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Panama is currently dealing with a natural disaster of historic proportions. A cold front has stalled off the Caribbean Coast of Panama and Costa Rica. There has been extensive flooding of the coastlines of both countries. There is no damage reported in the Bocas del Toro Archipelago, However, we can expect there to be continuing bad press and a reticence to buy after the flood. From a real estate investment point of view, when the flood waters dry up and transportation is available would be a good time to look at real estate investment options out on the Bocas del Toro Archipelago or beachfront real estate on the mainland.

Eighty-year-old citizens of Bocas del Toro cannot remember flooding of any significance in Bocas in their lifetimes. In recent days rivers coming out of Panama’s central highlands have over flown their banks, washed out roads, stranded families, and caused a number of deaths. Help has arrived from as far away as Colombia, the United States, and Germany.

While there has been no reported damage out on the islands of the Bocas del Toro Archipelago nor on Bocas del Toro beach front property tourists have been stranded and no one is coming in. The attendant international press is likely to exert downward pressure on real estate prices in Bocas del Toro.

With the credit problems in the USA the high end of the housing market in Panama has flattened out after a ten year climb. Just on that basis now is good time to look at residential as well as commercial real estate in Panama. Considering that the flood caused damage in Bocas del Toro along the inland rivers and not on the coast or in the islands there will likely not be damaged homes to sell. The only damage in the coastal and island areas of Bocas del Toro will be in image.

Nevertheless, the sun will shine again and Panama’s summer or dry season is around the corner. Tourists will creep back to Bocas del Toro, perhaps slowly at first but with Bocas del Toro’s great natural beauty, wonderful sailing, and idyllic island get-a-ways it will be hard to keep people away in the long haul.

But for now, the extra pressure of a nearby natural disaster might encourage a vacillating real estate owner to lower his or her price a little. With the help of a knowledgeable and trustworthy consultant such as ABPanama you may be able to make the real estate investment of a lifetime.

Panama real estate investment, and boca property has done well for a decade or more based upon a flood of retirees from North America gaining easy residency but even more because of the strength of Panama’s growing economy. Even with the dismal news from North America, Europe, and Asia Panama expects to see its gross national product increase by 9 percent in 2008 versus 10 percent in 2007. Panama job reports show that Panama has added jobs while the USA lost a million jobs through November of 2008.

If you are interested in Panama beach front real estate come and talk to us at ABPanama. We have been managing real estate portfolios for over 23 years and we do business throughout the country.