Panama is one of the fastest growing property and investment opportunities in the world. While the real estate in Panama offers tremendous value – it is the low cost of living that really attracts people to Panama. Panama’s pristine beauty, near-perfect weather, friendly locals, world-class fishing and outdoor activities makes owning land in Panama an excellent choice.
At Ocean Ridge Estates you can truly have it all – a top quality lifestyle for a very affordable price. Contact us with any questions you have, and start finding out how you can have your very own piece of paradise.
Hello Ocean Ridge people (and honored family and friends);
This isn’t really a full blown newsletter, but I thought you might like some recent photos so you can see how the project is taking off. First let’s start with the houses:
We just started on our seventh house, for Betty on lot 8. It was just started two weeks ago, and already the foundation is taking shape (photo below). Hopefully Betty will be moving down from Texas later this year, and providing free dental care for all of her neighbors (okay, I’m kidding!). Yvette’s house on lot 15 is almost complete, and hopefully she also will be moving down sometime this year (photo below). Yvette, your wrap-around porch is getting rave reviews from everybody who sees it. Leo and Willy came in to visit, and did some major clearing around their guesthouse (photo below). Now they have fabulous views in all directions. Meanwhile Bob and Annie on lot 10 are right on schedule to finish their house in a few months (photo below). You might want to check out Annie’s interesting blog, which describes their life in Panama – it’s well done and quite entertaining (panmaniacs.wordpress.com).
Since smelling the roses is one of the core principles here in Paradise, there have been a number of pool gatherings in the last few weeks. Here is a typical afternoon with Leo, Willie, Bob and Annie (photo below). For those of you planning on a pool (which you all should be), we have found that the water temperature year-round is between 81 and 84 degrees Fahrenheit – cool, refreshing and perfect.
We continue to have new visitors from Mother Nature. For those of you who haven’t seen the pics, we have a couple of coatis that come around occasionally and mingle with the agoutis (2 photos below). When you come down you’ll have to learn all the names of the weird animals around here. Coco the squirrel has returned after a six month absence (photo below), and Loco and Twinky say hello to everybody (photo).
Last but not least (for those of you who care), the fishing/spearfishing continues to be outstanding (3 photos below). Last year was probably the best dorado year we’ve ever had, and when my brother Scott visited over the holidays I introduced him to spearfishing. Okay, I’ll say it – big brother big fish, little brother little fish…….. 🙂
That’s it for now; here’s hoping that everybody out there has a fabulous 2015.
Panama is one of the fastest growing property and investment opportunities in the world. While the real estate in Panama offers tremendous value – it is the low cost of living that really attracts people to Panama. Panama’s pristine beauty, near-perfect weather, friendly locals, world-class fishing and outdoor activities makes owning land in Panama an excellent choice.
Ocean Ridge Estates is located on the western slope of the Azuero Peninsula, and is possibly the only mini-ranch project in Panama, with estate lots ranging from 4 – 12 acres. When you purchase land in Panama, you have many more creative options on how to use your property. You can stable horses, grow large fruit orchards and/or gardens, put in walking trails, extensive landscaping, etc. You will also have a level of privacy that is far superior to projects offering smaller lots.
After searching high and low, The Panama Collection selected Ocean Ridge Estates for its pristine natural beauty and ideal location. Located just 1 hour from Santiago and 3 ½ hours from Panama City it is perfect for retirement and investment real estate.
Some of our many property features include:
3-12 Acre Mini Ranches
Prime building sites
Good roads
Running water and electricity
Riverfront lots
Oceanviews
Privacy
Exotic wildlife
Ocean Ridge Estates has many nearby amenities:
Westerly views of the Pacific Ocean
A 24 hour clinic with a doctor always on staff 15 minutes away
Gas station
Grocery markets
New hotel (20 minutes driving)
Ocean Ridge Estates is picture perfect, bordered to the north by the Rio Negro (Black River), mountain views in all directions, and the Pacific Ocean four miles to the west.
According to the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, Panama ranks first among 135 countries, the U.S. ranks 12th, on subjective well-being – not just how much wealth or good health people have but how they feel about their lives
Hola future neighbors, and welcome to the final newsletter of 2013. Things are finally drying out after a wetter than usual rainy season, and it’s nice to be looking forward to several months of dry weather. Some great things are happening on the project, so here we go:
1) Let’s build another house. When Leo and Willy came to visit from Canada in October, they decided that they liked lot 14 better than lot 5, so that’s the one they bought. They didn’t waste any time – they’ve started building a small guesthouse so they’ll have a place to stay until they build the main house at some point in the future (photo). The house will be done in January, after which the crew will move right over to lot 4 and build a similar house for brother Pieter and his wife Joka. I’m a lucky guy; how many people can say that both of their next door neighbors are named Hoogenboom?
Meanwhile Tom and Stephanie’s house on lot 7 is nearing completion, and looking quite magnificent in my humble opinion (photo). Sometime in 2014 they’ll be having a big housewarming party, and all of you are invited! Well, maybe I should check with them first………..
The author does a great job of explaining why establishing residency in Panama should be about 50th on your list of priorities when you move down here. You can literally live in Panama for years and years with no residency status of any kind (like me, Patricia and the author), so you will have plenty of time to figure out your best option when you’re living here.
3) Critter update. Since several of you keep asking, it seems like the Paradise Zoo keeps expanding. Loco is as ornery as ever (photo), Coco comes in from the jungle every day to eat and hang out (photo), and now we have a new daily visitor. Two years ago we raised a couple of baby birds that were smaller than Loco and his siblings (orange-chinned parakeets, if you really must know). We released them into the wild, and assumed we would never see them again. About five months ago one of them showed up with his entire lower beak missing – maybe lost it in a fight? He was almost dead, but of course Patricia nursed him back to health, and now he flies in every day for his bread and milk (photos). We named him Teenyweeny, which I think is pretty catchy. We also continue to see more and more wildlife in the area – check out the toucan in the back yard (photo).
That’s it for this year. Everybody have a great Christmas, Hanukkah, Ramadan, Festivus, and any other holiday that I forgot to mention.
Ocean Ridge, panama lots for sale, land in panama,panama land,panama land for sale,panama real estate,panama real estate listings,The Panama Collection
Ocean Ridge Estates features 16 oversized lots ranging in size from 3 – 12 acres each. The community is located on the western slope of the Azuero Peninsula. This is a relatively undiscovered area of Panama. With Panama’s current real estate boom, now is the time to purchase land while prices are still low.
The Panama Collection selected Ocean Ridge Estates for its pristine natural beauty and ideal location. Located just 1 hour from Santiago and 3 ½ hours from Panama City it is perfect for retirement and investment real estate.
Ocean Ridge Estates is picture perfect, bordered to the north by the Rio Negro (Black River), mountain views in all directions, and the Pacific Ocean four miles to the west.
The low purchase price includes water, electric, a road to the property, full title, and any assistance you need in building your custom home. This is quite possibly the best value in the entire country of Panama – find out for yourself!
Panama is one of the fastest growing property and investment opportunities in the world. While the real estate in Panama offers tremendous value – it is the low cost of living that really attracts people to Panama. Panama’s pristine beauty, near-perfect weather, friendly locals, world-class fishing and outdoor activities makes owning land in Panama an excellent choice.
Ready to own a piece of paradise? Questions? Call 888.521.8141 or fill out the online form. If you are currently in Panama call 507.6679.7540.
Hola yet again Panama people; get ready for the latest and greatest from Ocean Ridge Estates. I know it’s only been two months since the last issue, but the neighborhood keeps expanding. Let me tell you all about it:
1) The Dutch invasion. Say hello to Pieter and Joka Hoogenboom, a really nice Dutch couple who have been living in northern British Columbia, Canada, for the last 25 years or so (photo). They’re a little tired of Canadian winters, so they bought lot 4 and they seem pretty excited about the place. In fact, Pieter called his brother Leo in Alberta, Canada, and Leo was so impressed that he bought lot 5 – looks like a Hoogenboom takeover to me! Pieter is in the gas and oil servicing industry, while Leo is a greenhouse consultant. That means that he can help us all build greenhouses to grow food year-round, which I think is pretty great. Feel free to contact Pieter and Joka (Peter@dutchcasing.com) and Leo and his wife Willy (hoogenboom@albertahighspeed.net) anytime you like.
2) Just like winning the lottery – sort of. I think that most of you are familiar with the Machetazo, the supermarket in Santiago where we buy most of our groceries. Unknown to us, they have a “Customer of the Day” program where the cash register randomly picks one customer per day to get all of their groceries for free. I knew something was up when the horns and sirens went off, the confetti came raining down, and all of the employees rushed over with balloons and cameras (photo). Panamanians don’t need much of an excuse to party, that’s for sure. Okay, it was only $60 in groceries, but it was still fun.
3) The Great Chicken Experiment. Some of you have expressed an interest in raising chickens when you make the move to Panama, so we thought we’d give it a try. We built a deluxe super-modern chicken coop (photo) and fifteen cute little chicks for 50 cents each. When they got big enough we had Jose the caretaker kill nine of them – turns out I’m a little squeamish about killing critters that I’ve been feeding. Patricia wasn’t squeamish at all about cleaning them (photo), and she cooks a good bird. However, when we did the math it came out to about $20 per chicken – now I know why the locals just let their chickens run around, and don’t feed them anything.
We turned loose the remaining six chickens, intending to have them more or less as pets, and hopefully get some eggs. However, a few nights ago something attacked and killed five of them – Jose says it was probably coyotes. I guess the moral of the story is to close your coop at night; we named the one surviving chicken Nervous Nellie, and the name certainly fits.
4) New hotel. Okay, it’s not new, but the Heliconia Bed and Breakfast (hotelheliconiapanama.com) has established itself as the only decent place to stay on the entire coastline. Owned by Loes and Kees, a Dutch couple (I told you we were having a Dutch invasion), the hotel has a very eco-friendly theme, and they take customers on tours throughout the countryside. They even go into the Cerro Hoya National Park at the southern end of the peninsula. If you’re looking for a nice place to stay that is much closer than Santiago, I definitely recommend the Heliconia. No, I’m not getting any commission for telling you this, but I might want to talk to Loes and Kees about that!
That’s it for this issue – come on down to Paradise just as soon as you can.
Panama is one of the fastest growing property and investment opportunities in the world. While the real estate in Panama offers tremendous value – it is the low cost of living that really attracts people to Panama.
The Panama Collection selected Ocean Ridge Estates for its pristine natural beauty and ideal location. Located just 1 hour from Santiago and 3 ½ hours from Panama City it is perfect for retirement and investment real estate.
Ocean Ridge Estates is picture perfect, bordered to the north by the Rio Negro (Black River), mountain views in all directions, and the Pacific Ocean four miles to the west.
Lots 4,5 and 6 are pretty similar. All are bordered by the Black River, the largest river in the region (see photo).
All of them are large parcels, around 7 acres, perfect for putting together your very own country estate. You can have up to three horses, fruit orchards, large gardens, walking trails, etc. About the only limitation is your imagination.
All three lots offer some ocean view, but the main visual appeal will be the vast mountain views (see photos). Monkeys, parrots and many other animals are common here on the project; it’s easy to see why the name of this area is actually Paradise !
At Ocean Ridge Estates you can truly have it all – a top quality lifestyle for a very affordable price. Contact us with any questions you have, and start finding out how you can have your very own piece of paradise.
Hola future neighbors, and welcome to the latest edition of The Ocean Ridge Report. After the lightest rainy season that anybody around here can remember, we’re all settling into the nice dry verano (summer). The river is down, the watermelons are planted, and a couple trillion stars are out at night. As usual, great things are happening in the area, so let’s jump right in:
1) Let’s build another house. Even though Tom and Stephanie (lot 7) are probably 5 – 7 years away from a full time move to Panama, they’ve made the wise decision to build now while prices are still low. The foundation is coming right along , and the house should be more or less finished by next June. It’s going to be a beautiful two story beast – I just hope it’s big enough for two people!
By the way, they need to come up with a name for their place, if anybody has any ideas. I suggested “Tom’s House of Pleasure”, but I think Stephanie vetoed that one.
2) Santiago happenings. Santiago is steadily becoming one of the “in” cities in Panama, largely because of its central location in the country. The population has gone over 70,000, with new amenities coming in all the time. The new six story hospital is nearing completion, and will be the most modern medical facility in the whole interior of the country. It will have entire floors dedicated to cardiology and oncology, with state of the art diagnostic equipment throughout. The new supermall has been started, and should open within two years. The hotel Mykonos has just opened, and is one of the few four star hotels outside of Panama City. Not sure how much business they’ll get at $130/night, but it’s a nice option for you players out there. Supposedly Mel Gibson owns half the place, but we haven’t seen him hanging around.
3) Insurance matters. After our usual thorough and painstaking research, we’ve purchased insurance for the house. The cost is $378/year for $200,000 in coverage, less than one fourth the cost of a similar policy I have on one of my properties in Florida. We already submitted a claim for some roof damage, and they paid the full amount promptly, with none of the hassles that you have to go through in the states. I think I like Panama.
We also shopped extensively for car insurance, which is a little more expensive; about half as much as I pay for similar coverage in the states. When you make the move to Panama, I think we’ll have you covered for any insurance needs that you might have. We’re still researching health insurance; seems to be more complicated, so I’ll get back to you on that one.
Once again, we are the proud winners of the coveted “Best Decorated House in the Neighborhood” award. You guys are making it easy on us – maybe next year Tom and Stephanie will provide some competition.
Have a great Christmas, Hanukah, Ramadan, or whatever your persuasion is.
Jay and Patricia
– Jay Stafford www.thepanamacollection.com 954-309-2837 cell in Florida 507-6679-7540 cell in Panama
Hola future neighbors, and welcome to the latest edition of The Ocean Ridge Report.
We’re nearing the end of the dry season (verano) here in Panama – the hills are brown, the river is down, and the cows are skinny. As usual, great things are happening in the area, so let’s jump right in:
1) More neighbors. Say hello to Richard, his girlfriend Cynthia, and their good friend and business partner Yvette. They hail from St Augustine, Florida, and they liked the project so much that they bought lots 15 and 16. Between the three of them they bring a lot to the table, including experience in building, woodworking, property management, growing plants, as well as starting several businesses, like a healthy “life foods” restaurant. They also enjoy wine, vodka and fine cigars (okay, Richard likes the cigars), so you know they’ll fit right in with this group. Feel free to contact Richard and Cynthia at panamasurfershark@yahoo.com, and Yvette at sailorsexchange@yahoo.com.
2) Pool party anyone? After interviewing at least 10 pool builders, we finally found the right guy for the job. He’s in Panama City, and has built hundreds of pools throughout the country. Check out the photos; he did a great job, and now we have a nice place for those all important sunset cocktails. For those of you who want pools to go with your dream house, we can definitely help.
3) Airport update. I’ve mentioned the new international airport being built in Rio Hato in a previous issue, but I thought you’d appreciate knowing that construction is coming right along; here’s the best link I could find; http://www.panama-guide.com/article.php/20121109150247625. It is scheduled to open later this year, which probably means sometime in 2014. It will be a true international airport, with flights coming in from the U.S. and all over the world. The site is about 2.5 hours from Mariato, which will be a big improvement over the current 4.5 hour journey from Panama City.
On a side note, there are still no commercial flights available into the Ruben Cantu airport in Santiago. Rumor has it that flights will be opened up within a couple of years; you know I’ll keep you posted.
4) Dental care. Inexpensive healthcare has been a recurring theme in these newsletters, and dental care is no exception. Patricia has had problems with her lower wisdom teeth for the last couple of years, so she did some of the local research that she’s so good at and found a highly regarded female dentist in Santiago. The dentist took over two hours to remove both teeth, in a comfortable, modern facility.
Patricia was very impressed with the dentist’s skill, and had no problems afterwards. The bill was $120, probably 10% of what it would have cost in the states. For future reference, filling or redoing a cavity costs $40. You gotta love Panama!
That’s it for now. I know that several of you are planning on starting to build your home within the next year or so, and we’re excited about that. What’s the point in catching so many fish, when you don’t have neighbors to give ‘em to?
