How to shop for real estate in DR?

N

Neargale

Active member
Jul 4, 2013
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28
For what it is worth, the Canadian RE agent in Cabrera referred to earlier ... shee seems ok .... good vibes.... nice... and knows our William Webster. We met in SD, I was getting my first cedula, she was renewing hers. We joked about the "efficiencies" of the system.
 
B

BlondeJustice

New member
May 28, 2014
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"Buy in an estate that is 100% secure and far far away from the barrios....as much as is possible!!!
Im not saying RUN. Im saying be careful. Invest as much as you are willing to lose
Kisses
Lovemedo"

That is the best advice I've heard re: DR real estate. Seems that it doesn't matter how well protected you think you are, somewhere along the deal, the con is there. I've never played it but the whole process seems like a game of craps.
 
L

lovemedo

New member
Nov 3, 2013
182
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I stayed a a Bed and breakfast in Samana....Im a business kind of guy and struck up many conversations with the owners, about money operating csts etc etc.
He said if you want to get rich by operating a B an B YOU WONT...he said he clears $20000.00 a year. That's it.!!!!
It was a beautiful place
 
J

j&t's future

Bronze
Mar 6, 2007
2,502
27
48
smitty777 said:
Better off figuring out which area you want to move to and ride around yourself. If you're in a relationship with a Dominican its better to send them to talk to the owner. Once they see foreigner the price will jump by 50%, maybe 100%.
Click to expand...

This maybe very true if you want to live in the campo or barrio. Elsewhere, the property will be listed with realtors so you can find out the asking price just by looking on-line.
 
C

chic

Silver
Nov 20, 2013
4,305
1
0
lovemedo said:
Pay attention; i have bought a great deal of real estate here.
Do NOT trust lawyers.... many are duplicitous scoundrels.
The only person you can trust during this property buying exersize
is your romantic partner.
Do not assume service providers along the way have your best interest at heart...THEY DON'T.
Only use DR lawyers Guzman Ariza. Once you pay a DR service provider, and if you require your
money back from them, due to poor service provision...consider the money gone....GONE. Even if it's $10000.00 , 20, 80 plus grand.
The courts will never support you.
The only company that refunded me money was Guzman Ariza lawyers
Keep as many people as you can away from the 'till'..... a general rule only
Make sure your property has a deslinde. No deslinde...DONT YOU OPEN YOUR WALLET. NO matter what the real estate tells you.
Nothing will be done properly, correctly, or on time.....EVER. Even if your lawyer does their job correctly there are other
ignoramuses along the way to contend with.
Many people you meet along the way, foreigners included will want a cut.... quid pro quo!!!! The foreigner ( your neighbour, local guy you meet at the bar or
whomever will present to you as friendly , helpful,
keen to go out of his or her way, for you. NOOOOOOOO this is a facade. Eventually they will want something from you, expect it.
Fence your property and secure the land immediately post purchase. Fence it with block, or what ever.
That way people will not be able to encroach on your land. And yes there are legal writings that support this.
Have that deslinde checked and re-checked- even my first property's deslinde was not correctly entered into the GPS system,
until my new lawyer found it, notified me, and fixed it....she says?????.
Stay away from a POP lawyer with a DR rum company for a name...RUN
Documents can be fabricated, and were in my case. Something i am still fighting for 7 years later
Remember that the majority of DR ( not all) people are poorly educated, peasants with one thing on their mind.....SURVIVAL. Some
important people you meet along the way, that you feel are your equal in life i.e morals, business acumen, integrity, intelligence, honor
are anything, but that! I even bought land from a Mayor and he didnt do what he said he would do.
I have constantly endured attempts to rip me off, from coraplatas head honcho in cabarete through to a
supposed land owner who sold me land. He didnt own the land ( he fabricated documents,
he consorted with a dodgy lawyer that i just happened to chose myself - by chance he knew her)
Buy in an estate that is 100% secure and far far away from the barrios....as much as is possible!!!
Im not saying RUN. Im saying be careful. Invest as much as you are willing to lose
Kisses
Lovemedo
Click to expand...

some good words but remember if you use a buyers agent for reduction....u probably have a contract and a deposit w/them. if they save you 60Kus$ and you have an agreement for a 40% payment 24K$us...evan guzman will advise you to pay them ....now...at contract to sell ..not at closing....get some things out of the way...:classic::classic::classic::classic::classic::classic::classic:
 
C

ctrob

Silver
Nov 9, 2006
5,591
781
113
lovemedo said:
I stayed a a Bed and breakfast in Samana....Im a business kind of guy and struck up many conversations with the owners, about money operating csts etc etc.
He said if you want to get rich by operating a B an B YOU WONT...he said he clears $20000.00 a year. That's it.!!!!
It was a beautiful place
Click to expand...

He may have over paid going in. If you overpay for any business, you're not going to make it.
And a lot of people go into BnB's thinking "How hard can it be? It'll be fun." In my opinion a BnB is nothing but a restaurant on steroids. You can make money, but you better know your costs going in.
 
L

lovemedo

New member
Nov 3, 2013
182
0
0
lovemedo said:
Pay attention; i have bought a great deal of real estate here.
Do NOT trust lawyers.... many are duplicitous scoundrels.
The only person you can trust during this property buying exersize
is your romantic partner.
Do not assume service providers along the way have your best interest at heart...THEY DON'T.
Only use DR lawyers Guzman Ariza. Once you pay a DR service provider, and if you require your
money back from them, due to poor service provision...consider the money gone....GONE. Even if it's $10000.00 , 20, 80 plus grand.
The courts will never support you.
The only company that refunded me money was Guzman Ariza lawyers
Keep as many people as you can away from the 'till'..... a general rule only
Make sure your property has a deslinde. No deslinde...DONT YOU OPEN YOUR WALLET. NO matter what the real estate tells you.
Nothing will be done properly, correctly, or on time.....EVER. Even if your lawyer does their job correctly there are other
ignoramuses along the way to contend with.
Many people you meet along the way, foreigners included will want a cut.... quid pro quo!!!! The foreigner ( your neighbour, local guy you meet at the bar or
whomever will present to you as friendly , helpful,
keen to go out of his or her way, for you. NOOOOOOOO this is a facade. Eventually they will want something from you, expect it.
Fence your property and secure the land immediately post purchase. Fence it with block, or what ever.
That way people will not be able to encroach on your land. And yes there are legal writings that support this.
Have that deslinde checked and re-checked- even my first property's deslinde was not correctly entered into the GPS system,
until my new lawyer found it, notified me, and fixed it....she says?????.
Stay away from a POP lawyer with a DR rum company for a name...RUN
Documents can be fabricated, and were in my case. Something i am still fighting for 7 years later
Remember that the majority of DR ( not all) people are poorly educated, peasants with one thing on their mind.....SURVIVAL. Some
important people you meet along the way, that you feel are your equal in life i.e morals, business acumen, integrity, intelligence, honor
are anything, but that! I even bought land from a Mayor and he didnt do what he said he would do.
I have constantly endured attempts to rip me off, from coraplatas head honcho in cabarete through to a
supposed land owner who sold me land. He didnt own the land ( he fabricated documents,
he consorted with a dodgy lawyer that i just happened to chose myself - by chance he knew her)
Buy in an estate that is 100% secure and far far away from the barrios....as much as is possible!!!
Im not saying RUN. Im saying be careful. Invest as much as you are willing to lose
Kisses
Lovemedo
Click to expand...



FYI
How to handle the above problems, or how i handled them;
Dont pay until the service is performed or job finished.
Dont bother suing , this law was not set up for your protection, it was set up for the protection of the Dominicans
Have little to do with Dominicans from the lower classes, or any class for that matter. They simply want you for what you can give them. Don't confuse their friendly attitude with friendship. keep them at arms length
Be highly selective with whom you associate and allow into your home i.e including foreigners. People want to bleed you for information about yourselves
....its an interesting phenomena i guess but people are incredibly interested in discovering who you are; zip your lips. Any unnecessary questions
simply tell them to f@#k off, you'll feel all the better for it.
When being ripped off, or you get the feeling you're appearing on someones agenda i.e the above coraplata incident...i fully recommend that you tell the
pr@@kk to f@##k off. I did and that was the end of that. Call them on their games.Or say no speeky spanish.
These strategies have worked well for me

warmest regards
 
L

lovemedo

New member
Nov 3, 2013
182
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0
possibly, i really dont know. I know he was anxious to sell his place for $1million...that was going to be his real payoff !!!!! Not the everyday plebs that pay $15 p/night
 
W

wuarhat

I am a out of touch hippie.
Nov 13, 2006
1,378
89
48
mirandakate said:
to get an idea of how far our dollar will go
Click to expand...

It goes a lot further if you dole it out a month at a time. If you plan on buying immediately you'll probably probably spend twenty to thirty years rent up front.
 
M

mirandakate

New member
Aug 4, 2015
36
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UPDATE: I appreciate the words of warning and suggestions everyone has contributed!

We have booked our flights to come in October to Cabarete. We have decided not to contact a real estate agent or buyers rep yet. We have a few options bookmarked we may contact the agent to view while we are in town, but want to spend the majority of our time on foot and moto checking out the suggestions of our friends who are keeping an eye out for us right now.

If anyone hears or sees of a small BnB/hostel, around 8-units, in Cabarete as close to downtown/the beach as possible, keep us in mind. Also open to a property with potential, one that has a small house we can build 1-bedroom bunkies on. We have a trusted contractor and friend from Canada living in DR who has completed many projects that we would get in touch with for advisement. We'd like to avoid this, but for the right opportunity, would take on the project.

Lastly, we are seeking to attract backpackers and would like to own a BnB that we can sustainably run for around $20pp a night.

We aren't out to make millions, if that isn't obvious by the above information. Just a change in lifestyle and to fulfill our desire of running a BnB, having been in hospitality for years across Canada. We love hosting like minded folks!

Thanks again!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
M

mountainannie

Platinum
Dec 11, 2003
16,350
1,358
113
elizabetheames.blogspot.com
I think you really need to be on the ground to decide which town you want to live in. There is a big difference between Las Terrenas and Cabarete and Cabrera. And if you are not going to be here full time, you probably should be looking at a condo rather than a villa.

also - best perhaps to use the waiting time to get your residency. Not advisable to buy without residency. http://www.drlawyer.com/deutsch/en/...status-in-the-dominican-republic-an-overview/
 
M

mirandakate

New member
Aug 4, 2015
36
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0
32
mountainannie said:
I think you really need to be on the ground to decide which town you want to live in. There is a big difference between Las Terrenas and Cabarete and Cabrera. And if you are not going to be here full time, you probably should be looking at a condo rather than a villa.

also - best perhaps to use the waiting time to get your residency. Not advisable to buy without residency. http://www.drlawyer.com/deutsch/en/...status-in-the-dominican-republic-an-overview/
Click to expand...

We've been travelling to DR for extended periods of time for years and know the right area for us is Cabarete. We only are considering Las Terrenas and other surrounding areas as a Plan B.

We are going to live here full time and we will be running a backpackers hostel.

We're starting the residency process 6 months before moving to DR full time.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Africaida

Africaida

Gold
Jun 19, 2009
7,775
1,341
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mirandakate said:
We've been travelling to DR for extended periods of time for years and know the right area for us is Cabarete. We only are considering Las Terrenas and other surrounding areas as a Plan B.

We are going to live here full time and we will be running a backpackers hostel.

We're starting the residency process 6 months before moving to DR full time.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...


For a hostel, Cabarete sounds better as it has a younger crowd with windsurfers.
 
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