this, so I thought it wise to accordingly alert our subscribers so you have the option of approaching with extreme caution. Excerpts of that warning email I received are below in italics (with names etc deleted where appropriate):
“[names deleted for privacy] and many many others have seen Michael Solomon accept money for beneficial programs in Vilcabamba for many years. [name deleted] has been observing Michael for much of that time. He has apparently received thousands to millions of dollars … meant to help the poor of this area. To date there has been not one cent of that money used to benefit anyone here. He owns no property, nor does IEENI, they have no foundation status in Ecuador. The pictures on their web site do not even depict Ecuadorian indigenous persons! His claim that he must pay $10 million by [date deleted] was it? Which land is this that they are buying? I mean, I know of 1200 hectares with road access and year round water for $1.5 million. and even that is considered outrageously expensive! 10 million?! Oh well!!” ……………………….. “Michael owned 1 hectare, around 2 acres, in the mountains near Vilca a LONG time ago. A local man has taken over those lands thru agrarian reform more than 15 years ago. Michael Solomon, no longer owns, nor has he ever worked and ‘master gardened’ a piece of land here. Not only that – there is no representative here on his behalf. You cannot get a property investment  residence visa unless you actually present a title to a property in your name. This is a scam on a grand scale! and [name deleted]  has been watching him for a long time. He came here, stayed for less than one year, a few months. He has never returned. I have checked with the parish team and the local mayor- there have been no donations, no work, no gardens. EVER.

VREC Real Estate License – Updated to 2011!
To put it bluntly, if your Ecuadorian realtor cannot show you one of these current real-estate licenses, you are literally playing with fire. They should also be able to point to their name on the annual authorised list of realtors (link on our homepage), as published in the Loja newspaper, La Hora (or their local equivalent). Needless to say, they should also have a catalogue of references from previous happy clients.  We are now into our third year of receiving such client testimonials … to review these, check our “References” webpage.

Please be warned, there are a multitude of opportunists, scammers, and amateur “middle-persons” here, who will try to con you along into their game, but none of them have the demonstrable professionalism, ethics and track record which we at the Vilcabamba Real Estate Company have made our hallmark. Follow the “eight-point checklist” on our homepage, and in this way you should get a good picture and feel for the people you are dealing with. As they say in the classics, Caveat Emptor! Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

New VREC Sales Listings – please visit www.vrec.org to view property photos.

VQ028 – $110K. We have two new listings of note at this time. This beautiful home set amongst tranquil gardens would also have been featured in our top “value for money” properties of the last update, had it been on the market at that time. Please note: There is a time limit on this property. If you like this property and want to own it, you have until the end of May to settle on it. If it remains unsold by May 31, 2011, the owner will retain the property, and it will not be offered again for the foreseeable future, if ever. So, if it looks like you, then move quickly!

“Quite simply this is one of the prettiest, most well equipped and tranquil abodes in the valley. As you will see, the pictures are beautiful, but they still do not do justice to this most tranquil of sanctuaries. Far enough out of town to be secluded, but still close enough to easily walk into the centre in 15 minutes, this has the best of all worlds. Comprising 2 bedrooms and a bathroom, and many outdoor entertaining areas, this home has the capacity to comfortably sleep 9 people should it need to. It would ideally suit a young couple or family who wish to move into a turn-key property in Vilcabamba. Everything is included in the sale-price … furniture, appliances, everything … except the owner’s most personal effects. Move in, and start living the Vilca life!

VT031 – $180K (neg). Land – 9,750m2 – Quinta 21 – Hacienda San Joaquin – $150 monthly community fee.
This property is one of the exclusive riverfront quintas within the blue-chip gated community of Hacienda San Joaquin.

“Situated to the left of the road which winds its way into the rolling green fields of the famous Hacienda San Joaquin, Quinta 21 represents picture-perfect riverside living. Residents are allowed a main house, a guest-house, and a caretaker house on their property. There is no restriction on the size of the house you may build. If you are into peace and quiet, a burbling river, as well as all the world class facilities which come with living at one of Ecuador’s most exclusive addresses, then build your dream residence/s on Q21!”

VREC Rentals Update

Just wanted to remind people that we regularly update our “VREC Rentals” page with the most recent information, so please check that page and contact us if you have an interest in securing one of those properties.

Reminder – Two Important “Good News” VREC Webpages – “VREC Friends” & “VREC Panel”

Just a quick reminder about two helpful webpages on the VREC website which everyone who is planning to come to Vilcabamba should remember to have a look at, preferably before they travel. This may help you plan your activities, accommodation etc, and may also give you some new ideas about what else you can do whilst here in Vilcabamba! Make no mistake, we have a talented and eclectic community of folks here in town, many of whom are extremely knowledgeable about their specific subjects.

VREC Friends: This page is dedicated to the people, companies and/or organisations whom VREC Properties wishes to recognise and promote. This recognition may result from any number of reasons, but financial payment to VREC Properties is NOT one of them. Most likely reasons for inclusion on this page are that these people or entities have provided assistance, advice and/or reciprocal website promotion to VREC Properties. Alternatively the causes may be worthy ones, the businesses may be worth your while patronising, or the folks involved just plain good people!

If you like what VREC Properties is about, and would like to help spread the word about us via assisting in some way, please contact us directly, and let us know who you are, what you do, and how you would like to help. Maybe we can also help you in some way … let’s communicate and find out! So to be crystal-clear … all references on the “VREC Friends” page are UNPAID and provided solely out of GOODWILL.

VREC Panel: The “VREC Panel” is Different to “VREC Friends.”
This page differs from the VREC Friends page, in that ALL the people/companies listed on it have a skillset/s that is/are specific to the process of developing a property/house/project once a property has been purchased. Additionally there are some people who have skills in assessing a piece of land for the express purpose of discovering whether it may be suitable for a potential buyer’s needs (geology, soil-quality, subsidence, etc). The idea here is to easily hook up newcomers to Vilcabamba with quality people, who will do a good job at a reasonable price. Please remember, VREC Panel Membership is a PRIVILEGE, not a Right. To be listed as a VREC Panel member is a PRIVILEGE, which VREC Properties may choose to revoke at any moment, based upon the general feedback we hear about that person or company’s performance in the working environment. For this reason we ask for the community’s help with ONGOING INPUT AND FEEDBACK regarding work they have had done (whether or not by someone already listed on the VREC Panel page). If they aren’t listed already, and they did a great job for you … PLEASE TELL US …and we’ll get their name listed pronto on the VREC Panel.

Twitter: @vrecproperties

So a reminder, if you have not done so already … you can now follow VREC Properties (@vrecproperties) on Twitter. In this way you will know immediately about any VREC announcements and/or website updates the moment they occur. The same announcements will be made via these newsletters in time, but because we tend to group items (as we have today), they will not be as timely as our Twitter releases. So if you want to be the first to know about our updates, just follow us on Twitter!

And that’s it for this update folks. As ever, please contact me if you have any queries at all … I will get back to you just as quickly as I can!

Best wishes,

Nick Vasey
Founder – Vilcabamba Real Estate Company: (VREC) Properties

www.vrec.org

Just a brief update concerning the latest twists and turns in the laws here in Ecuador insofar as they apply to the immigration process for residency via investment (9-2 visa). See bottom of this post for detailed information re the requirements for the 9-2 Investment Visa.

VREC’s in-house attorney (whom we use for due diligence and conveyancing of all our transactions), is the highly respected Dr. Marco Antonio Munoz Mendieta.

Marco speaks English, Spanish and some French, and his specialties are immigration matters and real-estate, although he also handles many other affairs for his largely foreign clientele.

An email from him on this matter is below, as well as the attachment which talks about the investment visa requirements in more detail.

Please contact Marco directly to initiate any dialogue you may require for observing Ecuador’s legal requirements.

He is cc’d on this email, and his other details are at the base of his email (below).

Kind regards,

Nick Vasey
Founder – Vilcabamba Real Estate Company: (VREC) Properties
Office: +593 9 045 2628
Mobile: +593 8 611 9909
Web: www.vrec.org
Email: nick@vrec.org
Skype: troglodyte-downunder
Post: PO Box 84, Loja, Ecuador
Office: Calle Bolivar, Parque Central, Vilcabamba, Ecuador

VREC Properties Mission Statement
VREC Properties provides its clients with the most professional, ethical, fair, fee-transparent and user-friendly real estate service possible. Our objective is to simplify all aspects of the information flow between relevant parties (buyers, sellers, surveyors, legal processes, municipality etc), and thereby facilitate a transaction which both buyer and seller understand and will be happy with. Our reputation is of paramount importance, and will be vigilantly safe-guarded by the impeccable conduct and intentions of all our staff and associated partners. As a result, VREC Properties has established itself as the most noteworthy and pre-eminent real estate consultancy in the region.

From: ESTUDIO JURIDICO MUÑOZ & MUÑOZ [mailto:estudiojuridicomunoz@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, 31 January 2011 11:57 AM
To: Nick Vasey – VREC
Subject: Re: Immigration Visa Process

HI NICK

WITH THE NEW IMMIGRATION REGULATIONS (AS OF JANUARY 2011), ALL FOREIGNERS ARE NOW ALLOWED TO APPLY FOR THE PERMANENT RESIDENCY USING THE TRANSIT VISA CALLED T-3. THE T3 VISA IS FOR 90 DAYS AND YOU HAVE TO APPLY FOR THE 9-2 INVESTMENT VISA AT LEAST 30 DAYS BEFORE THE EXPIRY OF YOUR CURRENT VISA.

THIS IS DIFFERENT FROM THE SITUATION BEFORE, WHICH REQUIRED PEOPLE TO FIRST HAVE SUCCESSFULLY APPLIED FOR THE 12-9 CONSULAR VISA IN ORDER TO “GRADUATE” TO THE 9-2 INVESTMENT VISA.

IF YOU ARE GOING TO APPLY FOR THE INVESTORS VISA, THEN YOU NEED THE PROPERTY DEED OR THE CD WITH AT LEAST $ 25,000 OF INVESTMENT WITH AN ADDITIONAL $500 VALUE BEING NECESSARY FOR EACH DEPENDENT.

I AM ATTACHING A DOCUMENTS DETAILING THESE REQUIREMENTS.

BEST REGARDS, MARCO A.

Dr. Marco Antonio Muñoz Mendieta
MUNOZ & MUNOZ LAW FIRM

LEGAL SOLUTIONS AT YOUR SERVICE
ADDRESS: IMBABURA 15-22 y SUCRE
LOJA – ECUADOR
Tel: 593 / 7 / 2 571080
CELL PHONE: 094109634
OUTSIDE ECUADOR: 001 593 94109634

REQUIREMENTS

CATEGORY 9-II (Investor in Bank Deposit or Real Estate)

Requirements for Residency:

In general, keep the following requirements in mind:

· All documents submitted for this process must be originals or certified (notarized) copies

· Documents provided by the applicant must be obtained only from the responsible U.S. authorities, and authenticated by the Ecuadorian Consul in the country of origin.

· DOCUMENTS MUST BE LEGALLY TRANSLATED INTO SPANISH IF NOT ALREADY IN SPANISH

· If you’re changing visa status while in Ecuador (for example, going from a tourist visa to a resident visa) the application and associated documents must be submitted no less than 30 days prior to the expiration of the visa that you currently have.

· You must register your home address with immigration authorities, and report any change of address while living in Ecuador.

All applications for resident visas require the following to be submitted:

1. A visa petition addressed to the Director General of Extranjería, signed by the applicant and an attorney
2. A completed form “Solicitud de visa de inmigrante” for the appropriate visa type
3. Two notarized copies of an up-to-date passport, with the notary attesting to the fact that its status is legally current
4. A completed form “hoja de datos para la cédula” (a data sheet, subsequently used for your identity card)
5. Two current passport size photos, in color with white backdrop

If the investment is in real estate:

.           One notarized copy of the Property (Deed) with the inscription at the Property Register.

.           Land History Certificate from the Property Register. ($10)

.           Land  Tax, (it means the commercial evaluation for the minimal amount of $. 25.000).

APPLICATION & ATTORNEY FEES:

GOVERNMENT FEE OF $350 (THIS MUST BE DEPOSITED IN THE BANCO INTERNACIONAL IN QUITO).

ATTORNEY FEE    $1000  (THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE INSCRIPTION OF THE CONSULAR VISA)

This is our first update for the new year, so I would like to welcome all new subscribers to the wonderful world of the Vilcabamba Real Estate Company!

So … what’s been going on in Vilcabamba?

Well, with their usual impeccable sense of timing and implementation, the local authority in Vilcabamba decided to choose the week before the New Year to commence earthworks on expanding the plaza of the central park!  My initial thought upon seeing large sections of the square dug up only 8 days before NY was, “wow, that’s an ambitious project to finish before NY eve!” Needless to say that was a somewhat optimistic observation!! 

Consequently, Vilcabamba’s NY festivities took place more or less in an open building site, the amenity of which, was of course only added to by a substantial downpour on the night itself!

Nevertheless, festivities reached their usual frenzy … although many fires (used for burning the traditional ”moni-goti” effigies) were somewhat dampened by the rains which swept through the village around witching hour!

Any of you familiar with this place will no doubt be having a small chuckle at the images of the main square this description would conjure up for you!

Well, we are now almost into the Chinese year of the rabbit/cat, leaving the tumultuous Year of the Tiger well behind us. Onwards and upwards!

Anyway, we have a lot to cover in this, the first update for 2011, so let’s get started.

In summary, it goes like this:

1. Connect with VREC on Twitter

2. New Rental Listings & Rental Market Overview

3. New Property Listings

4. Link to International Living’s assessment of Ecuador as the best country in which to retire … for the second year running!

5. A link to Rob Dunlop’s “Group Land Purchase” Facebook page … maybe some of you will have an interest in participating in this collaborative effort.

6. And finally, our “Top 5” properties at the moment in terms of value for money.

TWITTER: So a reminder, if you have not done so already … you can now follow VREC Properties (@vrecproperties) on Twitter. In this way you will know immediately about any VREC announcements and/or website updates the moment they occur. The same announcements will be made via these newsletters in time, but because we tend to group items (as we have today), they will not be as timely as our Twitter releases. So if you want to be the first to know about our updates, just follow us on Twitter!

VREC RENTALS: Since VREC decided to list only high-quality rentals, the response and feedback has been great! Consequently, we have built up an impressive selection of these high-quality rentals, and I’m happy to say that this list seems to be growing steadily! What this means for VREC’s clients is the ability to review the type of rentals which are available, and even secure them in advance of any planned visit (depending on availability), such that you know you’ll be in quality accommodations from the get-go. If you are interested in a rental we have listed and wish to know more about it, please just email me. All VREC rentals are accessed by the “VREC Rentals” tab, directly from our homepage.

Latest Rental Listings! The latest additions to VREC’s rental portfolio are all very convenient to Vilcabamba centre:

1.    Rental-008 (an entire historic Vilcabamba hacienda – $2,000/mth),

2.    Rental-009 (a beautiful 3 level riverside property – $850/mth), and

3.    Rentals 10A & 10B (brand new adjoining luxury homes situated in a nearby private gated community, with full club amenities included – $950/mth each).

Please note that VREC typically only deals with rentals priced over $450 per month, as this is the price where real “quality” tends to kick in. Also, most of our rentals tend to be for minimum periods of 3 months (although this varies and you will need to check the listing for specific details).

NEW VREC PROPERTIES UPDATE: Well, the Vilca market is still very active, and we have recently seen renewed interest in the larger neighbouring valley of Malacatos (only 10kms from Vilca). To view these listings and the associated photos in more detail just go to our website and click on “Properties.” Remember, you can search in three ways: by Price, by Type, and by Location. This makes it as easy as possible to find what might suit you. And don’t forget to check out our most outstanding properties by clicking on our “Platinum Properties” tab.

Some recent new general listings include:

1.    MT005 – Approx 2 hectares – $55,000 – With sweeping views across the glorious Malacatos valley, this property is also agriculture-ready. For someone who is serious about “getting down to business” with respect to a permaculture project or biodynamic farming, this property is both big enough yet close enough to both Vilca and Malacatos to also be convenient for your lifestyle. Being in the Malacatos valley, it is also closer to Loja (the nearest major city). Ready for your lifestyle change?

2.    MT006 – Approx 3 hectares – $45,000 – This property is going to make someone extremely happy and their friends extremely jealous. The views and aspect over the Malacatos valley have to be seen to be believed. The property is large enough for you to create riding and hiking trails where you and your family can roam undisturbed. 3 hectares is 7.5 acres! Currently there is already 4WD access to the top of this hill (see photos), but this could be adapted with the construction to create access for ordinary vehicles. For someone with an eye for outstanding views and value, this property is more than worth a look!

3.    VQ026 – Approx 1,700m2 – $65,000 – This is a charming, recently built home with 3 bedrooms & 1 bathroom. With sliding doors, huge wooden beams, and a rock-featured exterior, it has enormous visual and easygoing homey appeal. The home is practical, well-constructed, and filled with light and outdoor areas for entertaining and relaxing. There is also ample additional flat land for extra gardens, more buildings or agriculture. With just a little extra effort re aesthetics and personalization and perhaps some landscaping, this property can be utterly sensational!

4.    VQ027 – Approx 2,200m2 – $55,000 – This is a fabulously situated piece of land close by Vilcabamba, with sweeping views across the valley. The structure is in disrepair and would need substantial renovation/additions before being properly habitable. There is a large water storage tank already in place, as well as several varieties of fully mature fruit trees (bananas, citrus etc). With some TLC and some upgrades to the existing structure this very cute property will charm many!

5.    VT030 – Approx 1 hectare – $60,000 – This is a beautifully situated piece of land just a stone’s throw from Vilcabamba centre along the Mollepamba Rd. With outstanding Mandango views and sunsets it is suitable for anyone who wants a decent acreage for gardens, guest-houses, horse-riding or whatever takes your fancy really. With its multiple levels, and suitability for terracing, and staged water delivery, this property could prove ideal for a permaculture project. NB: This property is not yet listed on our site, but we are taking enquiries.

INTERNATIONAL LIVING RATE ECUADOR AS NUMBER ONE COUNTRY TO RETIRE TO – FOR THE SECOND YEAR RUNNING! For those of you familiar with the juggernaut of international living advice that is International Living, it should not be news to you, that once again Ecuador has outstripped all competitors to top the world’s desirability list for those folks wishing to retire and have the best quality of life AND value for money possible (see: http://internationalliving.com/2010/08/retirement-index-2010/).

What you may not know however, it that IL also predicted that Vilcabamba will take at least the number 4 spot on the list of where ex-pats decide to settle in Ecuador. Given the wave of visitors and the volume of interested emails I get from our subscribers, my personal opinion is that Vilcabamba will eclipse Manta and assume permanence in third position (if this is not the case already). For your convenience, I have included a screenshot below of the relevant page from International Living’s 2010 Guide to Ecuador.

ROB DUNLOP’S “GROUP LAND PURCHASE” FACEBOOK PAGE: Recently I have been communicating with one of our clients who is planning to buy a large piece of land with us, and he revealed that he has created a Facebook group of collaborators/interested parties, many of whom wish to contribute funds to assist with the purchase of a large piece of land which will be suitable for an alternative/sustainable community. Apparently their only dogma is “no dogma!”

Please be advised that VREC has no involvement (financial or otherwise) in this project, and submitting it for your review does not imply any endorsement of the project.

However Rob seems like a nice guy and he is certainly more serious, organised and transparent than most people who come to Vilcabamba harbouring such plans! As you may know, these are all qualities we like at VREC, so we decided to include the link to Rob’s project, and if you are interested to know more, you can connect with him yourself, ask any questions you may have and thereafter conduct your own due-diligence process. The link is: http://www.facebook.com/#!/home.php?sk=group_101320943276533.

VREC’S TOP 5 PROPERTIES IN TERMS OF VALUE FOR MONEY: We decided with this update, to also feature the 5 properties we believe currently top the list in terms of value for money. It is sometimes difficult for newcomers to the valley to distinguish what is truly good value for money. Obviously, we try to help explain how to “join the dots” on Vilcabamba “value.” But for your viewing pleasure here are the five (in no particular order) that currently top our list!

1.    VQ015 – Approx 1.2 hectares – $279,000 – A unique and pristine absolute river-front “quinta-style” property in the exclusive Hacienda San Joaquin development. With two “suite-style” bedrooms, two bathrooms, sweeping verandas and all mod-cons, this is a residence with no more work to do. It is clear this property will suit the discerning buyer who wants a beautiful home in a large acreage with incredible gardens and food production capacity. The current owner has already planted almost everything imaginable (including many exotic imported flora species) and is a motivated vendor. Accordingly this property is priced for a quick sale. Walk in … unpack … and relax into the Vilcabamba life!

2.    VT028 – Approx 7,000m2 – $75,000 – This property is going to suit someone absolutely perfectly. With multiple building areas set over a comfortably sloping gradient back to a brilliantly elevated position for a main house, this property incorporates mature fruit trees, existing water and power sources. The adjoining properties recently sold quickly, and this one is both larger and has a better aspect than the neighbouring properties. At this price, and this proximity to Vilcabamba centre, with outstanding views over the Vilca valley and to Mandango mountain, this property will go quickly.

3.    MQ005 – Approx half a hectare – $85,000 – This property is very very pretty. It will suit anyone interested in a turn-key life-transfer to this region, where much of the hard work’s already been done for you. Incorporating a hilltop slice of already cultivated land large enough to sustain a family with ease, this property can easily be tweaked as the new owners would like. Already connected to services, the delightful little house is ready for habitation. Maybe you can see yourself taking over this charming mid-sized property?

4.    PP013 – “Where Eagles Dare” – Lots ranging from just under an acre to 2 hectares! Priced from only $4 to $7 per metre – Comprising 8 (or 9) allotments over a 7 hectare piece of land, with lot areas ranging from just under an acre, to one 2 hectare piece, these lots have some of the best views imaginable. Priced between $4 and $7 per metre (including power and water), and only 15 minutes drive from Vilca centre, they are sure to provoke a great deal of interest. PLEASE NOTE! The first and second buyers will receive a 15% and 10% discount respectively.

5.    PP007 – 33 hectare farm to be sold as large lots. Minimum 1 acre (4,000m2) lots with water & power … from $20,000. Only 5 minutes drive on asphalt from Vilca centre. First in-best dressed, re pricing and available lots. With 7 lots of 23 already gone, this development is moving along swiftly. The vendor is putting in the hard yards re infrastructure and planning, with predictably successful results.

Well folks, that’s it for this update! In closing, I would hope this information has been useful for you many seekers out there looking towards Vilcabamba with much longing and hope in your hearts! Be brave, take the plunge and come down here for a visit. We always advise there is no substitute for time on the ground here in order to soak up the vibe and meet some of the local “characters” and get the flavour of this place. It’s possible Vilcabamba may not be your cup of tea, but if you don’t pay us a visit, you’ll never know.

The Vilcabamba Real Estate Company stands ready to help you with anything we can to make the assessment process and ultimate transition smoother and more comfortable for you. Until the next update I bid you farewell for now, and wish all of you a healthy and prosperous year for 2011.

Best wishes,

Nick Vasey
Founder – Vilcabamba Real Estate Company: (VREC) Properties.

www.vrec.org

As we close in on the end of year festive season, may I take this opportunity to wish everyone the very best of times for Christmas and the New Year. I would like to add that it has been our pleasure to help many newcomers find their way more easily and confidently in Vilcabamba throughout 2010 … the reward we get from helping such folks manifest their dreams here is something we all find really fulfilling!

And rest assured, we at VREC are very much looking forward to the adventures heading our way in 2011, and hope that if you have not yet visited us here in Vilcabamba, that 2011 will be the year that you do!

TWITTER: And also a reminder if you have not done so already … you can now follow VREC Properties (@vrecproperties) on Twitter. In this way you will know immediately about any VREC announcements and/or website updates the moment they occur. The same announcements will be made via these newsletters in time, but because we tend to group items (as we have today), they may not be as timely. So if you want to be the first to know about new properties, just follow us on Twitter!

Anyway, onto the subject of today’s email. Check all details on the “VREC Rentals” webpage of our website.

We have 3 new rental properties on the market here in Vilcabamba:

Rental-006 @ $650/mth: 2 level, 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom home set on a 2,000m2 lot. Can you imagine your time in Vilcabamba in a truly modern luxury home with all mod-cons? Complete with gardens, fruit trees, and incredible views, this property was built for enjoying the special serenity which is the Vilcabamba valley. There are beautiful deck areas on both the ground and first floors, which would provide ample entertaining space, or alternatively be the perfect place to unwind in privacy as the sun goes down over the sacred mountain of Mandango!

Rental-007 @ $550/mth: 2 level, 4 bed, 2 bath, fully-furnished home. This apartment-style house will be ideally located and priced, for a family who wants to spend some time in and around the Vilcabamba township whilst building, or looking for land.  With 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms and finished to a modern standard, this home will provide more than adequate accommodation for your time exploring Vilcabamba.

Rental-008 @ $2,000/mth:  Rent an entire historic Hacienda property! This utterly unique hacienda estate has been made available due to the owner being away on business for most of the year. The heritage of this property is that of one of the oldest and most established families in Vilcabamba. The photos speak for themselves, and it has to be said, that finding a more uniquely beautiful and luxurious residence for your time in Vilcabamba is effectively impossible. Comprising 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms in the main house, this property also has extensive grounds and outbuildings, outdoor entertaining areas, a spa, steam-room, and a sauna. A more singular blend of luxury, privacy, and secluded paradisiacal surroundings in Vilcabamba simply does not exist.

I hope you have enjoyed reading about these properties, and wish you all the best.

Warmest Season’s Greetings!

Nick Vasey
Founder – Vilcabamba Real Estate Company: (VREC) Properties