So, my wife and I moved here from another Latin American country and need to rent a house in Santo Domingo.
To say the experience was less than pleasurable would be an understatement and we're fluent in the language, culture and Real Estate. I can only imagine what this process must be like for novices.
These 'agents'.....
1) Are masters of the "Bait 'n' Switch". We looked online, found some places that looked promising and made some calls. The first three houses in a row were 'bait 'n' switches'. For anyone who doesn't know what that means it's where we saw one house at one price online but then we were taken to a different house (i.e. crappier) at a different price (i.e. higher).
2) Would ask us what area we wanted to live in. Once we told them they would then "Get back to us shortly" as they scrambled out into that neighborhood calling any for rent sign they could find. So, essentially none had inventory, they'd just show us houses we'd already seen at jacked up prices, adjusted for their hard earned commissions.
3) Invariable would ask our maximum price. Once we'd tell them what it was, guess what? We never saw a house again for less than that price. In fact we looked at a couple houses and then had other agents show us those same houses later and wouldn't you know it, the prices had gone up to our maximum price overnight!
Then we found a house that has good bones, good location, good price but it needs some work. We were sent to speak to a 'Realtor' who treated us like criminals. First the "Realtor' wanted the obligatory 3 months (Which is a scam and needs to be fixed, btw) payment/deposit. I asked them for a receipt in their company's S.A. as with that perhaps we have SOME recourse when they screw us out of the deposit. We also agreed to do a photo inventory of the house with them keeping one set and us keeping one set in case anyone's memory became faded a couple years down the line. Then, using that deposit money of course they'll make the repairs we requested. My hands are tied here, so after putting together the document detailing every repair we want done we'll have them sign it and hope they do.
I noted how busy and important they seemed and offered to supervise the repairs personally so as to cut their work load which they happily accepted. Fact is, you can't let someone who doesn't know what 'nice' is supervise because their idea of 'nice' and mine are likely far different.
Then we hit a wall. They wanted a 'Garante' (Sp?), which is in fact a co-signer and must be from Santo Domingo. At that point I asked them why they needed a co-signer if they already have two months deposit and I'd paid their runner for them? Of course there is no reason, it's just the master/slave relationship they're accustomed to and they're going to milk the 'master' role as much/long as possible.
I explained to them that we'd been here 10 days. I asked how exactly foreigners were to be expected to have a co-signer? They could not answer. They told me foreigners are "High risk" and not thought of highly here. I opened a copy of "Hoy" that was sitting on a table in the office and showed them a bunch of rental ads that read "Apartment for FOREIGNERS", "House to rent, FOREIGNERS ONLY", etc. etc. etc. I explained that foreigners generally pay their bills and are in fact highly sought after as renters according to everyone else.
I offered a copy of my passport, my residency in another country, letters of recommendation from impressive people inthe country we're moving from, a copy of my bank account in that country proving I'm solid and said if those things did not work I MIGHT be able to get a 'Garante' from another part of the country, just not from Santo Domingo.
They didn't care and weren't budging. I finally said "Look, you're a Real Estate agent and you stand to gain a commission, I have money in my pocket and your client has had their house sit vacant for 7 months, let's quit screwing around and do business.". Nope, no deal.
Then I suggested I speak directly to the owner. They gave me the phone number and I thought to myself "This is just an example of what happens when middlemen get involved and muck up a deal. Let me speak to the owner and she'll understand. Nope.
The owner in the USA said he'd had a bad experience with the last renter and he was a Dominican Politician (Well of course, duh!!! You don't rent to a politician, a judge, a lawyer or a General for that matter.), an ESTEEMED politician no less, lol. He then proceeded to tell me foreigners were high risk a well. I finally wondered "If he doesn't want another Dominican and he doesn't want a foreigner just who exactly DOES he want?"
I wanted to tell these low-lives off so badly after being insulted by them but the fact of the matter is the house is a very good deal and I'm sick of looking/screwing around.
Thank you all for letting me vent.
To say the experience was less than pleasurable would be an understatement and we're fluent in the language, culture and Real Estate. I can only imagine what this process must be like for novices.
These 'agents'.....
1) Are masters of the "Bait 'n' Switch". We looked online, found some places that looked promising and made some calls. The first three houses in a row were 'bait 'n' switches'. For anyone who doesn't know what that means it's where we saw one house at one price online but then we were taken to a different house (i.e. crappier) at a different price (i.e. higher).
2) Would ask us what area we wanted to live in. Once we told them they would then "Get back to us shortly" as they scrambled out into that neighborhood calling any for rent sign they could find. So, essentially none had inventory, they'd just show us houses we'd already seen at jacked up prices, adjusted for their hard earned commissions.
3) Invariable would ask our maximum price. Once we'd tell them what it was, guess what? We never saw a house again for less than that price. In fact we looked at a couple houses and then had other agents show us those same houses later and wouldn't you know it, the prices had gone up to our maximum price overnight!
Then we found a house that has good bones, good location, good price but it needs some work. We were sent to speak to a 'Realtor' who treated us like criminals. First the "Realtor' wanted the obligatory 3 months (Which is a scam and needs to be fixed, btw) payment/deposit. I asked them for a receipt in their company's S.A. as with that perhaps we have SOME recourse when they screw us out of the deposit. We also agreed to do a photo inventory of the house with them keeping one set and us keeping one set in case anyone's memory became faded a couple years down the line. Then, using that deposit money of course they'll make the repairs we requested. My hands are tied here, so after putting together the document detailing every repair we want done we'll have them sign it and hope they do.
I noted how busy and important they seemed and offered to supervise the repairs personally so as to cut their work load which they happily accepted. Fact is, you can't let someone who doesn't know what 'nice' is supervise because their idea of 'nice' and mine are likely far different.
Then we hit a wall. They wanted a 'Garante' (Sp?), which is in fact a co-signer and must be from Santo Domingo. At that point I asked them why they needed a co-signer if they already have two months deposit and I'd paid their runner for them? Of course there is no reason, it's just the master/slave relationship they're accustomed to and they're going to milk the 'master' role as much/long as possible.
I explained to them that we'd been here 10 days. I asked how exactly foreigners were to be expected to have a co-signer? They could not answer. They told me foreigners are "High risk" and not thought of highly here. I opened a copy of "Hoy" that was sitting on a table in the office and showed them a bunch of rental ads that read "Apartment for FOREIGNERS", "House to rent, FOREIGNERS ONLY", etc. etc. etc. I explained that foreigners generally pay their bills and are in fact highly sought after as renters according to everyone else.
I offered a copy of my passport, my residency in another country, letters of recommendation from impressive people inthe country we're moving from, a copy of my bank account in that country proving I'm solid and said if those things did not work I MIGHT be able to get a 'Garante' from another part of the country, just not from Santo Domingo.
They didn't care and weren't budging. I finally said "Look, you're a Real Estate agent and you stand to gain a commission, I have money in my pocket and your client has had their house sit vacant for 7 months, let's quit screwing around and do business.". Nope, no deal.
Then I suggested I speak directly to the owner. They gave me the phone number and I thought to myself "This is just an example of what happens when middlemen get involved and muck up a deal. Let me speak to the owner and she'll understand. Nope.
The owner in the USA said he'd had a bad experience with the last renter and he was a Dominican Politician (Well of course, duh!!! You don't rent to a politician, a judge, a lawyer or a General for that matter.), an ESTEEMED politician no less, lol. He then proceeded to tell me foreigners were high risk a well. I finally wondered "If he doesn't want another Dominican and he doesn't want a foreigner just who exactly DOES he want?"
I wanted to tell these low-lives off so badly after being insulted by them but the fact of the matter is the house is a very good deal and I'm sick of looking/screwing around.
Thank you all for letting me vent.