B.Brax Realty
Off-Market · 7 Mountain Lots · Altos de María

Your cabin in the pines,
earning while you’re not there.

Seven off-market lots in the Altos de María highlands, 90 minutes from Panama City. One team handles the land, the build and the Airbnb — you keep the weekends and the income.

Only 7 lots · off-market · price shared on registration
Illustrative concept, not the actual property
7lots, off-market
2sectors: Santiago Apóstol & La Rioja
1,400–3,600 ftelevation, pine-forest microclimate
~90 minfrom Panama City
Before the numbers

Here’s who I think you are.

You work hard. Your week lives in the city — the traffic, the heat, the same three restaurants on Saturday night. And more than once you’ve caught yourself thinking about a place in the mountains.

Every time, the logistics killed it. Who builds it? Who looks after it when you’re not there? Is the land actually clean? Will it pay for itself, or just become one more expense?

Let me guess. At least one of these sounds like you:

How do I know? Because I wanted exactly the same thing — and I learned, with my own money, what happens when nobody checks the land first. That story is here.

What if one team did all of it — the lot, the cabin and the rental — and gave you the real numbers before you spent a dollar?
Already interested? Ask about a lot →Still curious? Keep reading ↓
The Inventory

Seven lots, exact sizes, both sectors.

This is an off-market, exclusive listing — these lots aren't on a public sales office list. Sizes below are as surveyed; pricing is disclosed on registration.

SectorLotArea
Santiago ApóstolLot A2,792 m²
Santiago ApóstolLot B2,439 m²
Santiago ApóstolLot C2,342 m²
La RiojaLot A2,653 m²
La RiojaLot B4,318 m²
La RiojaLot C3,049 m²
La RiojaLot D2,090 m²

Total combined area across all 7 lots: ~19,683 m² (roughly 4.9 acres). Exact pricing, topography and access per lot disclosed once you're registered.

What you’d actually own

Four things, not one.

Your lotBetween 2,090 and 4,318 m², in one of two sectors of a gated highland masterplan of 7,000+ acres.
A cabin built to your specStandard concrete or a prefab A-frame, built with our allied construction partner — you choose the path.
An income streamFurnished, photographed, listed and managed for you. No ATP licence is required outside the capital district.
Your weekendsBlock the dates you want for yourself and your family; the calendar rents the rest.
Why this moves fast: there are 7 lots, and they are off-market — no public sales office, no portal listing. When they’re committed, this page comes down.
Why Altos de María

A real mountain microclimate, not a marketing claim.

Altos de María sits in the highlands of Sora, Chame district — roughly 90 minutes from Panama City, with the community spanning elevations from about 1,400 to 3,600 feet across a 7,000+ acre masterplan of pine forest, hiking trails, waterfalls and lakes. The elevation keeps temperatures a consistent 68–78°F year-round — a genuinely different climate from the capital, not a repackaged coastal pitch.

Climate

68–78°F average, cooler and drier than Panama City thanks to elevation — comfortable without air conditioning most of the year.

Setting

Pine forest, not tropical lowland — hiking trails, waterfalls and lake access inside a private, gated 7,000+ acre masterplan.

Access

~90 minutes from Panama City and roughly 30 minutes from the Pacific coast's beaches and golf resorts.

Sources: Casa Solution, Escape Artist, Altos del María community blog.

Picture it

Here’s what a Friday can feel like.

Friday · 3:00 pm

You close the laptop early and take the Interamericana west. At the Chame turn the road starts to climb, and somewhere on the way up you roll the windows down because the air has changed.

Friday · 4:30 pm

Ninety minutes after leaving the city you’re standing in pine forest in the low 20s °C. No air conditioning, no traffic noise — just the fire pit and the view you picked when you chose the lot.

Saturday

A trail to a waterfall in the morning, a long lunch, a nap you didn’t plan. Nobody needs anything from you.

Sunday · 4:00 pm

You drive back. An hour later the cleaning crew is in, and on Monday your phone shows a new booking for next weekend.

That’s the whole idea: a place that’s yours when you want it, and working when you don’t.

STR Feasibility

What cabins in the area actually earn.

We pulled current market listings for cabins already operating in Altos de María rather than guessing at a number. Nightly rates for the area's roughly 70 active short-term rentals start around $50 and range up through $220+ for higher-end, pool-equipped cabins — comparable properties we reviewed were priced around $115–$116/night. Guest ratings across the area average a strong 4.8/5.

$50–$220Nightly rate range, area cabins
~$115Typical mid-tier comp, per night
4.8/5Average guest rating, area-wide
0ATP license required (outside capital district)

Panama-wide, average Airbnb performance runs closer to $157 ADR at 53.5% occupancy — useful as a national benchmark, but the Altos-specific comps above are the more relevant reference for this location. Altos de María sits outside Panama City's capital district, so short-term rental here isn't subject to the ATP permit requirement under Article 21 of Law 80 — the same rule that applies to our other countryside STR inventory.

Two Ways to Build

Prefab frame vs. traditional concrete — the real tradeoff.

The construction method changes both your timeline and your cost basis. Neither is "correct" — it depends on how fast you want the property earning and how much finish quality you want on day one.

Standard Concrete Build

Panama's typical residential construction — concrete block, metal or zinc roofing, aluminum windows, local tile — runs roughly $550–$750 per m² for a basic finish. Slower (12–18 months in the highlands is common) but familiar to every local contractor and bank.

Prefab Frame / A-Frame Cabin

Prefabricated frame kits run higher on a per-m² basis internationally — roughly $1,350–$1,880 per m² as a US benchmark before Panama import duties and site logistics, which typically add to that figure. The tradeoff: a materially faster build timeline and a distinctive design that photographs well for Airbnb.

These construction figures are benchmarks, not verified Panama-specific quotes for these exact lots — prefab kit pricing in particular needs confirmation from a builder once import and site logistics are priced. We walk through real numbers with our construction partner before you commit to either path.

Model a lot + build scenario

Pick a construction path, then adjust lot size, cabin size and rental assumptions. Estimate updates live — educational tool only.

—Land Cost
—Build Cost
—Total Investment
—Est. Net Annual Income
—Net Yield on Total
Ask About the 7 Lots →

Educational tool only — not a guarantee, offer, or substitute for a verified builder quote and operator profitability analysis. Land pricing, build cost, ADR, occupancy and fees vary by lot, design and season.

360°, in four moves

1. You pick the lot

Santiago Apóstol or La Rioja — 7 exact sizes to choose from. We walk you through what's actually available today.

2. We bring the build team

Standard concrete or prefab frame — our allied construction partner works both paths. Partner identity disclosed once you're registered.

3. We set up the rental

Furnishing, listing, photography and Airbnb management — no ATP license required outside the capital district.

4. You collect, we manage

One monthly report, one point of contact — for the lot, the build and the rental.

Why I’m the one telling you this

I check the land before I ever show it to you.

AG

I’m Alex Garrido — attorney, licensed real estate broker (Idoneidad JTBR No. 4339) and twelve years advising people who invest in Panama. Years ago I funded a beachfront land project of my own and discovered that roughly half the parcel was an untitled possessory right, not registered land. I walked away, at my own cost.

That’s why every lot Brax lists is checked against Panama’s Registro Público before it reaches you. Ask me for the registry record of the lot you like — I’ll send it. Brax is paid a commission by the seller; it never adds a markup to your price, and I’ll tell you plainly if a lot doesn’t fit what you want.

Objections

Fair questions, straight answers

…What does a lot cost?

Pricing is off-market and shared on registration, because it varies by sector, size, slope and access. Use the calculator above to test your own land-price assumption before we talk.

…Do I have to build right away?

That depends on each lot’s community rules. Ask, and we’ll show you the rules for your lot in writing before you commit to anything.

…How long until the cabin earns?

A standard concrete build commonly takes 12–18 months in the highlands; a prefab frame is faster. Then furnishing, photography and listing.

…What does a cabin really earn here?

Area cabins list from about $50 to $220+ a night, with mid-tier comparables around $115 — gross, before costs. We model your specific lot and cabin with you; we don’t promise occupancy.

…Can I buy from abroad?

Yes. Foreigners can own titled property with the same rights as Panamanians, and much of the process can be handled remotely. Our Proper Consulting side covers the legal and banking steps.

…Does this get me residency?

It depends on what and how much you buy. Ask us — Proper Consulting will tell you straight whether a lot-and-cabin purchase fits any residency route in your case.

Reserve a conversation

Ask about one of the 7 lots

Tell us which lot caught your eye. We’ll send the exact location, the off-market price, the registry record and a build-and-rent model for that lot — by WhatsApp, usually the same day. No cost, no obligation.

Please add your name, a WhatsApp number and a valid email.
Received. We’ll message you on WhatsApp with the lot details — usually the same day.

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Common questions

How many lots are available at Altos de María, and are they publicly listed?

7 off-market lots — 3 in Santiago Apóstol and 4 in La Rioja — not publicly listed on any portal; this is exclusive inventory.

Do I need a license to run an STR on an Altos de María lot?

No — Altos de María sits outside the Panama District, so the ATP licensing requirement under Law 80 doesn't apply here, same as other interior mountain markets.

How do I model the ROI on a lot before building?

Use the live ROI calculator on this page, which walks through construction scenarios and projected STR feasibility for each lot — land to Airbnb, modeled step by step.

7 off-market lots · Altos de MaríaAsk about a lot →Book a call