Get all the data you need about the real estate market in Panama
SUMMARY
Yes. Americans can currently buy and directly own most titled property in Panama without first becoming residents, using a Panamanian nominee or creating a local company.
The legal restrictions are narrow rather than nationwide. The big constitutional exception is land within 10 kilometers of Panama’s international borders, while islands, beaches, mangroves and other protected or public land can follow different rules.
The biggest practical divide is not American versus Panamanian ownership. It is clean registered title versus property sold through rights of possession, unclear coastal claims or records that do not line up with the land on the ground.
For a normal Panama City condo, foreign ownership is usually the easy part. Building finances, unpaid PH fees, special assessments, deferred maintenance and rental restrictions can matter much more to the buyer’s result.
Beachfront property is possible, but the word “beachfront” deserves extra scrutiny. A private parcel can sit next to the coast without giving the owner private title over the physical beach or other public-domain land.
Panama’s financing market confirms that non-resident ownership works in practice. Current bank products advertise roughly 70% to 75% financing on some eligible purchases, although foreign buyers should expect more paperwork and larger down payments than on a typical U.S. mortgage.
Property ownership and immigration status are separate. Americans do not need residency to buy, but a qualifying real-estate investment of at least $300,000 can currently form part of Panama’s Qualified Investor permanent-residency route.
Being American changes the tax picture more on the U.S. side than on the Panama side. Panama does not impose a special foreign-buyer tax, but U.S. citizens can still face U.S. tax and reporting obligations on foreign rental income, gains, bank accounts and foreign entities.
Direct personal ownership is often the cleaner starting point for one home or condo. A Panamanian company can make sense in some cases, but using one automatically can create extra U.S. reporting without removing Panama’s foreign-land restrictions.
The safest pattern is pretty clear: registered finca, independent lawyer, Registry checks, matching survey and cadastral records, known access rights, and a purchase contract that does not force the buyer to gamble on what will supposedly be fixed later.
The deals that deserve the most caution are the ones that look unusually cheap because some part of the legal structure is unfinished. Rights-of-possession land, “private beach” claims, remote parcels with unclear access and pre-construction projects with weak documentation can all turn a bargain into a long legal problem.
For Americans buying ordinary titled condos, houses or properly documented land, Panama is currently a relatively accessible foreign-property market. The nationality question is rarely the hard part; the specific property is.
Thinking of buying real estate in Panama?
Acquiring property in a different country is a complex task. Don't fall into common traps – grab our guide and make better decisions.
Can Americans buy property in Panama?
Yes. Americans can currently buy and directly own most titled property in Panama without becoming Panamanian residents first.
That includes ordinary condos in Panama City, houses in Boquete, homes around Coronado and many titled properties elsewhere in the country. Panama has no general rule forcing Americans to use a local nominee, obtain citizenship or create a Panamanian company before buying.
There are still important exceptions. Article 291 of Panama’s Constitution prevents foreigners from acquiring land within 10 kilometers of the country’s international borders. Island territory follows tighter rules, while beaches, mangroves and several other types of public or protected land cannot simply be treated as normal privately owned lots.
The other big distinction is between registered title and derechos posesorios, or rights of possession. They can both appear in property listings, but they give the buyer very different levels of legal protection.
For most Americans, then, the nationality question is easy. The harder work begins with the specific property: what exactly is being sold, whether it has registered title and whether the seller can legally transfer it.
| Property type | Can an American usually buy it? | Main issue | Residency required? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Titled condo | Yes | Standard title and building checks | No |
| Titled house | Yes | Standard title and land checks | No |
| Land within 10 km of a border | No | Constitutional restriction | No exemption |
| Island property | Sometimes | Special legal rules | No |
| Rights-of-possession property | Possible, but different from title | Much higher legal risk | No |
| Public beach or protected land | Generally no | Cannot be treated as ordinary private property | No |
Why do people still say Americans cannot own property in Panama?
Americans can own property in Panama today; the confusion usually comes from turning a narrow constitutional restriction into a nationwide rule.
Article 291 of Panama’s Constitution says that foreign individuals, foreign companies and Panamanian entities with foreign capital cannot acquire property within 10 kilometers of Panama’s borders. That restriction mainly concerns land near Costa Rica and Colombia.
It does not cover most places where Americans actually buy. Panama City, Boquete, Coronado, El Valle, Pedasí and most other established foreign-buyer markets sit outside that restricted border zone.
Another source of confusion is Article 290, which restricts property ownership by foreign governments and foreign official entities. That has little to do with an individual from Florida or California buying an apartment.
Panama has also actively encouraged foreign investment for years. More recently, the government has continued promoting real estate as one of the qualifying investments under its Qualified Investor residency program. That would make little sense in a country where individual foreigners were generally barred from owning property.
So when someone says that an American needs a Panamanian nominee simply because foreigners cannot own real estate, we would treat that claim with a lot of skepticism.
Don't buy the wrong property, in the wrong area of Panama
Buying real estate is a significant investment. Don't rely solely on your intuition. Gather the right information to make the best decision.
Where can Americans not buy land in Panama?
Americans cannot buy land within 10 kilometers of Panama’s borders with Costa Rica and Colombia, and some island, coastal and protected land also falls outside the normal private-property market.
The border restriction is the clearest one because it sits directly in Article 291 of the Constitution. Becoming a Panamanian resident does not make that restriction disappear. It is based on foreign ownership, not immigration status.
Island property needs more care. Panama’s Constitution allows island territory to be transferred only under specific conditions connected to national development and provided that the area is not strategic or reserved for government programs.
Coastal land creates another layer of complexity. Panama’s land legislation excludes beaches, mangroves, protected areas, indigenous territories, riverbanks and several other public or environmentally protected areas from ordinary private titling.
Most foreign buyers will never encounter the border rule in practice. Coastal and island issues are much more likely to appear in real listings, especially when a remote parcel looks unusually cheap.
| Land | Usual position for an American buyer | What we would check first |
|---|---|---|
| Normal titled urban land | Usually ownable | Public Registry title |
| Land within 10 km of a border | Foreign ownership prohibited | Exact location |
| Island parcel | Depends on legal status | Title and applicable island rules |
| Titled coastal parcel | Potentially ownable | Survey, title and coastal boundary |
| Beach itself | Public-domain restrictions apply | Whether seller is claiming public land |
| Mangrove/protected area | Strong restrictions | Environmental and land classification |
Can Americans really own beachfront property in Panama?
Yes, Americans can own properly titled land next to the coast in Panama, but a listing described as “beachfront” does not automatically mean the buyer owns the beach itself.
Panamanian law distinguishes private coastal property from public-domain areas. The physical beach, broadly the area affected by the tides, receives special treatment and cannot simply be included in a private sale because an agent draws the property line down to the water in a brochure.
That distinction becomes especially important with remote coastal land. A house in an established titled development near the ocean is one thing. A large undeveloped parcel advertised as having 200 meters of “private beach” deserves much more investigation.
We would want the registered finca, cadastral plan and physical survey to tell the same story. Access rights also matter. A beautiful coastal parcel becomes much less attractive if the route used to reach it crosses land the owner has no registered right to use.
Mangroves, concessions, protected areas and historical possession claims can make some coastal deals considerably messier than an ordinary city purchase.
Americans can therefore own genuine beachfront or near-beach property in Panama, but the word “beachfront” should trigger better due diligence rather than greater excitement.
Get to know the market before buying a property in Panama
Better information leads to better decisions. Get all the data you need before investing a large amount of money.
Is “rights of possession” basically the same as owning Panama property?
No. Derechos posesorios in Panama give a buyer a very different position from registered ownership, and we would not value the two as though they were interchangeable.
A titled property appears as a registered finca in Panama’s Public Registry. The Registry can show the registered owner, mortgages, liens and other recorded information attached to that property.
Rights of possession generally concern occupation or recognized possession of land that has not yet become ordinary registered private title. Panama has procedures that can allow certain qualifying possession rights to be recognized or converted into title, but eligibility depends on the land and the legal history of the claim.
That leaves the buyer with more uncertainty. The person selling the land may genuinely have longstanding possession rights, yet the buyer still has to understand whether those rights are valid, transferable and realistically capable of becoming title.
This is one reason some untitled coastal or rural properties appear dramatically cheaper than nearby titled land. Part of that discount reflects legal uncertainty rather than a hidden bargain.
For an American buying from abroad, clean registered title is usually worth paying for.
| Question | Registered title | Rights of possession |
|---|---|---|
| Registered as a private finca | Yes | Usually no |
| Owner identifiable in Public Registry | Yes | Not in the same way |
| Registered liens easy to check | Yes | More complicated |
| Bank financing | Much easier | Often difficult |
| Legal certainty | Higher | Lower |
| Further titling work needed | No, assuming valid title | Often |
| Our default choice for an overseas buyer | Preferred | High caution |
How can an American check whether a Panama property really belongs to the seller?
The safest way to check ownership in Panama is to trace the property through the Public Registry and make sure the registered finca matches the property being sold.
A seller’s deed copy or a real-estate agent’s description is not enough on its own. The Public Registry can confirm who is registered as owner and whether recorded mortgages, liens or other encumbrances affect the property.
For a condo, the lawyer should identify the individual Property Horizontal unit rather than relying only on the name of the building. For land and houses, the investigation should also connect the Registry description with the cadastral information and the actual parcel on the ground.
That becomes particularly important outside Panama City. A fence may have moved over the years. A neighboring owner may be using part of the land. The driveway may cross another finca. The physical area advertised by the seller may not perfectly match the registered area.
A proper survey can expose these problems before closing.
We would therefore want three things to line up: the seller’s description, the physical property and the government records. A mismatch between them is something to resolve before the purchase, not after it.
Buying real estate in Panama can be risky
An increasing number of foreign investors are showing interest. However, 90% of them will make mistakes. Avoid the pitfalls with our comprehensive guide.
Can Americans buy condos in Panama City easily?
Yes. A properly titled Panama City condo is currently one of the simplest types of property for an American to buy in Panama.
Condominiums operate under Panama’s Property Horizontal system, generally called PH. Individual apartments can have their own registered finca, so the buyer can verify the unit through the Public Registry much like other titled real estate.
With an established condo, the foreign-ownership question quickly becomes secondary. The building itself deserves more attention.
We would check unpaid maintenance fees, recent extraordinary assessments, the PH’s financial position, pending major repairs, insurance, disputes, rental restrictions and the condition of elevators, façades, roofs, pools and other expensive common areas.
This matters especially in older towers. A building can advertise a relatively low monthly maintenance fee because it has genuinely low costs, or because owners have repeatedly postponed work that will eventually require a large assessment.
Short-term rentals also deserve a separate check. Buyers sometimes assume that buying an apartment gives them complete freedom to list it on Airbnb. Panama’s tourism rules and the building’s own PH regulations can make that assumption wrong.
For a normal Panama City purchase, we would spend far less time worrying about whether an American can legally own the condo and far more time examining whether that particular building is well run.
Does an American need Panama residency before buying property?
No. Americans can buy ordinary titled Panama property as non-residents, so immigration status does not have to come first.
An American can remain based in the United States, buy a second home or investment property in Panama and register ownership without first obtaining a Panamanian residence card.
Residency starts to matter more when financing enters the picture. Banks can apply different credit standards to non-residents even though both residents and non-residents are legally allowed to own the property.
Caja de Ahorros, for example, currently advertises a specific mortgage for foreign non-residents with financing of up to 70% and a maximum term of 20 years. That product would hardly exist if Panamanian residency were required before foreigners could buy.
The practical distinction is straightforward: Americans do not need residency to own the property, although residency can sometimes make banking and day-to-day life in Panama easier.
Don't lose money on your property in Panama
100% of people who have lost money there have spent less than 1 hour researching the market. We have reviewed everything there is to know. Grab our guide now.
Can buying Panama property actually get an American residency?
Yes. Panama currently offers permanent residency through its Qualified Investor program when an American puts at least $300,000 into qualifying real estate and meets the program’s other requirements.
This route is now more than a program that simply looks attractive on government websites. Panama’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry recently reported that Qualified Investor approvals had passed 700 people and generated more than $350 million in investment. According to the ministry, monthly applications had risen from roughly 10–12 to more than 30, with some months reaching 38.
Real estate remains one of the qualifying routes. Current government material puts the minimum real-estate investment at $300,000, while securities investment requires $500,000 and a qualifying fixed-term bank deposit requires $750,000.
The investment generally has to be maintained for at least five years. Panama also allows the process to begin from abroad through a Panamanian lawyer.
A $150,000 condo therefore does not give its American owner residency just because real estate is involved. The investment needs to satisfy the actual Qualified Investor rules.
We would also avoid choosing a mediocre $300,000 property merely to reach the visa threshold. Residency can make a good investment more useful, but it cannot make a bad property good.
| Qualified Investor route | Current minimum |
|---|---|
| Qualifying real estate | $300,000 |
| Securities through qualifying structure | $500,000 |
| Fixed-term bank deposit | $750,000 |
| Minimum investment holding period | 5 years |
Can Americans get a mortgage in Panama right now?
Yes. Some Panamanian banks are actively lending to American and other foreign non-residents today, although a buyer should expect to put considerably more cash down than on a typical U.S. mortgage.
Caja de Ahorros currently advertises financing of up to 70% for foreign non-residents, with terms of up to 20 years. Its published requirements include a valid passport, a second ID, a credit report from the buyer’s home country and income documentation.
Davibank’s current Panama material also publishes a dedicated non-resident mortgage schedule. For certain second-home purchases below $500,000, maximum financing reaches 75%. The published limit drops to 70% between $500,000 and $1.5 million and 65% between $1.5 million and $2.5 million. Qualifying lot purchases are shown at up to 50%.
Those figures give us a much better picture than the common claim that “foreigners can get financing.” A $300,000 purchase financed at 70% still requires about $90,000 from the buyer before legal fees, appraisal costs, insurance and other closing expenses.
Foreign income also means more paperwork. Banks may ask for tax returns, salary records, bank references, credit reports and proof of assets. Approval depends on the borrower rather than nationality alone.
For buyers who need financing, getting a preliminary bank decision before making a large non-refundable deposit is one of the easiest ways to avoid an expensive problem.
| Current published example | Maximum financing | Buyer equity implied | Maximum term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caja de Ahorros foreign non-resident mortgage | 70% | 30% | 20 years |
| Davibank second home under $500k | 75% | 25% | 25 years |
| Davibank $500k–$1.5m | 70% | 30% | 25 years |
| Davibank $1.5m–$2.5m | 65% | 35% | 25 years |
| Davibank qualifying lot under $750k | 50% | 50% | 15 years |
Get the full checklist for your due diligence in Panama
Don't repeat the same mistakes others have made before you. Make sure everything is in order before signing your sales contract.
Should an American own Panama property personally or through a company?
For a typical American buying one Panama home or condo, direct personal ownership is often the cleaner starting point; a Panamanian company should have a specific reason to exist.
Some buyers hear that foreigners should automatically create a corporation before purchasing. Panama does allow companies to hold real estate, and corporate structures can make sense for multiple investors, commercial projects, estate planning or particular liability arrangements.
But a company does not magically remove Panama’s foreign-land restrictions. Article 291 specifically extends the border restriction to Panamanian entities whose capital is partly or wholly foreign.
Americans also have to think about what happens back home. The IRS treats directly held foreign real estate differently from ownership through a foreign company. A home held directly is not, by itself, a specified foreign financial asset for Form 8938. Holding the same economic asset through a foreign corporation can bring foreign-entity reporting into the picture.
Depending on the structure, that can mean considerably more U.S. tax paperwork.
A Panamanian corporation can still be the right tool. We simply would not create one because a real-estate salesperson says “foreign buyers always do it.” For Americans in particular, the ownership structure should make sense on both sides of the border.
What taxes and fees does an American pay when buying property in Panama?
Americans do not currently pay a special foreign-buyer tax in Panama, although the purchase still comes with legal, Registry, notarial and potentially financing costs.
Two taxes often discussed at resale are primarily seller-side obligations under Panama’s tax system. The real-estate transfer tax is 2%. Panama also generally requires a 3% advance payment toward capital-gains tax based on the applicable transaction or cadastral value rules, with the final capital-gains treatment depending on the seller’s actual taxable gain and circumstances.
Buyers should avoid assuming that every cost mentioned during negotiations belongs to them. Purchase agreements can shift some expenses contractually, so the useful document is a proper closing statement showing each charge and who pays it.
A financed purchase brings additional costs such as appraisal, mortgage registration, bank expenses and required insurance.
That makes the advertised price only the starting point. An American comparing a $250,000 Panama condo with a $250,000 property elsewhere should compare the full cash needed at closing rather than the listing prices alone.
Don't sign a document you don't understand in Panama
Buying a property over there? We have reviewed all the documents you need to know. Stay out of trouble - grab our comprehensive guide.
How much property tax do Americans pay in Panama?
Americans pay the same Panama property-tax schedule as other owners, and current rates remain low enough that annual government property tax is often a smaller expense than condo fees or maintenance.
Panama’s DGI currently shows a progressive ordinary-property schedule of 0% up to B/.30,000 of taxable cadastral value, 0.60% from B/.30,001 to B/.250,000, 0.80% from B/.250,001 to B/.500,000 and 1% above B/.500,000.
Properties that qualify as a principal residence or family patrimony receive a more favorable schedule. The first B/.120,000 is exempt, the next band through B/.700,000 is taxed at 0.50%, and value above that level is taxed at 0.70%.
The key word is cadastral value. Buyers sometimes apply the headline tax rate directly to the purchase price and come away with the wrong estimate.
For condo owners, PH maintenance can matter much more. A tower with pools, security, elevators, generators, staff and extensive common areas can easily produce a recurring maintenance bill that dwarfs the property tax.
So when we calculate the real annual carrying cost of a Panama property, tax is only one line. PH fees, insurance, repairs and vacancy can be far more important.
| Taxable cadastral value | Ordinary rate | Principal residence/family patrimony | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to B/.30,000 | 0% | Up to B/.120,000 | 0% |
| B/.30,001–250,000 | 0.60% | B/.120,001–700,000 | 0.50% |
| B/.250,001–500,000 | 0.80% | Above B/.700,000 | 0.70% |
| Above B/.500,000 | 1.00% | — | — |
Do Americans still owe U.S. tax on Panama property?
Yes. Americans remain inside the U.S. tax system after buying Panama property, so rental income and taxable gains can still create U.S. obligations.
A U.S. citizen who rents out a Panama condo generally has to consider that foreign rental income when filing U.S. taxes. Selling the property can also create a U.S. tax calculation even when Panama has already taxed the transaction.
Foreign tax credits can sometimes reduce double taxation, but the calculation needs to follow U.S. rules rather than simply assuming that tax paid in Panama settles everything.
Direct ownership has one useful reporting feature. IRS guidance says directly held foreign real estate itself is not a specified foreign financial asset for Form 8938.
Bank accounts and foreign entities are a different story. An American using a Panamanian bank account to collect rent may have FBAR obligations once the relevant aggregate foreign-account threshold is crossed. Holding the property through a foreign company can introduce additional information returns.
This is the main area where being American genuinely changes the experience compared with many other foreign buyers. Panama largely treats Americans like other foreigners when they buy the property, while U.S. tax rules continue following American citizens afterward.
Get fresh and reliable information about the market in Panama
Don't base significant investment decisions on outdated data. Get updated and accurate information.
What are the biggest red flags when Americans buy property in Panama?
The biggest Panama property red flags are unclear title, suspiciously cheap rights-of-possession land, coastal claims that do not match official boundaries and any seller who makes independent checks difficult.
Rights of possession deserve particular caution when the asking price assumes that full title is practically guaranteed. “Title coming soon” can mean very different things depending on the land, documentation and government process.
Coastal listings need equally careful reading. Claims such as “private beach,” “oceanfront to the waterline” or “exclusive access” should be checked against the survey and the legal status of the coastline.
We would also investigate unpaid PH balances, registered mortgages, tax arrears, litigation, unapproved construction and discrepancies between the advertised area and Registry records.
Pre-construction adds developer risk. Before paying a large deposit, the buyer should know who owns the project land, whether it is mortgaged, what permits exist, how previous projects were delivered and what the contract allows the developer to change.
Buying remotely is possible and common enough, especially through a properly prepared power of attorney. Yet remote closing makes independent inspections more important, not less. A video call cannot confirm a rural boundary, legal road access or the condition of every part of a building.
Another obvious warning sign is pressure to use only the seller’s lawyer while discouraging independent advice. An American wiring six figures to another country has little reason to save a relatively small legal fee by giving up independent representation.
| Red flag | What could be wrong | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| “Rights of possession, title soon” | Future title may be uncertain | Legal basis and titling status |
| “Private beach” | Public-domain land may be included in marketing | Survey and coastal boundary |
| Seller resists Registry checks | Ownership or liens may be problematic | Registered finca and encumbrances |
| Very large early deposit | Buyer loses leverage | Refund conditions in contract |
| Area does not match documents | Physical parcel may differ from title | Survey, Registry and cadastral data |
| Cheap pre-construction deal | Developer/completion risk | Land, permits, financing and track record |
| Guaranteed residency pitch | Investment may not meet visa rules | Qualified Investor requirements |
Is it actually safe for Americans to own property in Panama?
Yes, ordinary titled property in Panama gives Americans a workable and established ownership structure, but the safety gap between a clean registered condo and an informal coastal land deal is huge.
Panama has a Public Registry, registered fincas, mortgages, Property Horizontal rules and formal deed-registration procedures. Banks are willing to lend against eligible properties, including through products specifically aimed at foreign non-residents.
Those are strong practical signs that conventional property ownership is functioning rather than informal.
Problems tend to concentrate in less conventional deals: possession rights, disputed boundaries, untitled land, remote coastal parcels, unclear road access and projects where the buyer is relying heavily on what a promoter says will happen later.
That explains why experiences with Panama real estate can sound wildly different. Someone buying a clean PH apartment in Panama City and someone buying an untitled beach parcel are taking very different risks even though both say they “bought property in Panama.”
For Americans who stay within the registered market and use independent due diligence, Panama is currently a fairly straightforward foreign-property jurisdiction.
Get to know the market before buying a property in Panama
Better information leads to better decisions. Get all the data you need before investing a large amount of money.
So, can Americans buy property in Panama?
Yes. Americans can currently buy and directly own most titled property in Panama, including condos, houses and many coastal properties, without first obtaining Panamanian residency.
The main restrictions are specific rather than broad. Foreigners cannot acquire land within 10 kilometers of Panama’s international borders. Island territory follows additional rules. Beaches and several categories of protected or public land cannot be treated as normal private property. Rights of possession also provide less certainty than an already registered finca.
The current market infrastructure confirms that foreign ownership works in practice. Panamanian banks openly advertise mortgages for non-residents, with some published products financing 70% to 75% of eligible purchases. Panama is also actively using real estate to attract foreign residents through the $300,000 Qualified Investor route, which has now passed 700 approved investors across its qualifying investment categories.
For a normal titled condo or house, being American is rarely the problem. We would spend our time checking the finca, liens, building finances, physical boundaries and purchase contract instead.
That is ultimately the clearest answer to the question. Americans can own Panama real estate, and the standard titled market is relatively accessible. The deals that deserve real caution are the ones where the property itself sits outside that clean, registered model.
OUR METHODOLOGY
This analysis tests whether Americans can buy property in Panama and what “safe ownership” actually means once the legal yes-or-no question is out of the way. We separate foreign-ownership law from title quality, geographic restrictions, condo rules, financing, residency, Panama taxes, U.S. tax obligations and property-level due diligence.
For ownership restrictions, we relied first on Panama’s Constitution, especially Articles 290 and 291, and on official Panamanian material identifying the restrictions that apply to foreign real-estate ownership. For title, possession rights, coastal land and Property Horizontal ownership, we used Public Registry guidance, Law 80 of 2009, official case law on public-domain beaches and Law 284 of 2022.
We treated registered title and derechos posesorios as different legal positions throughout the analysis. Public Registry records, the registered finca, cadastral information and the physical survey are therefore treated as the core evidence for deciding whether the seller owns what is actually being marketed.
For financing, we used current published mortgage terms from Caja de Ahorros and Davibank rather than generic claims that foreign buyers can borrow. For residency, we used Ministry of Commerce and Industry material on the Qualified Investor program, including the current $300,000 real-estate threshold, the five-year holding requirement and recent program-uptake figures.
For Panama taxes, we used DGI material on property-tax brackets, real-estate transfer tax and the Forms 106 and 107 framework. We also checked the new Law 546 published on August 31, 2026, which changes ITBI treatment for qualifying first sales of new homes; it does not replace the resale-tax discussion in the article, but it is relevant to the current tax backdrop.
For U.S. obligations, we relied on IRS and FinCEN guidance covering worldwide income, foreign tax credits, Form 8938 treatment of directly held foreign real estate and FBAR rules. This is why the article separates Panama’s treatment of an American buyer from the U.S. reporting that can continue after the purchase.
Key sources used for this analysis include: Panama’s Constitution, MICI’s official foreign-investment annex, Panama Public Registry search guidance, Law 80 of 2009, Law 284 of 2022 on Property Horizontal, Caja de Ahorros on mortgages for foreign non-residents, Davibank’s non-resident mortgage terms, MICI’s Qualified Investor program terms, Panama DGI property-tax guidance, IRS guidance on Form 8938 and directly held foreign real estate, IRS guidance for U.S. citizens abroad, and Law 546 of 2026.
Buying real estate in Panama can be risky
An increasing number of foreign investors are showing interest. However, 90% of them will make mistakes. Avoid the pitfalls with our comprehensive guide.
Related blog posts
- Are property prices in Panama likely to rise or fall?
- How expensive are homes in Panama now?
- Are rents in Panama still rising?
- What should you watch out for when buying property in Panama?
- Does owning property in Panama help you get residency?
- Do foreign buyers have the same property rights in Panama?
