Do you know this neighborhood?

SKing

Silver
Nov 22, 2007
3,750
183
63
I have 2 days to look at 8 houses and will be making a decision very quickly. I do not know these neighbrhoods well and would like to know if anyone lives in any of these or knows someone that can give me a little info regarding things like safety, cleanliness, lower/middle/upper class, closeness to colmados, supermercados,etc., ease to get to public transportation (I catch public cars unless I am going to the grocery store or am tired or I need to get somewhere quick, then I call a taxi) and also if you know the closeness to my kids' Colegio which is on Carretera Licey (that is most important).

Thanks to anyone who knows

JARDINES DEL ESTE

LOS JARDINES DEL NORTE

VILLA LINDA

GURABO

CERRO ALTO


I have heard rumors and things of course about certain of these neighborhoods but wondering who may actually live there or have a friend in one that they visit often. Thanks

SHALENA
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
514
113
Cerro Alto and Jardines del Norte are both surrounded by very low-income barrios and therefore subject to lots of petty crime.
Gurabo and Jardines del Este are out in the Bumpuslands with little to recommend the. Jardines del Este is probably better located for your trips to SFM... it is between the two highways Duarte (the old one and the new one).

I did not look hard for Villa Linda..

Be well,

HB
 

Jumbo

Bronze
Jul 8, 2005
1,503
94
48
I would cross Cerro Alto off the list. I would live there if i had to but not if i had to choose. Also i believe it is a few to many long traffic lights to your kids school.
 

SKing

Silver
Nov 22, 2007
3,750
183
63
Cerro Alto and Jardines del Norte are both surrounded by very low-income barrios and therefore subject to lots of petty crime.
Gurabo and Jardines del Este are out in the Bumpuslands with little to recommend the. Jardines del Este is probably better located for your trips to SFM... it is between the two highways Duarte (the old one and the new one).

I did not look hard for Villa Linda..

Be well,

HB
Hey HB, thanks. What if my commute to SFM was not an issue, would you still think Jardines drl Este is situated un a good area? And the petty crime around the others, do we mean like stealing mesadiras off the patio or like knocking down old people and stealing their purses? I only ask because I believe in DR there is petty crime everywhere, it depends on the type of crimes that are being committed. Stealing clothes off the wall is a little different from breaking and entering.

I would cross Cerro Alto off the list. I would live there if i had to but not if i had to choose. Also i believe it is a few to many long traffic lights to your kids school.
Do you say that because of the crime?

I think she is referring to Vista Linda where I had house once.
No, I'm pretty sure it's Villa Linda but I'll check again.

I'll check it out Bob but I don't really care for apts or condos but it's worth a look

Thanks, keep it coming

SHALENA
 

baby bori

New member
May 18, 2010
239
18
0
Shalena I recommend Jardines del Este its close to practically everything you would need. My friend has a home there on calle 8 nice tranquil neighborhood no thugs no hoodlums there at least for now. You have the bakery Lumijor at the corner when you come into the residential area. You also have autopista duarte and avenida juan pablo duarte nearby. This residential area is not far from the monumento area either. I plan on buying or renting a home there when I retire.
 
May 12, 2005
8,564
271
83
Shalena I recommend Jardines del Este its close to practically everything you would need. My friend has a home there on calle 8 nice tranquil neighborhood no thugs no hoodlums there at least for now. You have the bakery Lumijor at the corner when you come into the residential area. You also have autopista duarte and avenida juan pablo duarte nearby. This residential area is not far from the monumento area either. I plan on buying or renting a home there when I retire.

Are you sure that is not Villa Maria??
 

Jumbo

Bronze
Jul 8, 2005
1,503
94
48
Shalena, if the house in Cerro Alto on the corner of Calle A and K is for rent go for it. But i think it is only fo sale for about 20 million pesos. Calle A thru F over to M is a good hood. Anything past there is hit or miss. Crime is not too bad there and have never had a problem. As for living there i feel the houses are on top of each other and most do not have any small court yards that would be a must for me. But for price you might get the most house for the peso. Good luck.
 

PICHARDO

One Dominican at a time, please!
May 15, 2003
13,280
893
113
Santiago de Los 30 Caballeros
I have 2 days to look at 8 houses and will be making a decision very quickly. I do not know these neighbrhoods well and would like to know if anyone lives in any of these or knows someone that can give me a little info regarding things like safety, cleanliness, lower/middle/upper class, closeness to colmados, supermercados,etc., ease to get to public transportation (I catch public cars unless I am going to the grocery store or am tired or I need to get somewhere quick, then I call a taxi) and also if you know the closeness to my kids' Colegio which is on Carretera Licey (that is most important).

Thanks to anyone who knows

JARDINES DEL ESTE

LOS JARDINES DEL NORTE

VILLA LINDA

GURABO

CERRO ALTO


I have heard rumors and things of course about certain of these neighborhoods but wondering who may actually live there or have a friend in one that they visit often. Thanks

SHALENA


Why only this limited selection? Honestly, there's more to be had in Santiago than those listed and pretty much around the price tag you seem to be looking for (middle class to upper middle class).

Jardines are pretty much on speed time change to full commercial... And that's pretty much the only area I would even look to say OK for you in a very reserved manner.

If the people doing the home hunting for you are this limited ( I guess they're working within a budget you stated before hand) on areas based on rental prices, believe you me, there's good chance to find a nice perfect home for you in other nicer and less exposed areas.
 

SKing

Silver
Nov 22, 2007
3,750
183
63
Shalena I recommend Jardines del Este its close to practically everything you would need. My friend has a home there on calle 8 nice tranquil neighborhood no thugs no hoodlums there at least for now. You have the bakery Lumijor at the corner when you come into the residential area. You also have autopista duarte and avenida juan pablo duarte nearby. This residential area is not far from the monumento area either. I plan on buying or renting a home there when I retire.

Thank you, I will keep it on the list to look at

Shalena, if the house in Cerro Alto on the corner of Calle A and K is for rent go for it. But i think it is only fo sale for about 20 million pesos. Calle A thru F over to M is a good hood. Anything past there is hit or miss. Crime is not too bad there and have never had a problem. As for living there i feel the houses are on top of each other and most do not have any small court yards that would be a must for me. But for price you might get the most house for the peso. Good luck.

I'm not sure of the address, I will call my friend. But the house was definitely for rent, not for sale. And the pic she took for me, I'm sure it is not a 20 million peso house :)

Why only this limited selection? Honestly, there's more to be had in Santiago than those listed and pretty much around the price tag you seem to be looking for (middle class to upper middle class).

Jardines are pretty much on speed time change to full commercial... And that's pretty much the only area I would even look to say OK for you in a very reserved manner.

If the people doing the home hunting for you are this limited ( I guess they're working within a budget you stated before hand) on areas based on rental prices, believe you me, there's good chance to find a nice perfect home for you in other nicer and less exposed areas.

Please name the areas. The problem is that yes, I just have friends who give me this information depending on what they may see just passing by and also I have been looking online. The problem is that I do not have much time. I will only have 1 week in DR before my stuff is "supposed" to arrive. I have not been able to, because of my work schedule right now (babies coming out of the walls), get any time off to go over and do the foot work that it takes to find something nice and reasonable.
In my budget I am able to pay up to 41,000rd/month for a home but I will not do that for many reasons. My desire is to not go over 26,600rd/month, of course I have been known to fall in love and throw my budget out of the window but I have also seen very perfectly good houses for 15,000rd or less, and I will not be jipped and pay 20,000rd/month for a house that is not clearly worth it.

Maybe I can tell you guys what I am looking for and if you see something let me know.
I must say first and foremost though that I do not fit in very well with upper class Dominicans, nor low class Dominicans. I found in my last time living in Santiago that myself and my kids were most comfortable in a middle class neighborhood. Working parents, nothing extraordinary, Bank tellers, teachers, etc.

With that being said, these are the things that I MUST have:
Clean neighborhood and fairly safe
Front porch type area- at least big enough for 2 Rocking chairs
Patio at back - I have a fairly large Patio set (table with 6 chairs)
Enclosed laundry area- I have seen some houses with the laundry area just outside with no protection of your washer/dryer from the elements
Habitacion de Servicio- usually they all have these
3 Bedrooms
Sala upstairs- this is NOT an option, this is where my children play, watch movies, have friends over, etc. The sala downstairs is for guests and adults talking :)
Balcony- I just have to have one, period :)
Some semblance of a yard with grass or ability to sod
Cable ready in all bedrooms and Sala upstairs
Close to public transportation
Close to a Colmado
Fairly close to the kids school so that they do not have to be picked up at the crack of dawn by the driver or be the last ones dropped off (school is on Carretera Licey)

These are things that are not MUST haves (I can live without) but would absolutely love if I could have:
Regular windows - hate those Dominican style windows)
4 Bedrooms upstairs - have already prepared my 9 yo that he will have to share a room with his 2 yo brother but if he could have his own room that would be a big point for me
Calentador de agua- This would be great if it was already installed but if not, we will make do until I buy one and have it installed myself
Air Conditioning- Nice to have but no big deal
Ceiling Fans- Also just nice to have
Inversor- It would just be nice not to have to get that myself
The little house for the trash- I just like it

I know that it sounds very needy but if any of you see anything in the next month that resembles what I am looking for, please let me know.
Pichardo, I know that you know every neighborhood prbably so if you see anything help a sistah out, send me some pics (I KNOW you can do that!) LOL


Thanks,
SHALENA
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
514
113
Jardines del Este are almost easy walking distance to the New Sirena. It is in a nice area...

My son recommended (as did someone else) Cerro Alto...okay...

Good Luck!


HB
 

Africaida

Gold
Jun 19, 2009
7,775
1,341
113
It would be nice to see a House Hunter International episode in Santiago starring Shalena with Pichardo as a Real Estate agent :)
 

bachata

Aprendiz de todo profesional de nada
Aug 18, 2007
5,341
1,246
113
No doubt Hillbilly is the expert in the Santiago area, I will go for Jardines del Este if I would have to move back to Santiago.

JJ
 

SKing

Silver
Nov 22, 2007
3,750
183
63
Thanks, I will see the house in Jardines del este.

What about El Amanecer?

SHALENA
 

LaTeacher

Bronze
May 2, 2008
852
66
48
Jardines del Este is a nice area - off Rafael Vidal. Close to the A car (but the A is a little sketchy in that area, you might have to wait a good 10 minutes to get one). The new Sirena is walking distance, and it's close to the kids' school.
Cerro Alto is where my in-laws live. There's a lot of petty-crime like... muggings and stick ups. Gurabo is what it is, it depends on the area you'd be in.