As a foreigner, can I buy real estate in Ecuador?

The Ecuador constitution guarantees the right to buy and hold property for everyone, citizens and foreigners. Additionally, there are no restrictions on owning beachfront property as there is in some other countries. Furthermore, if you purchase a property for $25,000 USD or more, you will automatically be granted a residency visa as an investor in the country, after completing the required paperwork.

Many people are understandably wary of international real estate investments.  Laws vary from country to country, even within one region (i.e., South America), and you need to understand the local market and analyze the properties that are for sale.  Ecuador real estate is very secure from a legal standpoint - the property ownership laws are very well written, understandable, and constitutionally guaranteed. However, foreign investors are warned that because of the problems with corruption, gaining protection for property rights from the local court system has at times been complicated or unsatisfactory.