IN PHOTOS: Panama’s “City Within a City”

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Panama City is unlike anywhere else on my global beat…

I’ve been scouting this city for more than two decades. When I first visited, it was little more than a sleepy, regional backwater. But it was right at the point where it was about to take off. And take off it has…in spectacular fashion.

Now it’s truly global—a glistening metropolis with a stunning skyline that’s attracting wealthy and well-heeled folks from all over the world…

When I first came to Panama City in 2004, most of this skyline wasn’t here. Today it’s the biggest in Latin America.

Put boots on the ground here today and you’ll find ample proof of Panama City’s global status. There are supercar dealerships, designer boutiques, luxury malls, top-class restaurants, yacht clubs…

Panama City has arrived on the world stage.

And it’s entering what I call the third wave of its transformation.

First came the Canal.

Then came the banking, logistics, skyscrapers and emergence of Panama City as the business hub of the Americas.

Now we’re seeing the next stage.

A richer, more sophisticated global city.

And you can see that transformation happening in real time in one particular part of Panama City…

The fashionable new district of Costa del Este.

Costa del Este is in essence a “city within a city”—the place where everyone wants to be in Panama City. It has expansive shopping malls, top-rated international schools, world-class medical facilities, high-end restaurants, luxury residential communities…

But here’s what makes it truly remarkable…

Three decades ago, this neighborhood didn’t exist. The area where you’ll find it today was wetlands and a municipal dump. From this blank canvas, this neighborhood was designed to be the centerpiece of the modern, global Panama City.

Now that promise is being realized…

Today, a tour in photos of this incredible district…

Panama City has the 25th biggest skyline in the world. You’ll find many high-rise buildings in the fashionable district of Costa del Este, which is dotted with corporate headquarters and residential towers.
More than 50 multinational corporations have offices in Costa del Este, including Copa Airlines, Procter & Gamble, WTW, and Banco Ficohsa, among many others.
These companies have transformed Costa del Este into one of the most important business districts in Latin America.
About 100 restaurants now operate within two miles of Costa del Este—following the companies, executives, and residents who have moved into the district.
Costa del Este is famous for its restaurant and nightclub scene. Salvaje, a high-end Japanese restaurant, is a popular place to see and be seen.
As one of Panama’s wealthiest areas, you’ll find showrooms for Jaguar, Land Rover, Porsche, Lexus and many other high-end car manufacturers in Costa del Este.
Costa del Este is also a great place to live and raise a family…featuring wide, tree-lined boulevards and leafy parks.
The Town Center is one of the most popular malls in Costa del Este and boasts luxury stores, restaurants, bars, a cinema, and even a Johns Hopkins-affiliated hospital.
Thanks to high-end commercial spaces like the Town Center, residents of Costa del Este have easy access to top-class gyms, boutique shops, and much more…

Costa del Este is truly a “city within a city.” Which explains why this is the most in-demand district of booming Panama City…

  • For business executives it’s the ideal location…close to their workplaces…
  • Wealthy Panamanians enjoy its luxury living and modern amenities in a prestigious address.
  • Retirees from overseas love the lifestyle and easy access to cutting-edge healthcare.
  • Young entrepreneurs come for access to wealthy clientele and a supportive business environment.
  • Employees of embassies, consulates, and international organizations stationed in Panama thrive in Costa del Este, too…

Such is the demand for real estate here that already, just three decades after it was conceived, virtually all the prime land in Costa del Este is gone.

And yet, very soon, I’m bringing members of my Real Estate Trend Alert group an incredible opportunity to own in a stunning community on the cusp of Costa del Este…

This community is on the last prime waterfront land of its type in thriving, cosmopolitan Panama City. And the visionary developer my RETA group is dealing with is planning an iconic, landmark community there with more than 80,000 square feet of amenities. I’m talking pools, park, bistro, gym, bar, manicured beach, and more. This community offers the sort of self-contained luxury one expects of a high-end resort hotel.

It’s called Ipanema.

In June 2024. I first brought RETA members the chance to own in this landmark community.

Members bought penthouses for $632,200. In August, the same penthouses, albeit in another tower, sold for $732,150. That’s an uplift of $99,950 in less than three months.

Now, I’ve gotten RETA members another chance to own in Ipanema…

Three towers, shaped like the wind-filled sails of a frigate, billowing out into the Bay of Panama. Ipanema is set to become one of Panama City’s great landmarks. Part of its emergence as a global city. (Renders shouldn’t be considered final.)

RETA-only pricing for two-bedroom condos starts at $375,912.

I’m forecasting a potential value of $600,000 five years after delivery.

That’s a projected gain of $224,088 on a condo bought today for $375,912.

We’ve also secured exclusive developer financing for RETA members.

I don’t buy into deals lightly. I’ve been coming to Panama City since 2004. I’ve looked at more projects here than I could count, and I’ve brought RETA members some truly amazing deals.

Now I’m planning on putting my money into a Panama deal for the first time in years… And I’ve chosen Ipanema.

This deal opens exclusively to RETA members on Wednesday, September 30, at 1 p.m. ET.

This map shows only some of the 50-plus multinationals with offices in Costa del Este. Bottom left is Ipanema, right next door.

Wishing you good real estate investing,

P.S. This developer’s render of Ipanema gives you a sense of the resort-style lifestyle planned here, with more than 80,000 square feet of amenities in the heart of Panama City. Yet buy here and you’ll also be remarkably well connected: Tocumen International Airport is 15 minutes away. It handled nearly 21 million passengers last year and now connects Panama with 96 destinations across 37 countries.

The huge amenities area that RETA members will get in Ipanema includes a 50-meter pool, stylish gym, bar, bistro, waterfront park, and of course epic views of Panama City’s skyline. Ipanema is on the last prime waterfront land of its type in the city…right at the core. (Renders shouldn’t be considered final.)

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