#8 FROM SURF CITY DREAMS...

...TO LOS COBANOS BLISS

As I mentioned in an earlier chapter, Jim and I had been this close to buying a big hut near Surf City. Oh, how we’d fallen head over heels for that place! The ocean view was breathtaking, and the location? Perfect. Surf City, for those who don’t know, is this lively little gem on El Salvador’s coast—a tourist hotspot buzzing with cool bars, tasty restaurants, and that laid-back beach vibe we couldn’t resist. But as we mulled it over, reality sank in. The hut was priced way beyond reason, especially since it wasn’t even move-in ready. We’d have to pour a serious chunk of cash into it just to make it livable, and that started to feel less like a dream and more like a money pit.

Then there was the real estate agency. They were… let’s say, very eager. Every evening, after a long day of work back in Belgium, our phones would start pinging with messages about the hut. “Can you sign yet? What’s the update on the power of attorney?” It was a bit overwhelming, and honestly, I started to feel worn out by it all. “I don’t want to hear about that stupid hut anymore” became my quiet refrain. The sparkle it once had began to fade.

But then, out of the blue, Jim stumbled across an ad that reignited our excitement. This new house was nowhere near Surf City and didn’t have that stunning ocean view, but it had something better: it was ready to live in, nestled in a gorgeous community, and came with a beautifully maintained 9,600 m² garden—nine times the size of the hut’s plot! Plus, it was cheaper. We were smitten all over again.

This property was a world apart from the hut. Not only was it more affordable, but it came with all the essentials—no renovations required. We wasted no time and put in an offer through Alejandro at Agile Real Estate. A few days later, we got the call: our bid was accepted! You should’ve seen us—we were literally dancing around the room, grinning like kids on Christmas morning.

Next up, we needed a lawyer to handle the promise of sale. Enter Pamela from Los Naranjos Town Houses, swooping in like our guardian angel. She connected us with a top-notch lawyer-notary we could trust, and the process kicked off smoothly. Alejandro was awesome too—unlike the hut’s eager agents, he was there for us every step of the way, answering every question with patience and a smile. What a difference!

In El Salvador, it’s pretty standard for private transactions to include a “Know Your Customer” step. At one point, Alejandro asked us to write a little intro about ourselves—why we were drawn to El Salvador—since the sellers wanted to know who’d be taking over their home. We crafted a friendly note, and soon after, Mrs. Mary, the seller, invited us to lunch for a proper meet-and-greet. Jim was under the weather, so I went solo.

I’d been a bundle of nerves about that lunch, as I wrote before, but it turned out to be a blast! Mrs. Mary was an absolute delight—warm, funny, and so easy to talk to. The hours flew by, and I left with a huge smile.

After that, we got near-daily calls from both Mrs. Mary and Alejandro. They’d check on Jim’s health, reassure us we could take all the time we needed, and ask if there was anything they could do. Mrs. Mary even suggested we move into the house before the promise of sale was signed—an act of kindness that blew us away. The humanity in this process was unlike anything we’d ever experienced. And it didn’t stop there! The day before we moved in, Mary rolled up with a car packed to the brim with goodies for us: sheets, pillows, towels, kitchen gear, mosquito repellent—you name it, she’d brought it along! What a woman! What a godsend that we ended up buying a house from such an angel!

The house’s fencing wasn’t fully secure yet and needed some work, so we spent a few days at Mainor’s charming place in Acajutla first. But on February 7th, we drove to San Salvador, signed the promise of sale, and that very evening, Mainor helped us move into our new home. We ordered takeout and toasted our first night in paradise with him. A 9,600 m² garden, a pool, a jacuzzi, palm trees, banana trees—it felt surreal that this was ours.

The next morning, reality hit in the best way. We sat on our terrace, breakfast in hand, the sun warming our faces. The only sounds were chirping birds and rustling leaves, with squirrels darting playfully in the tree right in front of us. Jim and I just looked at each other, marveling at how this—this—was our new life.

Our new home is in Los Cobanos, a hidden treasure on El Salvador’s western coast, about an hour from Surf City. Unlike the bustling surf scene, Los Cobanos is a peaceful fishing village with a laid-back charm. It’s famous for its coral reefs—one of the few in the Pacific—making it a snorkeler’s paradise, and it’s a prime spot to watch humpback whales migrate from December to March. Our sprawling garden feels like a private slice of this natural wonderland, and we’re still pinching ourselves that we landed here!