Colonia El Batan, a Magical Adobe Living Experience

Just a short distance outside of Cotacachi, an Ecuadorian builder is making his dream come true, along with the dreams of his customers.

He is building hand -made adobe houses! Except for the doors and windows, no electrical tools are used in the construction of these works of art.

Marcelo Penafiel, a native Ecuadorian who lived in the U.S. for nearly 20 years, has returned to his country of birth and is inspiring indigenous workmen to create architecturally -designed masterpieces using traditional building methods.

Adobe bricks are formed on site and then shaped into houses that include some modern modifications to provide durability, livability and safety. Five different designs are available, from the "Carmecita" model at 1,800 sq. ft, to the very spacious "Marianita" at 3,700 sq. ft.

Marcelo's Santa Fe trained architect will work with you to modify any of the floor plans to your personal satisfaction. With exposed eucalyptus beams, kiln -fired saltillo type floor tiles, and adobe fireplaces, these houses delight everyone who sees them.

While the designs are wonderful, the thing that will perhaps amaze and delight you the most is the price. The "Carmecita," starts at $90,000, including the lot. Other houses in the 14-unit development are offered at $50/sq. ft. including the lot.

Building a house in any foreign country can be daunting. Marcelo moved to the states when he was 20. Working his way through night night school, he gained his MBA and secured a job in Exxon's business department in Washington, D.C.

As such, he understands the quality and service North Americans have come to expect. There are no surprises here. You get what you want, with little supervision needed during the construction process. Marcelo removes the fear and provides a sense of confidence to his customers. You can truly purchase your dream home, leave for 6 months, and return to a completed residence that exceeds your expectations.

Marcelo represents a new generation of Ecuadorians, people who moved to the states when they were young, gained an excellent education, succeeded in business, then decided to return to Ecuador to friends, family and new opportunities.

Marcelo's brother Jimmy, an attorney who works for the Ecuadorian government, is his partner in the El Batan endeavor. Together, they are creating something unique and wonderful. For us expats, it is a delight to work with a builder who understands our wants and desires.

In addition to housing construction, Marcelo also owns a small custom wood furniture factory. You can literally select pictures of furniture you want constructed in catalogs or on the internet, deliver them to Marcelo, and in a couple of months, have your dream furniture made at a fraction of the price you would pay in the states.

Cotacachi is a beautiful little town of about 7,000 people tucked between two extinct volcanos, Mama Cotacachi and Papa Imbabura. From your lot in Colonia El Batan, the views of these two volcanoes are simply stunning. They will take your breath away.

About 60 miles north of Quito, Cotacachi is slowly but surely attracting many expats, and the locals as well as expats are responding by creating developments. We have several we can show you.

The reason Cotacachi is so popular is due to the progressive nature of the city government, friendly people, climate known worldwide as "eternal spring," very low crime rate, and a low cost of living.

If you find yourself thinking about moving to Ecuador, let Cotacachi drift into your radar. It is small-town living at its very best!

We are offering 7-day Pro-Ecuador Introduction to Ecuador Tours to help you become familiar with the country, its laws, customs and regional diversity. These are small customized group tours. During the tour, we show selected properties that meet our tour participants interests.