Glossary · Market & investment
Appreciation (plusvalía)
Definition
Appreciation (plusvalía) is a property's increase in value over time. In Panamanian real estate it materializes when you sell — where it's taxed as a 10% capital gain — and depends on the area, building quality, and market cycle more than on a seller's promises.
In practice
Panama comes off years of contained prices: 2025 closed with new-home sales down ~34% and months of inventory high, making 2026 a buyer's market. Practical translation: you don't buy appreciation by hoping 'everything goes up' — you buy well at entry (negotiating with data), in areas with structural demand (schools, jobs, infrastructure), and in product that ages well. The liquid resale of Costa del Este and San Francisco is the study's example.
Related terms
Keep going
2026 market study: all the data →General information, not legal or tax advice. Every transaction is confirmed with an attorney and accountant.
Term reviewed as of July 2026 · Vaca Group Real Estate, Lic. PN 5904