Remember when there used to be at least one “mom and pop” hardware store in every North American town, and dozens in a city? Sadly, most of these disappeared with the advent of home building supply super centers, such as Lowe’s and Home Depot.
Fortunately for us, the fast pace of life up north has not caught on in Puerto Armuelles yet. The family run hardware store (Ferreteria in Spanish) is still going strong in our town.
The local “ferreterias” are different from the small hardware store you may be used to. Our hardware stores sell absolutely everything that is required for constructing and maintaining a house (a Panamanian style house).
That is, they sell Cement, Concrete Block, Rebar, other Steel Sectional Shapes (such as angle, round tube, square tube), Sand, Gravel, Fill Dirt, Chicken Wire, Square Mesh, Rope, Chain, Adhesives, Sealants, Nails, all other hardware, Wiring, Paint, Knives, Machetes, Shovels, Picks, Hoes, Power and Hand Tools, etc. etc. etc….
Deliveries and Special Orders
Same day delivery of large, or heavy products is available. For instance, if you order ten meters of gravel, and fifty sacks of cement, they can usually be at your delivery address within a couple of hours, at no extra charge.
If one limits one’s desires to what a typical Panamanian lives in, one can find everything one needs right here in town. Often within only a 2-3 minute drive of one’s house or building site.
Check out these photos to get an idea of what a hardware store in Puerto Armuelles is like. These are photos of Casa Cheong. Click on any photo to enlarge and start the slideshow.
Below these photos, I mention my favorite hardware stores and the benefits of buying locally.
I have 3 favorite hardware stores:
Casa Cheong, right next to Romero’s supermarket at the North end of town. It is owned by Adriano Ching and ably run by store manager Daisy and her assistant Mari. Casa Cheong has a very friendly and helpful yard crew.
Materiales Man is at the far North end of town, on the south shore of the San Bartolo river. This is owned by Gustavo Man and is run by his niece Ebi, and her assistants Luis (“Chichi”) and Enrique.
Materiales Justavino is about five minutes drive north of town on the main road, past the “Y” intersection to San Bartolo. Folks call this area “La Cuchilla”. The owner Eivar Justavino, and his wife Eira, provide excellent service and products. This is the only place where I purchase concrete block. I have heard this same report from other expat builders.
Cement Blocks At Materiales Justavino
In our area, many of the hardware stores manufacture their own concrete blocks in tiny open air “plants”, usually in the back of their stores. While other yards skimp on the quality and cleanliness of the sand and cement that they put into their blocks, Sr. Justavino (correctly) predicted that he could corner the rapidly growing expat market for concrete products by maintaining a consistently higher quality than his competitors. He may charge a penny or two more per block than the competition, but it is more than worth the difference in cost, if you take into account the workability, and the greater confidence one has in the finished product.
There is a new ferreteria in town, Ferreteria Los Angeles. It is owned by the same family who owns Supermercado Puerto Armuelles. It is located about half a kilometer further north of town from Casa Cheong and Romero’s Supermarket.
I have only shopped there once or twice , since I like the ferreterias that I already support. I have not found the brothers who run it to be very friendly. However, I have heard good reports about this store from local builders, as well as expats, and I do buy there if one of my three favorite stores is temporarily out of a product that I need that day.
For me, as well as for some other expat builders with whom I have spoken, the idea of getting to shop for supplies right in our own little beach town, just as “in the good old days”, is a privilege that we do not take for granted.
This gift of a happier, easier lifestyle in our little town far outweighs the extra 10 - 20% that we may pay for materials bought from our local supplier in Puerto Armuelles, as opposed to buying them at a home builders center in Bugaba (45 minutes away) or David (an hour and 15 minutes away).
Of course, there are locals and expats who drive to the big super centers, so that they can get the very best price on materials, and perhaps find products that are not available in Puerto Armuelles. Admittedly, I, too, have gone to David to find certain products. Although, it is very rarely these days, since the local stores keep improving their stock (and they can special order anything for you.)
Thankfully, many of us like the idea of supporting the small businessmen and women who are our neighbors, and who help to make Puerto Armuelles the great small town that we have fallen in love with.
My personal conclusion is that if I continually drive to David for specialized materials I will incrementally, shopping trip by shopping trip, be “cashing in” the simple lifestyle that drew me to Puerto Armuelles in the first place.
Sure, I’ll get a better price and more products that I had become accustomed to obtaining in Seattle. But, in the long run, I will wind up with that same lifestyle that had, little by little, become too complicated for me to bear any longer. For myself, and my projects, I have decided that if a certain building material is not available in town, I do not need it. At least I don't need it enough to take my money out of our town, or to complicate my lifestyle like that.
I owned a design/build company in Seattle. One of my greatest professional assets here in Puerto Armuelles is that I don’t have to assign a dollar value to every single minute of my work day. Something I was forced to do back in the States.
I believe that if I shop at my local hardware store, it will stay in business. That way, I will always have the pleasure of shopping at my local hardware store for years to come. I know what life is like in places where all the “mom and pop” hardware stores have closed their doors, due to stiff price competition from the “big boys”. I don’t want to be part of helping that to happen to my new, adopted home town of Puerto Armuelles.
Shopping locally for building products is a win-win decision.
You can see us playing in the river (Rio Macho de Monte) as it runs through the canyon.
The trip reminded me how small and easy it is to explore Panama, and Chiriqui Province in particular.
Business & Pleasure
We wanted to go play in this cool mountain river (see photos), but we also had to meet with a lawyer in David. So we combined the trip.
Day Trip
Home - Beach - City - Mountains - Home again
After Reyn and I returned from our morning surf/boogie board at the beach, all four of us piled in the car. We left Puerto Armuelles at around 10am. We drove to David to meet with the lawyer.
Then we decided to drive past the canon turn off, and go all the up to Volcan to eat lunch. We like the food at Restaurante Mana at the Volcan Lodge. A 15 mile round-trip detour.
After filling our bellies, we went back down to the little village of Cuesta de Piedra, where you turn off to go to Canon Macho de Monte. (I describe how to get there at the bottom of this page and I show what it is like there in photos below.)
We had a delightful and leisurely time playing in the water and boulder hopping. Then we headed back to Puerto Armuelles. We got home before dark (It gets dark around 7pm these days). A very eventful, fun, and even productive day trip.
I had been wanting to check out this canyon for awhile. From the road it is a short walk to the canyon bottom. The trickiest part is that a huge hill of sandy gravel shares the path down, so it is a bit slippery.
In the slow part of the river there were tadpoles that my kids enjoyed catching. A pool to dunk yourself in. Boulders to hop to get to the fissure where the water runs faster and cascades down even further. People have secured a rope right there so you can play in the rapidly tumbling water, but I loved dunking myself in the cold water. Now that I have gone, I want to come back in the rainy season.
The photos below were taken towards the end of the dry season (mid-March). I look forward to going back in the rainy season. I am sure the water flow is much more dramatic and exhilarating.
Take the road up to Volcan. You turn off the InterAmericana onto the Volcan road at the town of Bugaba. There is a sign marking it on the InterAmericana. The turn off for the Canon is at the tiny village of Cuesta Piedra, about 7.5 miles or 12 kilometers south of Volcan.
If you are heading north (or uphill) towards Volcan, there is a sign marking the turn for Canon Macho de Monte in Cuesta Piedra. No such luck if you are heading down from Volcan. The turn is at an intersection with a gas station (photo below) and a few other commercial buildings. You can only turn one way. There is no road going the other direction.
I have put photos below of some key places to look for so you know where to turn, park, and walk.
You will drive on that road for less than 3 kilometers. Look for the guard house for the hydroelectric plant. It will be on your right, as you head down a hill. As you down that hill you will see a ruin of a building on your left (see photo below). Park there. Then walk down the road and take the trail (see photo) just before you cross the bridge over Rio Macho de Monte. As I've said, the trickiest part of the short walk to the canyon bottom is that a huge hill of sandy gravel shares the path down. It is a bit slippery. It is a short walk.
Reyn describes day trips from Puerto Armuelles in a past post. He talks about going for hikes in Cerro Punta.
Updated 3/3/20
(Need to get a US election absentee ballot fast? Check out this October 28, 2020 post)
Your vote could be the difference.
All U.S. citizens can receive their ballots electronically.
Depending on the state in which you are eligible to vote, you can get your ballot by email, fax, or online.
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This video ends with a pro-democratic party message. I am not suggesting that you vote Democratic. I used this video for its great message, "You can vote from abroad!"
My husband and I have voted in various U.S. Presidential and other elections from Panama.
It wasn't always easy to vote from overseas. Thankfully, it continues to get easier and the number of information sites on how to vote overseas keeps growing.
I have compiled 7 reliable websites on how to register to vote, and how to vote from overseas. Many of these sites also provide information about upcoming elections. Use whichever source you like best.
1) Overseas Vote Foundation is a non-partisan site for US citizens abroad and US military. You can register to vote and request your absentee ballot through this site.
It also offers a wealth of information on the State voting requirements, election dates and deadlines, and contact information. It even includes information on candidates running for election. One thing I like about this site is that it easily lets you vote overseas, even if you are only overseas for a few weeks. This means if you are only out of the country for election day, you will remain registered in your home state, so you don't have to re-register.
Best of all, it offers a Federal write-in absentee ballot. You can use that type of ballot if your requested absentee ballot is late.
2) Democrats Abroad is the official Democratic Party arm for Americans living outside the US.
Democrats Abroad is recognized as a "state" Party by the Democratic National Committee (DNC). It is represented on the DNC by 8 voting members, as well as at the quadrennial Democratic National Convention.
It is a vibrant organization with a presence all over the world, including Panama. During the last Presidential election, they had the first ever online presidential debate between Clinton and Sanders. It focused on issues of interest to US citizens abroad.
From March 3-10, 2020, Democrats can remotely vote in the Democratic Abroad 2020 Global Primary. There are also in-person voting locations on select dates within that time frame.
Find out how to vote in the 2020 Democratic Global Presidential Primary, here.
In 2016, almost 35,000 people in over 170 countries voted in the first Global Presidential Primary. The results of that primary awarded Sanders 9 pledged delegates and Clinton 4 delegates.
3) Republicans Overseas. Good news for Republicans. Until recently there was no website for Republicans overseas. But now there is one: RepublicansOverseas.com. The main goal of the organization is to repeal FATCA. I must say I am 100% behind that effort! Their website also provides some information about voting as a Republican from abroad.
There is also a Republican Overseas facebook page, which has been around for quite a few years.
(Note: Republicans do not allow US citizens to vote in the Republican Presidential primary election while overseas. That is, unless you register in time and subsequently vote via your home state's absentee ballot system. Otherwise, Republican expats can only cast their vote for President in the general election.)
4) Vote from Abroad is a site for US Citizens that allows you to both register and vote from abroad. It also has all sorts of information, such as
5) Federal Voting Assistance Program provides voting assistance to Service members, their families, and US Citizens overseas. It seems to have an easy 5 step process as well as quite a lot of information about upcoming elections.
6) US State Department has a wealth of voting information about voting abroad. It includes a link to an emergency last minute ballot.
7) US Embassy in Panama usually has a message to US citizens about voting abroad and in Panama specifically. For example it explains where and when to submit your US ballots to locations in Panama, or if you can mail them to your home state. To find out the US Embassy's latest advice on voting, click here.
If you have questions about voting in US elections from Panama, the US Embassy Panama Voting Assistance has more information at this link. You can also email them at [email protected].
Remember, your vote counts!"
Maybe because it was so very hot for the first couple of hours this year. But I think the bigger factor was the line up.
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Last year, on Sunday, there more blues performers and the performers were much higher energy. The crowd was higher energy. More people were wearing mardi-gras beads and crazy hats.
Of course, we were also missing Lil Ed and the Blue Imperials. Lil Ed brings his own very enthusiastic head-dress-wearing crowd. But there seemed to be more acts too.
(You can see photos of the 2015 Boquete Jazz & Blues festival here.)
Also missing was face painting and homemade gelato ice cream.
However, there was fabulous pizza baked in a portable wood-fired oven. The ice cream was good, but it wasn't as good as last year's. I loved this year's misters that lightly spayed water on you. They didn't have those last year, that I remember. Did I mention it was so very hot this year.
I enjoyed Tommy Castro very much. He is more R&B than Blues, but his is undoubtedly good. But Sunday's performers weren't the same level of energy and diversity of performers as last year.
Next year, I am will check out the line up more before shelling out the money. I go for the blues, not the jazz. So a good blues line up is critical for me.
Next year's festival will be from February 9 - 12, 2017.
So far the line up looks promising
According to the Boquete Jazz and Blues website, this is the line up.
Regular priced tickets go on sale on April 1, 2016.
I wish they would dedicate Sunday to Blues and Saturday to Jazz. I would sign up for next year right now, if I knew I could be listening to almost all Blues on the day I chose.
For a short time, 2017 Boquete Jazz & Blues Festival tickets are for sale online at a discount. But again, only for a short window of time.
From February 28th 2016, at 6pm until March 2, 2016 at midnight!
The discounted price is $117, which gets you admission for both Saturday and Sunday. Unfortunately, this early out you cannot buy a ticket for Sat or Sunday. You must buy it for both.
To give you an idea of the savings. One day tickets for 2016 were $74. I think the 2 day tickets were $169.
I am not sure if I will buy them early or not. I would have to commit to going for both days. Which could be fun, but I think I would have to leave my kids at home. I don't think they would go for it, at least not happily.
Did you go this year? What did you think?
They said that the house that they have been renting in Boquete is being sold. They are now looking around & weighing their options, before buying some place. They seemed to really like Puerto Armuelles.
As we were showing them our available properties around Puerto, we also pointed out a couple of houses that are for sale by expats in town.
Expats who are moving back to the states, after as many as ten years of living in Puerto Armuelles.
We were happy to put these potential house buyers in touch with the sellers. With luck, these buyers and sellers can come to an agreement. (Please note, we are not real estate agents. But we are always happy to hook people up with others who might have what they are looking for.)
The interesting point about both of the sellers of these houses in Puerto Armuelles, was that they are both retired couples who have been in Panama longer than they would have liked. In each case, the husband was the one who really liked life down in Panama, for its simplicity, and for the low cost of living.
Both wives have told us that they would much rather have stayed in their home states, to be closer to family and friends. The move to Panama, from the outset, was not the best decision for the women. It was more to please her husband. The decision seemed more based on the low cost of living than a desire to live in Panama and to explore what Panama has to offer.
In each of these cases, thanks to a recently more vibrant real estate market, the people in question have either sold their properties or are generating interest from potential buyers. So they will soon be able to move on with their lives. However, things could have turned out far worse.
This story is a perfect example of why we strongly recommend that those who are considering a move to Panama take our quiz and do their own research on Panama.
Above all, do not purchase land, before you get to know the country. In particular, get to know the area of Panama in which you want to live. Go there and then wait at least six months before buying. Although, we didn’t didn't do that.
Do not get caught up in feelings of scarcity, or competition. If someone else buys your dream property, then it was just not meant to be. No matter what your “instincts” tell you. Moving and investing in Panama is a decision that you should make with your pre-frontal cortex. Analyze everything. Don't listen to the pretty beach property saying, “Buy Me Now!” Just take a deep breath, and let it be for awhile.
It is very important for couples to communicate honestly and clearly about their personal wishes for their retirement “adventure” in the tropics. For example, if the husband is focused on investing the family's entire life’s savings in tropical real estate, but all the wife really wants is to spend a few peaceful years in the tropics swimming in the ocean and doing some serious reading, then this is a recipe for conflict, emotional stress, and possibly divorce.
Of course, who can say that these couples might not have found some other trap to fall into, if they had retired in the States rather than in Panama? These restless husbands might have invested all their money in a trailer park in the States, and the couples might have discovered that they hate running a trailer park. Or he could have bought the Brooklyn bridge... But like moving to Panama, these life decisions should first be investigated fully - and together.
The lesson that I am hoping to share is that, while our family has benefitted greatly from the many new experiences that resulted from our decision to move to Panama, this might not be the right decision for your family.
Consider carefully. Do your research. Talk to people.
Visit Panama at least once, for at least a month, or two, or six. You may love it, as we do. However, maybe in your case, the answer might simply be “No” it’s not for you, or not for your partner (this should mean “no” for both of you, unless you were planning on divorcing anyway). It is better to be happily married in Alberta, than unhappily married in a tropical paradise.
Or, maybe you are better off planning your finances carefully, so that you can afford to live part time in your home in the north, and part-time in Panama. Or, it could turn out that Panama is absolutely a perfect fit for you, and your partner, full time - for your retirement, for your business, for your investments.
In conclusion, I would say, give Panama a try. See if it is a good fit for you and your partner. But, be patient, don’t try to force Panama to fit your retirement dream. Especially, if it is evident that it is not going to be a comfortable fit.
It set back and removed from the main road. Yet it is still close to neighbors.
And best of all, it is only 70 feet from the beach.
Check it out.
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To find out more about this property for sale click here.
You could build whatever you like here. It is level and fully accessible. As the video suggests, you could build 2-3 homes or a hotel. You could also keep the whole thing to yourself.
The property is in the Corazon de Jesus neighborhood of Puerto Armuelles. It is a friendly community right on the beach.
It is an area popular with expats. All the beachfront in the neighborhood has already been bought up by expats.
You can browse more property for sale in Puerto Armuelles here.
Puerto Armuelles is an increasing popular place for both expat retirees and investors. This is due, in part, to the near completion of the new 4 lane highway linking Puerto Armuelles to the Panama's InterAmericana main highway. The improved access has allowed many more people to discover the many charms of this wonderful beach town.
You will be more successful, if you know your goals before you begin
Once you are clear about your investment goals, not only does the whole process get easier, but you are much more likely to achieve your goals.
Which of these goals is yours?
1. Buying for Capital Gain
In the world of emerging markets, intrepid investors seek out not-yet-discovered locations. The idea is to buy in a location BEFORE it is discovered by too many other foreigners.
These investors buy in those emerging locations and wait. They simply wait until the market arrives and prices start rising due to increased demand. Of course, finding these locations is the key. The purchase may be in a remote area. But that is only a good idea if there are clear indications that infrastructure improvements will follow. If such investors are buying within a development, they tend to purchase early in the roll-out of the master-plan, and look to secure ‘founder’ or ‘charter membership’ deals as a result.
These capital growth investors will sell the property when their target resale price is easily achieved. Of course, the next buyer can also still make significant capital gains, but typically less than the pioneers in these not-yet-discovered areas can achieve.
2. Buying for Personal Use
This is usually someone looking for a vacation home. This investor wants a place to recuperate from their daily life. Usually they are looking to buy property in places that enjoy a good climate, access to amenities and where the lifestyle is very different from their life at 'home'.
Sometimes this investor also wants to rent out the property when they aren't using it. However, while they like the idea of a rental covering some of the costs, rental income is not their top priority. This investor type tends to be affluent and own more than one home, often in a different part of the world. Their overseas property(s) may be part of their larger investment plan.
However, if the location is still affordable, people without this kind of wealth can also enjoy 'a second home in the tropics lifestyle'.
3. Buying for Rental Income
These investors are looking to create a cash flow stream through rental income. Vacation rentals usually provide a much greater rental income than other types of rentals.
This investor seeks out locations that attract a sufficient number of potential renters, such as foreign vacationers, travelers, and retirees. Of course, this investor needs to buy property where the return on investment (ROI) pencils out.
Sometimes, people who are retiring overseas, will also invest in a rental property in order to supplement their retirement income. Or they will rent out their property until they are able to retire there full-time.
4. Buying for Retirement Overseas
Investors in this category are typically 5-6 years from retirement. They are looking for property that will provide them their ideal retirement lifestyle - and one they can afford. This means these retirees must be clear on both their retirement budget and their retirement lifestyle goals. Then they can be sure that the property purchase will meet both.
Oversea retirees usually also look for locations that have easy access to health facilities and shopping centers as well as areas that are safe and have low crime.
And like everyone, they also want to buy a property that will appreciate in value.
5. Buying to Transform Your Life Abroad
These are lifestyle investors. They want to start a new life abroad and enjoy a different lifestyle. Some may be downshifting, while others will be embarking on new adventure abroad. Some of these investors need to keep earning money. Some can retire early, especially if they retire some place with a much lower cost of living.
This investor type is a pretty diverse group. A segment of this type of investor might also like to purchase income generating properties such as a B&B, hotels or rentals.
Without a clear understanding of the kind of property that best meets your investment goals, you are in danger of buying the wrong property, but thinking it is the right one.
It could be that you fit into more than one investor type. That is fine. But then you must be clear why you are buying a specific piece of real estate. Which investor hat are you wearing for that particular property?Only then can you adequately evaluate where the purchase will achieve your goal.
Which type of property investor are you?
There is real estate in Puerto Armuelles to meet each of these investors types.
You can start browsing some of the property for sale in Puerto Armuelles.
Before investing in property anywhere, you should read Reyn's article
Know Thy Self - What To Do Before Buying Property In Panama.
To help celebrate I made this very brief (22 secs) video of some Cherrie's Tanagers.
All sorts of Tanagers are very common in our yard.
These Cherrie's Tanagers were in the palm tree next to my office window.
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I get constant delight out of the bird life in Panama.
And so many other birds. I live much closer to nature here than I did in the States.
It isn't just birds. I watch iguanas from my living room, I see numerous toads, and a wide array of interesting looking caterpillars, butterflies, moths, and more.
Of and I cannot forget to mention geckos. They are nature in your house! I love watching them - plus they eat insects. I will have to do a video on them in the future.
I love living in nature here in Panama.
Do you have any thoughts to add on this topic?
"When are going to put your Corazon de Oro properties on the market?"
The answer is very soon. In a matter of a few months.
Currently we are building an entry way to the property.
To give you a preview, I put together a short video on one of the beachfront lots.
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Walking out there, I am reminded just how beautiful a spot it is in.
I'll let you know when you can actually buy one. It will be fairly soon.
We are currently building an entry gate.
Find out more about these 19 lots, 9 of which are beach front, here.
