Going to Panama for the first time to buy property, any suggestions?
 

Hi Everyone!
So glad I found this forum. My husband and I are going to Panama for the first time over the thanksgiving holiday for one week, in the hopes of scouting a good retirement, relocation investment in Panama. We have never been to Panama, but have heard that our retirement dollars would go farther there than in the US. Does anyone have any suggestions where & how to start....and have only one week? Very grateful for any insight!

Have owned real estate in CA SA many scammers

always work through an Abogado(attorney) lease/purchase best

internationalliving.com

escapeartist.com

good info but real estate

is pumped on both sites so be very careful.

lasolasresort.com Boquete area very nice.

"Pensionado" status makes Panama one of the best places

to retire in CA although many get tired of relentless rain.

weather2travel.com Climate Guides May-Dec sort of floats away

guanguiltagua.com Ecuador around Cuenca bolivar2.com

better climate vibe prices for me.

Happy Hunting,

Retiring in another country is a huge decision to make. Is your subject line really what you intend? Do you really plan to buy property during this trip? I'd use the trip to do some VERY preliminary scouting. A one-week trip to a country you've never visited before is not enough time to reach such a momentous decision. At least, I don't think so. :)

Boquete and El Valle de Anton are two places in Panama that attract many retirees. They have slightly higher elevations and are respites from the intense heat you find in most of the country.

I agree with Jeff. We own retirement property in Belize, and are very happy with our purchase. However, that purchase didn't happen until after numerous trips throughout the country, and other countries as well.

Your retirement dollar may go further, but, it's not worth it if you aren't happy with the climate/area/people.

Since you have never been, you should at least spend 6 months to a year leasing and see if you REALLY like it.

What a pleasant surprise to actually have a "live forum" be LIVE! Thx to all! I quess I ought to be clearer... As this is our first trip to Panama, we only intend to "scout" various cities or locals, (whatever can fit into a comfortable first trip, and not buy. Probably this will be the first of many trips and short stays, before we buy. I quess better questions would be...
1) Where in Panama are the US Expat's buying, currently
2) Suggested itinerary for 1 wk to see & experience these places?

We live in Santa Monica and love the beach, but my husband is quite spolied and not sure of relocation to retire outside the US. False sense of security? Perhaps!
My husband is about 5-10 yrs from retireing, but I'd love to live between both within 1-2 yrs.
Thx again for all your wisdom & kind support!

I read lots and lots about folks retiring in/around Boquete. we spent two weeks in Panama a few years ago, and didn't go there.

We were looking for heat. Boquete is way too cool for me. I wanted a place in the tropics so I wouldn't be cold. Belize has been mostly ok, although, I'm cold at 75F, and it's colder than that some days in January.

Are you looking for heat and humidity? Or, more of an 'eternal spring' sort of climate?

Im NOT looking for heat, humidity or lots of rain. I am looking for an expat community with first class service & interesting people, with an all around good climate year round.

Boquete sounds like a place you should definitely visit! The is a strong ex-pat presence there. Unfortunately, that generates high prices in general (especially regarding real estate), but if you find just what you like, it would probably be worth it to you.

I'd like to recommend a stay at Coffee Estate Inn, owned by a couple of Canadians. They have a beautiful place and a lot of knowledge about navigating the area. Good hiking, excellent restaurants in the area.

Thanks veryone for your generous time in responding!
Does anyone have a suggested itinerary for a 1 wk initial visit to Panama to buy property? We will be flying in to Panama City, and plan to spend 2-3 days there and surrounding area, but then we are stuck! We'd deffinately like to go to Boquette and Bocas Del Torro, but what about everything in between? Any suggestions? BTW, my husband is NOT good with "roughing it" so any usefull suggestions along those lines is also welcomed with much gratitude! Thanks