Advice on areas to live please

Hi Sara!

Welcome to Expat.com and thanks for the introdution.
Good luck in your new adventures

Armand

I suggest Costa del Este or Santa Maria, next to Costa del Este. Brisa del Golf is not a bad option, however Costa del Este has more to offer for an expat.

oh , dont know about Brisas,  alot of things going on in there, if you realy want peace, San Fransisco, Punta Pacifica, Obarrios, these places are establish communities and very well guarded. most everyonne have a security guard outside their home.

Hi,

I really do not want a guarded, gated community.  I want a small home outside of David or in David with a bit of land to garden, have pets, and meet the locals.  It sounds like unless I have a guarded home, I will not be safe.  I am a woman alone but have done the condos and apartments.

Your opinion, please.

Kathy

we are planning to buy a condo in panama we are looking the playa serana and biltmore if anybody owns one we would like any infomation you have

Hi Apex, you may also post an advert in Panama classifieds > accommodation section.

Thanks,
Harmonie.

Interested in rental in David. Want 3 bdrms+, outdoor space, pool. House is ok but large apt or condo might suit better. Want to walk to town.

Skype me at jrobbart or email at jrobbart2Gmail.com

Not sure about the other areas but I do know that Costa Del Este has faster internet than other places in Panama. I'm new here in Panama. Me and my Panamanian wife of 20 yrs just recently moved to Panama after receiving disabled social security. Most of Panama the fastest internet you can get is 4-5 Mbps download. Found out yesterday (12/30/2011)they have 18-25 Mbps service in Costa Del Este. I immediately started looking at the want ads to find a new place to live!!! lol
Costa Del Este is a newer area so I'm sure it's a pretty nice place to live and it's right by the waterfront.

I am new to this forum.  I am also looking to retire to Panama City. Costa del este rents are too pricey for my needs. Does anybody klnow anything about the more reasonably priced area such as Juan Diaz, Brisas del Golf or lasz Cumbres?

Hi Rebshalom,

Yes, Costa del Este is pricey. First off...I would recommend renting first no matter where you're looking in Panama. I can't tell you how much I learned about Panama in the first year of living here. Brisas is a good option, but as someone mentioned above, there's still a lot of constructiong going on in that area. You can find houses for rent for an average of $800 and up. Possibly as low as $700, but usually closer to the $800-$1,000 range. I've heard there are a lot of burglaries there, but I don't know how true that is. I'd say that no matter where you live, if you provide security (barred windows or alarm systems) you should be fine. Sounds horrible, I know, but it's a reality here. Most homes have barred windows.

San Antonio is the cheapest of the areas I'd recommend. You can rent a home for as low as $650. Cerro Viento is ok too. Then there's Villa Lucre, a more pricey option, with good shopping nearby and its own hospital.

For the money I'd recommend Brisas del Golf or Villa Lucre. The best thing about these two areas is the nearby shopping. You can get most things done without leaving the area. The worst thing is the traffic. Don't plan to leave the neighborhood during rush hour which can last from 6am-8am and from 4:30pm-8:00pm (give or take an hour).

One last option you have, which I really like a lot, is Cerro Azul. It's a mountain community of wealthy Panamanians and expats, about 30 minutes outside the city. It's so close that it could be considered part of the coummunity. Some of the homes there are still fairly cheap, and the weather is amazing. Its 70 degrees most evenings, and gets cooler. Actually requires a sweater sometimes.

Hope this helped a little.

Chris

Thanks for the advice, Chris.
We are planning to rent and are looking for a house because of our dogs.
We will be making an exploratory trip to Panama at the begining of July and will definitely be looking at the areas you mentioned.
Again,. thanks for the adivce.

I have an expat friend who owns in Las Cumbres. Has never had a problem with crime.

The only safe area to live for newbies in that area is in costa del este.  It's sterile, and brand new. Also a quick commute to Tocumen and you can avoid the worst that Panama has to offer.  Which is the area surrounding Tocumen.  Any other areas you'll be robbed, because they are essentially getto. Born and raised here, I'm also american, and this is the voice of experience.  Trust me on this.  Any honest realtor will tell you the same.

Panamajames,
I appreciate the voice of experience but that is rather discouraging…  Are you saying that places like Boquete or El Valle are not safe?