Monthly Archives: May 2009

Information about the house

House Information, , , , , , , ,

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE HOUSE, LOT, FEATURES, RENT AND SALE PRICE

For sale in El Valle de Antón, Panama: a large, modern, fully furnished house

I am offering my furnished house for sale in El Valle de Antón, Panama. For those who don’t know, El Valle is a lovely town of about 7,000 people, 90 minutes outside of Panama City, the capital of Panama. El Valle sits at 600 meters elevation in the bed of an ancient volcano, and has a pleasant, cool climate.

El Valle is a resort town and a popular weekend destination, and as a result it has many nice restaurants and a thriving crafts market. It’s also a place of amazing natural beauty, with a hot springs, waterfalls, and surrounded by misty, forested mountains. There is an established expat community in El Valle and many interesting activities such as classes in cooking, paper making, glass staining, and yoga.

The lot is 1,500 m2 (16,145 square feet) with beautiful mature trees of all kinds, including papaya, eucalyptus, bananas (the banana trees produce a small, uniquely flavored banana called “guineo de manzana”), and various berry bushes.

The house is 260 m2 (approximately 2,800 square feet) with three bedrooms and three baths. The house was designed by a Panamanian couple in which he was an engineer, and she was an interior decorator. Their expertise shows both in the practical elements of the design, and the many decorative flourishes. Some of the house’s features:

  • Convenient location two blocks off the main road and close to the center of town. Everything is within walking distance.
  • House has a raised foundation to prevent flooding in the rainy season.
  • The yard has a system of french drains beneath the surface to carry away excess rainwater.
  • Plenty of windows providing lots of light. Panamanian-style homes tend to be dark inside. Not so with this house. Also, many of the windows afford wonderful views of the surrounding mountains.
  • Ceiling and wall lamps everywhere, both inside and outside the house. Many of the lamps take the form of birds such as chickens and owls.
  • Split AC’s and ceiling fans in each bedroom. (A split AC is a type of high-end air conditioner that works by splitting the hot side from the cold side of the air conditioner. The cold is inside, while the hot is outside, with the two connected by a narrow duct through the wall. Since the compressor is outside, the AC unit is quieter and much more pleasing to the eye. It’s also more efficient and will really cool the room fast). Anyway, you won’t need the ACs most of the time because of El Valle’s pleasant climate, but on the hot days they can keep you comfortable if you choose.
  • New washer and dryer just installed in 2012.
  • New hot water heater installed in 2012.
  • Almost every room in the house has ceiling fans with lamps, including the bedrooms, bathrooms, living room and foyer.
  • Stone flooring and teak cabinets in the bathrooms.
  • A huge kitchen with a large island and plenty of counter space. Refrigerator and microwave were purchased last year.
  • Large living room built in a unique “patio style” that allows the breeze to pass through, and with very high ceilings; this room is cool year round. There is also a loft above the living room that can be used for storage.
  • A barbeque in the living room and an exhaust fan to take away the smoke.
  • Plenty of closet and storage space.
  • High speed internet connection via MobilNet. All you have to do is change the service to your name.
  • Telephone line. Many people rely on mobile phones, and El Valle has a mobile phone store, so it’s your option to activate the landline or not.
  • Furniture includes rustic-style couch and chairs, built-in tables and seating, rocking chair, hammock, kitchen stools, two beds plus sheets and pillows, nightstands, television cabinet, large television and DVD player, small desk and leather office chair, three UPS devices and several surge protectors, lamps, Vornado floor fans, quality cookware and silverware from the U.S., garden shed equipped with tools, and more. It’s turnkey. You could move right in with the clothes on your back.

The house is currently rented to an American expat. She is an excellent tenant and takes good care of the property.

An excellent maid and gardener help to care for the house, keeping it maintained and clean. They have worked in this house for several years and know it very well. They are both honest and hard working. You are not required to employ them of course, but if you do then you will not find better employees anywhere.

By the way, Rosa (the maid) would be happy to cook for you as well if you like. She has really branched out her cooking skills over the years and can prepare very nice Panamanian food, Chinese stir fry, Italian, salads and even vegetarian. When I’m staying in the house I give her money in the morning and she goes to the local open-air market to buy fresh fruits and vegetables and cook them up the same day.

The side door has a small pet door built in, with a latch to keep other animals out at night.

The sale price is $300,000.

If you are interested please contact me via the form on the contact page, and I can make arrangements for you to see the house.

– Wael Abdelgawad, El Valle de Anton, Panama

The Yard and Outside Buildings

Yard, Lot and Outside Structures, , , ,

THE YARD, TOOL SHED AND LAUNDRY AREA

Here is a gallery of photos of the yard, the street in front of the house, the shed, the laundry, etc. Basically all the outdoor structures. Click on the thumbnails to see larger photos.

The Living Room and Guest Bathroom

Guest Bathroom Photos, Living Room Photos, , , , ,

THE LIVING ROOM

The living room is essentially a large, closed-in patio with very high celings. It has ceiling fans and lamps as well, a hammock, two built-in seating areas with cushions and pillows, an indoor barbeque with a vent to remove the smoke, and a guest bathroom. A large, heavy wooden door separates the living room from the rest of the house. That door can be locked for added security, not that it is needed in this peaceful place.

This room is always pleasantly cool, even on the hottest days. It’s a lovely room in which to dine, relax with friends, play cards or games, dance, or just hang out. My daughter always enjoyed playing in this room, while I used to lay down mats and practice martial arts in the evening. We often entertained friends in this room. In the morning all you hear is bird song, and in the evening the chorus of the frogs and insects.

The Kitchen and Foyer

Foyer and Kitchen Photos,

THE KITCHEN AND THE FOYER

The kitchen is spacious and beautiful. So much counter space and storage space you won’t know what to do with it all. All the cabinets are made of beautiful teak wood. The oven and stove use gas. The gas cannister is inside the kitchen island. It lasts for months and can be refilled cheaply at the local Melo store in town. The refrigerator and microwave are both fairly new. For rentals, the kitchen comes fully equipped with quality cookware, serving ware and silverware from the United States, and even a portable Sony stereo/CD player.

The foyer is a large open area with a built-in bench and some kitchen stools. I’ve noticed that guests often like to sit on the stools and chat or have a drink. There’s a lot of space here that is not currently being used. You may want to hang artwork here, or put in a sofa or television (the house comes with a large screen TV which is currently in the master bedroom).

The Master Bedroom

Master Bedroom Photos, , ,

MASTER BEDROOM

The master bedroom gets a lot of morning light, and has a nice view of the mountains. Like all the bedrooms, it has a ceiling fan and lamp, and a split air conditioning unit. The room also includes a large screen TV and DVD player. This bedroom has its own bathroom.

The Master Bathroom

Master Bathroom Photos,

MASTER BATHROOM

The master bathroom has a shower with walls and floor of natural stone, teak cabinets, plenty of counter space, huge mirror lined with decorative stonework, a celing fan and lamp, two small windows, and the toilet has a bidet wand.

The Second Bedroom (aka “The Blue Room”)

Second Bedroom Photos, ,

THE SECOND BEDROOM

This is the second bedroom of the house. When we lived here we called it at first the Blue Room, and then after we had Salma it was simply “the baby’s room.” It’s a very pleasant room, with soothing colors, a comfortable bed, many trees and plants outside the windows, and stays fairly cool all day long.

Some of these photos were taken at different times from others, which is why the furniture arrangement looks different. But all the same furniture is still here in the house, so you can arrange it however you like.

The Third Bedroom (the Office)

Third Bedroom Photos, ,

THE THIRD BEDROOM (THE OFFICE)

The third bedroom has always been used by me as an office. The walls are painted a light olive green color that is very pleasant, which is why we sometimes call it the “green room”, even though we are not actors, ha ha. This room does not have a bed. It has a small desk, a leather office chair, a utility cart, desktop fan, a few lamps, and a rustic style wooden chair. Like all the other bedrooms it has a split air conditioner, a ceiling fan with a lamp, and a closet. This is the coolest (temperature wise) bedroom. I spend a lot of time in this room.

Second Bathroom and Hallway

Second Bathroom Photos,

SECOND BATHROOM AND HALLWAY

The second bathroom is located in the hallway, to be used by the occupants of the second bedroom and the office. This bathroom is entirely floored in natural stone, and the shower is stone as well, and the mirror is bordered with stone. The cabinets are teak, and the bathroom has a ceiling fan and lamp. The shower head is a high-quality fixture purchased last year from Cochez and provides a comfortable, even flow. By the way, all bathrooms and sinks have hot water. That doesn’t always go without saying in Panama.