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Singapore’s Minister for Trade and Industry will visit Panama in November to review the status of bilateral trade. The two countries signed a free trade agreement in 2006. The minister is also visiting Mexico on his way to the 2008 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Lima, Peru. Figures quoted on the AsiaOne website from Singapore note that trade between Singapore and both Panama and Mexico, with whom Singapore also has a free trade agreement, amounts to $5.8 Billion USD annually.

Panama is gradually expanding its trade relations with a number of free trade agreements. The USA handed over the Panama Canal to Panama at the end of 1999. Until then much of the world viewed Panama as a US colony. In the subsequent years after “decolonization” foreign investment in Panama has been the highest per capita for all of Latin America. Panama was, as to a degree still is, dependent upon the strength of the US economy because so much Panama Canal traffic is either going to or coming from the USA. Panama’s free trade pacts will help wean Panama of some of that dependency.

However, Panama is fixing it USA dependency bit by bit. Panama has and is negotiating free trade agreements with countries in Latin America, North America, and Asia. The middle class in Panama as well as the rest of Latin America is becoming wealthier and spending more. More and more business is being done in Panama as recent credit law improvements empower Panama’s small business community and free trade brings more business to Panama’s door.

Real Estate Investment in Panama and Panama Free Trade

As Panama widens its trading options with free trade agreements Panama hedges its economic bets. Already it is apparent that Panama with its conservative banking is going to weather the global credit crisis better than most countries. Panama has had a growth rate of around ten percent. All of this leads to the suggestion that those who have money to invest in these difficult times look to Panama for commercial real estate investments.

Panama has a very pro business and pro investment government. Not only to North American retirees gain residency and buy real estate in Panama but younger expatriates take advantage of Panama’s residency laws and go into business in Panama. Bit by bit Panama is improving how it does business. New trade relationships are opening up new business opportunities. However, doing business in a foreign country brings a whole host of new issues to deal with. A viable option and perhaps a better option is a carefully targeted commercial real estate investment to tie into Panama’s business opportunities generated by free trade while at the same time avoiding the paperwork.

Come to see us at ABPanama. We have over twenty-three years experience managing real estate portfolios. ABPanama can collect and deposit your rent checks every month. More importantly ABPanama can watch the market for real estate investment opportunities on the one hand and on the other hand tell you when to sell when the market peaks.

The Singapore Minister of Trade and Industry is not visiting Panama for his health. Five billion dollars in trade is a lot and you might as well make your real estate investment in Panama to take advantage of it.