I don’t know about your weekend, but mine was lovely.
I had a nice dinner Saturday night with some friends that are watching another friends house. It was a bit strange opening a refrigerator for a beer, using a “normal” bathroom, and sitting around a table having dinner with nice thin wine glasses. I tried for so long to keep nice wine glasses on the boat but it just doesn’t work. BBQ pork ribs, YUMMY :)
I have a friend coming to Panama in three weeks and is interested in the possibility of buying a piece of beach front property. As you guys know I’m not a”land” person. But if I had to live on land I’d need to be on the beach. I have been speaking to a realtor and yesterday he came by to bring me and some other friends on an excursion down Costa Arriba. As it turns out I have other friends interested in property in the area and they came with me. I tailed along on the motorcycle as it seemed a good day for a long ride in the country.
I’ve never seen the coast between here and the San Blas but it is wonderful. We looked at 4 properties, only two of which were cool. Real estate here is a bit interesting. Their is still a lot of ROP (Right Of Possession) properties for sale. In America we had a lot of this (ROP (homestead)) a few generations back. Right Of Possession is basically like when American pioneers went west and just built land where they pleased. Eventually that land turned into title, and some pretty rich land owners were the result. However buying ROP property is cheaper than buying titled land , it can be a bit risky. Most of my cruiser friends here in the area all bought ROP years back and are all either in possession of a title, or in the process of getting one now. Their risk paid off.
Anyway, I saw a really awesome beach front house (ROP) for $145k, and a brilliant beach front lot (titled) for $125k.
If I had money I would buy all the beach front lots (8 available). The land is about three hours from Panama city. Most of the trip is a beautiful country coastal drive, and the beach property is behind a locked gate (strange for the area) and about a 10 minute drive down a dirt road to the beach. Panama is booming and I really think it would be a good investment, not to mention the fact it would be a beautiful place to live & build a home. One guy from Michigan has built a HUGE (monstrosity) home down the beach, and a few other houses (more tasteful) are going up. Back in the day I would have been able to build my dream (retirement) home for about $200k (with land) If I knew about Panama. I never would have found what I wanted in the states. Not only because beach front is so expensive in the U.S. , but truthfully I wouldn’t want to be surrounded by the $$$ environment. Most of the people on coast Arriba are poor fisherman.
It was such a nice beach we all walked and listened to the surf for a while.
Anyway back to work, work, work!
I need to go to the city in a few days to return my Makita sander which wont grip a piece of hook & loop paper anymore, really frustrating. I also need to find a black filler for my hatch cover, I’m thinking black 5200 if I can find it.
It wont be all that long that the aft deck (cockpit back) of Splendid will be done:)
Hope everyone has a good week.
Peace from Panama.
– alex