getting a home in the DR

amstellite

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Sep 5, 2007
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Hi- I plan to move to the DR in 5 or 6 years when I retire. Wondering if anyone can point me in the right direction. I wonlt be rich but should be comfortable enough being single. In la Caleta for example I was offered a home for 10000 bucks.. basic m three bedroom, cement-block and zinc roof. I would like to get a bit better than that. I would like some comforts of home.
But I know I do not want to live in a resort, or in an area full of ex-pats- I want to be where people live and breathe- Dominican people. Being used to the barrios a bit, I have no issue with staying in one- like La caleta near Boca Chica. Is it worthwhile buying a terrano now, and building up floor by floor as I go back from time to time( I went 8 times last year and have been 5 times this year already- so I do get there a bit), or better to buy a house already built? I know nothing of building houses... so that's another issue- one of trusting someone there.. I have some very poor friends that I've know for a few years-Dominicans- but presenting them with a bunch of money to purchase bricks and whatever might push things over the limit for them
Just meandereing- I'd like toget somethign rolling while I still have a few years to go at work... cheers for any (helpful) advice..thanks Mike
 

Anastacio

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Feb 22, 2010
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My clan own a few properties in La Coleta and it isn't really a good place to buy until you are going to be living there. It isn't an area you would be advised to leave the home uninhabited. Allowing your friends to move in would be a long term mistake IMO.
There are some nicer places being built slightly out of it all, Spanish seem to be buying up quite a bit of property and land, building these beautiful houses in the middle of scrublands yet unfortunately with a highway view, and still close enough to La Coleta to be a target if walking at night, gringo, wrong place and time (only good side I see is living out there is you are expected to hack into free electricity).
We've been offered a place by an extended family member (a Spanish guy married my lasses cousin) and it is absolutely beautiful, and cheap (I expect there is slight family discount but not alot), but it is that neither here nor there I can not fall for, a beautiful home but in the middle of scrubland, who is going to be building around us for the next 15 years.
If you are content with that then I'd expect that might be the way forward, buy some land, but you still want to wait to start building until you are on the ground and have someone you can trust getting things done. Buy a place by all means, if an amazing offer comes along, and leave it empty until you retire.
I can't see time playing much of a problem in the house pricing in La Coleta, I'm sure you have a few years to play with.
 

AlterEgo

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Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
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Mike, unless you're going to be there supervising the building all the time, don't even think about building. Please.

If you're not retiring for 5 years, I'd wait to buy something, it's never a good idea to leave a house unattended anywhere, but there it's even worse [especially when it's owned by a gringo - they'll think you have things you don't even have, just because you're a foreigner]. I'm saying this because it doesn't sound like you're going to be buying in a secure or gated community.

My advice would be to retire, move there and rent for a bit, while looking for a place to buy. If you're planning on bringing a car or a container from NY then that may not work - but then it might work out well that the container arrives about the time you find the place you're buying.

AE
 
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Alberto Mota

New member
May 11, 2007
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Mike, I'm Dominican (from Santiago, now living in NJ USA). I agreed wiht AC and Anastacio. take your time and I suggest that you look around in the mean time. They are others places nicer, better secure and as always money varies in diferent ares.

I'm also looking for a place to buy and move in. Nothin big but it must have an area were I can plant some vegies, but I already got my city to live in, Jarabacoa. The wether is cooler, the air is cleaner and rivers runs all over the mountain and through the city. I gust I'm a river person.. But take your time my friend and look around.

Alberto
 

johnny

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Feb 8, 2003
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hausenland.com
A house selling for 10,000 I am 100% sure that house has not title., so, in others words, you are buying nothing.
be careful, where you buy a house. the cheapest apartments, where the medium low class dominican live cost around 2 millions (54k). houses that sell for less than that most of them has not titles.
 

bachata

Aprendiz de todo profesional de nada
Aug 18, 2007
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Hi- I plan to move to the DR in 5 or 6 years when I retire. Wondering if anyone can point me in the right direction. I wonlt be rich but should be comfortable enough being single. In la Caleta for example I was offered a home for 10000 bucks.. basic m three bedroom, cement-block and zinc roof. I would like to get a bit better than that. I would like some comforts of home.
But I know I do not want to live in a resort, or in an area full of ex-pats- I want to be where people live and breathe- Dominican people. Being used to the barrios a bit, I have no issue with staying in one- like La caleta near Boca Chica. Is it worthwhile buying a terrano now, and building up floor by floor as I go back from time to time( I went 8 times last year and have been 5 times this year already- so I do get there a bit), or better to buy a house already built? I know nothing of building houses... so that's another issue- one of trusting someone there.. I have some very poor friends that I've know for a few years-Dominicans- but presenting them with a bunch of money to purchase bricks and whatever might push things over the limit for them
Just meandereing- I'd like toget somethign rolling while I still have a few years to go at work... cheers for any (helpful) advice..thanks Mike

What is this, 10000 ?? are you trying to say US $ 10,000. if so a home for this price is "un ranchito" broth....
I sold mine for US 80,000. and it was located a low mid class neighborhood of Santiago.

JJ
 

whiskylee

New member
May 13, 2007
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Having purchased plots of land & built a house in San Pedro De Macoris 4 years ago my advice would be

Buy a plot of land in an area you know you could live in I.E. view at night aswel as in the day

Speak to the neighbours

Ensure the land has a clean title

Check for any specific building requierments

Check for services (electricity/water & waste) and allow a budget for conections

We built our house over a period of 3 years, Buying materials & labour as and when we had the cash, I have a building background and the wife is Dominican so the whole process was no more stressful than building in the UK.

Top Tip when building anywhere in the world: Agree specification/price before any work is carried out and only pay when you are happy with the work !

We used all the different tradesmen as and when necesary, Obtaining quotes for the work before they started. I also asked to visit previous work they had completed.

Hope this helps

Whiskylee
 

J D Sauser

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Nov 20, 2004
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thinking out of the box?

If you are considering a "simple" Dominican style building... well, why not build it YOURSELF... someday, AFTER you have gotten to know the country, it's good and bad spots (and how to recognize them in a heart beat)?
I mean if you were considering living into the situation you described in you OP... most European and American handy with a hammer and a screw driver can do better... and pick a fun location.

... J-D.
 

Acira

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Sep 20, 2009
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Is there any regulation here concerning building errors after the work is done?
I mean like the 10 year responsibility for the building company f.e. for major faults in construction after handing over the key's of the new construction, its a special paper that need to be signed of by both parties at that time.

Maybe a bit of topic but I was wondering...
 

J D Sauser

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Nov 20, 2004
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www.hispanosuizainvest.com
Is there any regulation here concerning building errors after the work is done?
I mean like the 10 year responsibility for the building company f.e. for major faults in construction after handing over the key's of the new construction, its a special paper that need to be signed of by both parties at that time.

Maybe a bit of topic but I was wondering...


:D :D :D

You can't even get a store to honor a one year warranty the second day after you bought the item here and you want what, 10 years?
TIDR! (this is the DR!) :)

Here you can be happy if the building company was not just set up for YOUR building only and closed the day after they got your money... (before they'd pay all contractors) or that the company you call still returns your calls after a couple of months of you "annoying" them with Gringo-details like cracked walls, humidity lifting the paint or water coming thru the roof ("hey, it was RAINING, get it?" I really had one owner get exactly THAT answer!). :D

You can hold architects and civil engineers liable for erroneous work, IF they signed with their lic. number (CODIA/Colegio de arquitectos etc.). But good luck with that... you'll have to drag them to court for years to only find out, that by the time you would MAYBE get a judgment against them, they are broke TOO.


... J-D.
 
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Acira

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:D :D :D

You can't even get a store to honor a one year warranty the second day after you bought the item here and you want what, 10 years?
TIDR! (this is the DR!) :)

Here you can be happy if the building company was not just set up for YOUR building only and closed the day after they got your money... (before they'd pay all contractors) or that the company you call still returns your calls after a couple of months of you "annoying" them with Gringo-details like cracked walls, humidity lifting the paint or water coming thru the roof ("hey, it was RAINING, get it?" I really had one owner get exactly THAT answer!). :D

You can hold architects and civil engineers liable for erroneous work, IF they signed with their lic. number (CODIA/Colegio de arquitectos etc.). But good luck with that... you'll have to drag them to court for years to only find out, that by the time you would MAYBE get a judgment against them, they are broke TOO.


... J-D.

Haha J-D, good to know that fact then also, thx ;)
 

Acira

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J-D, your post was very funny to read, I expected something like that, yes this is the DR...but here you get warranty on batteries which you will not get anywhere else in the world :bunny:
 

J D Sauser

Silver
Nov 20, 2004
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J-D, your post was very funny to read, I expected something like that, yes this is the DR...but here you get warranty on batteries which you will not get anywhere else in the world :bunny:

Yeah, who knows, here you might even get your cigars replaced if the accidentally got incinerated (whaaaat, not fireproof? :surprised) :D

Well, I am glad you enjoyed the post!

... J-D.