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Most people recommend renting, not purchasing, until you are completely sure you have found the right place.  And still waiting at least a year.  If you make the wrong decision it may be difficult to sell.

Depending on your level of Spanish you may be better off looking only in places where you may expect a larger portion of the population to speak at least some English.  That pretty much limits you to Cuenca, and Quito.

Overall crime is mostly theft, of persons on the street and property in a home.  But not as bad as many places in the USA.  However all gringos are seen as rich, because in comparison, they are...so you are often a target.

We live in Manta on the beach. We cannot speak of other towns. But here, renting is usually a hardship. Most have leaks because the construction here is based on dry climate. But over the last 2 years, the leaks have raised their ugly head.

Rentals are usually sparsely furnished and do not have water filtration systems.

The 1 month we rented, we had bed bugs and condo had 1 pan for cooking.

We own a condo on the beach and have invested to make it the home most gringos would expect to see when they move here.

Yes, crime has been an issue in all the big cities (including Manta). But hoping the government gets upper hand over cartels.

Another issue for renters here, is that you can get a discount paying 6 months to a year in advance. However, the general practice here is that you will not get your deposit back. Whereas (knowing this) if you pay every month, you can refuse to pay your last month rent to offset the loss of your deposit.

Also know, things like garbage disposals and dishwashers are generally not found in rentals.

If you rent, I suggest you go through a reputable realtor and let them know exactly what you are looking for.

REASEARCH before you leap!

Good luck!

@OsageArcher

Thank you for the information.

@cpt100ton

Thank you for the information.