Panama Debates Bill in the National Assembly to Boost Used Home Purchases: What You Need to Know If You’re Looking for a Home Today

Bill 252 Panama used homes initiative is now under debate in the National Assembly. The housing market is going through one of its most complex periods in years—and the National Assembly knows it. In April 2026, the Economy and Finance Subcommittee resumed the analysis of Bill 252, an initiative aimed at creating concrete incentives to facilitate the purchase of used homes in the country. The proposal comes at a critical time: housing sales have been declining for two consecutive years, and the housing deficit exceeds 180,000 units nationwide.

At Top Investments Panama, a real estate company specialized in the country’s interior regions, we want to explain what this initiative is about, what current market data reveals, and what all of this means for those looking for a property today.

What does Bill 252 propose?

The initiative, promoted by Congresswoman Yamireliz Chong and currently under review by the Economy and Finance Subcommittee of the National Assembly, proposes extending the preferential interest rate scheme to the purchase of used homes—something that currently only applies to new properties.

According to the legislative analysis published by Infobae Panama, the key points of the proposal include:

• Fiscal and financial mechanisms aimed at facilitating access to second-hand properties.
• A preferential interest rate scheme on mortgage loans for used housing, with a limit of up to $300,000 and a maximum term of 10 years.
• Access requirements: the buyer must be purchasing their first home and must not have previously benefited from the preferential interest rate.
• Participation of the Ministry of Housing, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and private sector associations in defining technical criteria.

The bill also highlights that the used housing market could help reactivate real estate activity in areas with existing infrastructure but low property turnover. The subcommittee continued sessions in April with more public and private sector stakeholders before advancing to further stages of the legislative process.

“This segment could help reactivate real estate activity in consolidated urban areas, where infrastructure is available but property turnover is low.”
— Infobae Panama, analysis of Bill 252, April 2026

The context that makes this proposal urgent: April 2026 data

The bill comes at a time when sector numbers are under significant pressure. According to a report published by Republica.com on April 21, 2026, based on data from the National Housing Developers Council (Convivienda):

• Housing sales in Panama have dropped by 55% over the past two years.
• In 2025 alone, 4,020 homes were sold, representing a 34.38% year-over-year decline.
• The housing deficit exceeds 180,000 units nationwide.
• Over the past five years, the sector has lost approximately 40,000 direct jobs.

Elisa Suárez, Executive Director of Convivienda, was clear in her assessment:

“The core problem is not a lack of demand, but a lack of conditions to buy.”

Available inventory at the end of 2025 also reveals where supply is concentrated: Panama City had 1,279 units, and West Panama had 1,237. In contrast, the country’s interior has very limited new housing supply. Coclé, for example, ended 2025 with only 20 units available in the formal inventory.

What does this mean for homebuyers in Panama’s interior?

The fact that Coclé has only 20 units of new housing inventory is telling: in the interior of the country, the formal supply of new homes is extremely limited. This makes used housing, in practice, the main realistic option for thousands of families looking for homes in provinces such as Coclé, Herrera, Los Santos, and Veraguas.

If Bill 252 advances in the Assembly, the used housing market could receive a historic financial incentive that would make it even more accessible. But even without this law, used homes in the interior already offer real advantages over new housing:

• More affordable prices, without developer markups or the new fiscal costs applied to first-time sales of new homes.
• Greater availability: while new housing inventory is scarce in the interior, used properties have higher turnover.
• Established locations: homes in developed neighborhoods with available services, known communities, and no construction wait times.
• Direct negotiation: the second-hand market allows greater flexibility in price and terms between buyer and seller.

Our role as a real estate company in this context

At Top Investments Panama, we closely monitor these legislative discussions and market trends because they directly impact the clients we support: families looking for their first home, investors aiming to position themselves in the interior, and property owners who need to sell effectively.

If Bill 252 moves forward, those who already own used properties in the interior could benefit from a more active market with greater access to financing for buyers. And those looking to buy today have the opportunity to do so before this increased activity translates into higher prices.

As real estate investment advisors operating in the country’s interior, our role is to help you understand this context and make informed decisions at the right time.

Do you have a property in the interior that you want to sell? Or are you looking for a well-priced property before the market shifts? Contact us today.