I am always exploring building technologies and techniques here in Panama. I enjoy sharing what I have learned. Today, I am sharing my experience using M2. M2 construction panels have the advantages of ease-of-construction and cost savings. And one huge disadvantage, damage to the environment. About M2 M2 is a popular building material. It is … Read more
The notion of living in a “Tiny” home or basic shelter has been around for centuries. Ascetic monks from the 15th century and earlier have written about the spiritual benefits of casting off the extraneous luxuries of society and getting back to the bare necessities of life. The ascetics felt that only without encumbrances and … Read more
Jan 1, 2017 I get asked that question all the time. Or more specifically, “How much does it cost/square foot to build a house in Puerto Armuelles?” I always feel reluctant. I want to give a definitive answer, but it is complicated. “What will it cost to build”, is a hard question to answer anywhere, not … Read more
This post is about a remodel of an existing house in Puerto Armuelles, Panama. It is part of our ongoing series on “What it’s like to build a home in Panama” The Original House The house is nick-named “Casa Sombrero” because of its big sheltering roof. It is on a corner lot in the Corazon … Read more
We first arrived in Panama in the Fall of 2006. I felt a huge sense of relief at having taken a “side exit” out of the fast paced life of being a designer/builder in Seattle. Boy, was it a welcome change to settle into the life of a family of tourists in the tropics. Given … Read more
30 years ago, when I was in college, one of my best friends, Paul, had a unique solution to the problem of high housing costs. “When I grow up,” Paul proclaimed, “I am going to build myself a house out of trash”. Of course, none of us took a Paul seriously at the time. (FYI – He … Read more
This is the first installment of a series of articles on remodeling an existing house in Puerto Armuelles. In a recent article that I wrote on building materials in Panama, I briefly describe the challenges posed by building with wood. Now I will explore the pros and cons of remodeling a wood house in more … Read more
In this video, Milton Hutto shares his thoughts on expats building a house in Puerto Armuelles. Milton Hutto is an expat from North Carolina who lives in Puerto Armuelles, Panama. Over the past few years, he has built 2 houses and 1 hotel in Puerto Armuelles. Here is the video, transcribed Betsy: Hi, Milton. Milton: … Read more
If you look online, there are dozens of articles about shipping container construction. In this post, I explore containers as housing in various locations, including the tropical climate of Panama. I am particularly interested in ways to keep a shipping container’s living space cool, comfortable, and affordable in the tropics. Price of Containers I recently heard that you can … Read more
If you research tropical building materials online, you will undoubtedly run into bamboo as an option. Bamboo is a building material that has been on my radar for 30 years. Bamboo has big advantages as a building material Amazingly abundant Grows incredibly fast (It is a type of grass) My Prior Experience with Bamboo Before moving to … Read more
For over 20 years, I was designer and builder in Seattle. So I am very familiar with 2×4 “stick” construction. And the 1st building project I did in Panama was wood construction. I bought and remodeled an old Chiquita Banana house in Puerto Armuelles. It is the house we live in. However, remodeling a wood … Read more
Most housing in Panama is made of cement, cement block and a zinc roof. By using those simple building materials you get a sturdy house that is impervious to bugs, mildew, or fire. Concrete Construction Which is why cement is the typical building material of all of Latin America. It is also what we use as the primary … Read more
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How to buy Panama real estate with confidence and ease, written by the family that lives in Puerto Armuelles.
Living in Panama
Titled beachfront and ocean-view property in Puerto Armuelles, from a family that has lived here for over 13 years.
We are real estate advisors, not real estate agents.