Can You Buy Property in Panama Remotely? Documents, Powers of Attorney and the Process

A buyer does not need to be in Panama at every stage of a property purchase. Much of the process can be arranged remotely: selecting a property, agreeing on terms, checking documents, signing a contract and authorizing a representative to carry out actions that require someone to be there in person.

But buying remotely does not mean “buying an apartment through messages.” The farther the owner is from the property, the more important it becomes to establish in advance who represents their interests and exactly what that person is authorized to do.

Checks first, money second

The main mistake in a remote purchase is treating the reservation as the first step in the transaction.

Before making substantial payments, the property itself and the seller’s documents need to be checked. For a completed apartment, it is important to establish the registered owner and review the information held by Registro Público de Panamá. The public registry provides electronic services for working with registered properties and documents.

If the apartment is in a development under construction, the checks extend beyond the future property to the developer, contract, payment schedule, handover dates and the conditions under which the buyer can withdraw from the transaction.

Photographs, a video call from the apartment and a project presentation are useful when choosing a property. They do not replace legal due diligence.

Why a power of attorney is needed

If the buyer does not intend to travel to Panama to complete the purchase, a representative can carry out certain actions on their behalf.

This requires a power of attorney granting authority appropriate to the specific transaction. That is why we do not recommend using a general document “for every occasion.” It is better to establish in advance whether the representative will only submit documents or will also sign contracts, execute public instruments and take other actions on the buyer’s behalf.

Panamanian civil law provides for legal representation and establishes requirements governing the form of documents and transactions, including when documents are prepared outside the country.

The wording of the power of attorney should ideally be agreed with a Panamanian lawyer before it is signed abroad. Revising the wording before notarization is much easier than redoing the document when the transaction is already nearing completion.

If the power of attorney is signed outside Panama

A foreign document must be prepared in a form that allows it to be used in Panama.

The applicable authentication procedure depends on the country of issue. Panama’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs administers the system for apostilling and legalizing documents and publishes the current rules for these procedures.

If the document is not in Spanish, a translation in a form accepted by Panamanian authorities may also be required.

The sequence matters: first agree on the contents of the power of attorney, then sign it and complete the formalities for use in Panama. Not the other way around.

What a remote transaction usually looks like

After choosing a property, the parties agree on the commercial terms and contract. At the same time, the property and the seller’s documents undergo due diligence.

The buyer then prepares the necessary documents and, if not attending in person, grants a power of attorney to a representative.

Once the transaction’s conditions have been met, the documents required to transfer ownership are executed. Registro Público allows public instruments, including an Escritura Pública, to be submitted for registration through its electronic system.

It is sensible to regard a purchase as complete only once the transfer of ownership has been properly executed and registered, rather than when the money is sent or even when the contract is signed.

Should you see the apartment in person at least once?

The legal possibility of completing a transaction remotely and the decision to buy without viewing in person are two different matters. For a new development, buyers often decide on the basis of project documents, the floor plan, video and the work of their local representative.

We approach resale properties more cautiously. A video does not always reveal road noise, the condition of air conditioners, a damp smell, the quality of common areas, the actual view from the balcony or the state of neighboring construction. If the buyer cannot come, the property should ideally be inspected by someone representing their interests, rather than relying solely on the seller.

A remote purchase makes coordination especially important

When you are in Panama, some questions can be resolved in a day through a face-to-face meeting. When the buyer is in another country, any inaccuracy in a power of attorney or other document can bring the process to a halt.

Even before reserving, it is therefore advisable to know who is checking the property, who is reviewing the contract, who is receiving documents from the seller, who is representing the buyer and how completion of registration will be confirmed.

Buying property in Panama remotely is possible. The key is to choose the apartment from a distance without distancing yourself from the checks on the transaction itself.

With best wishes, Liliya Soboleva!

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