Chile Forum

Just trying to see if Chile is the right place for me. I love the countryside of the Pategonia region, but think I might need to find a warmer area. What all regions / areas / towns have a fairly moderate climate but still have views of the Andes? Looking for some prestine nature to live in, not a town or big city area. Any good websites for real estate out there besides allsouthernchile?

You might want to visit the region around Coquimbo/La Serena. The climate and landscape are more like central California. Go East far enough and you'll be in the foothills of the Andes.

MadTexan wrote:Just trying to see if Chile is the right place for me. I love the countryside of the Pategonia region, but think I might need to find a warmer area. What all regions / areas / towns have a fairly moderate climate but still have views of the Andes? Looking for some prestine nature to live in, not a town or big city area. Any good websites for real estate out there besides allsouthernchile?

If by "warmer" you mean "what could I do to save a marriage to a central Texas woman's notion of acceptable comfort" then you might want to describe a set of allowable temperature/humidity/wind/precip/loose-dog and other parameters, with numbers. Actually it looks as though you are going to have to tell goodwyfe to stay inside the crystal palace with the 200-kilowatt climate-control system on max while you sneak out the side door with the rucksack and the Johnny-Appleseed book.

OK, that sounds snarky, as fellow posters might say. So here is something that might objectively help in your quest: the Engrish-language wikipedia site with data on the climate regions of Chile:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Chile That is a very coarse view since within a region there can be considerable variation, but it might give you a start. The temperatures are in Christian (degrees C).

BTW, does she need a 5000-watt clothes dryer and 40-cubic-metre refrigerator as well?

patagoniax wrote:OK, that sounds snarky, as fellow posters might say.

Jesus, the guy was just asking a simple, honest question. Maybe you need to eat a couple of bowls of shredded wheat or somethin'...

GJJIM wrote:

patagoniax wrote:OK, that sounds snarky, as fellow posters might say.

Jesus, the guy was just asking a simple, honest question. Maybe you need to eat a couple of bowls of shredded wheat or somethin'...

But then again... to support p~x - he is merely playing the "Devil's advocate"
g~j can agree to this...

In common parlance, a devil's advocate is someone who, given a certain argument, takes a position he or she does not necessarily agree with, just for the sake of argument. In taking such position, the individual taking on the devil's advocate role seeks to engage others in an argumentative discussion process. The purpose of such process is typically to test the quality of the original argument and identify weaknesses in its structure, and to use such information to either improve or abandon the original, opposing position.

As g~j can also take the devil's position...
We have seen climate concerns as being THE deal-breaker in many scenarios and partnerships.
If the l'il missus from wherever in NorAmLand is not flexible and accommodating in certain provisos regarding climate and creature comforts... then ALL bets are off.
p~x is most accurate and astute in posing potential problems.
It gets down to madtex doing his own due diligence and presenting a potential Chilean scenario in ALL realism - to his partner...
Even then... she may tacitly agree to a (short-term) "experiment"...
But g~j have also seen - when the reality of such a scenario is staring one right in the face.
And that's not just climate ponderings - but also cultural - and language - and lifestyle concerns.
Some spouses will not hesitate for one instant - to cut and run.
Hence... major expenses and wasting of time - for an unrealistic concept~scenario.
Ya gotta interesting concept madtex...
But are you willing to go solo on this - or modify (quite significantly) for the sake of the spouse.
Seems like that's what he is doing - looking for what might work for both.
g~j can only offer this... spend hundreds of hours researching your "short-list" places...
Then com'on down and take an extensive look... and hope your significant other can handle it.
If not...
As g~j always say... Gotta "Plan B"

Well, as the wife I'll say I'm skeptical not so much about the weather but us being able to full fill the goals in moving in the cold regions. Up until 3 days ago I was under the impression we were moving from central texas to Belize (which was also his idea) so we could grow all our own food, work into the language slowly, etc... Now we are suddenly moving to the mountains of Chile. I'm just unsure of us being able to full fill the reasons my husband said we were moving for there.

Is it possible to grow all our own food, be self sufficient, etc.. up in the mountains?

Suzyandkids wrote:Well, as the wife I'll say I'm skeptical not so much about the weather but us being able to full fill the goals in moving in the cold regions. Up until 3 days ago I was under the impression we were moving from central texas to Belize (which was also his idea) so we could grow all our own food, work into the language slowly, etc... Now we are suddenly moving to the mountains of Chile. I'm just unsure of us being able to full fill the reasons my husband said we were moving for there.

Is it possible to grow all our own food, be self sufficient, etc.. up in the mountains?

Hi Suzy... nice of you to check in... to the "concept"
1st - On a tangent...
In Belize - you might just worry about those regular hurricanes passing thru...
And where your roof might be blown to...
In Chile... just worry about the infrequent terremotos...
And if your roof might be in your living-room...

But can y'all develop a "self-sufficient" lifestyle?
Sure... with the right place + lots of commitment, time and hard work...
NO worries.,.. but (as the saying goes) "be careful of what you wish for"

All of Chile has a view of the mountains, more or less the Andes define the eastern border, Google Map it. A good temperate farming region would be the Bio Bio region.

GJJIM wrote:

patagoniax wrote:OK, that sounds snarky, as fellow posters might say.

Jesus, the guy was just asking a simple, honest question. Maybe you need to eat a couple of bowls of shredded wheat or somethin'...

Unfortunately you weren't privvy to the earlier discussions on other threads on this subject, so without that context it probably doesn't seem funny.

It looks like region 11 will work for a small time farm endeavor. Are real estate prices rediculous there? I am sure they aren't as cheap as the Pategonia region, but the only websites with listings to see are in Pategonia or Lakes region. About 10 to 20 hectares of good land with a mountain view would be just right. If I can't live in the mountains I want to at least look at them from my front porch! (and go hiking on weekends in them : ) : )

Suzyandkids wrote:
Is it possible to grow all our own food, be self sufficient, etc.. up in the mountains?

With a chain of mountains that is about 5000 km long and submerged at one end, and range in elevation to over 7,000 metres, and range in annual precipitation from zero to over 5 metres of rain, you might be more specific about "which mountains." That is why I suggested your listing the parameters for your range of climate comfort, to help narrow down some likely areas. I had also understood that requirements included access to high-speed DSL, pristine water, perhaps some other utopian features as well. Of all the North Americans I've known in Chile, none has been able to achieve self-sufficiency whilst living in mountainous regions here. There might be one out there, though. Might you consider something less than full self-sufficiency, perhaps 50 percent of your food - or similar? Does your concept also include "self sufficiency" for heating and cooling and cooking energy and electricity and domestic water and such?

MadTexan wrote:It looks like region 11 will work for a small time farm endeavor. Are real estate prices rediculous there? I am sure they aren't as cheap as the Pategonia region, but the only websites with listings to see are in Pategonia or Lakes region. About 10 to 20 hectares of good land with a mountain view would be just right. If I can't live in the mountains I want to at least look at them from my front porch! (and go hiking on weekends in them : ) : )

All of Region II is in Patagonia. Back to square one.