Living in Santo Domingo

Anita

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Jul 10, 2002
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Hi there, I am moving to Santo Domingo in October and I need to find somewhere to live, can anyone give me some advice on how to look for apartments. For those who have lived/are living there, what is it like living in Santo Domingo?

Anita
 

lhtown

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Jan 8, 2002
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This certainly is not my field of expertise, but the Listin Diario has the most classified ads that concern Santo Domingo of any paper. There are also numerous real estate agents and most apartments and houses are listed with an agent. Agents work on a commission and generally have an interest in selling you on the highest price you will pay. It can be better to do your own negotiating in some cases or find a friend to do it for you. Also, make sure you have reciepts for any money paid. Even in honest relationships they can be very important.

There are many things to take into consideration. Location is important. This includes noise, guest parking availablility, crime rates and proximity to shopping, work etc. Perhaps someone who has lived here longer than I will chime in and list some of the best neighborhoods with their pros and cons. I know several of them, but not all of them. You might also check in the archives and I think you will find some imformation on that scattered about.

Electricity, water, maintenance of the apartment, and security are all important issues that will affect your price and your happiness. Many apartments have generators that serve the entire building. Some have generators, but only run them for certain hours of the day. Others might include inverters(battery power backup). Some may have problems with city water or flooding. It is always a great idea to ask some neighbors how things are. Some apartments have full-time guards for the entrance and/or parking area.

Since you are posting under "Anita," I am assuming you are a single female, please underline and highlight the importance of security. If you are broken into, or don't feel secure, you will probably end up moving to the apartment you should have rented in the first place. Moving is expensive and undesirable as is replacing stolen items.
 

richard

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Jan 1, 2002
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I have never lived in the capital but did live for several years in Sos?a. One suggestion I have and this is in no way intended to be derogatory towards Dominicans. Unless you like listening to Dominican music at full volume until all hours of the night into the morning try not to live in close proximity toDominican families. The house next door to me was being house sat by Dominicans for an American who was trying to sell it. Night after night the music blasted; if I heard Passola Mama five times each night I heard it 20 times, over and over again, and since my bedroom window was only about five metres from their sitting room there were many sleepless nights. One night it was so bad at about 3 a.m. I hung a portable cassette player in my window, put on an Elvis tape, and turned it up full blast. If I couldn't sleep I was determined that theywouldn't either. Finally they got the message and turned it off.:angry:
 

jojocho

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Jul 10, 2002
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Hi Anita. Like anywhere in the world depending on how much you want to spend in an apartment you can get anything from small palaces to down right dumps. The neighborhoods that I would recommed the most for apartment living would be, in no special order: Naco, Piantini, Las Praderas, Bella Vista, Urbanizacion Fernandez and Evaristo Morales. I'm probably forgeting a few. If you stick to these areas you will avoid the loud music for sure. Hope this helps!
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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Hopefully you will also avoid the rooster crowing too early in the morning.
 

richard

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Jan 1, 2002
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Ken said:
Hopefully you will also avoid the rooster crowing too early in the morning.

Right Ken lol. At least in Sosua roosters have no sense of time choosing to start anytime after you go to bed and fall asleep.
;)