Thread: Penonomé as a possible retirement spot?

Hi Lima, the agents you are dealing with may want to be selling you something in the city. You can get hospitals and medical care if needed. I probably wouldn't trust most interior hospitals for a heart transplant, lobotomy, or anything else major that you might want to schedule in advance. If you get injured there are many places that can help you out and there are ambulances. The Azuero peninsula just received a few new modern ones. Last but not least you can live for cheap cheap cheap in the interior. Take your time, take a look around, and brush up on your Spanish. Enjoy the experience.

Thank you for the feedback, Mr WooHoo. I rather figured that those agents might be just slightly biased towards the area where they had listings. I understand that direct can be better than through an agency anyhow. I'm always learning a bit more Spanish, at least (thanks to Latin class I guess) my accent is not so bad, or so they say.

To: Tenn Vol, Would like to stay in touch with you re the Penonome area. We are wintering in Merida, Mx this winter, but would like to take a look at Panama next. Any ideas on renting a small, not too expensive house for a couple of months (internet availability is important). Thanks,
Jim and Laura
Asheville, NC

Welcome to the forum LimaSierra!!

We live about 1-1/4 hours from Panama City - close enought, but far enough away (LOL)!

We are 10 minutes from the PanAmerican Highway and 25 minutes to Coronado or Santa Clara.

You are correct that there is a new medical clinic in Coronado that is open 24/7.

We are at 1200 ft. above sea level and can see about 300 miles of coastline (Tobago to Pedasi, and on good days the Pearl Islands). We do not have a/c because of the cool "mountain breezes".

As for medical, Panama City is the best for MAJOR stuff. I had surgery there last year for a reoccurence of ovarian cancer. Best care in the world as far as I am concerned. My 1998 bout cost $500K with great insurance and $500 deductible. My 2009 bout cost $410 with NO insurance.


Mary & Matt
www.whypanama.com

Originally Posted by jimgkiss

To: Tenn Vol, Would like to stay in touch with you re the Penonome area. We are wintering in Merida, Mx this winter, but would like to take a look at Panama next. Any ideas on renting a small, not too expensive house for a couple of months (internet availability is important). Thanks,
Jim and Laura
Asheville, NC

Jim/Laura,
I sent you a PM.

I visited Penonome today, and my first impression was very positive. Small town with some very friendly people.Weatherwise, it was much nicer than PC, with nice breezes.
So isn't Penonome a better choice compared to Chitre or other parts of the Azuero. Small town, close to beaches and close to PC.

Better is a subjective opinion. Penonome is a very nice little town. They have nice neighborhoods and the town is charming, has beautiful views etc. And, it is only 2 hours away from PC by bus. There are 2 big grocery stores. I have been told by the residents that it is cooler there than Chitre. The real estate market there may be a little tight. I checked the forclosure listing that Banco De Panama has for Penonome and there is almost nothing available. Chitre has 2 and 1/2 pages of foreclosures listed.

Forgive me for my lack of knowledge, what's the reason for the high quantities of foreclosures in Chitre?

It is just a bigger city. There really isn't that many foreclosures if you think about it. Chitre has around 40 thousand people. I have heard that most of the foreclosures are junk. I went into the Banco De Panama to check on how to arrange to see them and they told me that I just needed to make an appointment and someone would take me around to view the properties. There are quite a few homes for sale in Chitre. But, if you drive around in the barrios you see very few for sale signs. Tommorrow I am going to meet with someone has about 5 homes to show me in Chitre, all around 40 grand. Most are 3 bedroom 2 bath with a carport on 250 or 300 sq mts(small lots). Some are pretty close to the central part of town.

The Banco Nacional foreclosure list means absolutely nothing. It was 8 pages 3 years for Panama City and is down to 2 pages now. I would not draw any conclusions from any of this information, regardless of city.

Originally Posted by Panama Dreamer

Forgive me for my lack of knowledge, what's the reason for the high quantities of foreclosures in Chitre?

This is just a suggestion. But, if you are interested in buying a place in Penonome, post some notices on the grocery store or any bulletin boards you see in town(Real estate wanted). Now, this assumes you can speak some spanish. But, I believe you will get some immediate phone calls. I don't think it would be hard to find someone who is bi-lingual to help you with this if it is necessary. Driving around in the barrios is not so helpful because these folks don't even post for sale signs in most cases. Everyone there knows everyone so it is not necessary in their world.

My husband and I are coming down in April to scout for possible places to live. Planning on looking at David, Las Tablas and Penonome areas. One of my questions about Penonome is how much of an expat population is there? I'm learning Spanish, but my husband pretty much has a tin ear for languages so it's important to him to be around some English speakers.

Thanks,
Susanna

That's not going to work. You need to get him trained.

Originally Posted by FutureExpat.com

my husband pretty much has a tin ear for languages so it's important to him to be around some English speakers.

FutureExpat.com:
There are expats there, but not like in the Coronado or David/Boquette area. There are few and far between, you will see a lot in the shopping area because the all-inclusive resorts have buses running up there almost everyday to go clothing/shoe shopping. In the Penonomee area you aren't 5 minutes from the beaches like you are in the Las Tablas area.

Mary
www.whypanama.com

We stay in a hotel in Penonome every time we come back to visit my wife's family, & I have only heard a few people in Penonome speaking English. We spend a lot of time in Penonome shopping and walking around and it doesn't seem like a lot of expats are in that area. It idoesn't bother me as my wife and I speak Spanish in our home every day (she's from Anton). I would recommend your husband learn Spanish if you plan to retire close to Penonome. Otherwise, concentrate on the communities recommended above.

Just saw your post. You mention you live at 1200 ft, am wondering what the normal temperature variation is there? We don't want to be in Boquete or some of the other highland communities because they're too cold for our tastes -- but we do love the mountain views.

Thanks,
Susanna

Hi!

At night it gets down to around 68-70 year round. During the day it is from 80-100. We have the nice breezes from the mountains behind us and don't even have a/c. Yet we are 10 minutes to the PanAmerican Highway and 15 minutes to San Carlos or Corona Beaches.

Mary
www.whypanama.com

Originally Posted by FutureExpat.com

Just saw your post. You mention you live at 1200 ft, am wondering what the normal temperature variation is there? We don't want to be in Boquete or some of the
other highland communities because they're too cold for our tastes -- but we do love the mountain views.

Thanks,
Susanna

Originally Posted by whypanama

Hi!

At night it gets down to around 68-70 year round. During the day it is from 80-100. We have the nice breezes from the mountains behind us and don't even have a/c. Yet we are 10 minutes to the PanAmerican Highway and 15 minutes to San Carlos or Corona Beaches.

Mary
www.whypanama.com

OMG, sounds like heaven!!! We'll definitely have to visit when we're in the country.

Susanna

Hi Susanna!

On my website at the top of the page click on "webcam" to see the view to the Pacific coastline.

Mary
www.whypanama.com

Originally Posted by whypanama

Hi Susanna!

On my website at the top of the page click on "webcam" to see the view to the Pacific coastline.

Mary
www.whypanama.com

Absolutely gorgeous!

Hi LimaSierra, by now you are probably back home and I hope that you found the answers to your questions. I just wanted to let you know of the wonderful doctors in Panama. The medical issue was a huge one for us and we could not seem to get the answers we needed from up here in the States. It took going down there in order for us to really feel comfortable about this subject. What we found out was that the US has been lying to us for many years. Up in the States, it is all about the pharmas and money. Down in Panama, the doctors really care about your health. I went to a re-known Neurologist in David and he said that almost all American patients are being over-medicated. Why? It is all about the money. How sad...We spent 1 1/2 hours with him and got all our questions answered for $40. He has an office in Chitre and is also setting up a satellite office in Las Tablas. He took me on as a patient with a progressive nerve disease and said that he will get me healthy and off alot of these meds that are going to destroy me. He is one of many good doctors there. So no, you do not need to be in PC for your health care. I wouldnt pick Pedasi or a town that is too far out but there are many neat towns that are close to doctor availability around that doesnt take a day to get to. Good luck!
India

I am visiting Panama city Panama next week. I am interested in moving there with my family Panama not Panama city. Penonome looks the most interested if someone has a contact for real estate agent please email me at mike_78702@yahoo.com

If anyone is still looking, there is a local realtor associated with ReMax here in Penonome: www.bluedolphinrealtor.com. She also speaks English. We are looking to rent. We are in a little house right now and the neighbor is the owner. He has built his shed onto our lot, so we have practically no yard, but then Saturday he starts knocking down the rest of the wall inbetween us and tells us he's extending the shed all the way to the back fence. So we will have a tiny strip. Not good for kids to run around. So we are looking for something else.

My husband and I are also moving to Panama, my brother has a condo in the heart of Panama and we are staying there
for about a year to make sure right decision. Can we apply for dual citizenship after we are there or due we have to do that in the U.S???

Originally Posted by PAMNESBITT

My husband and I are also moving to Panama, my brother has a condo in the heart of Panama and we are staying there
for about a year to make sure right decision. Can we apply for dual citizenship after we are there or due we have to do that in the U.S???

There are limited grounds to gain citizenship in Panama, but most involve investing or depositing cash of specified amounts, depending on the program selected for specified period of years. During the pendency of your application, you typically will be granted temporary residency and then permanent residency after a while. Ultimately, you in theory have a right to apply for citizenship status.

Living here is not a grounds for citizenship, but obtaining permanent resident status is available under the so-called pensionado program. It does not put you on a path to citizenship.

Get a good immigration lawyer in Panama. I find that much of the information out there is often out of date and flat wrong.

Your application for citizenship in Panama or anywhere else is of no concern to the U.S. They still expect and require you to report and pay taxes on your worldwide income no matter how many citzenships you have. You'd have to renounce your U.S. citizenship and go through the Exit Tax process to end legal responsibility for doing so.