Can a foreigner get a mortgage in Panama?

Yes, several banks lend to foreign buyers, usually up to 75% of a home under $500,000. Expect a higher rate: Banco General and Davibank add 1 point of FECI without permanent residency, and Banistmo prices non-resident second homes and investments from 8.25% plus FECI.

Is this a pre-approval?

No. David is a licensed real estate broker, not a lender. Only a bank can approve a loan, after it reviews your income, your credit history and its own appraisal of the home.

David and the Panama Property Guide team. The form does not go to any bank. You decide which banks to approach once you have talked it through.

Get Help Financing Your Home in Panama

Tell us the home, your residency and your income. David Aguirre, a licensed Panama broker, tells you which banks lend to buyers like you, what each will ask for, and helps you compare their quotes.

Broker license PN-2753
16 years selling property in Panama
Replies in English or Spanish

Get help with your mortgage

David Aguirre replies by email, or by phone if you leave a number.

Step 1 of 3Your purchase

How David helps

1
Send your numbers
Price, down payment, residency and income. If you came from a calculator or a bank's rate, the first step is already filled in.
2
Find the banks that fit
Residency, income and the type of home decide who lends and at what rate. David narrows the 15 banks we track to the ones worth calling.
3
Prepare before you apply
Each bank sets its own document list and limits. David tells you what yours will ask for, so the application goes in complete.
4
Compare quotes
David puts you in touch with the banks' mortgage officers and helps you compare their written quotes side by side.

What moves a Panama mortgage

Residency

Banco General and Davibank add 1 point of FECI for foreign buyers without permanent residency. Banistmo publishes a non-resident rate for a second home or investment from 8.25% plus FECI.

Down payment

Banks usually lend foreign buyers up to 75% of a home under $500,000, so plan on 25% or more down.

The home

Second and vacation homes carry the 1-point FECI surcharge at most banks. Banco General finances a vacation home for up to 20 years and 70%, against 30 years for a main home.

Income

Banco General looks for a payment of up to 30% of a private-sector salary, 35% in the public sector. Each bank sets its own limit.

Preferential interest

A Panamanian or permanent resident buying a new home up to $120,000 as a first, principal residence can have part of the interest paid by the state under Ley 468 and Ley 481 de 2025.

Where rates stand

The Superintendencia de Bancos average for new non-preferential housing loans was 6.21% in September 2026. The lowest published rate for a resale home is 6.50% at MetroBank, checked October 26, 2026.

Compare all bank rates Open the mortgage calculator

Who helps you

David Aguirre, Panama Property Guide

David has spent 16 years selling real estate in Panama and works the whole market: city resale, off-plan projects, rental investment, and the purchase that starts as a holiday home and ends up as residency. Since being licensed in 2009 he has closed with more than 300 international families. He knows Santa María and Punta Pacífica especially well, where price turns on the tower and the floor more than the neighborhood, along with the coastline still taking shape, where buying off-plan comes down to the developer's track record: knowing which ones deliver on time is half the job.

Start your request

Frequently asked questions

Can a foreigner get a mortgage in Panama?: Yes, several banks lend to foreign buyers, usually up to 75% of a home under $500,000. Expect a higher rate: Banco General and Davibank add 1 point of FECI without permanent residency, and Banistmo prices non-resident second homes and investments from 8.25% plus FECI.
Is this a pre-approval?: No. David is a licensed real estate broker, not a lender. Only a bank can approve a loan, after it reviews your income, your credit history and its own appraisal of the home.
Who sees my answers?: David and the Panama Property Guide team. The form does not go to any bank. You decide which banks to approach once you have talked it through.