faq
Click around below and find answers to these, the most oft-asked questions regarding our community/retreat project…
- Where are things at right now with the project?
- Is this real estate project of land for sale really TITLED?
- What is the difference between Title and Right of Possession in Panama?
- I am a holistic health practitioner. How can I be involved in the Retreat?
- How is the weather in Bocas?
- Are the dolphins really there all the time?
- What is the cost of a visit to the project?
- Is financing available within the project?
- Who are you people?
- Who is living on the farm right now?
- Is the project children friendly?
- What are costs for construction?
- How do I get to Bocas?
- What should I bring when I visit the project?
- Are there any neighbourhood Association fees?
- How does volunteering work with this project?
1. Where are things at right now with the project?
Completion of the resort area is scheduled for late May and will open in the fall after taking a looong and deserved rest. All roads (almost 3kms) within the residential area are complete. The real estate lots for sale project is 60% sold. The project is well established and we currently have three other fulltime neighbours - Will and Sandy, Chris and Colleen. Paradise is at hand!!
Check out our news and updates pages for the latest and greatest of what’s up down on the farm!!
2. Is the real estate project of land for sale really TITLED?
Indeed, all of our oceanfront, oceanview and meadow lots of land for sale are fully titled, all of which have been legally segregated from the titled mother farm and duly registered in the Public Registry of Panama. All lots have a Finca number issued by Registro Publico - Seccion de Propiedad, a Plano Number issued by Ministerio de Economia y Finanzas, Direccion General de Catastro and a Certificado Number issued by Ministerio de Vivienda, Direccion General de Desarrollo Urbano. Ask other developers in Bocas if they can provide you these numbers; if not it is NOT titled. Click here for more info.
3. What is the difference between Title and Right of Possession land in Panama?
In a nutshell, titled land is a far more secure investment vehicle than is ROP (right of possession) land and certainly affords an owner huge piece of mind that what they bought is in fact theirs…forever.
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As well, if a Right of Possession property on an island has not already been officially recognized by The Reforma Agraria, then it can no longer become designated as a new ROP by Catastro. As of January 11, 2006, when the Panamanian Assembly passed Law 2, the only legally recognized way to use, occupy or otherwise ‘own’ ROP land on islands is through the granting of a land concession from the federal government.
Titled land has a very clear and definite ownership history and is registered and issued a finca identification number by the Registro Publico de Panama, verified by Catastro, certified by the Ministerio de Vivienda and recognized by all governing bodies. It is also from The Catastral Office. The land title registry system in Panama is probably the best in Latin America and on par with that of the US or Canada. ROP land is not registered by this system or any other government mechanism.
And now with Law 2 in place there is the added cost and extensive legal process of applying for a land concession from the federal government. Since it is ultimately their land to begin with and Law 2 ended the creation of new ROP lands on islands, this is now the only legal mechanism for gaining some security over your land ‘purchase’ and any rights you claim to possess and use it. Paying the local who claims to own it is merely a mechanism to have him agreeable to de-occupy the land. Once you then occupy the land, it is at this point that your lawyer begins collecting paperwork in order to apply for a land concession that will then allow you to do something with it - build, live, sever and resell, open a business, etc.
Titled land allows you to get a mortgage against your property with a Panamanian bank and is recognized by all levels of government as legitimate proof of ownership.
ROP land is a product of the “agrarian reform” Panama underwent in the 1960’s. ROP was created in law to prevent large land owners from having all of the land, while poor peasants starved to death. In short, what it says is that if a person OCCUPIES and works the land for several years (at least 15), then they acquire some posessory rights.
If a Right of Possession island property has not already been officially recognized by The Reforma Agraria, then it can no longer become designated as a new ROP. As of January 11, 2006, when the Panamanian Assembly passed Law 2, the only legally recognized way to use, occupy or otherwise ‘own’ ROP land on islands is through the granting of a land concession from the federal government.
4. I am a holistic health practitioner. How can I be involved in the Retreat?
a)You could spend periods of each year down here with us offering your skills to Retreat guests.
b)You can organize group getaways to the Retreat based on your areas of interest and contacts back home. Both options a and b can lead to becoming a shareholder in the retreat operation.
c)You can spend shorter periods of time working and spending leisure time at the Retreat as a visiting practitioner. Details of this type of involvement are arranged on an individual basis. More Practitioner Details
5. How is the weather in Bocas?The temperature usually hovers around 32 Celcius (approx. 83 degrees Farenheit) during the day and 26C (75F) in the evenings. The driest time for Bocas is January thru May and again in September and October, but all through the year there are plenty of fresh, dry days. The overcast and cloudy days are a welcome respite from the tropical sunshine and they keep the air much fresher than most Caribbean island locations.Back to FAQ Menu
6. Are the dolphins really there all the time?Absolutely yes!!! In fact, it is one of only three locations in the entire world that a permanent wild dolphins population occurs - the others are in Australia and Africa. Most times you can see young dolphins as small as 18 inches swimming along side their mothers - talk about cute!! Wild Dolphin DetailsBack to FAQ Menu
7. What is the cost of a visit to the project?It really depends on why you are coming to visit:
People looking to overnight at the Resort can click here.
Folks coming to purchase land can get 15% off Resort accomodation prices.
Volunteers can click here.Back to FAQ Menu
8. Is financing available within the project?No. We do not offer financing. Titled land can be mortgaged in Panama and many American financial institutions are now offering mortgages on property in Panama.Back to FAQ Menu
9. Who are you people?We are Swanny and Luna, our 2 and half yr old boy Zuul and our 12 month old son, JensenBlu. Swanny was a TV Producer in Canada until July 2003 when he ‘retired’ from the rat-race to live a life less ordinary on a farm in Bocas. He wanted to create a place where his spirit sang louder and share that with other fellow travellers. Luna was a lawyer in Panama City but wanted a more simplified, less stressful life. After accidently finding the website for Swanny’s project and visiting a number of times, she decided that this was the place she was looking for. Thus far we have sold 60% of the lots, gotten married, built an oceanfront resort, created 2 beautiful youngsters and help our new neighbours get aquainted with life on a tropical island.Back to FAQ Menu
10. Who is living on the farm right now?Swanny (founder, husband, father) Luna (lawyer, wife, mother, magician), Zuul (2.5 yrs old ball of energy) JensenBlu (1 yr old ball of energy) Rakataka (our funky little dog) and Alexia (Luna’s right hand) live at the resort fulltime. And in the residential real estate project, currently there are three fulltime neighbours - Will and Sandy on the water in Phase Two, Colleen also in Phase Two in the meadow and Chris in Phase Four oceanfront lot
11. Is the project children friendly?Why most certainly it is!.Back to FAQ Menu
12. What are costs for construction?The cost of construction varies depending on design, size, quality of finish, materials used, size and design of electrics and water systems, who does your construction, etc, etc. Expect anywhere from $30/sq ft up to $80+/sq ft. .Back to FAQ Menu
13. How do I get to Bocas del Toro, Panama?Two ways: thru Panama City or thru San Jose, Costa Rica.
PANAMA CITY, PANAMA
BY AIR:
There are daily international flights into Panama City’s Tocumen airport (PTY) and from there you need to go downtown and book a regional flight to Bocas at the Marcos A. Gelabert Airport (Albrook to the locals) near the huge Albrook Mall outside downtown. Plan on staying over one night as same day connections are unlikely.
Aeroperlas (507-315-7500) ( www.aeroperlas.com ) and Air Panama (507-316-9000) (www.flyairpanama.com) both offer two daily flights each to Bocas for about $68.00 one way. Flying time is about 45 minutes.
BY LAND:
There is also a bus that leaves Panama City every day at 8pm arriving in Almirante at 6am. From where it drops you off at the turnoff you take a taxi into town ($0.50) to the Taxi25 office and from there get a watertaxi to Bocas ($3).
SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA
BY AIR:
NatureAir ( www.natureair.com ) now offers daily flights from San Jose for about $100.00 one way.
BY LAND:
After arriving on a daily international flight into San Jose, Costa Rica’s international airport, you then either take a taxi ride downtown ($12) right outside the terminal or proceed to one of the big red or orange modern highway type buses ($0.55) that are located 1.5 minutes past the taxi hordes on the street behind the terminal parking garage. Follow the street to the left where the taxis enter from to find them.
You then need to get aboard the bus that leaves for Changuinola, Panama every morning at 9am ($9) from downtown San Jose. It departs from the triangular corner of Calle 16 & Avenida 5. Six hours later you have crossed the border into Panama and will soon be dropped off at Changuinola Bus Terminal. From there you need to get on one of the little microbuses that reads finca 60 or finca sesenta on the front ($0.40) for about a 7 minute ride. They will get you to the watertaxi ($5) that will then take you to Bocas in about 45 minutes.Back to FAQ Menu
14. What should I bring when I visit the project?A flashlight, a book or two, a rain poncho, a wide brim hat, sunblock, a swimsuit, only 100% biodegradable bathroom products (soap, shampoo, toothpaste, laundry powder, etc.), good energy and a happy spirit….Back to FAQ Menu
15. Are there any neighbourhood Association fees?There is an annual CAM (Common Areas Maintenance) fee per lot that goes toward maintaining the Common Areas and infrastructure (docks, ranchos, paths, landscaping, etc.) for use of the neighbours and guests of the retreat. At present it is a modest $200 per lot.Back to FAQ Menu
16. How does the long term and short term volunteer program work?click here for loads of info on our volunteer program.
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