In this article I am presenting approaches and resources about real estate and investments in Panama. There is a multitude of opportunities in the real estate market in Panama ranging form great deals on retirement homes to investments for appreciation, project developments, and rental investments. Success in entering the real estate market depends on being clear on what you want from your investment. Let me illustrate how you can clarify your real estate or investment objectives. Are looking for a retirement home? Panama is a great place with a wide variety of locations from the city to gated communities, beach front property or up in the cool mountains. I feel it is wise to spend some time in Panama to get a feel for what it is you really want from your investment. If you want the best mountain retreat and the city is of minor importance then don't miss an opportunity to visit Boquete. With David only 30 minuets away you can easily get to a major supermarkets and everything you may need from a city other then the big city culture. But neither David nor Boquete has what the bustle of Panama City has. From an apartment in downtown Panama you can walk to a different restaurant every night for weeks, and still discover new ones. Spend some time in the city and get to know it. The more you explore, the more you will find yourself delighting in Panama city and its people. The whole of Panama is there for you to discover the best place for you to live. Some great spots are a bit far from the city. Stay awhile; get to know the country and yourself before buying that dream home.

Looking for an investment requires a very different approach. Investments are done by numbers not purely love and feel. I put heart into everything I do. But with investments a priority is to look long and hard at the numbers. Location is always very important. With investments one must be realistic. Making a 10% to 15% return is very good return and the higher the return the more work and risk one has to take. So you must become familiar with risk reward assessment. One of the great things about real estate is that it generally is a very safe investment. Being that it is very safe, you do not often get 40% or 50% annual return on your money. It is a longer-term solid investment with a minimum amount of risk if done right. You want to do a risk reward assessment of every investment you do, know what the risks are and the potential rewards.

The second category of real estate investment option is solid value investments. You buy a market ready investment property that has a steady return such as a rental or timber properties. With rental properties your net return on cash invested is often about 4% to 6% from rent net cash flow. In addition to this you accrue over time the increase in the value of the real estate, which could be another 3% to 10%. Some years could yield more but on average real estate has appreciated at about 3%. This gives a very nice total return of 8% or more. If you enter a market that is just starting up and remains strong you can get a return of 14% to 15% for a period of time. The current market in Panama appears to be at this point. Rent increases over time add up as the years go by further increasing your long-term return. This is a very good long-term steady investment. It is one of the safest long-term investments. Once a property is purchased and put into proper management it requires only minimal attention. It builds solid asset wealth. It is well protected from inflation or deflation of the currencies of the world, as rent and asset values tend to adjust upward as currencies go down. It is a very sound value investment. Many commodity investments fall into this category.

Timber investments are also very productive real estate type value investments. There is the land and trees that are constantly growing. Every year there is more wood so through the annual harvesting of timber it is similar to collecting rent, except without tenant negotiations. You get the wood growth plus the appreciation of the asset value. For more information on this go to www.PanamaTeakForestry.com or google timber or teak investments. It is best to do some independent research on any investment type you are interested in so that you can make an educated choice.

Many real estate investments bew be a combination. You purchase a property, put some work into it and rent it out. Doing this can give you some quick appreciation form the initial time and effort invested and the long term steady return from the rent and appreciation starting from the improved value but because you are holding it you do not have to deal with the costs of reselling the property.

With investments and in particular real estate, I feel the first search one needs to do when looking at real estate is an inward search as to what they want from the investment. A home for personal use brings the greatest value in the form of the smile it puts on your face and in your heart. In contrast to an investment where cash return is the main objective. In the first case it is easier, just take time to listen to your heart and observe the life of the place, relax and you will know when you are in the right spot. In the second case you have to look at your financial goals, your time frame and your personality. How much time do you have to invest, what is your knowledge base? Do you want a slow steady return coming in every month? Do you want it to start as soon as possible or can you put off the return for another 5 to 9 years then have an even greater deferred return that starts to come in just as you are really getting into your retirement. Are you looking to double you money in 4 years in order to have it all available for something else? What is the risk assessment and your comfort level with the risk of each investment. Take the time to consider what you want and be realistic as to what your return will be. You can get a mix of the options above but know to what degree it falls into which category and is that serving what you really want.

Here is some info on getting this done in Panama once you have decided in which direction to move. In Panama real estate is not quite as organized as it is in the US or Canada. There is no MLS. Each realtor has a different style and different listings. There is some overlap and the new projects are generally widely known by many realtors. But the resell market is much less organized, and development opportunities can be hard to find. One way to become acquainted with the overall market is to take one of the real estate tours provided by companies such as Panamaatyourservice.com They can give you a lot of information on real estate in Panama from one area to a tour covering the whole country. They can be fun, informative and give an excellent over view of what options are available, as well as advise you on which realtors know which areas. For a quick city tour and very personal fun tours there are people that specialize in this. like www.panama-real-estate.com/, which is another real estate company with a broad knowledge of real estate in Panama. Look around, talk to a few different people to find who you like and who understands what you want.

Realtors commissions in Panama are much less organized then else where. In the city the standard commission is about 5% and in the country 7% to 8%. Most of the properties listed by realtors a commission is being paid by the seller. Talk openly with your realtors so they can present more opportunities. A good opportunity may be provided when you offer to pay the commission on properties where the owner may be trying to sell it themselves and are unwilling to pay a realtors commission. You can pay the realtor to work for you rather then the seller. In the purchase contract the commission should be stated as to who is paying it and when, so that everybody is clear. Realtors have to make a living form the immense time and energy they put into locating the perfect ideal location for you. There is no MLS of what is for sale in Panama thus creating a great deal more work for the realtor. They must locate properties, make arrangements with the owners and negotiate on your behalf.

For timber investments Teak is a prime high value wood that grows well in Panama. There are a number of different investment opportunities available. Do an internet search and learn a bit about it. One company worth looking at is www.PanamaTeakForestry.com A lot of straight forward no BS information is available. Spend some time looking at the options before making a decision. For more information on Panama we invite you to look over the links on www.panamacasa.com from these you will find a wealth of information on Panama. Explore the internet and more importantly come, explore and discover the delightful opportunities of Panama in person. It is a country of endless surprises. Stay awhile and get to know the country and yourself.

The links above are given as starting points, but please do not limit your exploration to any one group. I believe the above groups respectively provide something different and compete by trying to provide the best service possible.

Be clear on what you are looking for. Is it a new home to live in, a long-term steady investment, or a more aggressive growth investment? How much time to you wish to put into the search and development of the investment? Do you want an investment with minimal future work so that you can devote your time to other things? Come to Panama! All of these opportunities can be found in this beautiful land.

Knowing what you are looking for is one of the keys to finding it.