Normally in Ecuador you and the seller would write up the terms of the sale which would then be taken to a lawyer, stuffed with legalize, and finally put into an official contract called “La Promesa de Compraventa” or simply “La Promesa”.  The Promesa de Compraventa would then be read out loud in front of a notary and if necessary translated for non Spanish-speaking persons.  After the Promesa is read then you, the notary, and the seller would sign the Promesa and you would turn over your down payment money to the seller.  Once you have done the due diligence on the title and the property and you have all the money at hand then you would sign the final purchase agreement or “Compraventa”.   At this point you would pay the seller the total purchase price less the amount of the down payment which you gave already would have given them when you signed the Promesa.
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