“I first came to Bocas del Toro from San Francisco, California in l996 and moved here permanently in 1997. My late husband and I opened the first “gringo” restaurant, which is now owned by others and still open today. That was our first accomplishment in a foreign country with vastly different ways of doing things. We shared our experiences with fellow ex-pats and helped each other acclimate. We have witnessed a great many changes here over the years, and continue to incorporate what we learn from our experiences into our real estate business in an effort to provide better service to our customers, buyers and sellers alike.”
Buena Vista Realty Owner, Sumayyah McCarren
“I came down to Bocas in 2003 via Texas and Florida. I was looking for Jimmy Buffett’s Key West Florida forty years ago and found it here. Entire communities built over the water. Natives paddling dugout canoes as fiberglass motorboats passed them. Island music everywhere and a true cast of ex-pat characters right out of a pirate book. My goal is to help you make the right decisions depending on your lifestyle as to where you want to live and play. Some like life in the outer islands for the solace; some like living close to Bocas Town for the action. I have gained invaluable knowledge that you get to tap into, which will save you time and money. I look forward to helping you live your dream.”
Real Estate Consultant, JB Seligman
Thank you for contacting us about your search for homes in Bocas.
Please browse our website and listings. Any properties you are interested in, please give us the first part of the description and price, and we can talk about those you like. There is no MLS in Panama, so we can show and discuss any properties that you may find on other realtor websites as well.
Have you ever been to Bocas? It is a unique, busy tourist town, but still funky. It will never be a Cancun. Some people enjoy that and others do not. Before you get too involved in your property search, you may want to visit Bocas. There are very few properties that are truly beachfront homes for sale. Although Bocas del Toro archipelago is made up of nine islands, most are often surrounded by mangroves or water but no sandy beach; however, there are many waterfront homes located throughout the islands.
Real estate sales are not like it is in your home area. There is no getting into a car and driving to see properties (except on the main island of Colon, the only island with cars). We have to take local water taxi boats. However, you will get a very informational tour and an idea of the areas of interest to you for usually only $50 to $150 and this way the tour money stays in the local community, with your help. When you purchase a property from us, we reimburse you for your boat expense.
As far as language goes, many people speak English here even though Spanish is the first language. It is respectful to the locals to learn a few common greetings or some common sentences. That will go a long way.
Our islands are an ex-pats playground. It is a very social tourist town and most ex-pats get to know each other quickly. There are plenty of activities to do on a regular basis that include fishing, diving, surfing, hiking, and socializing just to name a few.
