Letters from lot purchasers at COCO BEACH VILLAGE:
From: Mark & Connie Beford (West Virginia USA), owners of A-2 Lot 7:
Hi Larry, I just got back from my second trip to CBV and it's not difficult to describe the progress that has been made since February of 2008 as it is nothing short of AMAZING!
Gary, Juan and the gang have made unbelievable progress with the underground electric and water all being within days of completion. The quality of work has blown away my expectations. Heck, one would be hard pressed to find the quality of materials and work being done at Coco beach in the States!
Greg, the building contractor that you introduced us to, has been very accommodating and dropped what he was doing to assist me without any notice of my arrival. Might I add that he has several sites under construction in the area that I personally had the opportunity to visit and I'm just blown away with the quality of materials and workmanship that goes into what you’re accomplishing at Coco Beach Village.
You guys have built a foundation in Ecuador and more specifically Manabi Province that our family feels very comfortable investing in today. We would recommend Coco Beach to anyone that is considering investing in ocean front property as we feel that this is the best value we have found in North, South or Central America.
From: Ken & Ricki Taylor (Florida USA), owners of A3, Lots 2 & 3:
Dear Gary and Larry, We want to thank you for helping make our dream come true. We had looked at property throughout Central America and South America and nowhere did we find the value that was offered at Coco Beach in Matal, Ecuador. Often it is the little things that truly make a difference and all the little things as well as the big things were taken care of by you guys! From working hard to insure the beachfront was exempt from a malecon to going the extra expense of underground utilities, everything seems to be done with a sprit of what would be most important to Coco Beach Village lot owners.
Just as important to us is the trust we were able to place in both of you. Your exceptional communication, keeping us informed and your willingness to work with us in any situation was greatly appreciated. In today’s world it is rare that we could say a handshake would be enough to conduct business but with both of you and we can honestly say that.
Anyone who is even thinking about buying oceanfront anywhere in South or Central America should come to Coco Beach first; I doubt they would go anywhere else! Thank you for the great opportunity to purchase our dream property at an incredibly affordable price in a first class community!
From Gorddie M (Canada), owner of A3, Lot 9:
Hi Larry and Gary,
Well, we are back home and missing Ecuador very much. Who would have thought? The first couple of days in Ecuador were not the best. Mostly I think just not being accustomed to the Country. Once we met Greg in Bahia and he took us to our lot, things dramatically changed. We loved the solitude that Coco Beach Village represented. Canoa was nice, but it got way too busy and noisy from all the nightclubs. In case we want to visit for a day or two, it is nice that Canoa and Bahia are only a short drive from Coco Beach.
By the way, we heard some comments about Jama from a couple of people in Bahia who had passed through Jama. They were not at all derogatory, but just their mild opinions that we might find Jama a little quiet and isolated as opposed to Bahia or Canoa. It was a pretty harmless comment, but we were having a rough day and probably took their comments a little too seriously. Of course when we actually saw Coco Beach Village, we found that the quiet and isolated location of the development, were actually what excited us the most. Even El Matal felt charming. The relatively close proximity to Canoa, San Vicente and Bahia is definitely a plus. If you want a little more liveliness, it is just a short drive. We do not regret our decision to buy a lot in Coco Beach. In fact, though we took a real chance by purchasing it through the internet, we couldn’t be happier!
Regarding Coco Beach Village, what can I say? It was everything we thought it would be and more. It is such a beautiful piece of ocean front property. We can see ourselves spending many a month relaxing at our house here. Such unobstructed scenic beauty is rare. The development will be amazing when completed. Your building codes will ensure all lot owners the maximum property value increases in the future. Apart from being such a nice and helpful guy, Greg seems to be a very capable builder as well. We saw some houses that he is building and we appreciated the detail, quality and creativity of his workmanship. In you absence, Greg was the perfect person to connect us with when we got to the coast. He knows everyone. He goes out of the way to help in any way he can and he is a very personable individual. His presence and help was greatly appreciated by us! We were both looking forward to meeting your brother Gary. His story sounds fascinating. Maybe next time we will meet you both, but Greg was a very good substitute!
We loved our stay on the coast and we are talking about our move to Ecuador in a couple of years, if possible. We love the people and the lifestyle. Easy going, limited, if any, stress. It has been so hard coming back home to this stressful environment. We would love to call Ecuador home one day soon. Good food, good people, good weather (low humidity) and good times. Let's just say that it was a real eye opener. It is a country that has left a significant imprint in our memories. We will go back soon. Thanks, Gorddie
From: Ron & Patricia Farmer (So. California, USA), owners of A4, Lot 5:
Dear Gary and Larry, First, we want to say, “thank you,” for your kind hospitality. We so enjoyed our trip to Coco Beach Village, El Matal, Jama, and Bahia. Your warmth and openness were much appreciated. Thank you, too, for introducing us to so many people. Everyone was so friendly. These are the type people we’d love to have as neighbors.
We absolutely love the property—what a spectacular place!—and look forward to the day we will live in our dream home on the beach at Coco Beach Village.
Wanting to begin our “encore career” well before the traditional retirement age, we spent many months researching locations boasting a low cost of living. Equally important to us were living among friendly people, enjoying warm (not hot) weather, and walking pristine beaches. All of our search criteria pointed to the same location: Ecuador. Exploring Ecuadorian possibilities, we soon discovered the website of a most remarkable planned development: Coco Beach Village. The photos depicted the paradise of our dreams, and the vision of the developers, Gary and Larry Swenson, resonated with our values. Embracing the principles of sustainable, ethical development, they improved life in the neighboring fishing village, El Matal, while they worked to create a unique beach community.
The moment we arrived on-site at Coco Beach Village we were sold. The raw beauty of the place is breathtaking, and the visionary planning of the Swensons will keep it that way: underground utilities, a minimum of 30% green space required on each lot, 1000 coconut palms, and no malecon—a rarity in Central and South America. We also appreciated Gary's warm hospitality and no-pressure style.
Sitting under palm trees sipping fresh coconut water, walking in silky sand, discovering starfish on the beach, playing in the warm surf, visiting with friendly people in the fishing village—yes, we knew we had found our future home. Comparable beachfront property in Southern California would run five million dollars—something two educators could never afford. So we pinch ourselves when we realize that we will start construction of our dream home in a little over a year; two years will find us living in paradise.
Patricia and Ron Farmer
From: George and Denise T (Florida, USA), owners of A3, Lots 6 & 7:
When my husband George and I discovered the beachfront lots in Coco Village, we knew we had found our little piece of paradise in Ecuador. We had spent four years learning and searching for the beachfront community and location of our dreams. The calm sea of Caribbean blue filled with exotic sea life, clean white sand, pre-Columbian artifacts washing up on shore, constant breeze, fresh fish every day, wonderful village people and Juan, the caretaker, gardener and protector of coconut palms. The romance, peacefulness and beauty of this area is like no other place we have seen in Panama or Ecuador. Someday our great grandchildren will say, “WOW, I can’t believe this place is ours”!
