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You may have heard that our beach town, Puerto Armuelles, Panama has some big news.
After many, many years of complete neglect, our airport is being entirely renovated.
And officials have even told us that there will be domestic commercial flights flying in and out of Puerto.
This is Betsy of 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.
Recently, Puerto’s Mayor explained we will have a new runway, all new buildings, and a much better security fence. But better than the one you see here.
And let me tell you, there is nothing like taking a video to get all the officials in charge to come talk with you, which is what happened to me.
While we talked, these government officials told me, that 1 year from now Air Panama will offer flights into and out of Puerto Armuelles from Panama City, David & Bocas.
The officials seemed very certain that Air Panama would offer flights into and out of Puerto. Only time will tell if it really happens, but it seems possible. The President of Panama has already visited Puerto 3 or 4 times about the airport renovation.
Sadly, the airport renovation does mean that the community will lose a much valued exercise and open space. Right now, most evenings and early mornings, you will find many people on the airport runway and surrounding fields. They walk, run, play soccer.
You will also see horses on the airport a lot. Even in this photo, you are seeing horses, even while demolition is underway.
And it looks like, I didn’t actually check, but it looks like they have already demolished the airport’s 9 hole golf course.
It was pretty incredible that there was a golf course at the airport.
I'm really hoping that the renovation moves as fast as the officials I talked with anticipate. And, I have to say, that so far, at least during this demolition stage, the work seems to making rapid progress.
The airport is good news, both for the economy and for convenient travel. And once there are commercial flights here it will be much easier and faster to get to and from Puerto Armuelles.
Currently, the fastest way to get to Puerto is to fly into David, which is a little more than an hour drive away. And get
then get transportation from there.
If you haven’t heard of Puerto Armuelles yet, it is a charming beach town on the Pacific Ocean in the Chiriqui Province of Panama. Chiquita Banana built this unique and historic town starting in the 1920s.
For more information about Puerto Armuelles, click here.
You can explore our beautiful beach property for sale, by clicking here.
And again, this is Betsy Czark of LivinginPanama.com. Thanks for watching
You can find craft and art supplies at many stores in Panama. However it isn't necessarily of the best quality, especially the paints. Although, Panama City does have stores which sell higher quality paints and other supplies.
You can also order higher quality supplies online and get them shipped to you in Panama. Check out this link on getting online purchases delivered to Panama.
Painting Canvases
Before I list the places where you can buy art supplies, I wanted to say a word about canvases for acrylic paintings. You can buy pre-made canvases at many of the stores listed below. However, you can also easily make your own.
To make your own painting canvas, the fabric to use is called manta sucia. It is a very affordable light cotton duck fabric. It is available at any fabric store. You can make the frame yourself or have it made at any woodworking shop. Then stretch the fabric onto it using staples.
This is not a comprehensive list of all the places you can buy art supplies. However, it includes some of your better options.
More Resources in Puerto Armuelles
Learn about art classes, workshops and more available in Puerto Armuelles.
More Resources in David
Pictured is the poster for an upcoming show. It opens an April 5 and closes April 30, 2018 The show is co-sponsored in part by the Fundacion para las Artes Montilla e Hijos and Pinacoteca de Arte Contemporaneo de Chiriqui. Both are Chiriqui focused art organizations. Call 6687-1607 for more information or to learn of up coming shows.
More Resources in Panama City
Master net is a craft/art store with classes. You can find out more on their facebook page: facebook.com/masternetpty It is located in El Carmen, calle del Teatro En Circulo, next to ScubaPanama. +507 261-8995/
Panama City has a Museum of Contemporary Art. For more info, check out their website: macpanama.org.
Please contact us or leave in the comments your favorite art supply stores, art museums and galleries, or other art resources in Panama.
Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun - Mary Lou Cook
Art is something that some expats in our beach town, Puerto Armuelles, are actively pursuing.
In fact, recently we had one expat ask about where to buy acrylic paint to use in her craft projects. The next day, another expat asked what art classes were offered at Puerto's Centro de Bellas Artes Verisimo Castillo (Verisimo Castillo Center for Fine Arts).
In this post, we discuss the art classes offered, and other art opportunities offered in Puerto Armuelles.
We answer the question of where to buy art supplies, such as acrylic paint, in another post. (See the link below)
Puerto's Art Center: The Centro de Bellas Artes Verisimo Castillo. Bellas Artes offers classes for both adults and children. At various times of the year they offer classes in drawing, painting, guitar, and traditional dancing. Their main focus is on painting; acrylic painting.
These classes generally take a break in order for children to take classes during their summer break (January and February) and other school holidays.
Our daughter Skylar took a few art classes at the Centro de Bellas Artes when she was much younger. Then when she was 10 or 11 years old she attended afternoon painting sessions, which at the time were held every weekday afternoon. It was an adult class, but they were fine with her attending.
You can see one of the paintings she created during those sessions. Over the years, Skylar has also taken guitar lessons at the center.
Currently, there is a painting and drawing class in session. It runs from March - June 2018. It meets once a week, on Friday, at 4:30pm. The fee for the course is $30. The next session is expected to begin in July. The classes are all taught in Spanish.
You can also put your own group together for a class or drawing/painting group. The Director of the Center, Professor Carlos Miranda, is open to making that happen. The Center has easels and other art supplies available for your group's use. There will, of course, be a fee to use the space and their supplies.
For more information, you can stop by the Center or call the office at 770-7380. You can also reach Professor Miranda directly at 6665-5324. FYI, very little English is spoken at the Center.
The Bellas Artes building is located next to the Las Palmas baseball field, on the road to the Las Palmas neighborhood. It is shown in the photo.
Art Workshops. Brenda, an expat and one of the owners of the Tsunami Inn, offers workshops using Polymer clay, mosaics, and more. She is interested in creating art out of glass bottles and anything she is inspired by.
Her husband Don recently built her an art studio which includes a nice-sized kiln. That is where the workshops take place. I took one of her Polymer clay workshops recently. It was very enjoyable & educational.
Check back here or on the Puerto Armuelles Friends FB page for announcements of upcoming workshops.
Jewelry Making & Crafts. Every other Tuesday there is a jewelry/craft making opportunity at an expat gathering in the Coronado neighborhood. The other Tuesdays you can enjoy playing scrabble, as well as swimming in the pool or in the ocean. Here is some jewelry that was made on one such Tuesday.
Children Music Lessons. There is a musician in the Pueblo Nuevo neighborhood who for many years has offered music lessons and appreciation to kids in Puerto Armuelles. The drop in music experience is every Sunday afternoon. You will see him hanging out on his porch. Pueblo Nuevo is a tiny neighborhood behind the police station. Just after you pass the police station, his house is on the left, just before you are forced to turn right to avoid going the wrong way on a one-way road.
Puerto's Flea & Craft Market. You can sell your art at our monthly (more or less) market. It is held at the downtown waterfront park. You can sell your wares at the market even if you have no work permit. It is legal as long as any income generated is a minor part of your total income.
If you want to sell your art, crafts, or your stuff at the market & have Whatsapp, please contact us. I will ask if you can be put on the Whatsapp group. The Whatsapp group is for people who will plan on participating in the market. So only make a request to be part of the group if that is your serious intention. As a vender will be asked to donate part of your proceeds to help the street animals of Puerto Armuelles.
Do you know of any other art opportunities in Puerto? Please let me know.
Art of all types can be fun, especially when there are other people inspiring you with their art - or their attempts at art.
If you want to put your hat in the "art" ring, you may want to contact Brenda of the Tsunami Inn. She is interested in helping people explore art, of any type. Many people have never had the opportunity or time to explore their creative instincts. Now that you live in Puerto Armuelles, that has changed. You now have time to dabble and explore different mediums. You may find you have an unrealized talent. Something to pursue in this next chapter of your life.
If you have information about an art opening, where to find the best deals on artists supplies, or what crafts you are making to sell at the Saturday Flea Market, please comment below. We would love to hear from you.
Our wonderfully generous guest contributor lives in the charming beach town of Puerto Armuelles, Panama.
Over the last 5 years, the cost of fresh fruits and vegetables has remained fairly stable.
Although some prices have increased. Shallots (green onions) have soared in price. Ironically, bananas, which grow here, have also gone up in price. But are still reasonable.
The price of carrots, potatoes, onions, beets, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, chayote and regional root vegetables (i.e. yucca) have remained the same.
I spent $7 for
Enough fruits and vegetables for the week. If I had added a papaya and a pineapple it would have boost the price to $10.
The Panama government keeps price controls over what it calls a “basic food basket". So those prices have remained steady.
[Editors note: Panama's Basic Food Basket contains 22 foods, which includes, chicken, beef sausage, rice, onions, yams, potatoes, bread, beans, lentils, canned tuna, eggs, cassava, and more.]
During recent shopping trips, I have seen the following prices:
I recently paid $4.33 for 6 leg/thighs, which is enough for a week. I use the chicken in soup and other dishes. (Not all stores pass on the Government food basket "savings". These stores charge higher prices regardless of the price controls, which is why you will see a range of prices.)
[Editor's note: it is even cheaper - and more fun - to buy fish right off the boat. Check out this video of our buying fresh fish adventure.]
My water bill has remained stable. It is the same flat rate, whether you use one drop or fill an Olympic pool with tap water.
You get a 10% discount if you pay for a full year in advance. That is the price, with or without a pensionada visa.
Electricity remains basically the same, and is based on usage.
[Editor's note: Our family's electricity is typically in the $30 - $40/mo range. If you use an air conditioner, your electric bill can be in the $100 to $300 range. For more on the cost of utilities.]
Internet service cost remains high. If you are lucky enough to be in an area Cable Onda is able to provide service, then you will see very favorable pricing ($30 -$37/mo).
Cable Onda is adding more towers to service the more remote areas of where I live, but that is a slow process.
Also fiber optic cables are currently being strung/laid. That should also improve service and pricing. Again, a work in progress.
Prescriptions vary in price depending on what you require. Generally they are cheaper here than in the States.
Rents are all over the map, just like always. Location is a huge factor in pricing.
Routine preventive maintenance of air conditioners, water pumps, cars, etc. will prevent costly & inopportune repairs due to a breakdown.
Prices for land purchases range, depending on the area, from reasonable to outrageous.
The key here is to find someone who is fair and honest in the approach to real estate transactions.
In January 2018, President Varela announced a 4.5% - 6.5% increase in salaries, depending on the area of the country.
Domestic help – maids, gardeners, etc. – are charging more per day than in the past. Expect to pay about,
Generally speaking set a realistic budget for yourself.
If you must buy organic food, then significantly increase the costs noted in this post. You will also need to travel to buy organic food. It takes 3 to 4 hours - round trip - to drive to Boquete or Volcan from Puerto Armuelles to purchase organic foods.
[Editor's note: If you don't want to drive, you can request weekly deliveries from the organic farm, Finca Santa Marta. I believe they deliver to Puerto Armuelles on Thursdays, David on Tuesdays, etc. And, yes, it will cost more than buying non-organic]
I am still able to manage comfortably with the budget I created for myself 5 years ago – not using organic foods.
Happy New Year!!!
The location is now in a more central spot.
It will be at the downtown waterfront park.
The park is located between the bus station and the pier.
The market no longer occurs on the 1st Saturday of the month.
Now it is coordinated with the typical twice monthly payday (on the 15th and 30th).
There will be 2 markets in December
Most everyone seems to agree that the 8am start time is just too damn early.
Now the Market will be held from 10am - 2pm.
Most likely, the dates and time will continue to be tweaked. So check back toward the end of December.
The market will continue to solicit donations for Los Animales of Puerto Armuelles.
There will be a donation can at each vendor's table.
Please give generously.
Learn more about Los Animales of Puerto Armuelles.
Buy and/or sell items at the market.
You can buy or sell plants, fruit, handicrafts, used and new items, and much more.
If you are selling, don't forget to bring your own table.
Watch a video of the 1st Puerto Armuelles Market here.
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Video created by cienxcientoportenos.com. I simply added the English voiceover.
The Parade: On the streets of downtown Puerto ArmuellesParade in Downtown Puerto.
Folk Dances: in Municipal Gym in Downtown Puerto Armuelles.
The Gym is across the street from the dollar store.
There will be people from Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico & more performing their folk dances.
The parade starts at 11am. Followed by the dances.
For more information on Puerto Armuelles
Puerto Armuelles, land of hardworking men and women.
We, the people of Baru, are proud to invite you to our first cultural exposition.
This will take place on the 27th of November at 11AM.
There will be a folk parade [through the streets of Puerto Armuelles].
This will be followed by folk dance performances in the municipal gymnasium in downtown Puerto Armuelles.
This first ever international culture/folklore expo will feature performers from all over Central America.
Updated Nov. 1, 2017
If this is what drinking is like for you, then you should probably keep on drinking.
However, if you are one of us who has discovered through personal experience that drinking hasn’t looked this good for a long, long time, then you might be ready to give “not drinking” a try.
Have already tried “not-drinking” on your own, and found that it is a harder habit to develop than drinking was. Then you might consider joining an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) group.
AA is a great way to meet others who have discovered that the road to a happy, spiritually satisfying life is much easier to achieve when you are not drinking.
Getting support from others who are making the same choice to not drink, on a daily basis, is a great way to live a happier, healthier, and longer life.
In an earlier article, I wrote about AA meetings around Panama, including Alcoholics Anonymous meetings in Chiriqui.
At the time of this writing, there is a good expat AA meeting in Boquete. There are now also English-speaking AA meetings in David and Volcan.
To get the details of those English-speaking AA meetings in the Chiriqui Province, visit the AA site here.
I am aware of several other AA members who live in Puerto Armuelles.
One of these folks attends the meeting in Boquete only occasionally since it is an hour and a half drive each way.
Each of these has commented to me,
“Wouldn’t it be great if we had an English-speaking AA meeting right here in Puerto Armuelles?”
No doubt, if a meeting were to start up here in Puerto, we would soon discover that there are far more folks interested in attending than meets the eye.
Where ever there are people, you will find AA members.
What’s more, there are clearly plenty of alcoholic drinkers among the expats here in Puerto. Having a good AA meeting to attend might just be the opportunity that some of these “still drinking but wish I could quit” folks need to help them to get sober.
If you have any interest in participating in an AA group here in Puerto Armuelles, please let us know via our contact page or email.
We will be discrete and simply let all the responders know how many folks are looking for a meeting in Puerto Armuelles.
We will be sure to announce the first AA meeting. So if you set one up, please let us know about it.
Thanks for reading,
Reyn
However, a supplemental electric motor offers an extra boost for getting up to cruising speed after stopping at red lights, or providing horse power for getting up steep hills. (Seattle is a famously “steep” city.)
Watching our neighbor Henry’s business literally explode, over the past couple of years has been exciting. In addition to converting standard bikes to electrical assistance, Henry also sells a line of top quality factory built ebikes.
When we’re in Seattle, I sometimes stop by his shop to chat and to check out the latest ebike technology. The equipment is evolving fast in this new/old eco-friendly form of transportation.
So far, I have been reluctant to consider an electric bike myself.
I still see myself as a relatively “young” 56 year old. At some level, I guess we are all reluctant to admit that we’re getting old. (Luckily I have children who aren't reluctant to say, “Dad, admit it, you’re old”.)
Aside from the fact that I love to ride my human powered street bike, I worry that if I start to accept electrical assistance on my bicycle, would I soon find myself requiring assistance to do everything?
I already have an electric toothbrush. Would riding an ebike be a slippery slope to riding around everywhere. Would an electric powered wheelchair then be in my near future? Would it be a short cut to that final ebike commute?
Recently, however, I have begun to reconsider using an electric bike.
There are plenty of errands that I don’t do on my regular bike, because I am in too much of a hurry, or I have to carry too much, or I have already gotten a lot of exercise that day. Or more often, I just don’t want to get all sweaty. (See appendix for a complete list of my excuses.)
Maybe an electrically assisted bike would reduce the number of car trips that I take. Perhaps owning an electric bike would reduce the number of our car trips, and thus our environmental impact.
Maybe we would end up riding our "regular" bikes more, rather than less, and stay in better shape. Perhaps we would keep the bike riding “habit” alive, by having a way to ride, even when we don’t really feel like bike riding.
Another advantage of biking more (ebike or regular), is that when I do bike I feel more connected with the community. Definitely more than when I am hidden behind the tinted windows of my car.
In Puerto Armuelles, I notice that I ride my bike much more in the rainy season than I do in the dry season.
The 10 degree cooler temperature, plus the overcast skies makes the rainy season perfect for cycling.
I find I am more reluctant to hop on my bike in the hot dry season. I definitely don’t do it as much.
For instance, our family always seems to forget to buy some critical item at the grocery store. Which then requires someone shlep back downtown to Romero’s. And it is usually I who does that trip.
In the hot season, I usually make that 2nd trip to Romero by car.
There are other trip I could take by ebike too. As a home builder, I find myself taking frequent runs to the hardware store for small miscellaneous fasteners, adhesives, wire, blades, etc… for the construction crew.
Sometimes I take these trips by bike. If I really crank, I can probably get from our house in Las Palmas, to Casa Cheong (about 3/4 a mile, slightly downhill) in under 2 minutes. However, by the time I arrive back home, I am usually pretty sweaty.
I love to ride fast, and I love to exercise. But, sometimes I just don’t feel like getting all “pitted out”.
Observing some of the other expat in Puerto Armuelles, I notice that not too many are bike riders. There are a few, but not many.
I imagine, like me they also don't want to get over-tired or too sweaty.
Puerto Armuelles is laid out along the ocean, so generally, it is flat as a pancake. Our house in Las Palmas is up a slight hill, perhaps 10 or 12 feet above downtown.
This is an ideal topography for even a very modestly powered ebike.
Perhaps expats in Puerto Armuelles (and the tropics in general) is the ideal market for electric bikes.
The electric bike just might bring a whole new level of fun and convenience to retirement life in Puerto.
In my own case, as I get older, I anticipate that I will still enjoy feeling the breeze in my (thinning) hair. I will still enjoy the freedom and the exercise of riding a bike.
However, I can foresee a time, not too distant, when I will happily opt for the ease of an electric bike. I think that I will ride more often, if I know that I don’t have to pedal the whole time.
With an electric bike, I’ll be able to exercise, without overdoing it.
I am going to be giving electric bikes a test ride in the near future. I will report my findings.
However, in the meantime, there is lots of information available about ebikes online. You can convert a bike you already own, or buy a new or used electric bike. (Maybe we should add it to our post about "Packing for your move to Panama".)
If you would like to check out our friend Henry’s shop, visit BikeSwift.com.
If you have any information to share with our readers about electric bikes, or other alternative transportation methods, please let us know.
If you are interested in living green, I wrote about using taxis in Panama - a green and affordable alternative.
Thanks!
Reyn
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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
