Remember 2009?
The financial world was in chaos—banks collapsing, markets buckling. But if you knew where to look, it was a different story.
Picture eight Real Estate Trend Alert members, huddled around a battered laptop in a little clubhouse by the Pacific.
There were no cameras. No big dinners. Just a handful of us, splitting the lunch bill. While everyone else panicked, we were shooting the breeze on opportunities the rest of the world couldn’t see.
And those eight members, of whom I was one…we were at our first-ever RETA Gathering. The annual meet-up of my investment club.
I had recently founded RETA in the depths of the financial crisis. I had long sought a club like this. One that gave ordinary investors like me the chance to pool our buying power and negotiate as a group thereby getting off-market deals, exclusive pricing, and early access.
That’s the core of RETA—we go to the right places and get the best deals, first.
We know that when you look everywhere there’s always opportunity somewhere. That’s why my team and I spend $1 million a year on travel and research.
My team and I dig out opportunities all over the world. An example is the best-in-class Singular Dream community in downtown Playa del Carmen, Mexico. It enjoys stunning rooftop amenities as well as incredible views of the Caribbean. Members of my RETA club have seen huge six-figure uplifts by getting in first on an exclusive off-market deal..
That first Gathering was simple—eight of us in Rancho Santana’s little clubhouse in Nicaragua. The internet was so primitive, one member, Randy, was trying to dial into his office network. Today there’s a luxury hotel where that clubhouse once stood. And Randy? He was there at last year’s Gathering, reminiscing with me about how it all began.
Sixteen years later, RETA has grown stronger than ever. The ethos is unchanged—we still pool our buying power to unlock deals no one else can touch.
And today The Gathering has the same spirit as those early days around a laptop, but in a world-class setting, with world-class insiders, and with the RETA track record at our backs.
What began as a huddle around my laptop is now a relaxed, club-like event in luxury surroundings.
This coming March 12-14 for the first time ever, I’m bringing The Gathering to Panama City—to the 5-star Santa Maria Luxury Collection Hotel & Golf Resort, for three days of opportunity, insight, and connections you can’t get anywhere else.
With only 250 seats available when I open doors on Wednesday, August 27, at 1 p.m. ET, I expect a rapid sell out.
Panama City is one of my favorite cities in the world.
And March 12-14 is a great time to be there…
The Santa Maria Hotel & Golf Resort is the 5-star base for The Gathering XII. Just 15 minutes from Tocumen International Airport and minutes from downtown Panama City, it’s as easy to get to as it is luxurious to stay in. Read more in this Guide to The Gathering XII now.
I expect tropical sunshine and blue skies. In March, Panama City basks in sunny, 86 F days and warm tropical nights—the perfect escape from cold weather and an ideal backdrop for three days of deal-making and relaxed networking.
Three RETA team members actually live in Panama—the two concierges, Matt Doherty and David Hinton, and scout, Oliver Lovett. (That’s right….my RETA club has actual concierges modeled after those of the finest luxury hotels. Their role is to look after RETA members and answer any questions they might have.)
I asked them for their thoughts, tips, and personal recommendations and recently shared them with RETA members in Real Estate Trend Alert.
They’re thrilled we’re coming to their adopted hometown…and can’t wait to meet members…
Matt’s Panama
Matt first visited more than 25 years ago, when the tallest building in town was just 19 stories. Today he marvels at a skyline of 50-plus towers, some climbing over 70 floors.
He loves the transformation in dining—Panama City now boasts everything from inventive fusion cuisine to artisanal breweries and handcrafted rums. Matt insists you try Pedro Mandinga in Casco Viejo—order the bacon-wrapped shrimp with your cocktail.
Casco, by the way, is Matt’s must-see neighborhood. Centuries-old colonial buildings now house boutique hotels, rooftop bars, and cutting-edge restaurants. He recommends La Compañía, a jewel of a hotel with three historic wings and his favorite rooftop bar, Capella.
When he’s not exploring Casco, you might find Matt hiking up Ancon Hill, spotting monkeys and toucans, or taking in the engineering marvels of the Panama Canal. He swears—even after a dozen visits—the locks still impress.
Booming Panama City has the world’s 25th biggest skyline. It’s remarkable to think that 45 of its 50 tallest towers were built since 2000. This city is experiencing breakneck development. Come here for The Gathering XII and you’ll see the city’s phenomenal transformation for yourself.
David’s Panama
David lives west of the city, along the Pacific Riviera and he’s lived in Playa Caracol, a true beachfront community on the most beautiful stretch of Pacific within reach of Panama City. There we’ve had some spectacular RETA deals.
For David the great joy of Panama is balance—mornings on the pickleball court, afternoons floating in the ocean, evenings at the beach club Vento (he claims it’s home to the best pizza in Panama).
His tip for visitors? Don’t miss a trip to the beaches and local restaurants along the Pacific Riviera. Or head into El Valle de Antón, a town inside a volcanic crater with cool air, waterfalls, and hiking trails.
David’s seen firsthand how fast Panama’s coast is evolving—and he believes Playa Caracol will become Panama’s Playa del Carmen.
The historic Casco Viejo district is Panama City’s soul—where crumbling colonial facades meet rooftop jazz bars, boutique hotels, and artisan cafes. It’s just 15 minutes from the Santa Maria hotel where I’m holding The Gathering XII.
Oliver’s Panama
Oliver is RETA’s boots-on-the-ground scout in Panama. An Englishman who came on a visit in 2017 and never left, he has watched the city’s rapid transformation up close.
He notes how convenient and modern life here is: world-class hospitals and schools, an expanding metro system, super-fast broadband, and simple pleasures like a laundry service that presses shirts for 50 cents.
Oliver raves about the food scene. He highlights Maito (ranked 14th in Latin America), Cantina del Tigre, and neighborhood favorites like Los Años Locos for steak, Hong Kong Bakery for authentic Chinese dim sum, and Casa Alejandro for classic Spanish.
When he wants a night out, he heads to El Cangrejo for lively bars—or Murphy’s Irish Pub for darts with expats from every corner of the globe. For a touch of luxury, he suggests the VIP cinemas in Costa del Este or Soho Mall, where you can watch a movie in a reclining chair while waiters bring food and drinks to your seat.
Oliver also urges you to save time for escapes: white-sand beaches at Playa Caracol just 90 minutes away, or the San Blas islands—a chain of 365 Caribbean islets that look like they belong in a dream.
You’ll want to allow a few extra days if you come to Panama City for The Gathering XII. There are so many incredible day trips you can take. For example, visit the San Blas Islands. There’s one for every day of the year!
Come to The Gathering XII and Oliver, Matt and David will be just a few of the people you’ll meet.
I’ll be there too, of course, along with the rest of the RETA team.
And there will be the developers, lawyers, and market insiders from my deep network of connections.
Plus the Smart Money Homes team, who have assisted RETA members in many off-market deals over the years.
And that’s before we even mention the fellow RETA members who share your appetite for opportunity.
Learn more on who you might meet in this Guide to The Gathering XII.
The Smart Money Homes Team look forward to speaking with you in Panama. They have years of experience working with RETA members.
The setting for The Gathering XII could not be better: The Santa Maria, a Luxury Collection Hotel. This five-star urban resort is set amid manicured gardens and an 18-hole golf course, yet it’s minutes from both downtown and the airport. It’s the ideal base to explore everything Panama City offers—and it’s incredibly easy to reach, with direct flights from dozens of global hubs.
I can’t wait to welcome you here this March. You’ll see why Panama is not just a place where we’ve made some of our biggest RETA deals, but also one of the most dynamic, rewarding, and fun cities in the world.
About those RETA deals in Panama… here’s a taste:
- In June 2024 RETA members were able to buy penthouses in what will be the iconic Ipanema community close to where we’re meeting in March. The RETA price was $632,200. In August 2024, the developer sold the exact same penthouses albeit in a different tower for $732,150. That’s an uplift of $99,950 in less than three months.
- In October 2024, RETA members could buy homes in Seashore, in the beachfront community of Playa Caracol, for $519,800. By January 2025, the developer listed similar homes at $605,000. That’s an uplift of $85,200 in just three months.
- In January 2023 RETA members were able to buy ocean-view condos in Las Olas starting from $254,600. Now similar condos are listed with the developer for $355,580. That’s an uplift of $100,980.
Ocean Reef began as a vision few believed in, but developer Alfredo Aleman and his GLP Group did it…they built an ultra-prime community in the ocean, right next to the beating heart of Panama’s downtown. RETA members got in on deals here and are now sitting on major uplifts—as much as $212,000. And you can visit it in March by coming to The Gathering XII.
At The Gathering XII in Panama this March, you might be rubbing shoulders with key insiders who made these projects happen…
You could sit down with just one lawyer, developer, or real estate insider for a private conversation that would normally cost you hundreds—sometimes thousands—of dollars.
Now multiply that by every speaker, expert, and RETA insider you’ll have access to over three days…and you start to see why seats go so fast.
Tickets for real estate conferences go for $2,000 – $5,000. And normally these large conferences don’t give you much face time with speakers.
Yet for just $550 you can attend The Gathering XII.
Here I am with top developer Alfredo Aleman taking in a birds-eye view of Panama City as he gives me his take on the city’s transformation.
The Gathering is not a profit-center for my company, it’s a club event and we don’t make a penny from it. The ticket price is just to cover the costs of our private meeting space, shared meals and cocktails.
This super-low ticket cost lines up with our overall RETA philosophy of getting the best for less than anyone else by coming together as a group. All the experts want to come and meet us. (Plus, we’ve got a phenomenal rate for the luxury 5-star hotel we’re meeting in, just $196 per night for a single person and $219 per night for two people sharing a room. The Santa Maria will be the epicenter of the action…where it all happens…so staying there is the best and most convenient way to get full benefit from The Gathering XII.)
Learn how to secure an invitation in this Guide to The Gathering XII now.
Wishing you good real estate investing,
Why you shouldn’t miss The Gathering XII. What’s The Gathering really like? Don’t take it from me—hear it directly from RETA members.
