My wife and i recently went to Puerta Plata and stayed in the iberostar Costa Dorada resort and had a fantastic time. We took sevaeral excursions to see the countryside, downtown, Paradise island, etc. to get a better look at other things except just the resort ( which is beautiful ). We live in US and have been contemplating purchasing a place to visit approx. 5 times a year until i retire which will still be a few years. We have searched several real estate sites in the puerta plata area and it seems to be that alot of apt. options are in the sosua area. Again we dont want to rent we want to own. some questions are, im assuming the immigration laws of citizenship wouldnt apply to us unless we spent ? how much solid time there. Also what are the biggest pros and cons to owning an apt in sosua. i like the idea of an apt due to the limited amount of time we can spend there plus not having to worry about maint issues of property left un attended. from what we have seen decent apts can be purchased for decent amounts and come with decent monthly maint fees and we can place our property in a rental pool also if we wanted to. what are the specific laws of owning propety in sosua and what are some of the most reputable realtors. We have been looking through Century 21, west indies, and remax for available listings. Are there actual supermarkets in Sosua? and what precautions should be taken in purchasing products. Any info that can be given to us would be greatly appreciated. We have owned a Plumbing Contracting Business in US for several years so haggling on issues i am well accustomed to but being in another country definitely takes me out of my element. we have spent alot of time doing research on all areas we can find but this seems to be the place where the knowledge is at for the DR
- Thread starter Gary F
- Start date
Purchasing an apartment in Sosua
The expert will be replying shortly, but I give my 2 cents. For security reasons you need to buy in a gated community or condominium that has a guard at night (and possibly day depending on location) and it is safe and secure at all times.
After this you have to consider the administration of the place, that is just about the most important thing about a condo - you can fix or get around anything else if you have a good admin that can provide a good service and look after the place. Unfortunately you can never be sure of this, even if there is a good admin now, you never know what you would get in a few years. (Some places have good reputation and hopefully stay that way, that's the only clue, you have toask around or go and stay/rent to find them...)
Good luck, hope you find what you are looking for.
After this you have to consider the administration of the place, that is just about the most important thing about a condo - you can fix or get around anything else if you have a good admin that can provide a good service and look after the place. Unfortunately you can never be sure of this, even if there is a good admin now, you never know what you would get in a few years. (Some places have good reputation and hopefully stay that way, that's the only clue, you have toask around or go and stay/rent to find them...)
Good luck, hope you find what you are looking for.
i have used century21 myself, and i am very happy with them. But i will strongly advice you to RENT an apartment for a long time before you start to invest in anything down here. And BEFORE you are going to buy anything, please ask the people here on the forum how it is in the location where you have found a place to live. It will save you alot of problems in the future.
Yes there are supermarkeds in sosua, also several smaller local colmados.
Yes there are supermarkeds in sosua, also several smaller local colmados.
It's good that you have a few years before really moving to the DR. All too often you hear stories about couples who fall in love with the island on a one week trip and move down four months without doing the proper research. Six months really is the minimum amount of time to spend in the DR before committing, and a year is prob better.
Sosua has its points, but it's definitely not for everyone, and the longer you stay there, the more you will see the dark side of it. Not everyone is comfortable living in a town which is ground zero for the island's sex tourism industry and there will be times when there are more prostitutes than tourists downtown. There are other towns on the island with ex-pat communities.
There are items you will miss from home that will surprise you, maybe items that you haven't even bought for years before leaving the states. Everyone has their own personal list of "unobtanium" that they ask friends to bring, or are sometimes willing to pay through the nose to have shipped to the DR. It was the little things I missed the most. Availability is getting better, but you may have to pay four times the price that it would retail for in the US. The average Dominican kitchen is very limited in what they keep for condiments and spices and anything beyond what they would use can be very hard to find. No Chili powder?? Not when I was there...
Everyone is different. You sometimes see Brits get misty eyed when you start talking about parsnips and mushy peas(whatever they are). For me, as someone from NY, it was real maple syrup I prob missed the most. It's not that you can't find these things that makes you homesick; it's that when you feel a little homesick that you really want to find something that reminds you of home.
Sosua has its points, but it's definitely not for everyone, and the longer you stay there, the more you will see the dark side of it. Not everyone is comfortable living in a town which is ground zero for the island's sex tourism industry and there will be times when there are more prostitutes than tourists downtown. There are other towns on the island with ex-pat communities.
There are items you will miss from home that will surprise you, maybe items that you haven't even bought for years before leaving the states. Everyone has their own personal list of "unobtanium" that they ask friends to bring, or are sometimes willing to pay through the nose to have shipped to the DR. It was the little things I missed the most. Availability is getting better, but you may have to pay four times the price that it would retail for in the US. The average Dominican kitchen is very limited in what they keep for condiments and spices and anything beyond what they would use can be very hard to find. No Chili powder?? Not when I was there...
Everyone is different. You sometimes see Brits get misty eyed when you start talking about parsnips and mushy peas(whatever they are). For me, as someone from NY, it was real maple syrup I prob missed the most. It's not that you can't find these things that makes you homesick; it's that when you feel a little homesick that you really want to find something that reminds you of home.
Did you check this out? Here is one place you can rent, and within the year, if you choose to buy, they will credit half your rental! They also run a great rental pool.
Dominican Republic condos for sale|Luxury condos for sale in Sosua
Lindsey
Dominican Republic condos for sale|Luxury condos for sale in Sosua
Lindsey
Agree with everything that's been posted here. The sex tourism issue in Sosua is improving, but the presence is very, very real. Prostitution is rampant throughout latin america, but it's far more overt and prevalent there.
You'll need significant time in country, even if it's just to get a solid sense of what the realistic pricing for apartments/condos should be. Keep in mind there is NO regulatory authority controlling agents out there, so my dog could literally sell you property. Also, the "brand name" agencies are international franchises with no relationship to the domestic-based companies, so you won't get any relief if something goes wrong.
Keep in mind the entire North Coast has one thing in common regarding RE - it is far, far easier to buy a property than it is to sell it. It's great that you want to buy, but please take your time. Find a trustworthy lawyer who can lead you to a reputable agent (NOT the other way around).
Good luck.
You'll need significant time in country, even if it's just to get a solid sense of what the realistic pricing for apartments/condos should be. Keep in mind there is NO regulatory authority controlling agents out there, so my dog could literally sell you property. Also, the "brand name" agencies are international franchises with no relationship to the domestic-based companies, so you won't get any relief if something goes wrong.
Keep in mind the entire North Coast has one thing in common regarding RE - it is far, far easier to buy a property than it is to sell it. It's great that you want to buy, but please take your time. Find a trustworthy lawyer who can lead you to a reputable agent (NOT the other way around).
Good luck.
I recommend that you check out the villas at Casa Linda as an option. They are close to town and grocery store.
I own an apartment in El Neptuno in Sosua and have lived there for 12 years . Very likely the best administered condominium on the North Coast. It is in town, just a few minutes walk to the beach, supermarkets and drug stores, bars and restaurants, so you don't need to drive wherever you go. Apartments are large, 2 bedrooms and 2 baths. I suggest you check it out. PM or email me if you want the contact info.
