Panama Equity

PA: +507 320-4310

+507 6103-4617

  • Start Here
  • Panama Properties
    • For Sale
    • For Rent
    • Sell Your Property in Panama
    • Buildings in Panama
    • Panama City Pre-Construction Listings
    • Beach Building Directory
  • Panama Info
    • About Us
    • Guides & Downloads
    • News & Insights
    • List Your Property
    • Property Management in Panama
  • Join Our Team
  • Contact Us
  • Start Here
  • Panama Properties
    • For Sale
    • For Rent
    • Sell Your Property in Panama
    • Buildings in Panama
    • Panama City Pre-Construction Listings
    • Beach Building Directory
  • Panama Info
    • About Us
    • Guides & Downloads
    • News & Insights
    • List Your Property
    • Property Management in Panama
  • Join Our Team
  • Contact Us
  • Start Here
  • Panama Properties
    • For Sale
    • For Rent
    • List Your Property
    • Panama City Building Directory
    • Panama City Pre-Construction Listings
    • Beach Building Directory
  • Panama Real Estate Guides
    • About Us
    • Blog & Guides
      • Panama News & Insights
    • List Your Property
  • Join Our Team
  • Contact Us
  • PA: +507 320-4310
  • WhatsApp +507 6103-4617
  • Start Here
  • Panama Properties
    • For Sale
    • For Rent
    • List Your Property
    • Panama City Building Directory
    • Panama City Pre-Construction Listings
    • Beach Building Directory
  • Panama Real Estate Guides
    • About Us
    • Blog & Guides
      • Panama News & Insights
    • List Your Property
  • Join Our Team
  • Contact Us
  • PA: +507 320-4310
  • WhatsApp +507 6103-4617

Blog

Panama Equity in Shanghai

Panama Equity in Shanghai

Author

Kent Davis (PJ-0752-09)

Published on

December 22, 2017

Attendance at the 2017 Luxury Property Show (LPS) in Shanghai was — in the words of the organizers and literally all of the repeat presenters I spoke with — better than it had been in years. The takeaway: Chinese investors want to get their money and their families out of China and appreciated having over 50 countries to choose from.

The question on my mind, of course, was: how does Panama fit in to the Chinese picture?

We’re a small, mostly Spanish speaking country literally on the other side of the world. Sure, we’re a dollarized economy, sure, we’ve just established formal diplomatic relations with China, and, sure, Panama has nearly 200,000 Chinese already living here. But how would that resonate with Chinese in Shanghai?

12 days in China doesn’t make me an expert, but I can honestly say that I’ve learned a lot and feel very optimistic about the future of Panama-China relations and the potential wave of new capital and interest from China to Panama. I’m going back to Panama with two handfuls of business cards and more than two dozen very serious groups to follow up with.

Here’s what I learned.

Over the last five-ten years, wealthy Chinese have preferred to emigrate to countries like Australia, the UK, Canada and the USA. They’ve been keen on permanent residency, good schools, stable currencies, and the hedge of a property investment in a foreign market. But each one of these destinations has seen some big changes over the last 12 months, presenting a solid case for plan B options like Portugal, Dubai, Thailand and, you guessed it, Panama.

In an interest to cool off property prices (driven up by Chinese buyers), Australia and Canada have put up foreign-investor taxes to the tune of 10-15%. According to some of the Chinese at the show, Australia is also coming out with some new policies that are complicating the visa process. In addition, the uncertainty of Brexit and the fact that an EB-5 visa (the go-to visa option for Chinese investors looking at the US) can take up to eight years to obtain today, have all been good news for anyone offering an alternative. Say, Panama.

The biggest demographic of attendees at the show were the super-rich millennials, many of whom have tons of money thanks to their parents being in the right place (China) in the right industry (pretty much anything) at the right time (the last ten years). Schools and lifestyle are more of a factor than value — and, at $300,000, the Panama property-purchase visa was one of the cheapest at the show. Panama did not really resonate for this group, since they were more focused on jet-set, flashy first-world cities like London and Vancouver.

The second biggest sector represented were immigration agencies; basically companies hired by Chinese investors to devise an immigration strategy. They present a menu of countries (almost always the four mentioned above, plus alternatives like Malaysia, Thailand and Japan) and advise their clients on which country best suits them.

This group was very interested in Panama, not so much as a final destination but as a means to an end: buy a property in Panama (or opt for the five-year instant passport at a cost of $300,000) and parlay that into an EB2 Visa for the USA or the Canadian equivalent. This group has the potential to present Panama to thousands of Chinese looking to get out, and we made some great agency contacts. Now it’s just a matter of educating them enough to feel comfortable adding Panama to their list of vetted options.

Another well represented group were large companies looking to get in to Latin America. I was actually amazed that they would attend these types of shows. But, sure enough, we were approached by hotel chains, logistics companies, builders, and massive consortiums with fingers in literally hundreds of industries all under one holding company. The scale of some of these holding companies was mind-blowing for anyone unfamiliar with the scope of Chinese businesses.

Many of these companies knew that Panama was going to be represented at the show and sought us out specifically. Surprisingly, they didn’t have any other channels of communication open with local reps yet, so we picked up lots of cards across lots of industries. I’m optimistic that there could be some big deals spawned as a result.
And, finally, there were the family office, wealth advisory, private equity folks who are always looking for new markets and new opportunities. These guys also sought us out at the show, which was a surprise and quite exciting in terms of how much they already knew about Panama. Groups out of Hong Kong, Vietnam, Dubai and mainland China were keen to tie into a Panama deal pipeline and were very keen on USD-based investments in real estate, M&A opportunities, and opportunities in the travel and tourism sector broadly.

Panama Equity in Shanghai

I’m glad I left a few days before and after the show to meet with several groups that I had been introduced to prior to my China trip (introductions are key in China). The idea was to put a face to a name, present some local coffee and chocolate as gifts (a big hit!), and pitch Panama one-on-one in an intimate setting, planting the seeds of a relationship in person, with their new Panama contact (yours truly).

I did not come away from the trip with any sales contracts, but I wasn’t expecting to. Panama is just too new on the Chinese radar, and I’ve learned that Chinese are extremely cautious and like to study things thoroughly before moving forward. But, when they move, they move in a big way, with hundreds of people and in some cases hundreds of millions of dollars behind them.

Based on the number of individuals and groups who sought out “the Panama booth”, I think that the Panama seeds have been planted and planted well. Now it’s just a matter of watering and tending to the garden.

 

Kent Davis (PJ-0752-09)

Kent Davis, founder of Panama Equity Real Estate, is a leading expert in Panama’s competitive real estate market. Originally from Honolulu, Hawaii, he holds a Marketing Information Systems degree from James Madison University. After a successful corporate career managing multimillion-dollar inventories at Hajoca Corporation, Kent pursued his dream of living abroad, moving to Panama in 2007.
Driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, he established Panama Equity to connect buyers, sellers, and investors with Panama’s top properties. Known for his transparency, expertise, and market insights, Kent has helped hundreds navigate Panama’s real estate landscape. Fluent in Spanish, he frequently publishes market reports to empower clients with informed decisions.
Beyond real estate, Kent is passionate about Panama’s culture, landscapes, and surf-friendly beaches. He lives in Panama with his wife and three sons, embracing the vibrant lifestyle the country offers.

Share

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Posts

  • 7 Things to Do in San Francisco Panama City
  • Best Beaches in Panama: Caribbean Side
  • What Panama’s Corredor del Caribe Highway Means for You
  • Where to Find a Stunning Beachfront Property in Panama
  • Welcome to Hola Panama: Build Your Network Before You Move!

Recent Comments

  1. Kent Davis on Apartamento De Lujo De 3 Habitaciones En Alquiler En Panamá: Ocean Reef
  2. Deyanelly FERRO Velasco on Apartamento De Lujo De 3 Habitaciones En Alquiler En Panamá: Ocean Reef
  3. Miles De Feyter on Explorando los mejores lugares para tomar café en El Valle
  4. Awilda Cathell on Explorando los mejores lugares para tomar café en El Valle
  5. lisa on 10 Cosas que te encantarán de vivir en la Avenida Balboa

Featured Properties

32
Featured
Homes, Mountain
For Sale
Image of the outside of this el valle property for sale showing the entrance to the main entrance and driveway

El Valle Home for Sale with Two Income Generating Casitas

El Valle, Distrito de Antón, Coclé, 0212, Panama
Added: February 5, 2025
Bedrooms
4
Bathrooms
4.5
Area
348 m2
For Sale

$639,000

Catherine (PJ-0752-09)
31
1
Featured
Condos, Luxury Properties
For Sale
Penthouse Amador for Sale

Panama City Penthouse for Sale: Prime Amador Causeway Location with Bay and Skyline Views

Amador Causeway, Isla Naos, Ancón, Distrito de Panamá, Panamá Province, Panama
Added: August 27, 2024
Bedrooms
2
Bathrooms
2
Area
220 m2
For Sale

$550,000

Avatar photo Ramses PN-4686
36
1
Featured
Beach, Homes
For Sale
Spanish Mission Villa For Sale in Coronado

Turnkey Spanish Mission Coronado Villa For Sale

Coronado Golf, Camino de los Caballeros, Coronado, Distrito Chame, Panamá Oeste, Panama
Added: May 13, 2024
Bedrooms
4
Bathrooms
5.5
Area
400 m2
For Sale

$780,000

Catherine (PJ-0752-09)

Search

Categories

  • Areas
  • Culture
  • Economy
  • Education
  • Exploring & Living in Panama
  • Finance & Banking
  • Food and Shopping
  • Healthcare
  • Immigration & Visa
  • Investment
  • Law
  • Legal – Insurance
  • Lifestyle
  • Panama Blog
  • Politics
  • Pre-Construction
  • Projects
  • Purchasing
  • Renting
  • Reports & Outlook
  • Restaurants
  • Retirement
  • Selling
  • Sports
  • Stay/Hospitality
  • Tax
  • The Panama Real Estate Market
  • Travel & Transportation
  • Work & Business
Follow our Blog

Contact Us

  • Edificio Sortis, Oficina 20th Floot Obarrio, Panama
  • PA. +507 320-4310
  • +507 6103-4617
  • lisa@panamaequity.com

Account Links

  • Log In / Register
  • Log Out
  • Privacy Policy

Real Estate

  • For Sale
  • For Rent
  • List to Sell

Guides

  • Moving Guide
  • Buying Guide
  • Renting Guide
  • Travel Guide

City Locations

  • Panama City
  • Avenida Balboa
  • Casco Viejo
  • Coco Del Mar
  • Costa Del Este
  • El Cangrejo
  • Obarrio
  • Ocean Reef
  • Punta Pacifica
  • San Francisco
  • Santa Maria

Mountain Locations

  • Altos Del Maria
  • El Valle De Anton
  • Sorá

Beach Locations

  • Bocas Del Toro
  • Buenaventura
  • Coronado
  • El Palmar
  • Gorgona
  • Playa Blanca
  • Rio Mar
  • San Carlos

References

  • Luxury Properties
  • Exploring Living in Panama
  • Panama Real Estate Market
  • Food & Shopping
  • Immigration & Visa
  • Panama Politics
  • Restaurants

Panama Insights

7 Things to Do in San Francisco Panama City

Best Beaches in Panama: Caribbean Side

What Panama’s Corredor del Caribe Highway Means for You

Where to Find a Stunning Beachfront Property in Panama

Welcome to Hola Panama: Build Your Network Before You Move!

Why El Cangrejo Might Be the Coolest Neighborhood in Panama City

What $1,000,000 Gets You in Panama

Panama Real Estate Market Report for Q1 2025: A Market in Transition

Panama Equity

Ⓒ 2025 - All Rights Are Reserved

  • enEnglish
    • esEspañol

Owning a home is a keystone of wealth… both financial affluence and emotional security.

Suze Orman
June 12, 2025 Thursday!
Panama Equity
  • Login
Forget Password?