Breaking news, politics, economy, visas, safety, and lifestyle updates for expats living in Ecuador.
Ecuador’s tax authority will offer 12 properties and nine vehicles during September 2026 remate and subasta processes. Buyers must understand the qualification, deposit, payment, and title-transfer rules before participating.
At least 10 large shopping-center projects are in development in Ecuador, with estimated investment of USD 400 million and more than 750,000 square meters of additional leasable area under construction. The pipeline includes Mall del Alto in Cuenca and projects on the coast and near Quito.
The Ecuadorian Social Security Bank says it has disbursed more than USD 53.69 million through Credicasa to more than 1,030 families. The program advertises a 2.99% preferential rate for eligible affiliates and retirees, with qualifying disbursements potentially taking 30–45 days.
Private financial institutions disbursed USD 734 million in mortgage loans between January and June, while Biess placed another USD 263 million. Combined housing finance reached USD 997 million for the first half of the year.
Eternit plans to launch 57-square-meter homes priced between USD 22,000 and USD 25,000 by the end of 2026. The project arrives as Ecuador’s housing credit portfolio grows 6.1% annually.
A rule that took effect on August 3 requires registrars to verify payment details for qualifying transactions and moves larger obligations toward financial-system payment methods.
BIESS says its Credicasa housing loan requires a minimum credit score of 650, with financing of up to USD 65,000 for a first new home and a maximum term of 30 years.
A new report warns that only 30% of buildings in Ecuador comply with anti-seismic construction standards. The risk is tied to weak enforcement, informal construction and geological faults, especially in large cities such as Quito and Guayaquil.
Ecuador’s Assembly is debating tenancy-law changes that would set maximum limits and a return mechanism for rental guarantees, a practical issue for expats signing leases.
A Click Research poll says 67% support creating a new canton from nine Quito valley parishes, with insecurity leading the local problem list.
Ecuador issued Decree 441 on July 3, raising maximum values for certain social-interest housing categories. The change matters for buyers and developers watching subsidized housing, preferential mortgages, and lower-cost home inventory.
BIESS has modernized InmoBiess, a web platform where affiliates and retirees can review qualified housing projects and estimate mortgage payments. The tool includes projects by city, price and number of bedrooms, but it does not replace the formal credit evaluation.
