October 24, 2017
But there are risks to any move.
In this post, I want to warn you of some risks, so you can avoid them.
The number one risk I see for expats is that some expats moving to Panama are rushed into buying a property too fast.
Often licensed or unlicensed real estate agents, taxi drivers, hotel owners, or others will work the newcomer fast, or sometimes subtly, in an effort to get them to make a purchase. These types of purchases are far more beneficial to this real estate agent/ “finder” than they are to the buyer.
The buyer is made to feel that there is no time for a thorough background investigation of the property. No time to find out if this is actually a good property investment or even a safe one.
Sometimes the buyer is so charmed by the agent that they trust too much. The buyer is “primed” to make a quick purchase by being told that several other expats are also interested in buying the property, or that the price is so low that it can’t last. Or, in the case of Puerto Armuelles, since Del Monte is coming to town, they had better buy now, rather than wishing that they had.
A too-fast purchase can even be made after 3 or 4 previous visits to a destination in Panama.
Just because you feel that you know the town, does not mean that you know enough about the specific property that you are about to purchase.
Unscrupulous real estate agents/"finders" know that since you have been here before, and you are back looking for a property, you are more likely to be "hot" to make a quick purchase. Obviously, repeat visitors are the “likely” ones to buy.
No Code of Ethics for Realtors
Sadly, the bar is very, very low, in terms of what is considered honest real estate practices. In Panama, there are no legal requirements for “full disclosure” in property sales, nor is there a code of ethics for real estate agents here.
The actual commission or hidden profit you pay an agent is often not fully disclosed. A real estate agent (licensed or unlicensed) can effectively earn 30%, 50%, even 300% of the sale price on a property. They do this without the buyer knowing it.
How agents earn these high commissions
Basically it is a con job. Although you do end up owning the property.
The agent/finder simply "ties up" the property just before you buy it. They may buy it in their name, a ghost buyer's, or in a Panamanian corporation's name. However they do it, the agent buys the property at the seller's asking price. Then the agent sells that property to you as if you are buying it from the original seller. However, they sell it to you at a much higher price than what the original seller was asking or the price they paid.
Typically, this agent brings the buyer to look at the property. If the buyer wants to make an offer, the agent then "pre-buys" the property since they already know that they can make a “killing” on the flip.
There are variations on this theme, but in general, the price the original seller gets is much less than what the expat buyer pays. The agent pockets the difference. And the buyer never knows what happened.
In another example, an unscrupulous agent might email a potential customer who has already visited once or twice, telling them that “an amazing property has just come up for sale”. If the person is truly interested in buying, these helpful agents then “tie up” the property, using minimal funds of their own, or more likely, the money that the expat buyer gives them, or sends them long distance. In this way, the unscrupulous agent, putting none of their own money at risk, sells a property to an expat buyer as if the agent’s only connection with the property were as someone helping the expat to make the purchase from the original seller.
In one case, we know about a property in Puerto where the Panamanian seller had been asking $5,000 for 2 or 3 years. These folks were desperate to sell. Suddenly, we learned from the neighbors that this property has just sold for $20,000! Amazing! (Not really). When we discovered that it sold to someone new to Puerto and which local "agent" helped broker the deal, it is quite clear what happened.
When I met the new owner, all I could do is smile and congratulate them on their purchase. What can I do now? It is too late to help them. Plus, no one wants to hear that they have just been swindled.
Of course, this practice can happen anywhere. To avoid it, the solution is to take your time so you, and your lawyer, can review the property's transaction history carefully. You should meet the seller yourself, with a translator if needed, and without your realtor, to ensure you are buying the property from them, not from your agent/property finder.
Sadly, these victims may continue to trust the “friendly” agent and even allow them to help manage a remodel or new construction project for them, all without having any idea of the true costs for these services.
In this particular practice, not only is the innocent expat buyer paying what amounts to a monumental real estate commission, but they are taking on another, even greater risk as well.
It is usually within the first few weeks after a property changes hands that problems concerning ownership begin to surface. This risk is there regardless of any commission-slight-of-hand. It is due to the too-quick purchase without thorough investigation.
That is, you will discover that the owner you bought the property from is not the only owner of the property. Most common and most distressing is that additional owners of the property may claim the sale void since they did not sign off on it. Or they may demand additional payment from you, the buyer.
Panamanian families, particularly families with middle-aged siblings, often are quite large: 6, 8, 10 siblings all with an equal claim to the family home/estate.
If an elderly parent has died without a will (this is the norm, not the exception, in Panama), the house automatically becomes the property of all of the living offspring. However, when an expat buyer arrives to look at a property, the people living they may claim to be the sole owners of the property. They may say, "my mom always wanted me to own the house".
Panamanian law does not work this way. There may be several legal owners of a property. You need to find this out in advance of investing your money. If there are too many conflicting claims of ownership, or if the family can’t all agree to sell the property, now is your chance to run away as fast as you can from what would have turned into a nightmare.
Find out how we were once conned when purchasing a property.
Obviously, the people who are most successful at this kind of fraud present themselves as the expat's friend. They might even introduce you to a few other expats who will vouch for them. The salient trait of a good con man is the ability to appear to be someone with insider knowledge who is going to be your friend for years to come.
Another tactic used by real estate agents who work in this unscrupulous way is to create a “smokescreen” (in Panama they call this practice “throwing feathers into the fan”) to disguise their dishonest business practices and to separate their prey out from others who could have warned them about the likelihood of a con job.
One practice that is popular in Puerto and other places is to assassinate the character of anyone they think could tip off the prospective buyer, whether those are their real estate "competitors" or simply other expats who might also caution you to take it slow. The agent keeps you in a bubble of people who won't rock the boat for them, so all systems are "go" for a sale.
Another thing that the swindlers do to delay or camouflage these scams is to warn the expat buyer “Whatever you do, don’t tell anyone that you bought this. I don’t want any of the other folks who wanted the house to be upset." Or “Don’t tell anyone you just bought this, because we don’t want anyone to know that the man/woman who sold the property has all this cash on them….they might get robbed”. I’ve heard this one several times over the years. These techniques are designed to isolate the buyer from those who might have been able to help them, until after all the payments have been made.
I do not write this article to dissuade anyone who is considering a move to Panama.
You can be safe and happy buying property in Panama. The vast majority of people are.
But you need to resist the temptation to make a rash purchase, one you may regret.
This is especially true if you are buying through an intermediary/agent of some kind - particularly if the seller is Panamanian. In that situation, an unscrupulous agent will find it easier to work some kind of sleight of hand.
You should make sure you and your lawyer do a thorough job of researching a property before you buy it.
If it is titled property, the investigation is a simpler process than an ROP property. But in either case, research needs to be done.
For Titled property, a thorough title search and investigation needs to be conducted.
In the case of ROP property, this investigation will involve looking at the full history of transactions of the property. Including the knowledge that if one of the property owners died, most likely each that person's children and spouse now have an ownership share of the property. If the children and spouse claim they are not owners, they must sign a notarized & stamped declaration to that effect. Your lawyer (or another person) should also ask all the neighbors about the property to ensure there is a consensus about who the true owners are. This sounds too simplistic. However, this simple asking the neighbors, never fails, if done thoroughly. In Panama, especially in small towns, there are no secrets.
Read "How to Buy ROP Property Safely" for more info. as well as "Understanding what ROP Property is"
Puerto is no worse than other parts of Panama, or Costa Rica, as far as real estate integrity is concerned (There’s a comfort, eh?). And we want you to have the greatest chance of a successful landing here.
Get a Lawyer
For a property investigation, a local lawyer is best. They know all the players involved and can help intuit if something feels fishy. You may or may not choose them to help you with any subsequent property purchase.
Ask local expats for what lawyers they would recommend. There are both bilingual and Spanish-only lawyers in Puerto. We also have a certified translator in Panama who can help you communicate with the latter.
For instance, most lawyers can easily find out if the property was recently visited, even purchased by a local “realtor type” by simply talking to the neighbors. In this small town, everyone talks about everything. It is not too hard to get the facts, you just need to ask.
If you would like a recommendation or places to ask for recommendations, please ask via our contact page.
For more information on buying property, read this.
We are truly in love with this town. It is one of a kind, complete beach town and a super cool place to live.
Puerto Armuelles always benefits from the arrival of people who can enjoy a happy life here. Happy people contribute to the well being of everyone. Happy expats who find what they are looking for here contribute by helping our town continue to be a great place to retire or to start a business.
We want to continue to see Puerto Armuelles expat success stories.
Puerto Armuelles still holds amazing value for beachfront property, or property within sight and sound of the waves.
So do your research. Cross-check your references.
If you take it slow and check out your information thoroughly, you can be safe and happy buying property anywhere in Panama.
And slow is the pace of life in Panama, so you might as well start taking it slow from the beginning..
Betsy and I are always available to help answer your questions.
Thanks for reading
Reyn
The legislature had already given their full approval in September by passing Bill 509 after 3 debates.
The new property tax rates are effective January 1, 2019.
There are now new and higher exemptions from property taxes
This means that if you buy your primary home in Panama for under $120,000, you will not owe any property taxes. Starting January 1, 2019, your property would be fully exempt.
Currently, Panama’s property tax is a graduated tax. I believe that is not changing.
If so, when you purchase a $200,000 house you would only pay property tax on $80,000 of its value. (ie., $200,000 minus $120,000 exemption = $80,000 of taxable value.)
As you will see in the tax rates below, that means you would pay a 0.5% property tax rate on this $80,000 of value. Which means, you would only owe $400 a year in property taxes. Wow.
This is a substantial reduction in property taxes in Panama.
Currently, only the 1st $30,000 of property value is exempt from property taxes.
Since the majority of property in Panama is valued under $120,000, this means that most property in Panama will be exempt from property taxes.
You can read about the current (through 2018) property tax rates in Panama in this post.
The reform bill also offers an amnesty program for those who currently have unpaid property taxes.
My understanding is that if you pay your taxes by December 31, 2017, all fines and interest will be waived. Any unpaid tax through August 31, 2017 is eligible for the amnesty program.
I am not positive about the details of this amnesty program. If you know more, please share in the comment section below.
Keep in mind, if you own titled property, you owe taxes.
You will never get a bill for your taxes. It is up to you to remember to pay them - and on time! If you don't pay them, the government will take their cut (tax + interest + fees) when you sell your property.
Primary Residence
$0 - $120,000 = Exempt
$120,001 - $700,000 = 0.5% tax
$700,000+ = 0.7% tax
Secondary Residence, Commercial Properties, Industrial properties
$0 - $30,000 = Exempt
$30,001 - $250,000 = 0.6% tax
$250,001 - $500,000 = 0.8% tax
$500,000+ = 1.0% tax
Currently, the Panama government is spending alot of time and energy encouraging people to title their property. For many reasons, the government wants to improve its real estate transaction systems. A first step is getting land titled.
Most land in Panama is not titled. And most people are happy with owning Right of Possession (ROP) or untitled land. One reason for this is that once land is titled, it will be taxed.
For this reason, it is hard to convince people to title their land.
They have never paid property taxes, and never expected to do so. And really, who wants to pay taxes? Plus many property owners cannot afford to pay property taxes, of any amount.
The solution: Exempt most property owners from property taxes.
Since most land in Panama is valued at under $120,000, the government decided to make that the exemption threshold.
This rationale for the property tax reform is complete and total conjecture on my part. I have not read anything to support my supposition, but it seems right to me.
What do you think? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
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Geckos are a fact of life in Panama
This video gives you a little preview of the "World of Geckos!"
I'm Betsy of Living in Panama
The place for information & advice on being an expat in Panama
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This gecko was filmed in our house in Puerto Armuelles Panama.
Normally, we don’t have geckos on our cutting board but someone who will remain nameless (cough) my husband, left honey on the cutting which brought bugs, and then this gecko.
Typically you will see geckos on the ceiling and in light fixtures. I mean, you will 'em everywhere but that is where you tend to see them more often.
They have suckers on their feet so that they can stick to the walls and the ceilings.
I enjoy watching them do all sorts of things. They leap to get bugs. They fight each other, and more.
They are even tinier than this when they are born. You will find eggs like these in nooks and crannies in your house that are protected from the sun. The eggs will grow more and more translucent till you can actually see the baby gecko inside.
And if you touch the egg at the right time, it will just open up. And the baby is born. It's pretty cool
My youngest daughter loves to pet geckos. She says they have soft and smooth skin.
Now, some people don’t like geckos. Some don’t like their surprisingly loud clicking noise.
I personally don’t like the poop they leave on my bathroom sink. I leave the light on there all night long and they love to congregate there. Their poop is small, pretty dry, and does not smell.
So overall, personally, I think geckos are cool. They eat bugs and are entertaining.
Love or hate them, you will not be able to avoid them in most of Panama.
For more information on living in Panama, click the link below.
Visit our site, LivinginPanama.com. We have lots of information about moving to and living in Panama.
Thanks for watching and don’t forget to subscribe.
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You are welcome to use the icontainers.com quote request located in the sidebar on this page.
We are are not officially endorsing the company. However, as you heard in the video, Sheryl had a wonderful experience shipping her stuff with icontainers.com
Also, you should check out my Moving To Panama Checklist.
It outlines what you need to do and when. It also includes some advice on what to bring with you to Panama.
Also, stay tuned for Sheryl's video with her advice on "What You Should Bring With You To Panama".
Make sure you don't miss that video. Sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Betsy: Sheryl moved to Puerto Armuelles, Panama about a year ago.
In this video, she shares her experience and advice on shipping your stuff to Panama. Sheryl didn't want to be videotaped, so you'll hear her, but you won't see her.
I'm Betsy, from Living in Panama, the place for information and advice on being an expat in Panama. Interested? Click subscribe, and hit the bell so you don't miss a video.
You seem to be an expert on shipping your stuff down to Panama. Tell us what do think somebody who's thinking about moving to Panama should know about shipping?
Sheryl: When I decided I was gonna move to Panama, my next big question was,
"Am I gonna take anything or am I gonna leave it all here and start over again in Panama?"
And of course, for me I don't have an abundance of money, so it's a matter of economics.
Can I afford to ship to Panama? Do I have to leave all this stuff, even the furniture my father made for me that I love looking at? My car that is so reliable? And what should I do?
Of course, you look on all these forums, and you see people saying, "Don't bring anything. Just start all over again. It's too expensive. It's way too expensive. Bringing your car is too much of a hassle. You just stay all day at the port, and you just have to stand there in the scorching sun all day."
Those things weren't very promising in terms of bringing it.
Then I started checking prices for shipping.
And in the United States, the shippers make it like super, super hard to get that information.
They won't just quote you a price over the phone. They want to come to your house. They want to check it out. They ask you a gazillion questions. "What do you have here? How many rooms? What are you doing?"
And then they end up quoting you something like $11,000 to $14,000 from door to door. From door in the United States, to door in Panama. And that was just wasn't gonna happen. Just was not gonna happen.
I got so tired of dealing with these shippers.
And then one day I found something, a shipper called icontainers.com. Icontainers.com.
They're actually a company out of Spain, and they don't deal with all that malarkey about, "How many rooms? How many pieces of furniture? How many this? How many that?"
They'll quote you a price. "Do you want a 20 foot container? Or do you want a 40 foot container." It doesn't matter how many pieces of furniture you got.
It doesn't matter the weight. All they wanna know: 20 or 40 foot container.
Betsy: That's simple
Sheryl: Very simple. They ask you where you're moving from, and the port you're shipping to. And then they give you a quote immediately.
They send a truck to your house, it's up to you to load it or get friends to help you load it. Or in my case, I just hired a local moving company to load all my furniture, all my household goods, and my car. 'Cause it was a lot easier for me.
Ports of destination, where it's moving from, where it's going to is gonna make a difference.
If you're about 2 hours from a port, your house is like 2 hours from a port, a 20 foot container is gonna run you about $2,700. And a 40 foot container is gonna run you about $3,100.
Now, I can't say those will be the same prices if you're shipping out of Kansas, because that's a long haul for a truck driver to take from Kansas to a port, so you would just have to go online, and get the quote online. You can call them. They're very friendly and they'll just give you the price.
Sheryl: Then the next question was,
"Take my car, or don't take my car?"
I knew I had a super reliable car, but you read all this stuff on the forums, "Oh it's too much haul. It's too expensive. Blah, blah, blah."
But, you know, it's not true.
I shipped my car in my 40 foot container, along with my household goods.
There are 2 ways. I came in on a Pensionados Visa.
On a Pensionados Visa, I could've done a situation where I didn't pay any taxes on the car coming in because it was over 7 years old.
However, if you do that, it puts you into a different process where they will keep your car for 2 -3 weeks. And you have to pay the daily cost on it. Storage.
My customs lady, and it's very important to have a very good customs lady who gets back to you with all your questions immediately, calculated the cost of what I would pay if I paid all of the duties.
Not just the tax, but tax and all the duties versus what it would cost me to go through the other process for a Pensionados Visa.
What people don't say on all these forums is that with the Pensionados Visa you have to hire an attorney to do half of the customs work to bring it in duty free. And you have to pay a customs person to do the other half. Then you have the daily storage fees.
By the time you calculate all these costs, you compare it with what would happen if you just paid the full amount of duties, it came out to be about $150 difference.
What do I want? Do I want my car in two days? Or do I wanna wait 2-3 weeks and go through some hassles?
Needless to say, I paid that $150 extra dollars.
My car and my container arrived in Panama City on a Wednesday. It was here in Puerto Armuelles by that following Saturday.
The same Saturday. Same week. Got the car off. Got all the goods in. Piece of cake.
A good customs agent will also help you find local moving companies from Panama City to wherever you're moving.
Bringing my car here was one of the best things I ever did.
They say you have a lot of problems with parts and everything else.
Paso Canoas Car Part Stores
Well, here in Puerto Armuelles, we live very, very close to the border, called the Frontera or Paso Canoas. And there are these huge, huge car parts places, stores down there. It's huge.
And I did need to get some parts for my car. They'd finally worn out.
I went right down to Paso Canoas, for my Honda. It was a Honda. Went right down to Paso Canoas, they had the car parts, they put right in. No problem.
Anybody even that lives anywhere in the Chiriquí region, before you freak out and think you have to go to a dealership or you have to go somewhere else, check with Paso Canoas first. Because chances are those big parts stores will have the part that you need.
Betsy: Okay, that's good.
Sheryl: Yeah.
Betsy: Thank you.
Sheryl: Thank you.
Betsy: For more information on living in Panama, please click the link below. Thanks for watching.
To get your questions answered, check out my FAQ about Living in Panama page.
I bought my property long before I retired and moved here, but I made frequent trips to “window shop”, as they say.
I selected the delightful beach community of Puerto Armuelles as my retirement haven. I have never looked back.
I retired from my real job to my hobbies – and there are many. I am well suited to entertaining myself. And that is fortunate as Puerto Armuelles is almost completely void of entertainment.
I do not consider eating out a pleasant pastime. There are several excellent restaurants in our community, but since cooking is one of my hobbies, I prefer to prepare my own.
There are no movie theaters (rely on your DVD collection or Netflix) and the closest “mall shopping” is a 30 to 40 minute drive from Puerto Armuelles. Although, with our new 4-lane road the drive is much more pleasant (it used to be only 2-lanes).
There are movie theaters in David, but mostly in Spanish and reportedly the sound system is awful. I would not know as I do not care to drive 1 ½ hours to watch a movie when I can sit in the comfort of my home with Netflix!
Panama cable television is primarily in Spanish with a few English channels – I tried it for a while, but just did not derive enough benefit. Reruns of programs that I had no interest in the first time around!
Cell phones are the primary means of communication. Almost the entire country relies on Whatsapp. Whatsapp is a free application that allows people to talk and text, send photos or videos, etc.
Best of all if you are outside the country and have your phone, your WhatsApp will continue to work as it does in Panama. At least it does in Canada, the United States and Colombia – that I can attest to. I have no reason to doubt that it works the same elsewhere.
Panama is not a country of seasons – it is always hot! While it does cool off pretty quickly at night – if you are outside a major city – because there is little concrete – including paved roads, it will always be warm during the day.
In the mountains it is cooler, but it is also rainier.
The beaches are delightful here in Puerto Armuelles. And there is always some shell collecting to be done.
The tide drop is huge and I generally take advantage of this to walk on the firmer wet sand for exercise. Slogging through dry sand is its own special type of intense workout.
Find out what is and isn’t available to you in Panama.
Not everything you are accustomed to finding easily in your “home” location is readily available in Panama.
If you have items and/or services (reliable high speed internet springs to mind) you “cannot live without” then you may possibly want to reconsider your decision to move here, learn to live without some of those luxuries, or adapt to what is available here.
Fruits and vegetables are readily available from truck vendors in our town. Many of them drive through the neighborhoods, which I find extremely convenient!
Fish
There is a fish market is in town. But again, there are also neighborhood vendors. The fish you buy was generally caught last night. The boats go out at night and return in the mornings.
Do not let them convince you that a rooster fish is good to eat – it is not. I am not sure I would even want to make a soup with it!
Red fish, tilapia, shrimp in season, lobster in season, tuna, mackerel are some of the more readily available varieties.
Small stores
The small grocery stores, called tiendas, are generally well stocked, albeit in the small size. They are a handy source for staples – chicken, rice, sugar, milk, onions, carrots, green peppers, etc. None of the tiendas near my house sell beer, but they may in other areas.
Goods from USA
PriceSmart (like Costco), and supermarkets such as El Rey/Romeros, Super 99, Extra (I am told), Dorado (I am told) and several other stores seem to be adding more and more U. S. items to their shelves.
That being said, you must remember that just because you find it one day does not mean you will find it again at a later date. Sometimes it is really hit or miss. If you find it, buy it is a good rule of thumb.
If internet is important to you, be sure there is availability in the area you are considering.
Not much has changed in the last several years in the way of improved service, if you are considering living outside a major city. While there have been some improvements, a lot must still be done to improve the standard of Internet service in the outlying areas of Panama.
The dogs roam freely here as many are compelled to forage for their food.
The dogs are sometimes a noise issue. Learn to sleep with ear plugs or put a pillow over your head!
Panamanians like their music loud!
There is a law in our town and you can call the police who may or may not come to your aide. The police are required to take down the name, address and identification number of the person in violation and report that to the local Corregiduria for further action. Eventually, the neighborhood will be quieter, but it does take some effort. I just learned to basically tune it out.
Panamanians love to celebrate their independence from both Spain and Colombia (both events occur in November). The school bands start practicing well in advance!
I love the enthusiasm and the parades. It reminds me of the 1950s when people weren’t so consumed with their lives and had time for family activities and major celebrations.
Panamanians typically view Gringos as ATMs. They think that all Gringos are rich.
I have been told that the preachers in some churches have told their congregations, if a Gringo has it and you want it, just take it. I cannot personally vouch for that, because my Spanish is not that developed and I do not attend the “local” (read that, neighborhood) churches.
Panamanians also have little regard for borrowed property. If you loan something, you will have to ask for it back. And it will not always come back in the same condition. There will be no offer of repair, replace or reimbursement.
/panama/frustration-employees-appointments-electricity-internet/Best rule of thumb – if you don’t want to be without it, don’t lend it.
We welcome your contributions. We are looking for points of view and experiences that would be beneficial to our readers. We can name you as the author or give you some anonymity by using the "guest contributor" byline. There will be mild editing of all contributions to help readability.
Please let me know if you would like to write something - or do a video - on a topic that would benefit other readers of this site. Thank you.
You may also want to check out a post I wrote recently about other not-great-parts of life in Panama.
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We knew, in our hearts, that if only we lived in Paradise, we would automatically be happy 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Even our dreams would be perfect
(And best of all, we would remember them!).
For our part, Betsy and I try to do everything we can to encourage people to take a deep breath, slow down, and not to rush the process.
We want to help potential Panama expats to make sure that theirs is not a rash, emotional reaction to just having finished a whirlwind tour of sandy beaches, luxury hotels, and afternoon cocktails all over Panama. Then climaxing in an impulsive decision to sign a purchase contract. And then find themselves suddenly living in Central America for the rest of their lives. Perhaps wishing that they had never left Cleveland, or Indianapolis, or Toronto.
There is nothing wrong with Central America, per se. In fact, there is a lot of good to be found in
However, none of these “little perks” should be confused with HAPPINESS.
After all, we are not actually moving to the tropics for birdsongs, warm sands, and beautiful sunsets. Most of us, if only in our secret hearts, are moving here because we want to be HAPPY. Because without happiness, we have nothing.
For some people, what they find in Panama is the perfect recipe for them to pursue their ongoing happiness.
For others, a move to the tropics will prove to be isolating, disorienting, alienating, and ultimately tragic move.
However, in all fairness to the tropics, for some of these unhappy people, their own personal life trajectory was inclined toward unhappiness before they arrived in Panama. So tropical living cannot really be blamed. For people in that situation, finding themselves retired and living in an unfamiliar environment, only contributes to their isolation and negative mindset. Also, some expats’ loose interpretation of when the "cocktail hour” begins can greatly contribute to their ultimate state of unhappiness, all while living in Paradise.
Happiness is something that every person on earth is interested in. However, happiness comes more easily for some, than for others.
I have generally been a pretty happy person. However, I have to admit, that I have always found it easier to be happy when things are running smoothly. I guess I am like a lot of other people in that I prefer to have things go my way. When that happen, it is easier for me to feel gratitude. I definitely notice that I get a “jolt” of happiness when I am grateful for something.
Gratitude is a sense that there is abundance, and that all is well with the world. It means that I am being taken care of, or at least regarded as being worthy of consideration.
A very simple example is seen in the following instance. I go to eat in a restaurant where the service and the food are excellent. I am very appreciative, so I feel inclined to leave a big tip for the waiter. I might even thank the owner of the restaurant personally. Asking them to thank the chef for a wonderful meal. I thoroughly enjoy the event. I feel HAPPY.
It seems pretty obvious to me that my state of happiness derives from my having received something I wanted, a good meal.
I think that most of us can relate with the notion of happiness deriving from our having received something that we wanted. We want something, We get it, We feel happy. And we are therefore grateful for our good fortune. This seems obvious.
However, there is a whole school of psychology which declares that we have it all backwards.
Positive Psychology posits that our happiness derives, in fact, not from having gotten something we wanted, but from the feeling of GRATITUDE that infuses our entire being for having gotten that “something” that we wanted.
Positive Psychology suggests that I don’t actually need to get anything that I want, in order to feel that magical “buzz”of gratitude. I can manufacture gratitude, right here at home, in my very own mind, and in my heart. Best of all, I can do this all the time.
According to positive psychology theory, the gratitude that I produce in my mind, artificially without the stimulus of having actually received anything tangible, is just as potent in triggering the happiness as the gratitude that arises from having received something tangible, and desirable. It can just be produced in our minds, by our own willpower. Of course, this willpower can be greatly enhanced, if we practice feeling grateful every day.
To see proof for this theory, we need only look around us. You see many people who appear to have everything that a human being could possibly desire, yet, these fortunate people are desperately unhappy. On the other hand, we know people who suffer great poverty, or terrible health, or family tragedy, and yet they are deeply happy. How do these happy people do it?
How, you might ask, does Simulated Happiness Theory relate to our decision to move to the tropics?
Well, it is not surprising that many of us who move to the tropics assume that by moving here, to our very own private piece of Paradise, we will experience far greater happiness than we could have by staying put in our previous location.
What is surprising is the number of people whose experience of life in Paradise falls far short of the life that they had envisioned, in terms of their overall happiness.
This happens primarily because these people have the happiness/gratitude connection reversed. They are caught in the false model of happiness that says that when everything finally begins to go their way (as it should), they will then, and only then begin to feel happy and grateful.
Those of us who have discovered the technique to cultivating our own happiness, realize that we might have waited many lifetimes for happiness to suddenly arrive on its own.
Once we realize that happiness is not an end result, but an ongoing effort, we are able to control our own happiness. It is not up to the specific ups and downs of our day.
Believe me, even here in Paradise, days have their inevitable ups and downs. But my happiness does not have to gyrate up and down like a yo-yo, depending upon what is going on in my day.
Happiness, like any worthwhile goal, requires effort.
Surely one would not expect to learn to speak Spanish just by waiting for Spanish language fluency to spontaneously arrive in your brain. It is the same with learning a musical instrument, or learning to meditate.
If we invest as little as 15 minutes every morning in practicing gratitude, we will very quickly begin to feel happier.
If you haven’t tried this, you will be amazed. This good feeling just grows, the more we practice. It doesn’t go away with the arrival of illness, or the death of a loved one. It doesn’t go up and down with the stock market. If we practice cultivating feelings of gratitude, every day, for 15 minutes, we feel much, much happier.
This practice does not require moving to Panama; You can do it right there in New York, or Seattle, or Detroit.
If you wake up in the morning and express your “thanks” to God, or whatever your higher power might be, for the mere fact that you are alive for another 24 hours with all its joy, sorrow, sunshine, and rain, then you are off to a good start to experience a day filled with Happiness.
One thing you will notice in Panama is the number of locals who, when asked “how’s it going?, will respond,
“Very well, thanks to God” (Muy bien, grasias a Dios).
For years, I just let the significance of this seemingly perfunctory response go right by me. It was just what Panamanians said, because of their Catholic/Christian background. It did not apply to me.
However, as I have delved deeper into my practice of gratitude, I have discovered that I also wanted to join in the group who gives thanks to God every time I am asked “How’s it going?”.
Now I say, "Muy bien, grasias a Dios" too. (Very well, thanks to God).
Just by speaking those words, I feel much better. If I were having a less than perfect moment in my mind, these simple words set me straight right away.
It doesn’t matter that my precise interpretation of God may be different from someone else’s. What matters is that I am taking this opportunity to vocalize my gratitude for all that I have today. I have a lot to be thankful for .
Mostly, my days are wonderful. I have my health. I have my wife Betsy. I have my children, Skylar and Blaise. Oh yeah; I almost forgot the least important item on my gratitude list; and I live here in Paradise.
What could I possibly have to complain about? The answer: Nothing.
As long as I don’t go searching for something to feel bad about. If I continue to look for and to focus on the good things in my life, and remember to practice GRATITUDE every day, my days are generally excellent!
Thanks for reading.
Reyn
With Puerto Armuelles, there are now 3 towns in the Chiriqui Province with monthly or weekly markets.
In fact, some of the vendors from both the Volcan and Boquete Markets will be selling their wares at the Puerto Armuelles Saturday Market.
We hope to grow as big as the Boquete Tuesday Market is today. But as someone who went to it years ago, Boquete's Tuesday Market was not always as big as it is today.
Puerto's Saturday Market will be held at Heavenly's Hotel. Heavenly's Hotel is a beachfront hotel in the San Vicente Neighborhood of Puerto Armuelles.
It is easy to find. And there are signs giving directions to the hotel on the way. The image below has a map with the route to Heavenly's Hotel marked in red.
On sunny days, it is an outside event. On rainy days, it will move inside.
I also have directions to Puerto Armuelles via this link.
8am to 1pm on 1st Saturday of every month
If you have something you want to sell, you are welcome to sell it at the Saturday Market.
There is no charge to set up your table. But you do need to bring your own table and chairs.
Will you be at the market?
A baker from Boquete, Morton's Bakery, will be here too. If you want to pre-order from him, let me know and I will send you the menu/price list and pre-order contact info. You must get your pre-order to him by Thursday.
If you have any household goods or other items you want to donate, there will be a donation table. All proceeds will go to benefit the monthly spay and neuter clinic of Puerto Armuelles.
I made a video about the spay and neuter clinic of Puerto Armuelles.
I hope to see you on Saturday!
For more information, please comment below.
or contact Milton @ 6843-3250 or Sheryl @ 6828-2605
[leadplayer_vid id="5981CC8C7A00E"]
And, it is going up very quickly.
This one is going to be our display house. Which we, and perhaps interested buyers, can use for the weekend or longer.
If you have explored our Living in Panama House, you will know that we were only offering 1300 sq. feet 2 and 3-bedroom homes.
However, we have had a number of inquiries from people who would like a smaller version of our Living in Panama House. They say they don't need much room and they want to simplify their lives.
So we decided to offer a smaller, 1000 sq. foot, 1-bedroom model. This smaller model can also be configured as a 2 bedroom home.
Of course, we have also had a few people asking if we can build a 3000 sq. foot model, but far fewer than the smaller house contingent.
Find out more about the Living In Panama House here
We invite you to come and watch the house while it is under construction.
Come back and see it when it is done too.
We want to give you a chance to walk around in the spaces and experience the Living In Panama House yourself. This will help you decide not only if a Living in Panama House is right for you, but what size and configuration is the best fit.
We hope that you can come to visit us in Puerto Armuelles soon and check out the Living in Panama House for yourself.
In the video above, you can see the initial stages of the Living in Panama House under construction. You also catch glimpses of our beautiful Corazon de Oro property where the house is located.
Video Transcript
Enjoy this speeded version of our first Living In Panama House being built.
Our Living in Panama House was designed for the tropics and for you to customize. We build the superstructure for you. That is - roof, walls, electrical, water, and the like and you put in the finishes - or have a recommended contractor do it for you.
This 1 bedroom model is being built on our beautiful Corazon de Oro property in the charming beach town of Puerto Armuelles. The info card in the upper right is a link to a video showing more of these gorgeous beach properties.
We just started this house and it is going up very quickly. I will create another video when it is fully constructed.
For more information on the Living in Panama House, Corazon de Oro properties, or the charming beach town of Puerto Armuelles, go to our site LivinginPanama.com. Explore the information there, or contact us directly.
Puerto Armuelles is not a tourist destination, per se. There isn't much nightlife.
It is a wonderful place just to be.
Thanks for watching.
Please comment below.
