Country Article / Postcards
Turnkey Beach Home for Less Than $100,000
Date: 11/23/2005
Dear International Living Reader,
Ask any visitor to this country, and he'll tell you that Panama's most attractive attribute is her miles of white-sand beaches, and the lush, tropical nature. Rain is a fact of life here, and it's the price you (occasionally) pay for the beauty of the green environment.
In my ongoing quest to find the best beach home in Latin America, I'm traveling throughout Panama. I've found an exception to the "rain rule" here, called Arco Seco ("dry arc"), an arc-shaped region along the Pacific Coast where it rains significantly less than it does in the rest of the country.
This makes Arco Seco a popular resort destination for Panamanians and visitors alike, and consequently a place where you'll find many fashionable beachfront communities.
Playa Blanca ("White Beach"), with its incredible mile-long stretch of fine, white-sand beach, stands out among all the others. It's the most successful resort on the Arco Seco.
I've seen several excellent seaside residential communities with great amenities in Panama (which I'll tell you about soon), but Playa Blanca comes with all the trappings of a thriving, high-occupancy resort--sparkling swimming pools, four restaurants, several bars, a night club, boutiques, and nightly shows. Plus, a nine-hole putting course, beach volleyball, and tennis...and of course, the beach.
You can buy a home here to live in part-time, or to rent out to like-minded vacationers. A three-bedroom, 2,500-square-foot, Mediterranean-style villa costs $180,000; condos start at less than $100,000.
But the apartments in Villa Azul (the newest phase at Playa Blanca) got my attention--perfect for a part-time vacation home. With two bedrooms and 1,160 square feet of living space, the average price here is only $99,800, and includes your appliances. The monthly condo fees are the lowest of any that I've seen on the coast this trip.
For more information on Playa Blanca, contact our Panama Office at http://www.il-ireland.com/il/questionnaire/playa-blanca/
Lee Harrison
Roving Latin America Editor, International Living
P.S. Although no indication of what will happen in the future, since 2002 the properties here have appreciated annually (based on resales) between 15% and 26%, depending on the property type.
Also see:
- Ocean to the left of me, forest to the right…
- "I live in Panama City. And I'm in Panama on a specific mission: To help you become an Insider!"
Important note: In the interest of full disclosure, we want you to know that International Living receives commissions from sales at Playa Blanca.
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