My husband and I came to Ecuador from the US for a 3-month reconnaissance trip to identify a community where we might like to settle down. We liked Cuenca very much and, days before the end of our trip, on the recommendation of a US expat, we took a quick tour of Cuenca condos and homes with local realtor, Maribel Crespo who showed us a home in the countryside that was a very good fit, given our particular requirements. In addition to speaking excellent English, we found Maribel to be efficient, honest, reliable, resourceful, with a quick mind, and always “simpatica” personality, and a total commitment to customer satisfaction regardless of wealth or the size of the purchase. The home we liked was listed by another real estate agent so her commission was relatively small; however, Maribel was able to match us with that home within about 3 hours. It was simply delightful to work with Maribel. When we later decided to delay our move to Ecuador substantially, Maribel Crespo went the extra distance to help coordinate fit-out of our newly-constructed new home with appliances and accessories, and minor fix-up, as needed for rental. And once the home was ready, she found a suitable tenant even before we had it formally listed. We highly recommend Maribel who provided invaluable assistance to us as we prepared to move to Ecuador. Recommended by Amy O’Connor and Ray Wheeler: integrated100@gmail.com

Maribel Crespo of Ecuadorable Homes recently helped me lease a wonderful home in Cuenca. I worked over 30 years in commercial sales and leasing in San Diego and Napa, California in very stressful and competitive markets. I have worked with some very competent and excellent agents. I would put Maribel Crespo among them. She is fluent in English and Spanish. She is punctual, friendly, knowledgeable and very professional. Maribel helped me with every aspect of the moving experience including recommending competent movers, handymen, painters and assisted me with connecting to an internet service. She is an excellent agent and I know what a remarkable business woman is and Maribel counts among the best. Recommended by Rebecca Lockwood: adventuregirlecuador@icloud.com

We decided to move to Ecuador from The US a few months back. We visited many locations and finally decided to visit Cuenca. A friend in Guayaquil recommended Maribel to help us find a place to purchase. We have bought and sold at least half dozen places in US, we visited Portugal, and Croatia, and Metz France as well before we decided on Cuenca, so we have worked with many agents in the US as well as other countries. Without a doubt, Maribel is absolutely the best agent we have ever worked with. She always, always has the best interest of her client in mind. She never pressures you to purchase. After all that is how she makes her money. Yet, she patiently showed us place after place. Finally, after almost three months we found a place that we liked. Still, it wasn’t an easy task to finalize the purchase. Yet, she was with us through the entire process until we finally closed on our condo. Not only we are grateful for all her tireless efforts, but she is also an unbelievable kind person who helps you without any expectation to make sure you are settled in and if you need any resource, she is there for you. We are soooooo lucky to have met her, and we consider her a dear friend for life. You only have yourself to blame if you do not engage her to help you find a place in Cuenca. Thank you, Maribel, for making this very difficult situation so bearable. Recommended by Siamak Masoudi: sia.masoudi@gmail.com

It’s been said, “a good real estate agent is similar in nature to a conductor of a great symphony coordinating the different players to make a successful transaction a reality.” This is especially true if you are planning on renting/ buying a property in a foreign country and don’t know the spoken language. I’ve just completed a rewarding and successful experience with realtor Maribel Crespo of ecuadorablehomes.com. Coming from generations of living in Cuenca, Maribel has a true interest in property and local architecture that gives her an advantage over other brokers. Because her knowledge and interest level are readily apparent in all her conversations; her clients see that she has a vested interest about the industry. Let me emphasize, Maribel does not just find you a home, she helps you establish a home. My experience with Maribel didn’t stop once the sale was completed. What makes Maribel stand out as a realtor is her network of contacts within the Cuenca area. I bought a condo and within days Maribel had arranged for a reliable painter; electrician, and introduced me to an interior designer. She even made the effort to help with internet connection. It is with great respect and my honor to recommend Maribel Crespo not just as a realtor but as an all-encompassing real estate agent who is attentive to the unique needs of her individual clients before, during and after the sale. Recommended by Valerie Jiannotti: valeriejiannotti@email.com

In 2012 I purchased an under construction condo thru Maribel. Pretty risky under any circumstances, but not living in a country really compounded the issue. While still in the states, Maribel followed the construction, dealt with issues with the builder, and even helped me make long distance choices on materials.(I trusted her good taste). She also set me up with wonderful attorney's to protect my intrests. Everything went flawlessly, Thanks to Maribel! Neilnagle2765@gmail.com

Maribel is the most experienced, professional and competent real estate agent we have worked with in our 3 years in Cuenca. She is fluent in Spanish and English. Whether you are looking to rent or buy, she is the agent to call. She returned my calls and emails promptly, listened to what we needed, and then was persistent in finding exactly the right place for us. We searched in Cuenca as well as communities to the north (Paute, Gualaceo), and to the south in Yunguilla Valley. And even when we didn’t find something right away, she kept looking on our behalf and kept initiating communication with us. Finally, through her most excellent connections, she found us the perfect place. When we first started looking, we thought we would have to work with several agents to see all their individual properties. And for the most part that would be true – and it was exhausting and frustrating to deal with all those agents who had a variety of work ethics and maybe they showed up and maybe they didn’t. But when we happened upon Maribel, she is so well-connected that she not only showed us her listings but has already negotiated arrangements with other agents to show their properties too. A big time-saver for sure. She lived in the USA for many years and knows what renters and buyers who come from the USA want. And she delivers. She was also available for help after the contract was signed with setting up utilities, security system and more. Service with a smile. I highly recommend Maribel for all your real estate needs. Recommended by Deb Miller: debjmiller9@gmail.com

For real estate sales, purchase, or rentals both within Cuenca and surrounding areas, you can’t find a better resource and agent than Maribel Crespo. She was more than patient with my requirements – she was truly interested. Her excitement about daily prospects no doubt helped find the perfect place for me. She has an incredible positive attitude, vast connections throughout Cuenca and beyond, maintains a highly respected working relationship with other realtors, and exhibits a deep knowledge of real estate matters. For those that require local language help, she is bi-lingual (Spanish/English). I was impressed by her professionalism, knowledge of many areas, and genuine friendliness. Now that I found her, I would have no other agent handle my real estate business. Do yourself a favor and contact her if you’re looking for just the right place or need to find a motivated buyer. Recommended by Michael Miller: boolacalaca@gmail.com

After reading through recommendations on this site we contacted Maribel to help us through the process, and she was extremely helpful with her guidance and involvement. She helped identify other potential alternative properties, provided us with considerations we had not made, and coordinated with the sellers for access to view the properties. Maribel was very responsive, detail oriented, and her communications in English and Spanish helped us navigate the real estate process in Cuenca. Should we be in the position again of purchasing property in Cuenca we would work with Maribel again without hesitation. Darin Anderson

If you are looking to rent or buy a property in Cuenca or its surrounding locations, I wish to highly recommend Maribel Crespo of Ecuadorable Homes to help you with your search. My sister and I first met Maribel in December, 2013 when we made an exploratory tour to Cuenca and hired her to give us a real estate tour of the city. A native of Cuenca, Maribel knows the city extremely well and she helped us to familiarize ourselves with the various sectors before we located here. After our move in September, 2014, Maribel showed us several rentals and throughout the process, she was very professional and actually listened to what we wanted. When I found out I would have to move again in October, 2015, Maribel was one of the first persons I contacted to help me find an apartment. She is very effective, but not pushy, and she really shows you properties that fit your needs, not just the properties she would like to rent or sell. And, due to her numerous contacts in Cuenca, she is often able to find properties before they come onto the real estate websites, a real plus in the very competitive market in Cuenca. I have friends who have both purchased and rented properties through Maribel, and they have all been extremely satisfied with the process. An added plus for most gringos is that Maribel lived in the US for many years and her English is excellent. I would recommend Maribel without reservation to anyone wishing to find a home in Cuenca. Her website address is www.ecuadorablehomes.com. You should contact her directly by email or phone for all of your property needs. Marcia Glen

We are happy to provide a positive referral on behalf of Maribel Crespo as a real estate representative in Ecuador. In her efforts to represent the sale of our Ecuadorian property, we found her to be consistently knowledgable, professional, courteous, responsive and prompt in all her dealings with us. She is sensitive and considerate of the different cultural perceptions that incoming North Americans have in regards to real estate vis-a-vis Ecuadorians. She offers good advice and counsel in dealing with the complex Ecuadorian real estate environment. Without hesitation, we recommend her as a reliable agent. Roger and Suzanne Yazell