Eduardo Vega Turi House for Rent
2:40
$5 Ecuador Shipments with Amazon
13:00
Living in Ecuador's gray zone
9:18
Пікірлер
@cristiancandela245
@cristiancandela245 7 күн бұрын
Excellent content!
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 5 күн бұрын
Thanks Cristian!
@agustinsanchezmoscoso2502
@agustinsanchezmoscoso2502 7 күн бұрын
Excelent video. I think it covers all the information regarding pricing for rents. Wonderful attorney, she clearly knows the subject.
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 5 күн бұрын
Thanks Agustin. Agree that Attorney Sabrina knows her stuff. I know she is careful with her workload too which separates her from many attorneys here.
@sabrinacandela7109
@sabrinacandela7109 7 күн бұрын
It was a pleasure sharing this useful information with the Expat Community! Thank you YapaTree for this wonderful work sharing educational videos!
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 6 күн бұрын
It was great to chat with you Sabrina. Appreciate the level of expertise you added to the topic. Looking forward to doing some follow up videos.
@geterdone
@geterdone 7 күн бұрын
Great video, I ran the formula of assessed value plus taxes times 10% divided by 12 and in the US per Zillow, at least in the Pacific Northwest, I could only rent my property for 55.9% of what Ecuador would allow. There’s some politics or something going on there somewhere. A part of me wonders how much the gringo investors are driving everything up for gringos? I’ve been in Mexico enough to know that there are two economies when it comes to locals versus others.
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 5 күн бұрын
There's far fewer gringos here than Mexico. I was a little shocked when we visited San Miguel de Allende last year how different the two cities are. Gringos have far less influence than Mexico. I do think we have some impact on sections of the rental market, but next to no impact on purchase prices of property.
@dennisolson3667
@dennisolson3667 8 күн бұрын
Jason, my wife and I will be in contact in June. We spent a day with you in June 2024. We have a move date in June 2025. Our plan is Air BNB for a month while we find a lease for a year. Look forward to seeing you again, Dennis and Danielle
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 8 күн бұрын
Sure Dennis. Be great to see you both again. Feel free to peruse our current short term rentals for your initial 30 days if that is of interest too: yapatree.com/cuenca-short-term-rentals/
@healthyaging7901
@healthyaging7901 8 күн бұрын
I've rented apartments & now a house in both Loja & Cuenca. I'll provide you a hot tip. If the AirBnB is owned by a individual (not a business) then you've just made your first network contact with a local! I became good friends with my AirBnB couple who used their WhatsApp group chats to spread the word a retiree gringo was looking for a one-year lease and I found my first apartment that way. Of course continue to work with Jason for the rental agent inventory and with either method definitely hire a lawyer for lease negotiations. There is no understanding of "wear & tear" AKA natural use. Expect to lose some or all of the security deposit. You learn not to move a lot for that reason. ☺
@estebanmendieta2008
@estebanmendieta2008 8 күн бұрын
Super educational!
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 5 күн бұрын
Cheers Esteban!
@ivo69tube1
@ivo69tube1 12 күн бұрын
Good Video! The music sucks!
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 12 күн бұрын
Thanks. What music would you prefer?
@Marcus935OS
@Marcus935OS 27 күн бұрын
Another great video. And, I totally agree with the "on edge" statement. In our case, we had to throw out the entire contents of a frig due to spoilage and then had to thoroughly disinfect it. We know four people who have had major appliances ruined by power surges (please use a grounded surge protector -- it will prevent most damage). With modern washers and dishwashers, a power outage during their cycle means you have to start all over (wasting water and electricity). We've been here for over ten years and almost every day we expressed our thanks for our decision. Now, due to inept (past and present) politicians we are likely to leave. The generators are greatly increasing pollution and noise. This drought will end, but there will likely be one or more for many years to come. Some comments on the electricity problems. One of the main sources of power is the Mazar dam complex of three dams. The electrical experts would recommend a longer daily blackout to build up the water level. The politicians would say lets use it to the minimum since we can provide power now. The result -- sudden fluctuations of 4 hour cutoffs one day and 12 the next. Instead of smooth and more predictable times, blackout durations have varied wildly. This is the "drunken sailor" electricity planning technique. The President (Noboa) who is running for reelection has generously agreed to greatly reduce (or eliminate) electric bill charges for the three months prior to his election. Hmmmm. Econ 101 suggests that if you lower the price of something demand will increase. A truly genius move. Finally, for those who can afford it, EcoFlow has a sale on a wide range of products to power everything from small appliance to whole house systems. They seem to be half off at the moment. We ordered a $1,000 unit that should power everything we need. Shipping, taxes, etc. are another $500. If you just need to power your computer, modem etc, you might want to consider a small unit with a solar charger. NOTE: I have not used their products, so please do you own due diligence before spending too much.
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 26 күн бұрын
Thanks for the thoughtful comments Marcus. Sad to see you guys leave but I understand. The political maneuvering does have thinly veiled populist sentiments. I hope the infrastructure changes are more than this. We've some friends that purchased the EcoFlow setup. My biggest question is the longevity of the batteries etc and being able to calculate long-term ROI of the system. It's definitely a good place to start the search and I think we'll be digging more into this ourselves when we buy our forever home too.
@friendlyfire7861
@friendlyfire7861 27 күн бұрын
Very informative--thank you!
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 27 күн бұрын
Con gusto.
@elizabethbeaston1318
@elizabethbeaston1318 27 күн бұрын
It has been extremely stressful not having definite schedules. On the coast we have had weeks of fourteen hour power cuts per day, then six hours, now we are at twelve hours per day. We are retired and I couldn't imagine having to work during this madness.
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 27 күн бұрын
It has been tough. We're fortunate to still be able to work, but I generally say that we're working twice as hard for half the incentives.
@xavierandresgrandesandrade1071
@xavierandresgrandesandrade1071 27 күн бұрын
It’s definitely been tough living through these blackouts. I had an online job interview the other day and kept having connectivity issues, for most ecuador nationals like myself leaving the country is the most attractive option.
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 27 күн бұрын
Yeah, I certainly see how this could be the last straw for Ecuadorians to consider other options. Hope the interview wasn't completely ruined!
@elizabethbeaston1318
@elizabethbeaston1318 27 күн бұрын
@@xavierandresgrandesandrade1071 Think twice about the USA. I hope you are searching for jobs elsewhere. The cost of living in the USA is unimaginable. When we left in 2020 our monthly bills were between $5,000 to $10,000 a month. Housing, food, utilities, health insurance costs are exorbitant.
@MatheusTorezani
@MatheusTorezani 27 күн бұрын
Get starlink, eco-flow+ solar. No issues anymore.
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 27 күн бұрын
Certainly a good option for those with the means to do so.
@friendlyfire7861
@friendlyfire7861 27 күн бұрын
Wow, I had no idea. I spent about $60 last year for something that's now free.
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 27 күн бұрын
Hold your horses a little. The $5 shipping appears to be a test that is now over. But, there is likely to be other promotions coming. Right now they do have free shipping on orders over $100 - but on selected products only. I believe there is a filter for "free international shipping" which you can use to help find appropropriate products.
@friendlyfire7861
@friendlyfire7861 26 күн бұрын
@@yapatree9495 Thanks--I was looking at some items I had bought, which are now free to ship. However, a second look showed that the price was cheaper then, so the "free" shipping for the same, now more expensive items is EXACTLY the same as the old price plus shipping (within pennies). That was for external flash drives and for Merrels (shoes). So in fact, no discount. But I have to admit the psychology of it had me for a minute 🤣
@friendlyfire7861
@friendlyfire7861 26 күн бұрын
@@yapatree9495 Although now with a 3rd look, the price is the same in the US, and you either pay shipping or get prime. So it seems as if the price has gone up in the last year and that the international free shipping on orders over $100 is a legitimate promotion.
@friendlyfire7861
@friendlyfire7861 27 күн бұрын
Has anyone found a way to purchase a solar generator online and get it shipped here?
@AmericanGenXer
@AmericanGenXer 27 күн бұрын
@friendlyfire7861 yes, Tiendamia or talk to a mule. I have 3, a 284wh, 724wh, and 448wh. 1 from tiendamia. 2 from a mule... but it gets pricey.
@friendlyfire7861
@friendlyfire7861 27 күн бұрын
@AmericanGenXer Thanks!
@friendlyfire7861
@friendlyfire7861 27 күн бұрын
@@AmericanGenXer Cool. Got something from tiendamia that should power the router. Now hopefully it will take closer to the 5 days than the 12 days 🤣
@rantiksadventure1920
@rantiksadventure1920 27 күн бұрын
You can rain dance. The rain will benefit everyone.
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 27 күн бұрын
*dances happily* thanks!
@AmericanGenXer
@AmericanGenXer 27 күн бұрын
Before we came here to care for mi suegra, my wife insisted we get a good generator and connect it to our whole house. Really glad I listened. But I feel bad for those that do not have that as option. I do not feel bad for my neighbor who does Karaoke for 48 hours straight when he does have power. No....I do not.
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 27 күн бұрын
Good call. I think many are starting to take off-grid style living a little more seriously now. Lol - The sounds of silence can be golden!
@livingabroadwitheric
@livingabroadwitheric 28 күн бұрын
Hey jason, i really enjoy the clear ideas given in your videos! Youre a great public speaker. Im a Digital nomad that came on a 🏍 from USA and am currently in Cuenca making some content for my channel and telling stories of some expats living here. Do you have any interest in meeting up for a quick chat?
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 28 күн бұрын
Thanks Eric! Appreciate that. I just checked out your channel, biking from the US sounds fun. Let's grab a coffee. I'll message you now.
@Frisbeetennis
@Frisbeetennis 28 күн бұрын
Let me put it this way. I believe the authority scheduling the power cuts, if they crapped their pants they would change their shirt. There needs to be a rhyme and reason not a dartboard approach. Buying a generator only exasperates the pollution problem here in Cuenca. Now with the Cajas burning paradise is slipping into a dry river basin(pick one).
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 28 күн бұрын
It does appear as though the schedulers are going through numerous outfits...
@timallison8560
@timallison8560 28 күн бұрын
sounds like ecuador might not be the place to be
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 28 күн бұрын
The current issues will pass. The bigger questions are how often these extreme weather events will happen and whether the government will learn from this.
@veroland3768
@veroland3768 26 күн бұрын
Yes please don't come to Ecuador! Stay and fix the earth's global warming right where you are at. Colonization started this mess so you guys should fix it instead of contributing to it.
@amseam3705
@amseam3705 28 күн бұрын
Are you starting to see any solar being added to apt buildings even if this a long term investment? Living in Florida we have been seeing a boom and the local power company is trying to head off individual production by putting in solar farms.
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 28 күн бұрын
Starting to see a little bit, hoping to see more. I'd suggest part of the slow take up is the red tape of studies etc that need to be completed for solar projects for buildings. It can take long time to get approval.
@MickGoodman
@MickGoodman 28 күн бұрын
Thanks, Jason. Excellent video.
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 28 күн бұрын
Thanks Ram :)
@2ndSprings
@2ndSprings 28 күн бұрын
it's been tough down here south of Loja for the past couple of months also. The fires are an even worse problem. 😞
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 28 күн бұрын
It does feel a bit like rolling with the punches at the moment. Fires are also close to Cuenca and air is terrible right now. Rain please!
@2ndSprings
@2ndSprings 28 күн бұрын
@@yapatree9495, preach!
@AmericanGenXer
@AmericanGenXer 27 күн бұрын
Yeah, looking pretty grim there. Stay safe, my friend.
@2ndSprings
@2ndSprings 27 күн бұрын
Thanks, good neighbor. :-)
@WendyHsu-j4j
@WendyHsu-j4j Ай бұрын
I’m assuming most of your viewers are North Americans , so it might be interesting to also include flight times & prices from major US/Canadian cities to each of these towns. There is a price to pay for convenience.
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 Ай бұрын
Agree that would be a good inclusion :)
@WendyHsu-j4j
@WendyHsu-j4j Ай бұрын
Your black baseball cap was likely a Mexican “designer” brand.
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 Ай бұрын
Agree. The main take away is that the entire old town seems to be filled with similar high end brands.
@MarcsontheGlass
@MarcsontheGlass Ай бұрын
It seems that Amazon has suspended the $5 flat rate shipping to Ecuador
@AndresArosemena
@AndresArosemena Ай бұрын
Yes! and also to Argentina and other countries that were included in that flat rate. Don't know what happened. It seems it was too good to last.
@MrJrweir
@MrJrweir Ай бұрын
And the cost is?
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 Ай бұрын
Full listing details: yapatree.com/property/luxury-turnkey-4bdr-home-with-spacious-green-area-and-high-end-finishes-in-san-joaquin/
@maryc1952
@maryc1952 Ай бұрын
I don't see these listed on your website either short term or long term.
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 Ай бұрын
Short term: yapatree.com/short-term-rentals/city-center-suite-modern-style-in-a-premier-building/ Long term we may have one opening up in December. Feel free to email our long-term rental manager for more details: [email protected]
@maryc1952
@maryc1952 Ай бұрын
@yapatree9495 I may be coming for 2-3 months next summer. I have always been interested in that building. Thanks.
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 Ай бұрын
@@maryc1952 It's a genuinely great choice in el Centro. Feel free to contact our short term manager if you have pre-booking questions etc: [email protected] Have a great day!
@eelfood
@eelfood Ай бұрын
What is that weird thing in the kitchen above the range?
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 Ай бұрын
It's a luxury range hood :)
@tomb727
@tomb727 Ай бұрын
Nice.
@healthyaging7901
@healthyaging7901 Ай бұрын
Many expats are attempting to reverse engineer what they experience with various items. Vendors provide to Amazon along with what we can view of the product detail: price, weight and dimensions the Harmonized Tariff Code (HTC), which is a standardized international system of a product classification code used by countries to identify and categorize goods for customs purposes, tariffs, and statistical reporting. If in the split second of the product search results page Amazon's system cannot determine the import to Ecuador status, due to vendor error of the item details perhaps, then all it can display to the customer is a standard error of "this cannot be sent to Ecuador". Amazon can estimate Cat. C 1000kg $5,000 limit imports, which are somewhat standard: 30% advalorem, (but % does depend on commodity hence need for the HTC) 15% IVA, .5% to the orphans (really). The other exclusive shipper, SkyPostal, only receives the customer's email, not EC phone, as a customer contact. Still lots of kinks to be worked out!
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 Ай бұрын
Update: We received our package on the 9th October, delivered via DHL. This took 18 days, 2 less than their estimate. But to be fair, it probably could have arrived 3-4 days earlier if I was monitoring my emails. They sent an email requesting my cedula number - which is a little weird considering I already provided it to Amazon with the order. They ended up phoning me for the cedula number. The other interesting email I received basically said that Amazon had paid my $20 waybill import fee. Amazon is clearly losing money with these $5 shipping deals. Lets hope there is enough competition out there for them to keep subsidizing shipping like they seem to be doing.
@chips1752
@chips1752 Ай бұрын
it seems the whole project has been cancelled! 5$ flat rate shipping is over and no longer applies on anything
@MarcsontheGlass
@MarcsontheGlass Ай бұрын
That is what I saw today. I spoke to customer service and they couldn’t seem to confirm this, but after looking at around 200 products, I found nothing that was eligible for the flat rate. Also, their official page that describes the $5 flat rate, it only lists Panama and Barbados as eligible countries.
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 Ай бұрын
@@MarcsontheGlass Thanks for this! I agree, it does appear as though the program is not currently available. I assume it was a test and they now have the data they needed. Maybe it comes back soonish - but perhaps slightly revised (I don't expect the $5 flat fee to be the same).
@arifhalani1196
@arifhalani1196 Ай бұрын
is CD rate same for expatriates , can a man from India gets the same rate as locale?
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 Ай бұрын
It's the same rate, yes. Some banks / co-ops will be easier to work with than others. What does change the rate is the amount you'd like invest. ie - You'll get a higher rate investing $50K than $5K.
@Marcus935OS
@Marcus935OS Ай бұрын
I ordered 3 products (under the 4X4 provisions). They provided an anticipated delivery date (by 8pm), and a tracking number. The scheduled day of delivery (after 8 pm), there was no product. The website, provided a new "no later than" delivery date, and said if I hadn't received the products by then, I could ask for a complete refund. The products were delivered the day after the original scheduled delivery time. So, not bad! The driver said that if you are not home during the attempted delivery, that they would call your cell phone to reschedule. Over all, a very nice experience.
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 Ай бұрын
Thanks for your input Marcus. Great to hear your products arrived very close to their expected date.
@lypalang
@lypalang Ай бұрын
What a great growth story and brave decisions! Smart people learn from their mistakes and move forward. Fly high! 🤗
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 Ай бұрын
Thanks Ly! We are constantly learning and improving. There's no "playbook" for what we're doing so it can be a wild ride.
@tenbye466
@tenbye466 2 ай бұрын
How about Spanish for citizenship requirements? do you truly need to be fluent or can you squeak by with what you would learn in a couple of years just interacting in public? I hate Argentina, but there are no requirements there.:rofl:
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 2 ай бұрын
Very few expats actually complete the full journey to citizenship. Partly because of the citizenship test which is more than just knowing the language, you also need to know the history of Ecuador etc. Most are happy enough with permanent residency - which has no language requirements except for knowing enough to get through the visa process (or you can just hire someone to help).
@tomg1247
@tomg1247 2 ай бұрын
As residents of the completed Kira, I'd point out three things that I would think carry over, but important to confirm: 1) both construction and post construction managers have been very good; 2) in these times of power cuts, having a full-building generator is a huge plus; and 3) CityCom fiber internet to the building has been very reliable.
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 2 ай бұрын
Thanks Tom. Some great points there - appreciate the input. We're dealing with the same managers, so I do expect the quality to carry over. As a buyer, I completely agree that it's always important to clarify these details before committing.
@autonomous_collective
@autonomous_collective 2 ай бұрын
Very nice.... HOA fees?
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 2 ай бұрын
Thank you. They are still confirming. Current advice is to budget approx $1.20 / m2 for the monthly aliquota (or HOA).
@rantiksadventure1920
@rantiksadventure1920 2 ай бұрын
Thank you sir. I always try to find something here first but if I can’t find it after going to 10 different shops I’m just going to order my smaller things.
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 2 ай бұрын
Hard to argue with that logic as we do the same. Shopping locally will always be our priority.
@MrJrweir
@MrJrweir 2 ай бұрын
What's the rental cost?🎉
@estebanmendieta2008
@estebanmendieta2008 2 ай бұрын
Great video, great property!
@dkyeboah1
@dkyeboah1 2 ай бұрын
Very informative video!! Thanks for making it!
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 2 ай бұрын
You're welcome! Thanks for the appreciation.
@CharlesDavis-r3z
@CharlesDavis-r3z 2 ай бұрын
I am U.S, retired and have lived in Quito 16 years. I found the best, safest for my products and least expensive, is to just order from Amazon and have sent to my Miami hotel that will hold products for me. I fly up, sometimes go to Costco, stay a night or two, pack products in suitcases, and return to Quito with no customs problems and/or charges. Sometimes I can defray the cost of the trip by bringing back items for others and/or expensive in Ecuador items such as computers, smart phones, etc. and selling online in Ecuador. I have actually made money, made a profit, from some trips. I am actually writing this comment on my M1 Mac connected to Apple's best monitor, Bose desk speakers , all bought in U.S. and brought back in suitcases. Also, it seems like one or more of my Ecuadorian wife's extensive family goes to the U.S. several times a year and are not bringing much back; so, I provide an extra, large suitcase and pay whatever airline charge there may be and have them bring back products for me. Best wishes.
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 2 ай бұрын
Muling is still an option. In my opinion, it's now very hard to justify for many products that are now covered by this $5 shipping option. I still need mules being used for higher value or heavier products. Expats don't tend to be targeted by customs officers when they arrive in Ecuador, but it does happen and that can be a significant issue. If you are caught once, then the gig is up as you will be monitored on your next arrivals.
@jumpinjehoshaphat1951
@jumpinjehoshaphat1951 2 ай бұрын
Isn't Mercado Libre the hot ticket in South America?
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 2 ай бұрын
It can be helpful if looking for products from suppliers already in Ecuador. But, product selection can still be limited and unfortunately it requires a lot of due diligence on behalf of shoppers as you're dealing directly with the suppliers which may or may not be legitimate.
@drryanjames93
@drryanjames93 2 ай бұрын
I have a cedula and a RUC number. Do you know if it makes a difference which I use? I am guessing the annual limit of $1600 per person will apply as well.
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 2 ай бұрын
Good question Ryan. I haven't looked into the tax implications etc of using my RUC. If I was buying something for the business, then I'd probably go ahead and use my RUC. I do suspect the $1600 yearly limit of the 4x4 program is also in place but can't confirm.
@kiu8179
@kiu8179 2 ай бұрын
do they gave you a tracking number?
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 2 ай бұрын
Yes. Mine is being tracked with DHL.
@RondellKB
@RondellKB 2 ай бұрын
@@yapatree9495 I just ordered to Trinidad and it is shipped with DHL too.
@donminecuador6044
@donminecuador6044 2 ай бұрын
I placed an order yesterday and received notification from Amazon that it shipped today. I'm wondering who will be delivering. Servientrega? I think Amazon must be concerned that they are rapidly losing business to Temu which is slated to do several $100 million this year in Ecuador.
@yapatree9495
@yapatree9495 2 ай бұрын
Thanks Don. I also suspect the rise of Temu is a driver for Amazon finally organizing deliveries direct. I'm not sure who does the last mile delivery. I will update here when I get my package.