308. Why Wealthy Americans Are Quietly Buying Real Estate in Panama with Steve Luther

308. Why Wealthy Americans Are Quietly Buying Real Estate in Panama with Steve Luther

July 6, 2026 · 46 min · Episode 306

About this episode

The episode discusses why wealthy Americans are investing in real estate in Panama, focusing on healthcare, residency, and investment opportunities.

Joe Jensen sits down with Steve Luther, founder of Cord Real Estate and leader of Cord International, to unpack why Panama has become a serious option for American investors looking at international real estate, lifestyle, healthcare, and residency opportunities. Steve shares how his life-threatening COVID battle, which left him hospitalized for four and a half months, made healthcare access a major factor in his family's search for a second home abroad. That journey eventually led them to Panama, where they found strong healthcare infrastructure, a dollarized economy, proximity to the U.S., and real estate opportunities that could also support residency. The conversation covers the practical side of buying internationally, including local financing options, tax write-offs, property management, foreign-earned income considerations, Panama's low property taxes, and the limitations around 1031 exchanges and cost segregation. Steve also explains Panama's residency-by-investment pathway, where a $300,000 real estate purchase can qualify buyers for permanent residency, along with the importance of using vetted local agents, attorneys, developers, and property managers. The episode…

People in this episode

Host: Joe Jensen

Guest: Steve Luther

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Cord Real Estate, Cord International

Places: Panama, U.S.

More episodes of Real Estate Investing School Podcast

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Real Estate Investing School Podcast podcast page.